Katarzyna Petru
Asus has made a move that will be talked about again. At Gamescom 2025, they showcased something that looks like the new king of e-sports monitors. ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W is a 26.5-inch QHD 2560 × 1440 display that boasts a standard 540 Hz refresh rate. Sounds out of this world? This is just the beginning, as the panel has a dual-mode and can switch to 720 Hz at 1080p. These are figures that just recently seemed absurd, and now they're making their way to the forefront.
720 Hz vs the rest of the world
Of course, Asus is not the only one reaching for such speed. Koorui and HKC have already thrown out claims of 750 Hz, but we are talking about TN panels there. Poor colors, worse brightness, limited viewing angles – classic compromises that OLED does not know. Asus offers something that these brands lack: the ability to choose between maximum speed and higher resolution when you don't need full turbo.
OLED, but not just any OLED
The most interesting thing is that Asus didn't go for a regular OLED. It's a next-generation OLED tandem, which means a panel that should achieve greater brightness in HDR and longer lifespan than previous designs. Additionally, it has a glossy coating – a risky choice, as every gamer fears reflections, but Asus claims that even in a bright room, the problem doesn't exist. The effect? Even more vivid colors and even deeper blacks, as if the OLED itself were no longer good enough.
Design worth watching
The look of the monitor plays its part as well. In a world where everything is black and predictable, Asus comes out with a silver-transparent design. A bit retro, a bit futuristic, but definitely unconventional and daring. Sure, the base in the form of a huge, three-armed propeller takes up half the desk, and that's a compromise, but it's hard not to appreciate that Asus has actually ventured into something different from the rest of the industry.
Technology That Battles Burn-in
For years, OLED has been associated with burn-in, but Asus has tackled this issue. The new model features a Neo Proximity Sensor that detects whether you are sitting in front of the screen. If you move away, the monitor automatically switches to black screen mode, which reduces the risk of burn-in. Additionally, a three-year warranty and protective mechanisms from LG Display and Samsung Display make this concern a non-issue, as long as the protections are not excessively aggressive.
Premiere and Price – Still Unknown
However, this is where the good news ends. Asus has not yet provided either a price or a release date. It's not hard to guess that this will be an expensive piece of equipment – a pioneering panel, new design, and a host of technological solutions always drive up the price. At the same time, the company also showcased the ROG Strix OLED XG27AQWMG, a monitor with the same tandem OLED, but slower – 280 Hz and classic HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC. The flagship, on the other hand, received DisplayPort 2.1a with a bandwidth of 80 Gb/s, which also emphasizes that we are dealing with a premium class.
Does 720 Hz make sense?
And now the question that everyone is asking themselves: does anyone really take advantage of 720 Hz? The math says that the gains from each subsequent hundred Hz become smaller and smaller, but Asus shows that this is about more than just numbers. It’s a demonstration of capability, showcasing direction and – let's not hide it – the desire to stay ahead of the competition. And if we add an unusual design and fresh technology into the mix, then even if the price hurts, Asus has just set a very strong benchmark for the entire market.
Source: The Verge
