ASUS TUF Gaming VG279Q1A 27" Black 2020

Fast 165Hz gaming on a budget, but 1080p on 27 inches is a compromise you'll notice every day. Buy it for speed, not for pretty pictures.

The 165Hz refresh rate paired with FreeSync Premium and ELMB is where this monitor earns its keep. Motion clarity is genuinely good for the price, and the 1ms MPRT response time keeps ghosting to a minimum in fast shooters. Our database puts its performance at the 77th percentile, which is well above average for this category. The 99% sRGB coverage is fine for gaming, but the color score lands at the 38th percentile, so don't expect vibrant, color-critical work here. It's a gaming panel first, and it shows.

Stacked against the MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 or the LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B, the ASUS looks like a budget option, because it is. Those OLED and high-end IPS panels crush it on color, contrast, and resolution. But they also cost two to three times as much. The Samsung Odyssey G60SD and Alienware AW2725D are in a different league entirely. If you're on a tight budget and just want high refresh rate gaming, the ASUS holds its own. If you want image quality to match the speed, save up for one of those competitors.

Pricing is all over the place. In the US, you'll see it listed between USD 250 and USD 397 depending on the vendor, with Newegg offering the best deal at the low end. In Canada, the spread is CAD 349 to CAD 442, again with Newegg as the cheapest option. At the lower end of those ranges, this is a solid budget gaming monitor. At the high end, you're overpaying for what is ultimately a 1080p panel with average color performance.

The ASUS TUF Gaming VG279Q1A is a 27-inch 1080p IPS panel that pushes 165Hz with a 1ms MPRT response time. That's the headline. It's built for gamers who want high refresh rates without selling a kidney, and it mostly delivers. The big catch is that 1080p on a 27-inch screen means pixel density takes a hit, so text and fine details look softer than on a 24-inch or 1440p panel.

If you're looking for a monitor for photo editing, video work, or anything color-critical, this isn't it. The color score sits at the 38th percentile, and 1080p on 27 inches makes fine detail work frustrating. Go grab a 1440p IPS panel with better color coverage instead. And if you want 4K for console gaming, look elsewhere entirely.

The ASUS TUF Gaming VG279Q1A is a straightforward, no-nonsense 165Hz gaming monitor. It nails the basics: fast refresh, low motion blur, and adaptive sync compatibility with both GPU brands. The 27-inch 1080p resolution is the main compromise, and the color performance won't impress anyone doing creative work. But for competitive gamers on a budget, especially at the lower end of the price range, this is a very reasonable buy.