ASUS have invested heavily in their monitor technology, with features such as ELMB (Extra Low Motion Blur) or ELMB Sync, Flicker-Free, SplendidPlus and VividPixel technologies. While these might sound awesome, it's helpful to know which monitors have these extra features and what they actually are.
Besides the gaming monitor technology we have all come to enjoy, like Adaptive-Sync, AMD's FreeSync and Nvidia's Gsync, there are new developments in the manufacturing process itself, which has meant that contrast ratios, 4K resolutions and high refresh rates are now cheaper to engineer - and those savings are often passed on to the consumer. The TUF range is the durable and reliable brand that is perfect for the pragmatic gamer, where ROG has a few added extras to enhance the gaming lifestyle. With both having their merits as an upgrade or first time purchase, we wanted to compare the features of these two brands and remove any guesswork. We'll explore options and find out which monitor is right for mid-range budget or the high-end gamer, and we'll also discover the meaning behind the various new features you'll hear ASUS talking about.
What does the TUF brand mean?
TUF stands for "The Ultimate Force", and the brand sets a standard for competitive gamers, with each monitor having a raft of high-end gaming features chosen specifically to keep within affordable budget parameters.
What this means is you can rely on ASUS TUF to provide the specification you expect in a top brand, without
This balancing act has kept ASUS TUF monitors competitive even against the extremely good value ViewSonic displays that dominate the lower end of the budget gamer market. That said, ASUS TUF monitors range in price from around £170 right up to £580, with both flat and curved panels available. Most gamers would argue that - if you have the ability to pay over £500 for a monitor - you should then be looking at high-ticket ASUS ROG monitors instead to get the extra gaming features you crave.
What does the ROG brand mean?
ROG stands for Republic of Gamers, and the brand was introduced to set aside the high-end ASUS products and components from partner manufacturers. The idea is, gamers know if it has the ROG logo, not only is the product considered the best in class, but it had undergone significant scrutiny to make sure it lived up to expectations by gamers.
There is a significant leap in price when the ROG label is attached, but extra features are required - if not demanded - to align with the prestige the name conveys. ASUS have done an excellent job of hammering this home, with very few of their releases under the ROG banner ever meeting with less than five-star ratings.
ASUS TUF monitor options
Pricing
There are a few choices at sub-£200, which include 23.8" displays that have 144Hz - 165Hz refresh rates, and IPS or VA options. In the £200 - £500 bracket you are in the 144Hz - 165Hz range again, but you'll have options in 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution and 2560 x 1440 and 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolutions.
Notable features
ASUS exclusives are available at all price levels, and each one has its merits depending on what you need from a gaming monitor.
ELMB - Extreme Low Motion Blur technology for 1ms MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time) which eliminates visual smearing and motion blur so on-screen moving objects look sharper, and gameplay is a fluid, responsive experience.
Shadow Boost - Perfect for games that have dark areas during gameplay, Shadow Boost technology allows you to see who is hiding and where, brightening otherwise dark graphics.
GamePlus - Another ASUS-exclusive, the GamePlus hotkey integration offers in-game enhancements, helping you "get more out of your game". These functions have been developed with pro gamers, with the focus on improving their gaming skills. Features such as on-screen crosshair and FPS counter are one of the main reasons gamers choose ASUS monitors.
GameVisual - Preset game modes for different types of content allow you to immerse yourself even more in your games.
Flicker-Free and Ultra-Low Blue Light Technology - ASUS' commitment to eye health features heavily in TUF monitors, reducing eye strain from long gaming sessions, and reducing harmful blue light.
ASUS ROG monitor options
Pricing
Starting at around £390 on the CCL website, ASUS ROG monitors have a focus on image clarity, high refresh rate, increased brightness and also include RGB for the gaming connoisseur. Over £400, 24" - 27" ROG monitors have outstanding refresh rates for incredible framerates, pitched at pro gamers and E-Sports addicts. At this point, thinking about the types of games you play is necessary in choosing the right screen size.
