The 165Hz refresh rate is paired with Asus’ ELMB-Sync feature. That’s easily done for esports titles, which tend to be less graphically demanding, but you’ll need a beefy GPU to run single-player titles at those speeds – something like an RTX 2070 Super or an AMD Radeon RX 5700. And, as ever, you’ll need a graphics card that can run games at 2,560 x 1,440 and at framerates approaching 144fps or 165fps to get the most out of this panel. The Asus can only use that 165Hz mode over DisplayPort, not HDMI. I didn’t see any of the ghosting or blurring that can sometimes occur on overclocked displays, and response times only increase by a tiny margin when using this overclocked mode – but the vast majority of users won’t be affected by this, even in competitive scenarios. The display also has an overclocking function, which means it can run at a peak speed of 165Hz. The Asus has Nvidia G-Sync that runs at a standard speed of 144Hz, and the display also works with AMD FreeSync 2 – so it works with any AMD or Nvidia graphics card. Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ – Design and features This 27in IPS panel has a 1440p resolution and AMD FreeSync 2 on-board, and it arrives with US and UK pricing of $450 and £485.

TUF may be Asus’ entry-level gaming brand, but don’t assume that the VG27AQ is cheap. It’s appeared recently on laptops and headsets, and the Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ is one of the first monitors I’ve seen with this designation. Asus has been using its TUF branding for motherboard and graphics cards for a long time, but the firm’s entry-level gaming brand is branching out.

Microcenter vg27aq