I’ve gone into detail about how 1440p is the sweet spot for PC gaming with a 27-inch monitor and the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS is yet another fine example. Monitors are vastly more affordable than they once were, especially with higher resolutions and refresh rates. You can find great monitors at reasonable prices for gaming and the XG27ACS is yet another to add to your shortlist, especially if your budget is $300. Interestingly, Asus branded this screen with the premium ROG Strix when it falls short of more expensive screens, but I can understand why with the feature set.
The 27-inch IPS monitor can hit refresh speeds of 180 Hz, which is fairly uncommon at this price point. There’s also a 1 ms GtG response time and full support for AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, making this a versatile monitor for all graphics cards. HDR is also on the cards, though being HDR400 with a maximum output of around 400 nits, you won’t be turning up the volume and enjoying your favorite 4K movies over using the big screen in the living room. Still, it’s yet another feature that’s nice to have for less than $300.
About this review: Asus provided XDA with a sample for testing and this review but had no input to its contents.
Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS
The Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS may cost less than $300, but this is one truly capable gaming monitor. The IPS panel is stunning, it supports G-Sync and FreeSync, and you’ve got a 1440p resolution with a 165Hz refresh rate for epic gaming.
Pros
- Gorgeous IPS panel
- Great gaming specs for the price
- Amazing value with G-Sync and FreeSync
- Good calibration from the factory
Cons
- Weak HDR
- Not the best gaming monitor around
Price, specs, and availability
The price of this monitor is arguably its strongest highlight. At just $300, you’ll have a 27-inch screen with an IPS panel supporting refresh rates up to 180 Hz. That’s perfect for gaming with an AMD, Intel, or Nvidia GPU with full support for all variable refresh technologies. It’s not the most affordable 1440p 27-inch display and I recommend shopping elsewhere if saving money is your only concern. But for gaming and getting work done throughout the day on the same system, this Asus monitor ticks all the right boxes.
For gaming and getting work done throughout the day on the same system, this Asus monitor ticks all the right boxes.
There’s a single DisplayPort 14 joined by two HDMI 2.0 ports. One USB-C port is capable of delivering up to 7.5W of power. There’s VESA 100 support for mounting this screen to a monitor arm of your choosing, perfect for loading up two of these for more screen real estate and the ability to watch YouTube while gaming. The included stand is solid, however, and worth relying on with swivel, tilt, pivot, and height adjustments. The Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS is feature-packed for the price.
Specifications
- Resolution
- 2560 x 1440
- Refresh Rate
- 180 Hz
- Screen Size
- 27 inches
- Ports
- 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C (PD)
- Display Technology
- IPS
- Aspect Ratio
- 16:9
- Screen Brightness
- 400 nits
- Mounting Options
- VESA (100 mm)
- HDR
- HDR400
- Variable Refresh
- AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync
- Response Time
- 1 ms
- Tilt
- +20° ~ -5°
- Swivel
- +45° ~ -45°
- Pivot
- +90° ~ -90°
Design and features
Basic design that does the job
The Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS is an attractive gaming monitor without going overboard with RGB lighting, aggressive styling, and other “gamer” elements found on other panels. You could install this screen at the office and no one would bat an eye. The monitor is boxed with its stand and base, both of which are sturdy, weighty, and filled with confidence. The monitor isn’t heavy by any means, but the device won’t move an inch when adjusting the screen to your liking.
Compared to the usual 1440p monitor crop, this Asus monitor looks and feels much more premium. The base of the display even has a slit for storing your phone while it charges. There are a few buttons on the rear of the display for cycling power and manipulating the OSD controls. A few vents can be found on the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS though the plastic shell doesn’t get hot to the touch. The array of ports isn’t terrible either, consisting of DisplayPort and HDMI, as well as a single USB-C port with power delivery.
The chassis and external features are relatively bare, which makes sense as Asus spent most of the budget on the internals. A gaming screen isn’t a good gaming screen if the refresh rate, response time, and visuals are sub-par, which is something Asus worked hard on nailing with the ROG Strix XG27ACS.
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Display and gaming
Stunning visuals in and out of games
Firing up the display and loading Windows 11 saw everything work perfectly out of the box. Nvidia G-Sync was enabled with our RTX 3060 Ti test bench and 180 Hz was enabled with no trouble from the OS or the display. Checking calibration, the ROG Strix XG27ACS is slightly too dim at 65%. Bumping this up to 85% saw positive results before using the Spyder5. Gamut coverage came in at 100% for sRGB, 82% for Adobe RGB, and 91% for DCI P3, which results in great color accuracy. No other adjustments were necessary though the OSD controls were easy to use and the physical buttons on the rear of the panel are a nice touch.
Colors won’t pop as much as more expensive panels, but bearing the $300 price tag in mind, this is a stunning display.
Browsing the web, loading up some images and a movie on Windows was great on the XG27ACS. This is a gorgeous display with or without HDR enabled. Colors won’t pop as much as more expensive panels, but bearing the $300 price tag in mind, this is a stunning display. There are many settings to fine-tune and customize the display to your liking, including pixel response, refresh rate, colors, modes, and more. What’s also great about 1440p on a 27-inch monitor is the pixel density is just about right and you don’t need an expensive GPU to enjoy all your favorite games.
Whichever game I fired up, be it OldSchool RuneScape, X4: Foundations, or Grand Theft Auto V, the content looked incredible on the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS. Everything works out of the box, which is great for a more affordable monitor.
Should you buy the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS?
You should buy the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS if:
- You want a killer 27-inch 1440p panel for less than $300.
- You desire a monitor that supports Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync.
- You don’t want a 1080p or 3840p monitor.
You shouldn’t buy the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS if:
- You want a 4K screen.
- You need a monitor that can get brighter than 400 nits.
- You don’t play many games.
Should you buy this monitor? My answer is a resounding yes. If you’re looking to upgrade an older screen and/or move up from 1080p, the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS is a fantastic gaming monitor. It has just about everything you need for matching the screen to a gaming rig, including a 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and synchronization support for AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs. Gaming is amazing and so too is general computing and although the display is unable to get bright enough to truly enjoy HDR-enabled content, it doesn’t look terrible.
There are more affordable monitors available and the XG27ACS won’t win awards for color accuracy or gaming performance, but for costing less than $300 and having everything you require for building a powerful mid-range gaming setup, I would strongly consider this as your next display. 1440p is still the sweet spot for gaming on a 27-inch panel and this isn’t set to change anytime soon. Purchasing this Asus screen will ensure you’re using one of the best monitors for playing PC games without demolishing your wallet.
Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS
The ROG Strix XG27ACS is Asus’ answer to budget-friendly competitors with a 1440p 27-inch IPS panel, HDR support, super-fast response time and refresh rate, and support for butter-smooth gaming on AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs.