ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review – The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

Low Boon Shen
By Low Boon Shen 9 Min Read
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review
  • Appearance - 8/10
    8/10
  • Features - 8.2/10
    8.2/10
  • Materials - 8/10
    8/10
  • Performance - 8.5/10
    8.5/10
  • User Experience (UX) - 8.5/10
    8.5/10
  • Value - 8/10
    8/10

Summary

The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is not the typical expensive ROG product that you may expect – it’s affordable, it’s utilitarian, it’s sensible. If gaming-focused features is what you demand, this monitor fits that bill nicely. 

Overall
8.2/10
8.2/10

Pros

+ Fast & bright IPS panel
+ Well-calibrated on sRGB
+ Responsive OSD controls
+ Flexible stand configuration 
+ Integrated tripod socket for cameras
+ Integrated phone holder

Cons

– Limited HDR capabilities
– DCI-P3 color space isn’t calibrated
– USB-C Power Delivery only provides 7.5W
– No USB upstream ports

Unboxing

ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

While the ROG Strix XG27ACS is, as the name says, an ROG monitor, it’s not having the same kind of colored packaging that you’ll find in the more premium offerings under ROG’s Swift line of monitors. Would I really call this a budget monitor? In a sense, yes – but as you’ll see in this review, you’re getting a lot more than what the price and initial impressions may tell you.

Here’s what you’re getting inside the box:

  • User guide
  • ASUS VIP Member leaflet
  • ROG sticker pack
  • DisplayPort cable
  • Power cord (Type G, UK/Malaysia)
  • Power cord (Type I, Australia/China)*
  • Stand base
  • Stand strut
  • ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS main unit

*Note: Type I plug is for Australian models – you may not receive this with local units. Do note that our review unit are not fully representative of the items included.

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ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

Unlike the more premium ROG monitors with their tri-spoke monitor stand, the XG27ACS uses a more conventional flat bottom stand with an integrated slot to house smartphones – useful as a secondary screen for displaying guides. The display uses the anti-glare panel, which diffuses bright lighting for better visibility in bright environments.

Specifications

ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS

Full specifications available on the product website.

Display Panel Type27″ flat IPS
Display Surface TypeMatte (anti-glare)
Resolution2560 x 1440 (16:9, QHD)
Refresh Rate180Hz (via DisplayPort / USB-C)
Pixel Response Time1ms
Gamut Coverage133% sRGB
97% DCI-P3
Color Depth8-bit (16.7M colors)
HDR SupportHDR10
VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification
BrightnessHDR Peak: 400 cd/m²
Standard: 350 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio1,000:1
Viewing Angle (CR≧10)178°(H) / 178°(V)
Variable Refresh Rate SupportAMD FreeSync
NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible
Display CertificationsTÜV Flicker-free
TÜV Low Blue Light
I/O1x USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 7.5W PD)
1x DisplayPort 1.4
1x HDMI 2.0
1x 3.5mm headphone jack
1x AC-in
KVM SwitchNo
Onboard SpeakersNo
Power Consumption<23.1W
Stand ArticulationTilt: +20° ~ -5°
Swivel: +45° ~ -45°
Pivot: +90° ~ -90°
Height Adjustment: 0~120 mm
Integrated 1/4″ tripod socket
VESA Mounting100 x 100 mm
Dimensions & WeightMonitor including stand: 641.8 x 512.9 x 218.8 mm, 6.61 kg
Monitor only: 641.8 x 367.1 x 60.1 mm, 3.93 kg
Box: 780 x 226 x 515 mm, 10.1 kg

Performance

Brightness Uniformity

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ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

First, let’s begin with brightness test. ASUS says the XG27ACS maxes out at 400 nits under HDR and 350 nits on SDR – we tested this on SDR mode (at max brightness), and it turns out the readings are higher than the SDR figures as claimed by the company. That being said, there is some degree of deviation in various corners of the IPS panel, but it’s within acceptable range.

Color Accuracy & Gamut

Measurement: sRGBGameVisual Preset: sRGB Mode
Whitepoint6542K
Average ΔE1.09
Maximum ΔE3.38
Measurement: DCI-P3GameVisual Preset: Racing Mode (Default)
Whitepoint6607K
Average ΔE3.47
Maximum ΔE6.30

In terms of color, ASUS didn’t advertise factory calibration for this monitor, but if you’re dealing with color-critical work using sRGB color space, the XG27ACS does get pretty spot-on in terms of colors (Delta-E below 2 is considered humanly imperceptible). DCI-P3 fared a bit worse here, but if you have color calibration tools at hand, you can get the colors aligned with no issues.

DisplayCAL MeasurementGamutCoverage
sRGB99.8%134.9%
Adobe RGB83.7%93.0%
DCI-P389.8%95.6%

ASUS claims a 97% DCI-P3 and 133% sRGB gamut coverage, and our tests show the numbers are mostly in line with the official specs. The XG27ACS offers plenty of color tuning options on the hardware level, which are generally preferable for more consistent color output even when you switch between display inputs.

Panel Response Time

For the pixel response times, we use the Blur Busters UFO test – right out of the box, the XG27ACS is pretty much good to go in terms of pixel response performance (comparison above). Cranking the values up introduces some inverse ghosting (though not as extreme as the BenQ ZOWIE XL2546X which offers a very wide range of tuning), while too low causes ghosting when the individual pixels couldn’t keep up.

The Good

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ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is on the lower end of the ROG product spectrum, meaning it’s not as flashy or premium on the outside when you compare it against the ROG Swift monitors. Still, as far as gaming monitors go, this ticks just enough boxes for gaming usage that we think most people wouldn’t complain.

The Fast IPS panel used for this monitor does the job, with well-tuned pixel response performance and a decent 180Hz refresh rate (you’ll need DisplayPort or USB-C for this, HDMI maxes out at 144Hz). The QHD resolution provides good pixel density on the 27-inch panel, which is better than, say, 27-inch FHD or 32-inch QHD panels. Right out of the box, sRGB is also decently tuned – hobbyist designers or those who don’t need professional level color accuracy will find this monitor capable of serving them well.

Another plus is the stand design: it’s not flashy, but it does the job. You can tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust height; furthermore, the stand comes integrated with phone holders, tripod sockets, and cable management channels to make this monitor a very practical one for daily driving.

The Bad

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ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

The biggest complaint I have against the ROG Strix XG27ACS is mainly down to this one bit behind the monitor. The image above is all you get in terms of I/O (AC not shown), and here we can see there is no spot for USB passthrough, with the sole USB-C port designed for DisplayPort and power delivery duty only. Speaking of power delivery, you need a separate power supply if you’re connecting laptops, as it only provides 7.5W of power through it, which is barely enough for smartphones these days.

Another thing I’d like to point out is the HDR performance. It’s not surprisingly that since this monitor is only certified with VESA DisplayHDR 400 rating (the lowest of them all), you don’t really get much out of HDR content in general. Stick to a proper HDR monitor with FALD or Mini-LED panels, or even get the OLED ones if HDR is what you’re after. Additionally, the monitor lacks a native DCI-P3 mode which means calibration is required if you intend to use this monitor to work in this color gamut (note that it has the option to clamp the wide gamut).

Verdict

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ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS Review - The Utilitarian Gaming Monitor

So how much is ASUS asking for one of the ROG Strix XG27ACS gaming monitor? Turns out, a pretty decent price of RM1,599. That being said, ASUS has another monitor that is virtually identical to this, and it’s cheaper – the TUF VG27AQL3A currently costs up to RM200 less than this ROG model and it features the same 180Hz QHD IPS panel, with features like variable overdrive and ELMB still present. Weirdly enough, it even offers better I/O with an extra pair of USB ports, plus a pair of onboard speakers – both things the ROG monitor lacks.

This leaves the XG27ACS in a rather weird spot. You don’t really get anything exclusive by having the ROG flavor of this 180Hz QHD IPS panel aside from a relatively practical stand, but that’s something easily solvable by buying a separate phone holder and a tripod for cameras, isn’t it?

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Special thanks to ASUS Malaysia for providing the ROG Strix XG27ACS gaming monitor for this review.

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