The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM is a 27-inch, 1440p gaming monitor. Along with the Corsair XENEON 27QHD240, it's the main competitor to the LG 27GR95QE-B, as all three monitors use the same OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate. It features FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support with G-SYNC compatibility, so it can reduce screen tearing with any type of graphics card. However, because it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, HDMI 2.1 sources, like current-gen gaming consoles, can't make full use of the monitor. It's advertised to use heatsink technology that's supposed to make the screen brighter than other monitors with the same panel, and it has features to help reduce the risk of permanent burn-in, like pixel cleaning and screen move options.
Note: We originally tested this monitor with firmware MCM102, as we couldn't update to any of the newer firmware, MCM103 or MCM104. We tried four different PCs, with Windows 10 and 11, and couldn't update the firmware using the ASUS installer. We looked into why none of those PCs worked, but we couldn't find anything unusual. Other people have noticed this online, as you can read more about it here and here. This issue is caused by the firmware installer not working with certain PCs, but we couldn't find any common aspects about the configurations of the first four PCs we tried that would explain this problem. Because it's an issue related to the installer, we would have experienced the same thing even with another unit of this monitor.
Finally, we could update the firmware with a fifth PC, a basic desktop PC with Windows 11. However, on July 11, 2023, ASUS released an updated version of firmware MCM104 that you can install via USB. If you're having trouble updating the firmware with the installer, you can try updating it with a USB instead. The new firmware fixes issues with the HDR Brightness, HDR Color Gamut, and Input Lag, which we have retested.
The ASUS PG27AQDM is incredible for PC gaming. It has a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in sharp motion without any inverse ghosting or blur trail behind fast-moving objects. It also has VRR support to reduce screen tearing and a fast 240Hz refresh rate. It even has low input lag for a responsive feel, as long as the monitor is updated to the latest firmware. Unfortunately, it has noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates, which is distracting in dark scenes. On the plus side, it's great for dark room gaming as it displays perfect blacks, and there isn't any blooming around bright objects.
The ASUS PG27AQDM is great for console gaming. It delivers a smooth gaming feel thanks to its low input lag and near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion. That said, it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and it's limited to a 1440p resolution. Luckily, it delivers exceptional picture quality in both SDR and HDR, with deep and inky blacks and no blooming around bright objects.
The ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQDM is decent for office use, but it's mainly limited by its issues with text clarity. Because computer operating systems don't render text well with the display's RWBG subpixel layout, text isn't as sharp as on other displays with the same pixel density. OLEDs are also prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, like if you have a taskbar on the screen all day. It doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare either, which is disappointing if you want to use it in a well-lit office, but it has fantastic reflection handling. It also has really wide viewing angles, which are useful if you constantly need to share the screen with someone else.
The ASUS PG27AQDM is excellent for content creators but has some limitations. It has amazing accuracy in its sRGB mode, and it also displays a wide range of colors. The amazing ergonomics and wide viewing angles are also ideal if you constantly need to share the screen with someone else. However, it has text clarity issues caused by its subpixel layout, so text elements in your editing programs don't look sharp. OLEDs like this one are also prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, like if you work with the same editing program open all day.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has decent brightness. While it has okay SDR brightness and is bright enough for rooms with a few dim lights around, it isn't bright enough to fight intense glare. Luckily, it gets brighter in HDR as small highlights really pop, but the screen gets dimmer with larger highlights.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has a near-instantaneous response time, leading to exceptionally sharp motion.
The ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQDM is incredible for HDR, but you must update it to the latest firmware for the best performance. It displays deep blacks and has perfect black uniformity, meaning it performs extremely well in dark rooms. It has good peak brightness, enough to make colors look vivid, but it has limited coverage of the Rec. 2020 color space, so not all content looks as it should.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has exceptional picture quality in SDR. It displays deep and inky blacks without any blooming, and it also displays a wide range of colors.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has fantastic color accuracy. It has an extremely accurate sRGB picture mode, but you can still get the best accuracy with a full calibration. Luckily, it has excellent gray uniformity, so the accurate image remains consistent across the entire screen.
