Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG review: This monitor just solved motion clarity

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is one of two new 500Hz QD-OLED monitors that were launched in close succession (the other being Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF). An OLED monitor capable of 500Hz was a dream a decade ago, but now it’s a reality, and the results are spectacular.

Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best gaming monitors for comparison.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG specs and features

The headliner here is obviously the refresh rate, which can hit a maximum of 500Hz. That’s an incredibly high refresh rate for any monitor, and a new height for OLED—though a few other companies, like Samsung, also offer a 500Hz OLED display.

• Display size: 26.5-inch 16:9 aspect ratio
• Native resolution: 2560×1440
• Panel type: Samsung QD-OLED
• Refresh rate: 500Hz
• Adaptive sync: Yes, Adaptive Sync / AMD FreeSync Premium Pro / Nvidia G-Sync Compatible
• HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black
• Ports: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack, 1x USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 upstream, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream
• Audio: None
• Additional features: Tripod mount, Aura Sync lighting, Neo Proximity Sensor
• Price: $899.99 MSRP

Refresh rate aside, the ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is tightly focused on gaming. It has a wide range of adaptive sync support and is VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certified.

The monitor has an MSRP of $899.99 and is selling at MSRP as of early October 2025. That makes it a hair more expensive than Samsung’s competitor, the Odyssey OLED G6, which is $850.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG design

The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDPG looks identical to the more recent ROG Strix XG27AQDMG. It has a stealthy yet aggressive matte-black look with slim bezels around the panel and a small, red LED Asus ROG logo on the chin.

Turn it around and you’ll also find an RGB-LED Asus ROG logo. It’s not as bright as the RGB-LED lighting on the back of the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF (and some other competitors). On the other hand, the lighting can be controlled and coordinate with other Asus devices using Asus’ Aura Sync, which is a solid software utility for managing RGB-LED customization.

A compact square stand keeps the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG planted on a desktop. Asus used to insist on huge, tripod-style stands, but has recently changed course. As a result, the monitor doesn’t take up much desk space. The stand also provides ergonomic adjustment for height, tilt, and swivel. It can also pivot 90 degrees into portrait orientation.

One unique feature found on the stand is a 1/4-inch tripod mount. It’s included for mounting camera gear, such as a camera or light above the monitor. Though targeted at live streams, it could also be useful for anyone who regularly joins video calls. This is a feature you won’t find on competitive monitors.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG connectivity

There’s something else you won’t find on the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG: USB-C. It’s sadly absent, which means the monitor won’t easily connect to some modern laptops that only offer USB-C ports for video-out.

USB-A connectivity is limited, as well. There are just two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream ports, which are driven by a USB-B upstream port. That’s enough to connect a wired keyboard and mouse, but not much else. A 3.5mm audio jack, used for audio pass-through, rounds out the connectivity options.

Video connectivity is provided by two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port, all of which can drive the monitor’s 2,560 x 1,440 resolution at its maximum refresh rate of 500Hz.

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG’s connectivity is limited for a $900 monitor, but it’s not unusual in the gaming space. Samsung’s Odyssey G6 G60SF has a similar array of ports. Alienware monitors are also sticking to minimalist connectivity in 2025. Shoppers who want USB-C with Power Delivery should consider monitors like the MSI MPG 272URX.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG menus and audio

Asus provides a long list of image quality customization with the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG. It includes color temperature and gamma settings that target specific values, a long list of image quality presets, and six-axis color calibration, among other features.

The monitor also tosses in features that target gamers. It has an “AI crosshair” that changes color dynamically to enhance visibility. There are also two “aspect ratio control” modes. One restricts the viewable area to a 4:3 display, which may be useful for playing older games; the other restricts the viewable area to a 24.5-inch 16:9 aspect ratio, which is popular among competitive gamers.

The menus are easy to navigate with a joystick centered on the monitor’s chin. Asus’ menus are responsive and menu options are well-labeled. Competitors like Alienware and Samsung are on a similar level, but Asus’ menu is a step up from brands like Gigabyte and AOC.

You can also control the monitor through a software utility called DisplayWidget. It can be used to control most monitor features and can also be used to update the monitor’s firmware. DisplayWidget is available for Windows 10, Windows 11, and MacOS.

