ASUS VA27DQ 27" Black 2024

The ASUS VA27DQ is a budget 27-inch IPS monitor that nails the basics for office and casual use. The 75Hz refresh rate and FreeSync support are nice touches at this price, but the 250 nits brightness and weak color performance keep it from being a great all-rounder. At $142 it's a steal, at $429 it's a rip-off. Buy it for work, not for gaming or creative tasks.

The 75Hz refresh rate is a small but meaningful step up from the standard 60Hz you'll find on most budget office monitors. It's not going to blow anyone away, but scrolling feels a little smoother and casual games benefit from the extra headroom. The 5ms response time is fine for this class of display. You won't see ghosting in everyday use, though fast-paced shooters will expose its limits pretty quickly.

Brightness tops out at 250 nits, which is adequate for indoor use but nothing more. In a bright room with direct sunlight, you'll be squinting. The 1000:1 static contrast ratio is standard IPS fare, meaning blacks look more like dark gray. Color coverage is where this panel really shows its budget roots. It's rated for 16.7 million colors, which is just 8-bit, and our database puts its color performance in the 17th percentile. That's not a typo. If you do any photo or video work, this monitor will frustrate you.

The LG UltraGear 27G810A-B is the obvious step up for gamers. It brings a higher refresh rate and better response times, though you'll pay more for it. If you're even slightly serious about competitive gaming, the LG is the better pick. The VA27DQ's 75Hz and 5ms response time are fine for casual play, but they're not in the same league.

The Dell S2725QC is the choice for people who want sharper text and better color. It's a 4K panel, which means everything looks crisper, and Dell's color calibration is typically better out of the box. The trade-off is price and the fact that you'll need more GPU horsepower to drive 4K. The Acer Nitro XV272U W2bmiiprx splits the difference with a 1440p resolution and higher refresh rate, making it a better all-rounder if your budget stretches a bit further.

Here's where things get tricky. The VA27DQ is a great deal at $142. It's a solid deal at $200. At $429, it's a bad joke. The price spread across US listings is $287, which is more than the monitor itself costs at its cheapest. If you're shopping in the US, the best deal we're seeing is at the low end of that range, so shop around before you click buy.

In Europe, the spread is also significant. EUR prices range from EUR 195 to EUR 376, a difference of EUR 181. Again, the low end is where this monitor makes sense. At EUR 195, you're getting a 27-inch IPS panel with FreeSync and VESA mounting for less than most 24-inch options. At EUR 376, you're in territory where better monitors with higher refresh rates and better color exist.

The ASUS VA27DQ is one of those monitors that doesn't try to be exciting. It's a 27-inch 1080p IPS panel aimed squarely at people who need a dependable screen for work, school, or casual streaming. No 4K, no 144Hz, no HDR fireworks. Just a clean, frameless design and a spec sheet that covers the basics without pretending to be something it's not.

What makes it interesting is the price. In the US, listings range from $142 to $429, which is a wild spread for what is essentially the same monitor. If you catch it at the low end, you're getting a 27-inch IPS display with FreeSync, built-in speakers, and VESA mounting for less than a decent dinner for two. At the high end, you're overpaying by a lot.

This is a monitor for people who want a bigger screen without spending big-screen money. Office workers, students, and anyone setting up a secondary display will find a lot to like here. Gamers looking for a competitive edge should keep scrolling, but casual players who just want smooth enough motion will be fine.

If you do any kind of color-sensitive work, skip this monitor. The color performance sits in the 17th percentile of our database, which means photos and videos will look off no matter how much you calibrate. Look at something like the Dell S2725QC instead, which offers better color accuracy and 4K resolution for not much more money at the right price.

Competitive gamers should also pass. The 75Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time are fine for casual play, but they're a handicap in fast-paced games. The LG UltraGear 27G810A-B or Acer Nitro XV272U W2bmiiprx are better choices if you care about motion clarity and response times. And if you work in a bright room with lots of windows, the 250 nits brightness will leave you squinting. Look for something with at least 350 nits.

For office work, the VA27DQ is a solid pick if you can find it under $200. The 27-inch size gives you plenty of room for documents and spreadsheets, the IPS panel keeps text readable from any angle, and the eye care features genuinely help during long workdays. The built-in speakers are a nice bonus for video calls, even if they're nothing special.

For gaming, this monitor is a compromise. The 75Hz refresh rate and FreeSync support are better than nothing, but the 5ms response time and mediocre color performance hold it back. If you're a casual gamer who plays slower titles or mostly uses the monitor for work with some gaming on the side, it's fine. If you play fast-paced shooters or anything competitive, save up for something with a higher refresh rate.