We tested the 27-inch ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM, the only size available for this monitor.
Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|
PG27AQDM | 27" | OLED | 1440p | 240Hz |
Our unit was manufactured in Feb 2023; you can see the label here. These results are with firmware MCM104, as there are some HDR issues with firmware MCM102, so if you experience issues in HDR, try updating to the latest firmware.
The ASUS PG27AQDM is an incredible PC gaming monitor that combines a fast 240Hz refresh rate with an OLED panel, making it a great choice for gamers who crave high refresh rates and good picture quality. There are known HDR issues with its original firmware, but as long as you can update it to its latest firmware, it's a nice upgrade over the LG 27GR95QE-B, which uses the same panel, but the ASUS gets much brighter in HDR and has less overshoot. However, it has a more aggressive ABL than the LG, so there are some distracting changes in brightness in HDR content, even while gaming. Of course, it doesn't deliver the same vivid colors as QD-OLEDs like the Dell Alienware AW2725DF, so if you want the best picture quality, it's better to go for the Dell.
See our recommendations for the best 240Hz monitors, the best 27-inch monitors, and the best 1440p gaming monitors.
The LG 27GR95QE-B and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM use the same panel, but there are some differences in performance. The ASUS gets much brighter in HDR, making smaller highlights pop more, but you also need to make sure to update it to the latest firmware to get the best HDR performance. The ASUS also has an advantage with motion handling as it has less overshoot. One area where the LG has an advantage is that it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, letting it take full advantage of gaming consoles and high-end graphics cards. The LG also has a less aggressive ABL, so there aren't as many distracting changes in brightness in HDR.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM are different types of OLED displays. The Dell is an ultrawide monitor with a larger screen, and it uses extra quantum dot technology to display a wider range of colors that are brighter and more vivid than on the ASUS. However, the ASUS still gets brighter, so small highlights pop more. The ASUS also has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, which makes it ideal for competitive gamers.
Despite sharing similar names, the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM and the ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG27AQN are different types of monitors. The PG27AQDM has an OLED panel that results in deeper blacks and less blooming, and it also has better motion handling at lower refresh rates. On the other hand, the PG27AQN has a higher 360Hz refresh rate, making it a better choice for competitive gaming. It also gets brighter, has better text clarity, and doesn't risk permanent burn-in like on the PG27AQDM.
The Corsair XENEON 27QHD240 and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM use the same panel, but there are a few differences. The ASUS gets much brighter, especially in HDR, and colors look more vivid thanks to its improved color volume, so its overall picture quality is better. However, the Corsair has a few extra features that the ASUS doesn't have, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, USB-C ports, and a KVM switch. These can be useful if you want to connect multiple devices.
The Dell Alienware AW2725DF and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM are 27-inch OLED displays with fantastic gaming performance and image quality. The Dell has a QD-OLED display, while the ASUS has a WOLED. The Dell performs better, with more vivid colors, a brighter display, and a higher refresh rate. However, the Dell monitor's display appears slightly purple in a brighter environment, while the ASUS' doesn't.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM and the LG 27GS95QE-B and both 27-inch OLED gaming monitors. The LG is a better choice if you're gaming in a brighter room, as it gets brighter in SDR. However, the ASUS has advantages in a darker room, as it can reach higher HDR brightness in small parts of its screen and has more vibrant HDR colors.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM and the Dell Alienware AW3225QF are both OLED gaming monitors with a few differences. The Dell delivers better overall picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel, which displays more vivid colors and brighter highlights. It also delivers more detail thanks to its 4k resolution. The Dell can also take full advantage of gaming consoles and HDMI 2.1 graphics cards thanks to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. One advantage of the ASUS is that it maintains its perfect black levels even in bright rooms, as black levels raise with ambient light on the Dell.
The MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM are premium 27-inch gaming monitors. If connectivity and colors are important to you, the MSI is the better choice, as it has a KVM switch and a USB-C port, which provides 90W of power delivery. The MSI also has far more vibrant HDR colors. However, the ASUS has much lower input lag at lower refresh rates, particularly when using VRR, and is better if you regularly game at lower refresh rates.
