December is finally at our doorstep and you know what that means: 13th-month pay for that spanking new monitor. It’s a given now that most games are meant to be played with more than 60 FPS and the market is not just flooded, but brimming with choices. Fortunately for us, we have the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A on our desk for review. But is it a good monitor? Should you even buy it? Let’s find out in this review!
| Panel Size (inch) | 27 |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Display Viewing Area (H x V) | 596.74 x 335.66 mm |
| Display Surface | Anti-Glare |
| Backlight Type | LED |
| Panel Type | Fast IPS |
| Viewing Angle (CR≧10, H/V) | 178°/ 178° |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.233mm |
| Resolution | 2560×1440 |
| Color Space (DCI-P3) | 95% |
| Brightness (HDR, Peak) | 400 cd/㎡ |
| Brightness (Typ.) | 300cd/㎡ |
| Contrast Ratio (Typ.) | 1300:1 |
| Response Time | 0.03ms(GTG) |
| Display Colors | 1073.7M (10 bit) |
| Response Time | 1ms(GTG), 0.3ms(min.) |
| HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support | HDR10 |
| Refresh Rate (max) | 300Hz |
| HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support | HDR10 |
| Flicker-free | Yes |
| GameVisual | Yes |
| Color Temp. Selection | Yes (4 modes) |
| GamePlus | Yes |
| HDCP | Yes, 2.2 |
| Extreme Low Motion Blur | Yes |
| ELMB Sync | Yes |
| VRR Technology | Yes (Adaptive-Sync) |
| GameFast Input technology | Yes |
| Shadow Boost | Yes |
| DisplayWidget | Yes, DisplayWidget Center |
| Low Blue Light | Yes |
| ASUS Power Sync | Yes |
| A.I. Assistant Technology | AI Visual Dynamic Crosshair Dynamic Shadow Boost |
| DisplayPort 1.4 | 1 (HBR3) |
| HDMI (v2.1) | 2 |
| Earphone jack | Yes |
| USB Hub | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (Service Port) |
| Speaker | Yes (2Wx2) |
| Digital Signal Frequency | HDMI: 30~223KHz(H) / 48~300Hz(V) |
| DP | 223~223KHz(H) / 48~300Hz(V) |
| Power Consumption | <33 W |
| Power Saving Mode | <0.5W |
| Power Off Mode | <0.3W |
| Voltage | 100-240V, 50/60Hz |
| Tilt | Yes (+20° ~ -5°) |
| Swivel | Yes (+20° ~ -20°) |
| Pivot | Yes (+90° ~ -90°) |
| Height Adjustment | 0~130mm |
| VESA Wall Mounting | 100x100mm |
| 1/4″ Tripod Socket | Yes |
| Kensington Lock | Yes |
| Phys. Dimension with stand (W x H x D) | 61.50 x 53.40 x 21.50 cm (24.21″ x 21.02″ x 8.46″) |
| Phys. Dimension without Stand (W x H x D) | 61.50 x 36.70 x 5.40 cm (24.21″ x 14.45″ x 2.13″) |
| Box Dimension (W x H x D) | 81.80 x 47.50 x 15.80 cm (32.20″ x 18.70″ x 6.22″) |
| Net Weight with Stand | 5.8 kg (12.79 lbs) |
| Net Weight without Stand | 3.6 kg (7.94 lbs) |
| Gross Weight | 8.0 kg (17.64 lbs) |
| DisplayPort cable | L-shaped Screwdriver |
| Power cord | Quick start guide |
| Warranty card |
I used both PC and a Sony PS5 to test the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A. While the two platforms have their differences in both performance and expectations, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A was more than enough to cater to both. With a PC, you can expect blistering fast frames without any signs of deterioration or artifacts (granted that you have a decent GPU). Likewise, the PS5, although having a hard limit of 120 FPS, was still a great partner to this gaming monitor.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A is proven and capable of reaching up to 300Hz, perfect for modern FPS games and competitive titles. Note that the frames are directly related to what your GPU can output, so consider getting a gaming monitor with this capability only if you have a GPU or are planning to buy a GPU that can maximize the setttings and features.
While not as glamorous or as aggressively designed as its ROG brethren, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A manages to look presentable. With plastic covering its body and parts, one may mistake this gaming monitor to be something cheap. It’s definitely not. The panel itself has small bezels and the joints of the panel and the neck are of great quality. It does not move easily when shaken but it can be adjusted easily.
When it comes to viewing options, ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A has an incredible amount of options to choose from. The monitor has readily available presents that you can just fall back to if you do not want to bother with any of the options. However, if you fully want to maximize your gaming experience, trying it out and navigating the menus may lead to interesting results. Note that you do not need to install any software to do this as just fumbling the controls on the monitor will do.
Good thing is that if you think you went a bit far with the settings, the monitor has a “default” option to bring it back to what it was.
What I always personally loved with TUF Gaming monitors is that they usually have square bases. Unfortunately, such is not the case with the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A. Having a V-base or stand takes up a good amount of space whereas a square stand is more manageable. This also limits the tables that this monitor can use, meaning that smaller tables are out of the question. If you have a small desk, good luck having to move your mouse and wedging your full-sized keyboard between those feet.
It’s worth mentioning that you can use a VESA mount to attach the monitor to an arm or the wall.
What did suprise me with ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A is its built-in audio. We’ve lived for a long time with low expectations on the built-in speakers on gaming monitors but surprisingly, such is not the case for this one. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A has pretty decent audio with its two 2W speakers that are good enough that you don’t even have to buy a separate speaker. It doesn’t sound like a rattling can or a baby that is crying for mom. It’s that good and I have to commend ASUS for making this one have decent speakers.
While not as fiery and as fierce as its ROG siblings, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A still proves that you can get quality without having to break the bank. The ASUS TUF brand is spot on with this one and you actually get quality here. And as usual with TUF monitors, these things are surprisingly light and easy to set up. Although you can still argue that competitors have models that can match this one, it’s also worth considering that ASUS TUF did not build its stellar reputation for nothing.
Having tried the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A with a PC and Sony PS5, I can definitely say that it is a great all-around gaming monitor. It has pretty decent audio and the quality of the screen is better than most gaming monitors that you can find flooding the market. You can definitely set this one as your main monitor as you play with any console currently available. It’s not spectacular and it won’t win you any glances or “oohs” but it gets the job done well and in most cases, that’s the most important thing.
As of the writing of this review, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A is unfortunately not yet available on shelves. As per ASUS representatives, this gaming monitor will likely have a price tag of PhP 18,000 ~ PhP 20,000.
If you fancy a competent monitor, check out our ROG Strix XG27AQDMG Review. Or if you want to sacrifice your wallet to the wallet gods, check out our ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP review.
For more information on the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQML5A, check out the official product page.
