ASUS ROG Strix 380Hz 25" E-Sports Gaming Monitor (24.5" Monitor) 1080p HDR (XG259QN) - 0.3ms, Fast IPS, FreeSync Premium, ELMB Sync, DisplayPort, HDMI, USB -Hub, DisplayHDR 400, 1 Year Warranty 3 years
This is the first monitor I've owned with in-plane switching (IPS) capability, and man, can you really tell the difference in color quality? I considered purchasing a Delta E2 certified 4K monitor (for color accuracy in digital graphic design) but ultimately decided on this beautiful monitor.
These monitors are cheaper and provide better quality images. Of course, without color accuracy I wouldn't be able to use it at work, but I bought the monitor for personal use, not work. 2K, 3D, and even 2D games have better image quality than 1080p. Movies look better, web browsing is better, and computer use is generally better.
There are 'scene' color/brightness/contrast profiles on this monitor that completely change the experience. I'm using something with bright, eye-catching colors. Does that make an already pretty toy even prettier? “Genshin Impact”, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”, “Rise of Legends”, “Doom: Eternal” (RTX version), “Apex Legends”, “Minecraft”... you name it. It looks great here. Even 2D games like Factorio, Rise of Kingdoms, Call of the Dragon, Street Fighter 3, etc. all look great here.
The first game I played was Doom Eternal on RTX and it was amazing. The latest is the stunning remake of the new Spyro the Dragon trilogy. I played Microsoft Flight Simulator (their technology is also amazing, blackshark.ai allows them to simulate the entire world visually and topographically) and the colors are amazing. I compared a flight from my hometown to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and visually (based on IPS and the scene I chose) the clouds looked exactly like my actual experience. Strangeness. I've also recently played Hades, Tonic, and Trackmania. All the great games just got better thanks to the hardware and technology in this monitor.
Higher screen refresh rates provide a smoother experience on your desktop on Linux and Windows (maybe on a Mac? I don't know, I'm not an Apple fan) and make games look better. At higher resolutions, everything looks better when you can see less detail in individual pixels and display more detail on the screen. Things are much better.
If you have the money, I would say buy the Asus ROG 4K gaming monitor, that's great. If things seem too small, you can always change their size in your operating system settings (Linux or Windows). Many games perform GUI resizing automatically, but some also allow you to specify GUI resizing. So there's no real reason not to upgrade to a higher resolution, other than finances or processing power. If you don't want to spend a lot of money but want a solid upgrade, get this 2K monitor, it's very good.
- Fast 24.5-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) gaming monitor with 380Hz (OC) refresh rate designed for professional eSports gamers
- ASUS Fast IPS technology delivers a response time of at least 0.3ms for sharp gaming images at high frame rates
- ELMB's ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB SYNC) technology enables variable refresh rates, eliminating ghosting and tearing and delivering crisp gaming images at high frame rates.
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology with professional color space delivers DisplayHDR 400 certified color and contrast performance
- FreeSync Premium technology ensures smooth, lag-free gameplay
- Package includes: DisplayPort cable, HDMI cable, USB Type B to Type A cable, power cord and adapter, quick release bracket, ROG sticker, quick start guide, warranty card, pre-calibration report
- Adobe Creative Cloud 3-Month Subscription: Free access when you purchase this product (valid from September 15, 2021 to August 31, 2024)