23.8" and 24" displays are ideal for FPS games and gaming at 1080p, though anyone playing RTS or MMORPG games would want to be starting with a 27" screen minimum - and between £400 and £500 there are some excellent options. For those who want a wider FOV (Field of View) in FPS games, 27" - 31.5" is a sweet spot, and also allows for excellent 4K gaming & entertainment at over 30".
The curvy and popular all-rounder in the ROG range is the ASUS ROG Strix XG27WQ 27" QHD VA Curved Monitor, with a feature-set that demand attention. The 4K resolution, bright 165Hz screen is excellent value at around £440, supporting FreeSync and DisplayHDR 400.
ASUS ROG Strix XG27WQ Features:
- 2560 x 1440 Resolution
- Lightning 1ms Response Time
- 450cd/m2 Brightness
- 165Hz Refresh Rate
- FreeSync Support
Notable features
The features in most ROG monitors are roughly the same as TUF displays, though they are mostly IPS displays rather than mixing in too many VA or TN screen types, and come with: -
- ELMB
- AMD FreeSync™ Premium Pro
- ASUS Aura Sync lighting
- Dynamic Shadow Boost
- GamePlus
- GameVisual
- Flicker-Free technology
- Ultra-Low Blue Light technology
It is in the engineering and product specific features you see the ROG brand shine, however.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) with DISPLAYHDR™ 400 - HDR technology delivers a wider colour range and higher contrast than comparable traditional monitors. "The brightest whites and the darkest blacks bring out details like never before." according to ASUS, and will hit peak brightness of 400 nits, meeting the requirement for DisplayHDR™ 400 certification.
Multi HDR Mode - ASUS ROG give the gamer control, with multiple HDR modes to choose from, adjusting monitor HDR performance on a game-by-game basis, or when watching video.
High Refresh Rates - ASUS ROG are the fastest monitors in the world, with their flagship ASUS ROG Swift PG259QN 24.5" Full HD IPS Monitor, which delivers a staggering 360Hz refresh rate. Besides this display, ROG monitors are available with 165Hz, 170Hz, 175Hz, 180Hz, 240Hz, and 270Hz refresh rates. With such a range of options, it looks a lot like ASUS are balancing this important feature with other key performance criteria, as well as size and price. With the ability to play games at over 300FPS, this is sweet music to any gamer's ears, but having extreme refresh rates in the lower priced ROG models means those who are budget constrained can still experience the highest quality in display tech.
Price drops for 4K ASUS gaming monitors
Pricing on 4K 144Hz IPS monitors is lower this year than it was middle to end of 2021 for 27" - 30" sizes, so now would be a good time to make the change before any volatility kicks in. Similarly, 27" - 30", 4K, 60 Hz IPS monitors are seeing lower pricing, though prices have just started to drop in the last month or so.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG289Q 28" 4K Ultra HD IPS Monitor is the lowest priced 4K monitor at around £340 - £400 at CCL. At 28" this is ideal for 4K gaming, and the IPS display allows you to play your games from any angle without excessive darkening on certain areas of the monitor. This monitor also has a 60Hz refresh rate so you'll top out at 60 FPS at 3840 x 2160 resolution, with a 5ms response time.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG32VQR 31.5" QHD Curved Monitor is priced around £430, but offers a big step up in both refresh rate and response time, at 165Hz and 1ms respectively. The VG32VQR is also QHD for stunning clarity and perfect brightness, and larger in display size, at 31.5".
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQ 27" QHD IPS 170Hz Monitor offers 4K at around £520, with a 1ms response time, 170Hz refresh rate, and incredible clarity with QHD IPS technology. Again, the price drops allow for (what used to be in excess of £600 worth of monitor) to be made available to a wider audience.
Last word
Depending on your budget, the games you play and what else you use your monitor for, the decision you make between TUF and ROG is going to be a very custom option. You can read more about how to choose your gaming monitor with our recent monitor guides here:
