ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQWMG Review (4th Gen Tandem OLED)

1. Introduction2. Design3. TrueBlack Glossy Coating vs QD-OLED4. On-screen Display (OSD)5. Panel Analysis: SDR6. Panel Analysis: HDR7. Response Times & Motion Clarity8. Input Latency9. Closing Thoughts10. View All Pages

Today we are reviewing the hotly-anticipated ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQWMG. Announced back at Gamescom 2025, this screen is packing in the latest 4th Gen Tandem OLED panel from LG, promising a wide range of improvements compared to previous generations. On top of that, ASUS has fitted what it calls a ‘TrueBlack Glossy' coating, designed to offer a ‘zero-haze' finish while maintaining true black depth. There's a lot to talk about, so let's dive into the review.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:53 Key specs + pricing
02:03 Design, build
02:52 I/O + OSD
03:47 The new TrueBlack Glossy coating
05:14 Fringing and burn-in
06:13 Default panel performance
08:36 sRGB mode + calibration
09:24 Response times / motion clarity
11:08 Real-world gaming experience
12:04 HDR testing
14:27 Closing thoughts

Starting off with the 4th Gen panel from LG, this utilises Primary RGB Tandem technology, which basically means a new 4-layer stack compared to the 3-layer stack of prior panel generations. This offers three key benefits, being higher brightness, wider colour gamut and also significantly increased lifespan.

The panel itself is ‘only' a 1440p 280Hz spec, so it's not pushing boundaries in the same way as the 500+Hz OLEDs that are hitting the market, but it's still a very capable spec. That lower refresh also means pricing is perhaps surprisingly affordable for a monitor using the latest generation of panel, with this model listed at Scan for £520, putting it in very similar territory to most 1440p 240Hz OLEDs.

Specification:

• Panel size: 26.5″
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Color space (DCI-P3): 99.5%
• Panel type: WOLED
• Resolution: 2560×1440
• Display viewing area (HxV): 590.42 x 331.88 mm
• Display surface: Glossy (TrueBlack Glossy)
• Pixel pitch: 0.229mm
• Brightness (HDR peak): 1,500 cd/㎡
• Contrast ratio (typ): 1,500,000:1
• Viewing angle (CR≧10): 178°/178°
• Response time: 0.03ms (GTG)
• Color accuracy: △E < 2
• Display colors: 1.07B (10-bit)
• Flicker-free: Yes
• HDR support: HDR10
• Refresh rate (max): 280Hz
• ASUS OLED Care: Yes
• GamePlus: Yes
• Game Visual: Yes
• VRR technology: Yes (Adaptive-Sync)
• Extreme Low Motion Blur: Yes
• DisplayWidget: Yes (DisplayWidget Center)
• GameFast Input technology: Yes
• Shadow Boost: Yes
• Aspect control: Yes
• A.I. Assistant technology: AI Visual, Dynamic Crosshair, Dynamic Shadow Boost
• DisplayPort 1.4 DSC: 1x
• HDMI 2.1 (FRL): 2x
• Earphone jack: Yes
• USB hub: 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
• Speakers: No
• Digital signal frequency: HDMI 30–480 KHz (H) / 41–280 Hz (V); DP 480–480 KHz (H) / 41–280 Hz (V)
• Power consumption: <26.8W
• Power saving mode: <0.5W
• Power off mode: <0.3W
• Voltage: 100–240V, 50/60Hz
• 1/4″ tripod socket: Yes
• Tilt: +20° to -5°
• Swivel: +45° to -45°
• Pivot: +90° to -90°
• Height adjustment: 0–110mm
• VESA wall mounting: 100x100mm
• Lighting effect: Aura Sync
• Proximity sensor: Neo Proximity Sensor
• Kensington lock: Yes

Firmware tested: MCM102

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