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85 and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM are different types of OLED displays. The Samsung is an ultrawide monitor with a larger screen, and it uses extra quantum dot technology to display a wider range of colors that are brighter and more vivid than on the ASUS. The Samsung also has a built-in smart system, making it easier to stream your favorite content without the need for a PC. The ASUS also gets brighter in HDR, so small highlights pop more. The ASUS also has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, which makes it ideal for competitive gamers.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM and the Acer Predator X27U bmiipruzx use the same panel but have a few differences. The ASUS gets brighter in HDR and also has an improved color volume for more vivid colors. The ASUS also has lower input lag for a more responsive feel, but only after a firmware update. On the other hand, the Acer has a few extra features, like a KVM switch and a USB-C port, making it easier to connect multiple devices. It also has a more ergonomic stand, so it's easier to adjust.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM are OLED gaming displays with a 240Hz refresh rate. However, the PG34WCDM is significantly wider than the PG27AQDM, so if immersion is important, you may find its wider screen creates a more immersive gaming experience. Both are fantastic for gaming and watching HDR content. The PG27AQDM works better for console gaming and is the better choice if more vivid HDR colors are important to you. However, the PG34WCDM's brighter display is a better choice if you're gaming in a room with more ambient light.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM are different types of OLED displays. The Dell is an ultrawide monitor with a larger screen, and it uses extra quantum dot technology to display a wider range of colors that are brighter and more vivid than on the ASUS. However, the ASUS still gets brighter, so small highlights pop more. The ASUS also has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, which makes it ideal for competitive gamers.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has a gamer-oriented design with thin bezels and a tripod stand. It features RGB lighting in the form of Republic of Gamers (ROG) logos with a down-facing light on the stand, and it comes with extra covers so that you can change the design of the light. There's more lighting on the back too.
The build quality is excellent. The housing of the display is plastic which feels sturdy, and there aren't any obvious issues with how it's put together. The bezels are properly attached to the screen throughout, as you can see here. The metal stand is also solid as it holds the screen well, and even the feet are grippy, so it doesn't easily slide on the desk. The one downside is that the bottom piece for the RGB lighting can come off if you're holding it there and you aren't careful, but it's meant to come off anyways.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has amazing ergonomics; you can adjust it in several ways. The stand also offers cable management, but because the inputs are down-facing, they can be hard to reach at times. The back of the monitor features robust housing for the inputs, but the panel itself is thin. There are also vents on the housing, as you can see here. It comes with a mounting bracket if you want to mount the monitor.
The tripod stand holds the screen well, and because the feet are grippy, it doesn't easily slide on the desk. However, this can also be a downside, as you would need to lift the entire monitor to move it.
OLED panels like this one don't have a backlight, so they don't require a local dimming feature. However, with a near-infinite contrast ratio, there isn't any blooming around bright objects, and it's the equivalent of a perfect local dimming feature. We still film these videos on the monitor so you can see how the screen performs and compare it with a monitor that has local dimming.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has okay SDR brightness but isn't nearly as bright as the advertised 450 cd/m². While it's brighter than the LG 27GR95QE-B, it still isn't bright enough to fight glare in a very bright room, so visibility can be an issue. These results are from after calibration in 'User Mode' GameVisual, which is the name for the picture mode, with the Brightness at its max and Uniform Brightness disabled. This setting helps reduce the Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL), but it also keeps the brightness the same across different scenes, and the screen is dimmer, which you can see here:
The ASUS PG27AQDM has good HDR brightness with firmware MCM104. These results are in 'ASUS Gaming HDR' HDR Setting with Adjustable Brightness off, Brightness locked to its max, and the Color Temp set to '6500K'. There's an issue with setting Color Temp to its default of '8200K' that results in an orange tint and a much dimmer image. This is what we noticed when we originally tested it on firmware MCM102, but after updating the firmware to MCM104 and changing Color Temp to '6500K', the monitor gets much brighter. It's also important to note that if you plug in a new source for the first time and switch inputs, Color Temp defaults back to '8200K', so you need to change it back to '6500K', but the monitor will save that setting for the next time you switch to that input.