The XG27AQDPG includes a Neo Proximity sensor that is meant to reduce the burn-in problems that can occur on OLED screens. When on, it will detect whether you’re near the display and turn the monitor’s screen off if you’re not (after a user-selected timeout period of 5 to 15 minutes). I can’t say whether this is truly effective at combating burn-in, as I only used the monitor for a couple weeks, which isn’t enough time to cause burn-in. Still, it makes sense in theory.

Speakers are nowhere to be found. That’s typical for a gaming monitor, as most brands assume gamers will want to use a headset or desktop speakers for a better audio experience. Gamers who want great built-in audio should consider the LG Ultragear 32GS95UE, which has powerful “pixel sound” audio. It’s a more expensive 32-inch OLED monitor, though, and not a direct competitor to the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG SDR image quality

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is yet another QD-OLED display, albeit one that can reach a refresh rate of 500Hz. The increased refresh rate does little to dampen the panel’s excellent SDR image quality.

First up is brightness, and here the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG pulls ahead of the pack. Most OLED monitors land around 240 to 270 nits, but the XG27AQDPG manages to sneak above 300 nits.

I don’t think the gain is enough to be plainly obvious, but it does help the monitor provide usable brightness in a more brightly lit room. Every bit of brightness helps if you’re trying to use the monitor near sunlit windows.

While the added brightness is excellent, the XG27AQDPG uses a glossy finish, and glare can still be an issue even at maximum brightness. Samsung’s Odyssey G6 G60SF has a “glare-free” finish if you’d like to go that route.

Next up is contrast where, as usual, there’s not much to say. OLED panels all provide an effectively infinite contrast ratio because they achieve a perfect minimum luminance of zero nits. As a result, OLED panels deliver an outstanding sense of immersion in high-contrast scenes and can also render very dark scenes with convincing and realistic black levels. The XG27AQDPG’s contrast ratio is a major advantage over LCD displays, but it’s not an advantage over other OLED panels.

The XG27AQDPG has a very wide color gamut that spans 100 percent of sRGB, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 94 percent of AdobeRGB. This is an excellent result that ranks among the widest color gamuts available from a monitor. However, this is another area where the XG27AQDPG doesn’t stand out from most competitors, as most also provide a wide color gamut.

Still, the XG27AQDPG does have a small edge against monitors like the LG Ultragear 27XG790A-B, which has an LG WOLED panel.

Color accuracy is a strength for the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG. It has the second-lowest color error of the monitors used for comparison and scores well by any standard. The image looks realistic and errors in color accuracy are difficult to notice even in close comparison with other monitors. That’s good news if you want to use the monitor for photo editing, videography, digital art, or other tasks where color accuracy is important.

The monitor’s gamma and color temperature results were a mix. On the plus side, the monitor scored a default gamma result of 2.2, and every gamma setting available is highly accurate. The XG27AQDPG has an edge here, as many OLED monitors have a gamma curve that skews too dark. However, the XG27AQDPG was also warmer than it should be with a color temperature of 6100K, off the target of 6500K. That means the image can have a slightly reddish tinge.

Sharpness is a weak point. The 2560×1440 panel has a pixel density of about 110 pixels per inch. That’s not bad, but it’s a lot lower than a 4K panel, which packs 163 pixels per inch. The image on the XG27AQDPG is softer than a 4K competitor. Personally, I find this less noticeable in games, but it stands out when viewing 4K video content and using the Windows desktop.

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG’s overall SDR image quality is excellent, though I’m not sure it’s a reason to buy it over another QD-OLED monitor. The differences are often subtle and hard to notice in the real world. Still, the XG27AQDPG posts above-average results overall. It scores very well in color accuracy and brightness.

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is a good choice for photo editing, videography, digital art, or other tasks where color accuracy is important.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG HDR image quality

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certified. Virtually all OLED monitors have VESA DisplayHDR certification, but most have the less demanding DisplayHDR 400 True Black certification. The XG27AQDPG’s higher level of certification suggests it should be brighter than most competitors, and that turns out to be true.

