Asus ROG Swift PG259QN Review

Key Highlights and Details

The drive for speed is a key part of gaming technology. Every new piece of hardware shows improvements in speed and data handling compared to earlier models. Today's gaming rigs can handle way more data and run processes much faster than the computers used for missions like the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

Gamers understand the importance of having top-notch hardware for a visually stunning experience, especially in a game like CS2. A great monitor is crucial in this setup. Since the launch of the Asus VG248E in 2013, which featured a 144 Hz refresh rate, we've seen some amazing advancements in gaming monitors. Now, we’re checking out the latest innovation, the 360Hz Asus ROG Swift PG259QN, priced at $699. This monitor truly operates at an impressive 360 Hz, and the impact on gameplay is incredible.

Asus ROG Swift PG259QN Features

When it comes to speed, the PG259QN is definitely a hot topic among gamers, but its price is hard to ignore too. At $699, it stands out as one of the pricier 1080p monitors on the market. However, if you're chasing every edge in competitive play, this monitor offers unique features that can redefine what you think an LCD can do. For serious CS2 players, this display might just be worth the investment.

Motion blur is something we deal with when gaming on monitors. Even with advancements in tech, there's a big drawback known as sample and hold. This means that, unlike plasma, OLED, or CRT screens, LCDs don’t have a blanking phase between frames. Plasma screens can refresh images up to 600 times per second, which removes any blur. OLEDs do a similar job. To achieve a blur-free experience on an LCD, you either need to strobe the backlight or increase the refresh rate.

Backlight strobes are a popular feature in gaming monitors, and they help reduce motion blur. However, they can also lower brightness and often disable Adaptive-Sync technologies like Nvidia G-Sync or AMD FreeSync. A better solution is to use higher refresh rates; the quicker the refresh, the less blur you experience. Keep in mind, though, that you need a powerful PC capable of achieving high frame rates, which can increase your overall expenses. For instance, to push the ROG Swift PG259QN to 360 frames per second (fps), you'll need one of the top-tier graphics cards on the market. If you can meet this requirement, you'll enjoy the smoothest visuals ever. Running some Blur Busters tests really shows what the PG259QN is capable of—it's truly exceptional.

Asus has packed impressive features into this monitor, including a high refresh rate and G-Sync support that works smoothly from 1-360 Hz. We managed to get FreeSync running on it as well, although it's not officially certified by AMD. The monitor also supports HDR with a dimmable backlight. It's an edge-lit display, so while it may not compete with the best HDR monitors or deliver the deep contrast of a full-array local dimming (FALD) panel, the performance might still impress you.

The PG259QN could be a sign of what's ahead, much like the VG248 was seven years back. Let's dive in.

Setup and Gear

The ROG Swift PG259QN comes in a big box and just needs you to secure the sturdy metal base. The stand is already pre-installed.

Compared to other ROG Swift monitors, this one doesn't have RGB lighting to shine on your desk. Honestly, we don't really miss it.

The monitor includes one USB, one DisplayPort, and one HDMI cable, plus a compact external power supply. To keep things organized, it has a snap-on cover for the input panel that hides the cables.

Product Overview

Asus has designed a super slim bezel of only 6mm on the top and sides. If you set up two or three PG259QNs, the gap between the screens would be minimal. The bottom bezel is 18mm wide and showcases the ROG logo in a shiny metal finish. The overall design is unmistakably Asus, featuring a sleek curve on the back and sculpted lines that resemble a spaceship's exterior.

At the back, there's a bigger ROG logo that lights up in a variety of colors. This feature is known as Aura RGB and can be adjusted through the monitor’s on-screen display (OSD). The lighting can pulse or flash and switch colors. If you activate Aura Sync and have compatible ROG gear, you can synchronize the RGB effects across your devices.

At the back, you'll find a control joystick along with four buttons. The bottom button is for turning the power on and off, so be careful not to hit it accidentally. The joystick makes it easy to manage all functions, and two of its directions can be customized by the user for quick access.

The stand is sturdy and designed to match the ROG look. It offers 4.7 inches of height adjustment, a 25-degree swivel, and 5/20 degrees of tilt, plus the option for portrait mode. If you prefer your own mount, you can detach the upright to access a 100mm VESA mounting pattern.

The input panel is minimal, offering one DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI 2.0. There's also a 3.5mm audio output and USB 3.0 ports, with one upstream and two downstream. The HDMI port supports up to 240 Hz, but for 360 Hz and G-Sync, you'll need to use DisplayPort. Both connections support HDR.

CS2 OSD Features

The ROG Swift PG259QN’s on-screen display (OSD) provides all the essentials for gaming and precise visuals. You can navigate it easily using a convenient joystick located on the back-right side, complemented by a set of control buttons.

