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165Hz refresh rates are now a thing as Asus reveal two new 27-inch monitors

Asus RoG monitors

Asus have announced a pair of new monitors for their gamer-focused RoG range, both of them 27-inch IPS displays with 4ms response time and NVIDIA G-Sync. Desirable kit, then. And in the case of the RoG Swift PG279Q screen, a world first 165Hz refresh rate. That’s… yep, the PCGamesN scientists have confirmed that’s, like, really quick.

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Asus advises that you’ll need at least an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 graphics card to make use of that lightning-fast refresh rate, but those with the hardware to make use of it will enjoy “unrivalled smoothness,” according to the manufacturer. Well, it’s something to do with all those surplus frames you’re getting above the 60FPS mark in CS:GO, isn’t it?

The RoG Swift PG279Q’s resolution is also interesting. At 2560 x 1440 it lies between that hallowed 4K and the standard HD 1080p marks. Asus hope it’ll appear to lie in the ‘sweet spot’ for many gamers who don’t have the hardware to run games at 4K and 60FPS but want s few more pixels per inch than standard 1080p monitors can offer.

In this humble writer’s opinion, the sweet spot is real. Windows has a hard time scaling to 4K, and you’ll need at least two GTX 970s running in SLI to play at a stable 60 FPS. That’s a serious outlay, and 4K panels are still pretty expensive themselves. 2560 screens and ultra wide 3400 x 1400 offerings are still demanding, but they’re slightly easier to get playable frame rates out of, and arguably offer a more immersive experience than a 27-inch 4K display with a standard widescreen aspect ratio.

Which is where the RoG Swift PG27AQ comes in. If you do have the system to slay that3840 x 2160 native resolution and make the most of its 144Hz refresh rate, it’s a mouthwatering monitor.

Both panels offerfull tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustment, and can both be used in multi-panel displays, which is handy to keep in mind for the day your lottery numbers come up.

Pricing is TBA both both models, but Asus have confirmed that theASUS RoG Swift PG279Q will be available worldwide from October 2015, with the PG27AQ following hot on its heels in November 2015.

What’s the more attractive proposition: 4K resolution, or 2560 x 1440 and 165Hz? Let us know below.