He’s correct! I’m really having a hard time understanding how HDR performance got a 9.1 when there’s a known bug with HDR where it’s completely washed out when enabled. Windows looks horrible and all my games look horrible as well. Asus has acknowledged the issue on Reddit and says a new firmware is coming mid Nov. Can you please reach out to Asus and work with them to resolve the HDR issue?

The simplest way to explain it is it seems like SDR and HDR are reversed. HDR should look like SDR and vice versa. The fact that Asus skipped on VESA HDR certification is part of the problem, as the requirements for proper HDR calibration do not have to be met. Myself and others I know have returned the monitor for a refund due to this glaring HDR issue. Last but not least, did you use any hardware/software calibration tools specifically for HDR tuning?

Thanks in advance!

Pretty much identical experience here with my PG42UQ on my 3080 gaming PC (Windows 10). ‘Upgraded’ from the LG C1 48 and the difference was immediately quite obvious and disappointing.

For the moment the only thing which has made a difference for me are some tweaks in Windows and Nvidia Control Panel:

Windows HD color settings brightness slider to max (all the way to the right)

Under Change resolution in Nvidia Control panel - set output dynamic range to full (it was on limited by default)

Again in Nvidia control panel - Adjust desktop color settings, set Contrast to 100%.

This gave me the overall HDR experience I was expecting and was pretty much the same as my previous default experience on the LG C1. I will say however, if you are watching HDR content online it doesn’t matter what settings you use, the images appear correct. This makes me think it is maybe a Windows problem, or perhaps the notoriously awful ASUS firmware these have shipped with. Either way I’m happy with my (hopefully) temporary workaround at the moment and will wait patiently to see if its resolved in the future.

I will say Windows has it’s challenges with HDR but that is not the case here. I’ve tried this on Xbox Series X and the game I’ve tested is Forza Horizon 5, the HDR experience is the same across the two, bad HDR.

My settings in the Nvidia Control panel to get the same experience as I see on the C2 would be:

Brightness: 55% Contrast: 80% Gamma: 1.30 (this changes the HDR highlights but personal preference) Digital Vibrance: 57/60 (again personal preference on color saturation)

If I really want bright HDR highlights my color temp is set to 10k, 6500k works but I have a yellow tint with this setting and is not ideal as the C2 displays whites just fine.

The nuisance with this is you have to reset these settings when going back to SDR and then put back when moving over to HDR.

I’m also on the current V031 Firmware update as I loaded the V032 and same bad HDR experience along with a few other issues that I didn’t have prior to the update so I’ll sit tight with V031.

This workaround is limited to PC users only but it leaves console players at the mercy of an update from Asus and for the premium this should work out the box. I hope this wasn’t expected on Asus part given the omission of a VESA certification.

I hope some kind of news comes out as I will have to take this monitor back for refund if Asus can’t fix and a shame as I think this monitor has more utility than the C2, IMO.

Thanks again and hopefully this can all be resolved soon!

I’m curious, is it possible that LG prohibits partners that license its panels from getting VESA HDR certification on competing models? I remember when Alienware announced the first gaming OLED @ 55” and it lacked Gsync and HDR. LG had announced the CX OLED as its first Gsync certified gaming OLED around the same time. Seems very coincidental that both partners omitted some key features from its respective models that used LGs panel. Could this be a contractual restriction between LG and its partners? 🤔

Wow. The HDR performance of the 42" C2 was incredible. Even in the desktop of Windows 11, I often didn’t realize HDR was on, Windows was rendered so perfectly, something I’ve been waiting for, for years. Hope Asus fixes this issue.

Hi folks, thank you for your comments bringing this to our attention. We’ll be taking a deeper look into the HDR performance on the PG42UQ with Windows, so stay tuned for an update towards the end of the week.

Cheers!

Oct 31, 2022 02:31 PM By  Matthew Lopes

Hi folks, thank you for your comments bringing this to our attention. We’ll be taking a deeper look into the HDR performance on the PG42UQ with Windows, so stay tuned for an update towards the end of the week. Cheers!

Where are you with the HDR research?

Nov 04, 2022 12:04 PM By MistaVauros

26

Where are you with the HDR research?

Hi MistaVauros,

We updated the writing throughout the PG42UQ review yesterday to better reflect the real-world HDR performance users should expect of the monitor - at least until new firmware is released.

In short, while HDR performance done through our testing equipment (HDFury Vertex and Murideo) is excellent, in Windows HDR and in game HDR the monitor is severely washing colours out. Here’s the gamut and tone-mapping we measured from Windows HDR: link

We can’t give a conclusive answer as to why it’s behaving this way, but an upcoming firmware revision from ASUS might fix this issue. You can check through the published review for more details!

