Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A

amazon Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A reviews

The Asus TUF VG28UQL1A is a gaming machine and comes at a price to match. Asus makes sure it packs all the features you need for PC and PS5/Xbox Series X gaming, including 4K 144Hz, AMD FreeSync, and ports for the next-gen console.

The Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A is a feature-rich gaming monitor and an ideal companion to a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Honestly, at around $700, one shouldn’t expect much.

It boasts 4K 144Hz support, four HDMI ports (two are HDMI 2.1 compatible), a slick IPS panel, plenty of picture-enhancing features (including Dynamic, Dimming, ASCR, and more), compatibility love AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync and full ergonomic design that moves and rotates quickly any way you want.

Asus includes HDR support on the VG28UQL1A (VG28U onwards), but like all other gaming monitors out there, it’s all useful. It’s DisplayHDR 400 certified, which means it hits over 400 nits of brightness, but that’s not just enough to benefit from HDR.

Specifications

Panel Dimensions 28 inch

Panel resolution 3,840 x 2,160

Panel refresh rate 144Hz

Panel response time 1ms (G2G)

Panel type IPS (edge illumination, 8 local dimming zones)

Supports AMD FreeSync Premium adaptive sync, compatible with Nvidia G-Sync

Support HDR HDR10, DisplayHDR 400

Ports 2 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x HDMI 2, 1 x DP 1.4, 2 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm

Other features ALLM, VRR, built-in speaker

Standing Ergonomics Rotate 30°, rotate 90°, tilt 20°, height adjustable 120mm

Dimensions (with stand) 25.18 x 21.25 x 8.42 inches (HWD)

Weight (with stand) 15.19 pounds

Introduce

At just over $700, the Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A isn’t your typical budget gaming monitor. It’s a real investment, but not terrible considering the specification. The VG28U is a 28-inch IPS display with a maximum resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, a refresh rate of 144Hz and a G2G response time of 1ms, and the aforementioned DisplayHDR 400 certification. For gamers, the VG28 supports AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, but the latter is not official yet.

If you are using the VG28U with your next-generation console, it also supports a variable refresh rate (VRR). This is essentially the unbranded adaptive sync technology currently used on modern TVs to manage screen tearing when gaming on next-gen consoles. Since your PS5/Xbox Series X doesn’t support G-Sync or FreeSync, VRR is a useful feature. Currently, PS5 does not support VRR, so it will be some time before it can be fully utilized in those respects.

Connectivity on the Asus VG28UQL1A is impressive with four HDMI ports on the rear – two HDMI 2.0 and two HDMI 2.1 for 4K/120Hz gaming on the next-gen console. There’s also a single DP 1.4 port and a two-port USB 3.1 hub as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack. Honestly, I’d rather trade an HDMI port for a USB-C, but that’s not a priority for most gaming monitor manufacturers.

The 28-inch monitor is supported by a sturdy V-shaped stand that tilts back 20 degrees, rotates 30 degrees left/right, rotates 90 degrees clockwise/counterclockwise, and raises and lowers the 120mm screen. While these ergonomic adjustments don’t add much in terms of performance, they add comfort to the overall experience. Included in the box are HDMI, DP, and USB-A to USB-B cables.

Efficiency

The Asus TUF VG28UQL1A packs a very good IPS panel, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best we’ve seen on the market. The panel can produce up to 90% of the DCI-P3 range, but it falls short of its goal of producing accurate colors.

Again, that doesn’t mean the colors are bad. In the Racing color preset, the VG28U was able to produce a near-perfect 6,500K color temperature and an SDR brightness of around 340 cd/m2. Contrast is also slightly above the quoted 1000:1 mark, which is good for overall brightness and color accuracy.

To the naked eye, the TUF VG28UQL1A is pretty much everything you’ve ever dreamed of in a gaming monitor. Colors are mostly well-balanced throughout the range and brightness is uniform across the panel.

However, there is slight swelling in dark scenes from all four corners of the screen, which sometimes affects the content you are viewing, especially in dark environments. Fortunately, there’s no large overlay on the panel, so the center of the display remains untouched for the most part. Again, overlay issues vary between boards, so you might have a completely different experience.

The TUF VG28UQL1A’s 1ms GTG response time, coupled with a 144Hz refresh rate, works pretty well. AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility to the mix and you have a great panel that can render games smoothly without noticeable screen tearing.

The console comes with several visual enhancement features that will enhance the overall gaming experience.

Overclock: This allows you to ‘overclock’ the refresh rate from 120Hz to 144Hz for the console. While the difference between 120Hz and 144Hz is negligible, and we simply doubt whether a game will support 144Hz shortly, you don’t need to max it out if want.

Dynamic dimming: This feature is still disabled. Dynamic dimming simulates the features of Local Dimming, but it results in continuous and intermittent brightness changes in every scene.

ELMB Sync: Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) works to further eliminate screen tearing and motion blur, but it affects overall brightness. You don’t need it, not with FreeSync and GSync already present.

ASCR: Asus’ Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) works well here. It works by helping the dynamic contrast reach 100,000:1 and adjusting the overall brightness of the screen based on the content displayed.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Asus TUF VG28UQL1A is designed for use with newer graphics cards. Thus, with an RTX 30 series PC, such as the Alienware Aurora R14 (GeForce RTX 3080), problems such as blurry text and intermittent connectivity are eliminated. So you must get a newer GPU that can take advantage of all the features of this monitor, that way you get maximum performance and value for your money.

Should You Buy It?

Honestly, YES. The Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A is one of the best gaming monitors on the market. The VG28U is fast, snappy, and looks great, while at the same time marking a lot of things that matter to PS5/Xbox Series X owners, and it’s even better for gamers with the latest GPUs. Simply put, what the TUF VG28UQL1A offers is an alternative to a $1,000+ TV, and it caters well to PC gaming enthusiasts.

As for the price, the VG28U is quite pricey it costs almost as much as some low-end consoles. If you can sacrifice resolution and some features, you can easily achieve a much more 2K display for a lot less. However, if you have the money and need to play with unmatched visual fidelity, the VG28U is just as good as they are.

Overall, the Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A stands out as an excellent gaming monitor with a full range of features, from 4K 144Hz compatibility, FreeSync and GSync, super-fast IPS panels, and plenty of picture-oriented features. There’s simply nothing the monitor can’t handle and for that, it received the Editors’ Choice award for a mid-sized 4K gaming monitor.

where can you get a Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A online

ASUS TUF Gaming 28” 4K 144HZ DSC HDMI 2.1 Gaming Monitor (VG28UQL1A) – UHD (3840 x 2160), Fast IPS, 1ms, Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync, G-SYNC Compatible, FreeSync Premium, Eye Care, DCI-P3 90%: Buy it now