Final Thoughts
There are a lot of great monitors on the market and the Asus ROG Strix XG27VQ is one such example. Gamers looking for a well-featured yet not-too-expensive monitor should keep this one on their radar, as it ticks a lot of boxes for an entry-level high-refresh experience.
What boxes in particular? Well, the XG27VQ uses a VA LCD panel, so we're seeing a fantastic contrast ratio and excellent viewing angles. It supports a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, and includes support for AMD's FreeSync variable refresh technology (with LFC).
It may only be a 1080p display, but I feel that 1080p 144Hz is better than 1440p 60Hz at this price point for most gamers. It even includes a backlight strobing technology, Asus' ELMB, to remove blur in high-motion games.
The design of the monitor isn't for everyone, and as someone that generally appreciates minimalist aesthetics, it didn't really satisfy my needs. Like everything in Asus' ROG line-up, the XG27VQ comes with a heavy dose of 'gamer style', and while bezels are slim enough, the rest of the build is rather chunky. At least you get a height adjustable stand and an easy-to-use on-screen display.
This is one of Asus' first monitors with Aura RGB lighting on the rear, and I just don't get why Asus included this feature. It's not visible during normal usage, so it strikes me as rather pointless. It doesn't surprise me that monitors are starting to get RGB lighting, though, as RGB is all the rage these days.
As for color performance, the XG27VQ is unremarkable out of the box, though not terrible and surprisingly close to the ideal color temperature. On-screen display calibration can't do much to fix the problem, but with a calibration tool I was able to achieve fantastic results. The only main downside here is 95% sRGB coverage, rather than an ideal 100%, but I think the monitor still looks fantastic when calibrated regardless.
27-inch 1080p 144Hz monitors tend to start around the $300 mark, so the XG27VQ's $350 price point is reasonable. My main concern is you can get the MSI Optix G27C, with near-identical specs on paper, for $50 less, though we haven't tested the MSI offering. In any case, the XG27VQ is a great option for those that want an entry-level high-refresh monitor and enjoy the aesthetics of Asus' ROG line.
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score
Pros: 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync support, ELMB, VA panel. Respectable color performance that's easily calibratable. Accessible on-screen controls.
Cons: RGB lighting makes no sense. 'Gamer' design isn't for everyone.