Thanks! Matt

Nov 04, 2022 03:21 PM By  Matthew Lopes

Hi MistaVauros, We updated the writing throughout the PG42UQ review yesterday to better reflect the real-world HDR performance users should expect of the monitor - at least until new firmware is released. In short, while HDR performance done through our testing equipment (HDFury Vertex and Murideo) is excellent, in Windows HDR and in game HDR the monitor is severely washing colours out. Here’s the gamut and tone-mapping we measured from Windows HDR: link We can’t give a conclusive answer as to why it’s behaving this way, but an upcoming firmware revision from ASUS might fix this issue. You can check through the published review for more details! Thanks! Matt

We really appreciate your diligence with this issue. I hope Asus reads this thread and finds a way to resolve the issue.

hi just order this monitor after reading all the positive review online including RTINGS. but after I read those comment I am very bummed out . love hdr on my big tv just got my new pc (4090- intel 13900k) so I order this one for hdr pc gaming but now I have to hope they fix it with a firmware ?

Is it all of the monitor that got this problem? That seem like a crazy big problem nobody talk unless you dig in comments

they already ship my order I can always return it later. will be waiting for update on this

thx for this post to let’s people know

I’d just like to state that I also experienced a washed out HDR issue on Windows 11 with this monitor, using an RTX 3090 as my GPU. Originally, I had this monitor connected vid DP 1.4 with DSC enabled and had all correct options in windows HDR settings enabled, as well as running the Windows HDR calibration tool. I was totally bummed and underwhelmed how bad the HDR was performing and ensured that everything was correct by also going into Nvidia control panel and ensuring that full range was selected and 10 bit colour was enabled. I decided to try the included ASUS high-speed HDMI 2.1 cable from the GPU to the monitor and that fixed the issue straight away. Through my findings, I’m pretty confident to conclude that it’s definitely a firmware issue that sends an incorrect signal to the GPU via DP 1.4 DSC port(s). I ruled out the DSC cable being faulty due to trying it on a known HDR monitor which worked well. Those who have the same issue, try and use the included HDMI 2.1cable and report back with findings. I find it abysmal for ASUS to ship out and distribute this monitor with buggy firmware and charge such a premium price. However, knowing that HDR works beautifully on HDMI 2.1 has enabled me to hold off on returning the product and waiting ASUS to action and provide a working firmware that addresses these issues at hand.

Nov 11, 2022 03:17 PM By REKTjooz

7

I’d just like to state that I also experienced a washed out HDR issue on Windows 11 with this monitor, using an RTX 3090 as my GPU. Originally, I had this monitor connected vid DP 1.4 with DSC enabled and had all correct options in windows HDR settings enabled, as well as running the Windows HDR calibration tool. I was totally bummed and underwhelmed how bad the HDR was performing and ensured that everything was correct by also going into Nvidia control panel and ensuring that full range was selected and 10 bit colour was enabled. I decided to try the included ASUS high-speed HDMI 2.1 cable from the GPU to the monitor and that fixed the issue straight away. Through my findings, I’m pretty confident to conclude that it’s definitely a firmware issue that sends an incorrect signal to the GPU via DP 1.4 DSC port(s). I ruled out the DSC cable being faulty due to trying it on a known HDR monitor which worked well. Those who have the same issue, try and use the included HDMI 2.1cable and report back with findings. I find it abysmal for ASUS to ship out and distribute this monitor with buggy firmware and charge such a premium price. However, knowing that HDR works beautifully on HDMI 2.1 has enabled me to hold off on returning the product and waiting ASUS to action and provide a working firmware that addresses these issues at hand.

Wow! That makes no sense. How can this monitor have such inconsistent HDR results?! Myself, and others, have tried all the cables and HDR is still washed out. Seems like there’s something going on at the panel level at this point.

Nov 11, 2022 03:55 PM By MistaVauros

26

Wow! That makes no sense. How can this monitor have such inconsistent HDR results?! Myself, and others, have tried all the cables and HDR is still washed out. Seems like there’s something going on at the panel level at this point.

The inconsistency of HDR performance across many users is alarming and the fact that trying the HDMI 2.1 input and HDR working in my case is unusual and a real head scratcher for me which indeed, makes no sense.