I measured a maximum peak brightness of 953 nits when a small portion of the display was lit. As the graph shows, that’s a great result, though a few competitors offer comparable performance. The XG27AQDPG also did well when half the display, or the entire display, was asked to display a sheer white HDR image.

That’s not to say it’s perfect. OLED struggles most when asked to produce bright scenes that stretch across the entire display, and the XG27AQDPG is not an exception. Still, the XG27AQDPG performs well overall.

Subjectively, it makes for a great HDR experience. Bright highlights, like a flash of lightning, pop with brilliance. And scenes that have a bright gradient, such as a sunrise or sunset, show good detail in HDR highlights. We’re not at premium HDTV levels yet, but it’s good for a monitor, and also good enough to make HDR content worth viewing.

The XG27AQDPG also provides several HDR brightness modes. Some prioritize accuracy, while others prioritize brightness. I tested the monitor in the ConsoleHDR mode with dynamic brightness on.

The monitor also has an HDR brightness adjustment. This is not typical, as HDR content is typically given control of brightness. This manual adjustment can override HDR content brightness to let you tone it down. That’s useful, as HDR content can sometimes feel overly bright on a monitor.

Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG motion performance

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG has me seriously contemplating whether motion clarity is now more-or-less a solved problem. Pairing a 500Hz refresh rate with OLED’s lightning-fast pixel response times makes for a truly outstanding experience.

Scrolling test images from DOTA 2, for example, show that virtually all details of the game are preserved in motion. I could easily make out the names above characters and even the individual ticks in HP bars. Scrolling text is equally crisp. That’s not just handy in games, but also in Word documents and PDFs, where text remains readable as you scroll through a document.

Let me be clear: 500Hz on OLED is a big deal. Seeing it for the first time is at least as impressive as seeing the first 120Hz LCD displays after years of 60Hz panels. It’s a night-and-day difference that’s readily apparent not only when compared to a 60Hz panel, but also when compared to a 240Hz or 360Hz panel. It’s not obviously better than last year’s 480Hz OLED displays, but those were already close to perfection, and I’m sure the extra 20Hz doesn’t hurt.

While the XG27AQDPG’s motion clarity is gob-smacking, it’s important to remember that competitive monitors with the same 500Hz QD-OLED panel, like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF, will offer identical motion clarity.

But Asus does have a trick up its sleeve: Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB). This is a backlight mode that effectively inserts blank, black frames between existing frames. Due to the quirks of human persistence of vision, this reduces apparent motion blur.

ELMB is only available at a refresh rate of 120Hz or 240Hz, which might seem odd, but it’s still handy. Many games can’t actually achieve a frame rate of 500 FPS, in which case the XG27AQDPG won’t look any different from an OLED monitor with a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. ELMB provides a way to boost clarity even at more modest frame rates.

The catch is brightness. Adding a blank, black frame every other frame halves the brightness shown. That will be a problem in bright rooms, but it’s not an issue in dim settings. I found that with ELMB on, the XG27AQDPG was just barely bright enough to comfortably view in my office, which has two large windows that face away from the sun.

Most competitors don’t have a feature like ELMB, and those that do often don’t work quite as well. This gives Asus a motion clarity edge when playing games at 120Hz or 240Hz.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG?

The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is a titan of motion clarity. It looks crystal clear at 500Hz and also has ELMB, which enhances motion clarity at 120Hz and 240Hz.

That alone would be noteworthy. But what really makes the XG27AQDPG worth your money is the lack of compromise. The only significant issue is the monitor’s 2560×1440 resolution, which definitely isn’t as crisp as 4K. But 1440p still isn’t bad, and in some cases can be preferred for high-refresh gaming, as it’s less demanding on a video card than 4K. Toss in great color accuracy, bright HDR, and functional design, and the XG27AQDPG has everything covered.

Compared to Samsung’s Odyssey G6 G60SF, I think Asus and Samsung are close to tied. Asus provides some extra features like ELMB, but the Samsung is $50 less expensive. Samsung also uses a matte display finish, while Asus opts for glossy.

Don’t get me wrong: a 4K QD-OLED with a refresh rate of 240Hz is still the better choice for most people. But if you’re more concerned about clarity in motion than at a standstill, well, the XG27AQDPG will make you very happy.

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG