There are times where-in brands do something ridiculous that you’re forced to wonder, “what the heck did they eat?” In this latest iteration of an ROG monitor, we get the large 41.5-inch ROG Swift PG42UQ for review. Yes, a humongous gaming monitor for your desk. In addition to that, it’s an OLED monitor. But the question remains: is it a good gaming monitor? Should you buy it? Let’s find out in this review!
| Display |
Panel Size (inch) : 41.5
Aspect Ratio : 16:9 Color Space (DCI-P3) : 98% Color Space (sRGB) : 133% Panel Type : OLED True Resolution : 3840×2160 Display Viewing Area (HxV) : 919.68 x 517.32 mm Display Surface : Non-Glare Pixel Pitch : 0.2395mm Brightness (Typ.) : 450cd/㎡ Contrast Ratio (Typ.) : 135,000:1 Contrast Ratio (HDR, Max) : 1,500,000:1 Viewing Angle (CR≧10) : 178°/ 178° Response Time : 0.1ms(GTG) Display Colors : 1073.7M (10 bit) Flicker free : Yes HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support : HDR10 Refresh Rate (max) : 138Hz |
| Video Feature |
Trace Free Technology : Yes
Color Accuracy : △E< 2 GamePlus : Yes Low Blue Light : Yes (Hardware Solution) HDCP Support : Yes, 2.3 Game Visual : Yes VRR Technology : Yes (Adaptive-Sync) HDR Mode : Yes Shadow Boost : Yes PIP (PBP) Technology : Yes |
| I/O Ports |
DisplayPort 1.4 DSC x 1
HDMI (v2.0) x 2 HDMI (v2.1) x 2 Earphone jack : Yes USB Hub : 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A USB 3.0 (Signal) x 1 SPDIF out (Optical Digital Audio Out): Yes |
| Audio Features |
Speaker: Yes(10Wx2)
Woofer: Yes(15W) |
| Signal Frequency |
Digital Signal Frequency :
DP: 30~311KHz(H) / 48-138 Hz(V) HDMI 2.1 : 30~311KHz(H) / 48-138 Hz(V) HDMI 2.0 : 30~135KHz(H) / 48-60 Hz(V) |
| Power Consumption |
Power Consumption : <220W
Power Saving Mode : <0.5W Power Off Mode : <0.3W Voltage : 100-240V, 50/60Hz |
| Mechanical Design |
1/4″ Tripod Socket : Yes
Tilt : Yes (+5° ~ -5°) Height Adjustment : No VESA Wall Mounting : 300x300mm Kensington Lock : Yes |
| Dimensions (Esti.) |
Phys. Dimension stand (W x H x D) : 93.21 x 61.13 x 25.54 cm (36.70″ x 24.07″ x 10.06″)
Phys. Dimension without Stand (W x H x D) : 93.21 x 55.20 x 3.74 cm (36.70″ x 21.73″ x 1.47″) Box Dimension (W x H x D) : 107.00 x 87.00 x 18.80 cm (42.13″ x 34.25″ x 7.40″) |
| Weight (Esti.) |
Net Weight with Stand : 14.77 kg (32.56 lbs)
Net Weight without Stand : 13.58 kg (29.94 lbs) Gross Weight : 20.07 kg (44.25 lbs) |
| Accessories (vary by regions) |
AAA Battery x2
Color pre-calibration report DisplayPort cable HDMI Ultra High Speed Cable Power cord Quick start guide Remote Controller ROG pouch USB 3.0 cable Warranty Card |
| Certificate |
TÜV Flicker-free
TÜV Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) G-SYNC Compatible |
Editor’s Note: Apologies for the quality of the photos. My house was under reconstruction during the time they were taken, hence the worse quality.
One thing very apparent with the backside of the ROG PG42UQ is its numerous ports. You can make use of two HDMI 2.0 and two HDMI 2.1. Aside from the four HDMI ports, you also have a single DisplayPort 1.4 located directly beside the USB 3.0 extension port and two more USB 3.2 Type-A. Do note that the ports can be covered by a plastic panel that you can easily take off should there be any need to.
The ROG Swift PG42UQ’s most noteworthy feature is definitely its display. A 41.5-inch OLED display that is capable of producing impressive colors and brightness. Similar to ROG Nebula of ROG laptops, this monitor also offers gaming features with its low response time at 0.1ms and high refresh rate at 138Hz.
To take advantage of the gaming chops of the ROG Swift PG42UQ, it also comes with Nvidia G-Sync. This allows Nvidia and AMD graphics cards to communicate with the monitor to take advantage of the refresh rate of the display. This results in cleaner images and better gameplay experience.
As this is an ROG monitor, it comes with the bells and whistles that one would expect with ASUS monitors. These features include an on-screen timer or crosshair, preset settings to manage your display settings without having to be too technical about it, and Blue Light filters for taking care of your eyes. To top it all off, the whole package comes with a remote so you don’t have to reach in to tinker with buttons.
There is no denying it, the ROG Swift PG42UQ is leagues above the usual gaming monitor with its OLED display. Colors are definitely more vibrant and you can up the contrast and brightness to produce images that are incomparable with those displayed on lesser and more common gaming monitors. Although a given, it is certainly a different experience especially what we are normally used to. You really should try it out first if you have the opportunity for you to know how it is different from the others.
One thing that surprised me about the ROG Swift PG42UQ is its ease of setup. It does not need a huge deal to get the thing up and running. Just set it up with its stand, screw in the four unique screws, plug it in, and you are good to go. You can set this thing up alone despite its size and if you’re looking for a cleaner look, you can also hang it up on your wall as it is VESA-compatible. However, there’s one challenge that you should be wary of.
This thing is heavy. It’s not something I’d recommend that you carry yourself. In contrast to its ease of setup, the ROG Swift PG42UQ is an eye-watering 20.07kg in its boxed form. It may not seem that heavy for some but the dimensions of the box and it being a lengthy package make the whole thing difficult to carry alone. With that said, if you’re looking to get this beast, best have a friend or two to help you transport it. Carrying it alone may reward you with a broken back, or worse, a broken premium monitor that you just bought.
The ROG Swift PG42UQ is a gaming monitor that does not pull any punches. It’s relatively ginormous size makes it a good centerpiece for any gaming station and the quality of its display is astounding. It also has a banger of an audio system to boot! Overall, there’s nothing much to complain about and it truly delivers in terms of its branding as a gaming monitor. In addition, it also works well with gaming consoles and can be a great addition to your living room play system.
Given its size, there are some limitations and compromises to be made. The ROG Swift PG42UQ is understandably not as fast as its smaller brothers. Smaller-sized ROG and even TUF monitors offer far greater refresh rates at significantly lower prices. Although remarkable, 138Hz refresh rate nowadays is neither surprising nor groundbreaking. Monitors from years back can achieve that refresh rate and if you’re after that number, your best bet is to get it from a smaller gaming monitor.
After spending quite some time with the ROG Swift PG42UQ, there’s really something that permeates in my mind about it: it’s simply a great monitor. As mentioned above, it’s not too advanced to offer record-breaking numbers but it does offer quite a lot on its own. The 4K OLED display is similar to what you’ll find in recent ROG Nebula laptops, the sound is acceptable, and the plethora of controls that you can set are surprisingly numerous. Though expensive, the ROG Swift PG42UQ is an experience on its own and you won’t complain about anything it offers. Other than its weight, of course.
The ROG Swift PG42UQ is available in the Philippines. It can be bought online or if you have the back to carry it, in physical stores. It has an SRP of PhP PHP 117,020.
For more information about the ROG Swift PG42UQ, check out the official product page.
If you find the ROG Swift PG42UQ a harsh wallet-breaker, you can check out our recommended TUF gaming monitors for 2023 here.