Nov 11, 2022 03:17 PM By REKTjooz

7

I’d just like to state that I also experienced a washed out HDR issue on Windows 11 with this monitor, using an RTX 3090 as my GPU. Originally, I had this monitor connected vid DP 1.4 with DSC enabled and had all correct options in windows HDR settings enabled, as well as running the Windows HDR calibration tool. I was totally bummed and underwhelmed how bad the HDR was performing and ensured that everything was correct by also going into Nvidia control panel and ensuring that full range was selected and 10 bit colour was enabled. I decided to try the included ASUS high-speed HDMI 2.1 cable from the GPU to the monitor and that fixed the issue straight away. Through my findings, I’m pretty confident to conclude that it’s definitely a firmware issue that sends an incorrect signal to the GPU via DP 1.4 DSC port(s). I ruled out the DSC cable being faulty due to trying it on a known HDR monitor which worked well. Those who have the same issue, try and use the included HDMI 2.1cable and report back with findings. I find it abysmal for ASUS to ship out and distribute this monitor with buggy firmware and charge such a premium price. However, knowing that HDR works beautifully on HDMI 2.1 has enabled me to hold off on returning the product and waiting ASUS to action and provide a working firmware that addresses these issues at hand.

I’m curious, when you plugged in the HDMI and you said it corrected the issue. Did you go back to look if HDR was on in windows, since if you change inputs while logged into windows seems HDR turns off. Please update as for me I get the same issue no matter the display cable used. I even tried on my Xbox Series X with the HDMI that came with and same HDR issue.

Thanks for the update but as for me I’m still getting the washed out issue. I’m also wondering about the HDR video as well since for me the videos do not display how they should and you say that it looks ok for you. This monitor has been a letdown as far as HDR performance but on a SDR level it’s unmatched even over the C2 IMO. This will always be user preference though.

Nov 10, 2022 05:33 PM By jeeo

12

hi just order this monitor after reading all the positive review online including RTINGS. but after I read those comment I am very bummed out . love hdr on my big tv just got my new pc (4090- intel 13900k) so I order this one for hdr pc gaming but now I have to hope they fix it with a firmware ? Is it all of the monitor that got this problem? That seem like a crazy big problem nobody talk unless you dig in comments they already ship my order I can always return it later. will be waiting for update on this thx for this post to let’s people know

I hope you get one that works since for some HDR seems to work out of the box and for others like myself got some type of issue going on.

I keep hearing firmware but all of these monitors have the same firmware installed and all should have the issue if that’s the case. This seems to be on a hardware level.

Asus stated a new firmware will be available mid part of this month. I hope this corrects the issue but I’m not to optimistic given all the forums I’ve read and all the inconsistency with the pervious firmware V032 (has since been taken down from the site) that released and bricked monitors and also stated that it had HDR optimization that I seen no change.

I hope for the best with your panel, take care! Update us here if you can?

Nov 11, 2022 10:45 PM By OP LoneHero

20

I’m curious, when you plugged in the HDMI and you said it corrected the issue. Did you go back to look if HDR was on in windows, since if you change inputs while logged into windows seems HDR turns off. Please update as for me I get the same issue no matter the display cable used. I even tried on my Xbox Series X with the HDMI that came with and same HDR issue. Thanks for the update but as for me I’m still getting the washed out issue. I’m also wondering about the HDR video as well since for me the videos do not display how they should and you say that it looks ok for you. This monitor has been a letdown as far as HDR performance but on a SDR level it’s unmatched even over the C2 IMO. This will always be user preference though.

All settings reset once i plugged in the HDMI. I had to re-enable HDR in windows, i re-calibrated using HDR calibration tool, I ensured in NCP full range was selected, sRGB and 10 bcp was enabled as well as full range enabled in the “video settings” section. I turned off DSC (since hdmi 2.1 doesn’t require DSC to be enabled) and this completely fixed my issue where the washed out look was non-existent, the picture was not over saturated like SDR but highlights were very bright colourful and amazing. I’m also using V031 firmware if that helps as well. Gaming was also tested with cyberpunk and modern warfare II and can confirm working as expected as well.

Fortunately, I don’t have any issues with HDR performance on my PS5 and worked straight out of the box. I can’t really comment on the Xbox platform unfortunately.

Out of curiosity for those affected have you tried setting the Nvidia control panel from rgb to ycbcr444 (which is limited range).

Alternatively leave it on RGB full range but on the display force limited range.

A number of PC displays and games do not have optimal HDR output with it being washed out and in some cases forcing limited range actually produces something closer to the correct output.

Might not be the case with this display but its been seen on LG OLED TV’s with certain PC HDR games.

Nov 12, 2022 01:37 PM By clear2skies

820

Out of curiosity for those affected have you tried setting the Nvidia control panel from rgb to ycbcr444 (which is limited range). Alternatively leave it on RGB full range but on the display force limited range. A number of PC displays and games do not have optimal HDR output with it being washed out and in some cases forcing limited range actually produces something closer to the correct output. Might not be the case with this display but its been seen on LG OLED TV’s with certain PC HDR games.

This issue for me isn’t just Windows but also the same on any console I connect and leads me to believe that it’s the panel I have and I’ve swapped out for another PG42UQ and same issue. When this monitor is in HDR there’s limited settings from the display you can change to try what you’re recommending.

Thanks for the suggestion though, have a wonderful day!

Nov 12, 2022 12:59 AM By REKTjooz

7

All settings reset once i plugged in the HDMI. I had to re-enable HDR in windows, i re-calibrated using HDR calibration tool, I ensured in NCP full range was selected, sRGB and 10 bcp was enabled as well as full range enabled in the “video settings” section. I turned off DSC (since hdmi 2.1 doesn’t require DSC to be enabled) and this completely fixed my issue where the washed out look was non-existent, the picture was not over saturated like SDR but highlights were very bright colourful and amazing. I’m also using V031 firmware if that helps as well. Gaming was also tested with cyberpunk and modern warfare II and can confirm working as expected as well. Fortunately, I don’t have any issues with HDR performance on my PS5 and worked straight out of the box. I can’t really comment on the Xbox platform unfortunately.

Looks like your issue was different as for me all devices connected to this monitor has really poor HDR. The colors are washed out and also no HDR highlights, PS5 included.

I’ve tried all cables that came with the monitor and get the same issue, I’ve also tried all ports.

Great monitor I’m sure when you get the HDR performance but some are not as fortunate.

Hopefully Asus can correct the issue on future panels.

Enjoy though, and thanks for the input!

Hey everyone!

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the PG42UQ on our review! We appreciate you feedback and interest. We’re looking forward to retesting the HDR performance once ASUS releases a firmware update for the monitor.

Cheers, Matt

Got my monitor and the hdr look fine on mine test it on pc and ps5 with god of war ragnarok look fantastic nothing feel washout try to turn off the hdr to make sure the color are the same

Very happy with it coming from my old monitor just blow away by the quality

Hope you guys can fix the problem

I have tried all these different suggestions. But nothing makes the picture improve upon the already amazing SDR picture. HDR always looks inferior. All the fixes mentioned above leave the picture oversaturated and generally too dark and result in an unbalanced picture that is not representative of HDR quality. HDR Windows calibration tool actively makes the picture look significantly worse ruining highlights. Changing between display port and HDMI makes no difference. I have basically been harassing Asus support and they want my monitor for RMA. I keep telling them it’s the firmware NOT the monitor and I keep sending them the link to this review. But they just don’t listen… It does not help when Rtings give them a 9.1 score for HDR when it does not even function properly on console and Windows PC.

i used 3 weeks now to find out what is wrong with monitor. Why some people have problem and why some people report great HDR. Now i am sure its stupid Auto HDR function in windows. It works well only with DX 11, but if you playing with DX12, then it breaking colors and other DX12 functions as RTX.

So turn off Auto HDR, use just HDR, make new calibration.

My settings: B:57% C:50% G:1 DV:55%

The HDR is pretty bad if the content isnt “HDR” like the Windows Desktop (W11) is washed out, greyish, same for the PS5 dashboard. Once HDR Content is being played though, it looks STUNNING. Im not sure if its firmware, the panels, or what but SDR looks just as good thankfully.

Feb 03, 2023 02:56 PM By Pupnasty

2

The HDR is pretty bad if the content isnt “HDR” like the Windows Desktop (W11) is washed out, greyish, same for the PS5 dashboard. Once HDR Content is being played though, it looks STUNNING. Im not sure if its firmware, the panels, or what but SDR looks just as good thankfully.

I just swapped this monitor out for the LG C2 after being extremely unimpressed with both steaming content and games when using HDR (which reflects Rtings findings). I can honestly say that the PG42UQ pales in comparison to the LG C2. Best choice I ever made. It gets SO much brighter to the eye and dynamic contrast adds a beautiful boost to brightness if you need it. HDR gaming pops off the screen and HDR Youtube content finally looks incredible. If you thought the PG42UQ looks good, you should try the LG C2.

New firmware has finally been released that ostensibly fixes the HDR issues with this monitor! (Again.) Anyone try it yet? Did they finally fix it? Rtings staff?

https://rog.asus.com/my/monitors/above-34-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg42uq-model/helpdesk_bios/

“Optimize HDR color performance

Version V040

2.72 MB 2023/07/13”

Jul 16, 2023 06:50 PM By matsukaze

32

New firmware has finally been released that ostensibly fixes the HDR issues with this monitor! (Again.) Anyone try it yet? Did they finally fix it? Rtings staff? https://rog.asus.com/my/monitors/above-34-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg42uq-model/helpdesk_bios/ “Optimize HDR color performance Version V040 2.72 MB 2023/07/13”

It’s still more or less of the same - it’s broken. V038 had a sleep-wake issue which was addressed by V040. Honestly such a waste of $2k CAD and my time, I give up.

Just to be absolutely sure: you’re talking about the v040 firmware update from three days ago? The one they’d been promising for months? Did they really release TWO firmware updates to fix the HDR problem that actually don’t? If so, they’re just throwing away market share at this point. With all the formal complaints, they have to know that knowledgeable people are going to check this and spread the word. Rtings staff? Can you check this, please? It’s getting ridiculous. Thanks.

Nov 15, 2022 12:32 PM By  Matthew Lopes

Hey everyone! Thanks for sharing your experiences with the PG42UQ on our review! We appreciate you feedback and interest. We’re looking forward to retesting the HDR performance once ASUS releases a firmware update for the monitor. Cheers, Matt

There have been two firmware updates now that were supposed to fix this. Can you please tell us what’s going on as soon as possible?

There seems to be broad consensus over at r/OLED_Gaming that they finally fixed it, along with some other problems.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/14yjizb/pg42uq_firmware_v040_released/

https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/14z991x/pg42uq_v40_best_hdr_settings_guide/

Jul 16, 2023 08:29 PM By Hyperflux

5

It’s still more or less of the same - it’s broken. V038 had a sleep-wake issue which was addressed by V040. Honestly such a waste of $2k CAD and my time, I give up.

There seems to be broad consensus over at r/OLED_Gaming that they finally fixed it, along with some other problems. It’s a cynical group, and most were just as critical of the last update as people here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/14yjizb/pg42uq_firmware_v040_released/

https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/14z991x/pg42uq_v40_best_hdr_settings_guide/

Jul 17, 2023 03:02 AM By matsukaze

32

There seems to be broad consensus over at r/OLEDGaming that they finally fixed it, along with some other problems. It’s a cynical group, and most were just as critical of the last update as people here. https://www.reddit.com/r/OLEDGaming/comments/14yjizb/pg42uqfirmwarev040released/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OLEDGaming/comments/14z991x/pg42uqv40besthdrsettings_guide/

We’re going to look into it, and we’ll update our review with our results if there are any changes!

Jul 17, 2023 07:43 AM By  Dylan Crete

We’re going to look into it, and we’ll update our review with our results if there are any changes!

Thanks so much! My decision about what to buy largely hinges on what this firmware actually does to the monitor, and I know a lot of people feel the same way. (Wonder if the 60 Hz input lag will ever change too, but I digress.) Can’t wait to see what you think!

Jul 17, 2023 03:02 AM By matsukaze

32

There seems to be broad consensus over at r/OLEDGaming that they finally fixed it, along with some other problems. It’s a cynical group, and most were just as critical of the last update as people here. https://www.reddit.com/r/OLEDGaming/comments/14yjizb/pg42uqfirmwarev040released/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OLEDGaming/comments/14z991x/pg42uqv40besthdrsettings_guide/

After spending a couple of weeks with V040 consistently (and made sure it was installed correctly/power cycled/updated the color profiles) - I tend to agree actually. Even without any modifications, it has finally reached an acceptable quality of HDR in terms of color gamut and tone mapping and it no longer looks “washed” and dull. It took Asus’ engineers 9 months to fix this on a $2100 CAD monitor, that’s insanity. We’re likely getting 32" 4k240hz QD-OLEDs (first by Samsung) as early as Q2 2024 next year, that’s barely half a year from now.

Aug 05, 2023 11:38 PM By Hyperflux

5

After spending a couple of weeks with V040 consistently (and made sure it was installed correctly/power cycled/updated the color profiles) - I tend to agree actually. Even without any modifications, it has finally reached an acceptable quality of HDR in terms of color gamut and tone mapping and it no longer looks “washed” and dull. It took Asus’ engineers 9 months to fix this on a $2100 CAD monitor, that’s insanity. We’re likely getting 32" 4k240hz QD-OLEDs (first by Samsung) as early as Q2 2024 next year, that’s barely half a year from now.

Yeah you’re right, we updated the firmware and noticed that HDR is finally fixed as well. Thanks for letting us know about this! The review has been updated.