While not as important as the panel it contains, the design of a gaming monitor’s shell and stand makes all the difference as to whether it fits in your gaming setup, both aesthetically and functionally. This is clearly something that’s been on the mind of Asus ROG, evident in the design of its two new displays, the Strix XG27UCS and XG27ACS.
Looking any best gaming monitor list, including our own here at PCGamesN, and you’re practically guaranteed to see entries from Asus, especially those flying the TUF or ROG brand. While the company continues to prove itself reliably when it comes to the specification of its displays, their appearance can often prove more divisive, but the design of the Strix XG27UCS and XG27ACS’ fashion shouldn’t fall foul.
| XG27UCS specs | XG27ACS specs | |
| Panel size | 27-inches | 27-inches |
| Panel type | IPS | IPS |
| Native resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 3840 x 2160 |
| Refresh rate | 180Hz | 160Hz |
| Response time | 1ms | 1ms |
| Adaptive sync | Nvidia G-Sync compatible AMD FreeSync |
Nvidia G-Sync compatible AMD FreeSync |
| I/O | HDMI 2.0 (x1) DisplayPort 1.4 (x1) USB Type-C (x1, DP Alt mode) Earphone jack (x1) |
HDMI 2.0 (x1) DisplayPort 1.4 (x1) USB Type-C (x1, DP Alt mode) Earphone jack (x1) |
| Color saturation | DCI-P3 97% (calibrated) | DCI-P3 95% (calibrated) |
| Price | $269 | $449 |
Looking at the specs sheet for the XG27UCS and XG27ACS, both of these monitors look like excellent choices for their respective resolutions and price points, with the former costing $269 and the latter priced at $449. Personally, the factory color calibration helps elevate these displays past many of their competitors, providing the calibrating quality is high.
However, I’m strangely taken with the phone holder/groove included in the stand of each of these monitors. This is a novel use of space that would otherwise go unused or be littered with knick knacks like screws or whatever else clutters up my desk, and I’d love to see an alternate design in the future with Qi wireless charging if possible.
The only real drawback I can see looking at the full specs sheet, which you can view for yourself in the Asus press release, is HDR support without any local dimming zones. This complaint isn’t unique to the XG27UCS and XG27ACS, but we don’t recommend picking up any display for HDR gaming without some form of local dimming. Thankfully, SDR gaming should be great on these panels.
You can find the XG27ACS on store shelves now, if not imminently, but you’ll need to wait a while longer before you can get your hands on the XG27UCS.