The firmware update allows small highlights to get extremely bright, but there's an aggressive ABL that causes large highlights to be very dim, and the changes in brightness can be noticeable even while gaming. The update also fixes the EOTF, as it follows the target PQ curve perfectly until there's a sharp cut-off at the peak brightness, meaning it gets the brightest it can before letting your PC do any tone mapping.
Unlike in SDR, there's a setting in HDR called Adjustable Brightness that lets you change the Brightness setting if you want something with less aggressive ABL, but it also makes the screen dimmer. When enabling this setting and leaving the Brightness at its max, the brightness of the display is the same as leaving Adjustable Brightness off.
While the manufacturer advertises this monitor as using heatsink technology, it doesn't dissipate heat well. As you can see here, heat is concentrated towards the bottom. For reference, you can also see what the LG 27GR95QE-B looks like here, and on this monitor, heat is concentrated more towards the center.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM has a fantastic horizontal viewing angle. While it isn't perfect, you won't notice any inconsistencies when viewing from the sides, making this a great choice for co-op gaming.
The vertical viewing angle is remarkable. The image looks the same even if you're standing up and looking down on it or have it mounted above eye level.
The accuracy in the sRGB mode before calibration is amazing. The sRGB mode locks colors well to the sRGB color space, and even the white balance and color temperature are great. However, gamma is off as it seems to follow a 2.0 target instead of sRGB, meaning most scenes are too bright. Unfortunately, using the sRGB mode disables many settings, including Uniform Brightness, so there's a somewhat aggressive ABL that causes full-screen windows to be dimmer than smaller windows. If you do want to use those locked-out settings, the 'User Mode' has a similar color temperature and white balance, but colors are oversaturated, and gamma is the same, as you can see here.
The accuracy after calibration is amazing. Even though calibrating it only slightly improves the color accuracy, white balance, and color temperature, it fixes gamma a lot more. Also, by calibrating it, you can adjust settings that are locked out in the sRGB mode, like Uniform Brightness.
The SDR color gamut is fantastic. It has near-perfect coverage of the sRGB color space used in most web content. It's also excellent with the Adobe RGB color space used in some professional content creation, but it oversaturates reds and undersaturates greens.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has a fantastic color gamut. With firmware MCM104 and Color Temp set to '6500K', it displays colors accurately, and there aren't any obvious issues. Before the update, there was a red tint issue with firmware MCM102 as the monitor didn't tone map well, and even after updating to MCM104, we still noticed the same issue with Color Temp set to its default of '8200K'. It has worse tone mapping as you can see with the DCI-P3 gamut here, and Rec. 2020 here. Switching Color Temp to '6500K' results in the best performance, and even if you change it back to '8200K', you get a cold temperature, but it doesn't have the same red tint as it originally had. You can also see examples below of what the monitor looks like with the two Color Temp settings, including the red tint issue with '8200K', compared to the LG 27GR95QE-B in Destiny 2:
ASUS - Color Temp 8200K | ASUS - Color Temp 6500K | LG |
The HDR color volume is great. It displays bright and dark colors well, but its incomplete color gamut limits it, and it doesn't display colors as bright as on QD-OLEDs like the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. Updating it to firmware MCM104 and changing the Color Temp to '6500K' results in the best tone mapping and overall picture quality.
The text clarity is okay, but it's worse than LED-backlit LCD monitors because computer programs don't render text well with its RWBG subpixel layout. As you can see, with Windows ClearType enabled (top photo), there's color fringing, so if that bothers you, you'd have to disable ClearType. The same issue exists with Windows 11, as you can see with ClearType on and with ClearType off. On top of its text rendering issues, the aggressive matte coating makes text look hazy.
Due to the RWBG subpixel layout, all four pixels are never on simultaneously. You can see additional photos of the pixels on the LG 27GR95QE-B below, as it uses the same panel:
The reflection handling is fantastic. It has the same aggressive matte coating as the LG 27GR95QE-B, so it reduces glare well, but that also introduces haziness to images. Despite this fantastic reflection handling, visibility can still be a problem in bright rooms due to its low peak brightness.
You can reach the ASUS PG27AQDM's max refresh rate over DisplayPort, and to reach 10-bit signals, your graphics card needs to support Display Stream Compression (DSC), which any NVIDIA 16 Series or AMD RX 5000 Series and newer graphics card supports. Sadly, you can't reach its max refresh rate over HDMI because it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
NVIDIA | VRR Min | VRR Max |
DisplayPort | <20Hz | 240Hz |
HDMI | <20Hz | 120Hz |
AMD | VRR Min | VRR Max |
DisplayPort | <20Hz | 240Hz |
HDMI | <20Hz | 120Hz |
On top of supporting FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility, it supports HDMI Forum VRR.
Refresh Rate | CAD Heatmap | RT Chart | Pursuit Photo |
239 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
165 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
144 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
120 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
100 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
80 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
60 | Heatmap | Chart | Photo |
The ASUS PG27AQDM has outstanding motion handling across its entire refresh rate range with VRR enabled. CAD remains low throughout and there's minimal blur with fast-moving objects.
The ASUS PG27AQDM doesn't have an optional black frame insertion feature to reduce persistence blur.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates, particularly in dark scenes. This can get bothersome, especially if you're sensitive to it. While it isn't as visible in bright scenes, you can still see it in dark areas, like shadows. Although it has less flicker than some other OLEDs, it's still distracting, but it isn't an issue with consistent frame rates.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM technically isn't flicker-free because there's a slight dip in brightness that corresponds to the 240Hz refresh rate. However, it isn't the same as pulse width modulation because it isn't a full screen on and off, and you won't notice this flicker.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has low input lag for a responsive feel with firmware MCM104. The input lag is lowest with VRR enabled, which is what we tested it with. The input lag is a bit higher with a fixed signal, as you can see here:
Additionally, these results are with firmware MCM104, as the input lag is much higher at 120Hz and 60Hz with firmware MCM102, which is something other people have reported online, as you can read here. These are the results with firmware MCM102:
The 27-inch screen may seem small to some, so if you want something bigger with an OLED panel, you can also consider the Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240, but it has a lower pixel density.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM works as expected with the PS5, but can't take full advantage of it due to the lack of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. Unfortunately, HDR looks very bad with a red tint and dim screen, which you can see here.
The ASUS PG27AQDM works well with the Xbox Series X|S, but without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it doesn't take full advantage of it. It downscales 4k signals, and the main advantage of that is that it supports HDR with the console, as the Xbox doesn't support HDR with 1080p and 1440p signals.
You need to connect the USB-B to USB-A cable to your computer for the USB ports to work. It doesn't have a USB-C port, but if you want something that does, then look into the Acer Predator X27U bmiipruzx.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM is compatible with macOS, but there are some issues. You can only get a 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate over HDMI as VRR doesn't work at all, and if you're using a MacBook, windows return to their original position after closing and reopening the lid or when putting the MacBook to sleep.
It supports VRR when using a DisplayPort to USB-C cable, but it doesn't properly connect at first. The first time we connected it, we had to change DisplayPort Stream from '1.4' to '1.2' for it to work, then the second time we connected it, we had to unplug and replug the cable, and set DisplayPort Stream back to '1.4' for it to work.
The ASUS PG27AQDM has a few extra features, including:
While the settings menu has options to adjust the volume and mute, it's for external speakers, as the monitor itself doesn't have any speakers.
Like most OLED displays, there are also a few settings to help reduce the risk of burn-in, which you can find in the Screen Protection section of the OSD:
Burn-in can occur with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, so the best ways to reduce the risk of burn-in is by watching varied content, hiding the taskbar, using a black background, and taking advantage of these settings. You can learn about our current longevity and burn-in test here.