Gaming takes the spotlight, as expected. You can choose from three overdrive levels. The middle option is ideal for smooth, ghost-free gameplay. GamePlus offers various features like aiming points, timers, a stopwatch, a frame rate counter, and several alignment marks for your display. Dark Boost enhances black levels, making it easier to spot details in the shadows.

Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB) is available, but if you're hitting over 200 fps, you probably won't need it. To enable ULMB, disable G-Sync and set your refresh rate to 240 Hz. After that, tweak the pulse width to control the amount of blur reduction. Keep in mind that increasing blur reduction can lower your screen's brightness.

The PG259QN features a backlight that adjusts dynamically for both SDR and HDR gameplay. In SDR mode, it boosts the contrast to about 3,000:1, which really stands out. During our tests, HDR contrast hit nearly 7,000:1, showing that this feature truly matters. The effect varies with the content, but we noticed it significantly improved our gaming and video experience. Plus, there's a blue light filter in the menu, perfect for those long gaming sessions.

The PG259QN delivers great accuracy right from the start, and Asus has added helpful calibration options. You can choose your color temperature from seven presets or tweak the RGB sliders to your liking. There are also five gamma presets available, ranging from 1.8 to 2.6. When using HDR, most image settings are locked, but you can still change the contrast and color temperature.

Asus has a dedicated section for Aura lighting effects. When you enable Aura Sync, the PG259QN’s LED syncs up with other ROG gear, creating a unified light display. The Aura RGB settings only adjust the big ROG logo on the back, allowing for color changes based on your chosen effects. If you prefer, you can easily turn off the lighting entirely.

Asus ROG Swift PG259QN Tuning Settings

The ROG Swift PG259QN’s Racing mode delivers a solid image right out of the box, making it a great starting point for gamers. Keeping the Contrast at the default setting of 50 and the gamma at 2.2, we adjusted the RGB sliders in the User color settings for a noticeable improvement in visuals.

Here are the calibration settings we applied for SDR gameplay.

When you switch to HDR mode, you'll notice that many image settings are unavailable, but you can still tweak the contrast and color temperature. Your SDR settings will carry over to HDR mode. We found that our custom grayscale calibration didn't work well with HDR, so we reverted the color temperature to 6500K.

Playing and Experiencing

When we hooked up the ROG Swift PG259QN, the setup was incredibly easy. Windows instantly recognized its 360Hz refresh rate and activated G-Sync without us needing to do anything. Even with AMD FreeSync, it functioned smoothly, despite not being officially certified for it. There was no need for overclocking or adjusting settings through the OSD. With our gaming rigs, it simply performed flawlessly.

No matter how you use the PG259QN, it's a fantastic monitor for gaming. We tested it for a few days with spreadsheets, videos, and, of course, playing CS2, and it performed brilliantly in all areas. The color and contrast are on par with top IPS displays we've seen. While it doesn't support an extended color range like DCI-P3, the accurate sRGB coverage offers enough vibrancy for photo editing and graphics work.

Windows shines in SDR mode with variable backlight enabled. Asus has designed an effective dynamic contrast feature that enhances brightness and sharpness while preserving detail and vibrant colors.

HDR mode is best used for gaming and high-quality videos. There’s no benefit to using HDR for standard SDR clips on YouTube, as they won't improve in quality. However, if you choose a high-quality stream, HDR mode will really boost the visuals. When you enable HDR in Windows, the variable backlight will automatically stay on.

Playing on the PG259Q is a game-changer for CS2. Typically, frame rates hover around 240-260 fps. To hit that 360 Hz mark, you’ll need some serious hardware, exceeding what the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and Radeon RX 5700 XT can offer. However, even at 250 Hz, the gameplay feels incredibly smooth. You’ll hardly notice the FHD resolution since everything from objects to backgrounds remains sharp, regardless of how fast you move your mouse. The motion resolution is top-notch, making this monitor stand out in the gaming scene.

Counter-Strike 2 has greatly improved with the new variable backlight feature. This enhancement brings vibrant colors to life and makes shadow details more pronounced, all while maintaining rich blacks when needed. In addition, the game shines in HDR mode, offering clearer dark areas and a striking depth from its highlights. These improvements make the textures more noticeable, contributing to a more immersive 3D experience.

There was absolutely no control lag or motion blur to be found. Seriously, it was impressive. The visuals remained clear and crisp whether you were moving or standing still. This was achieved even at frame rates that were below what the PG259QN can fully handle. We hit a peak of 295 fps with all the details cranked up. Sure, we could have lowered the settings for even higher frame rates, but the game ended up looking a bit blurry, even in still moments.

If you're worried about the heat from a 360 Hz refresh rate, there's no need to stress. Asus equipped the PG259QN with a large heatsink that eliminates the need for any fans. In fact, we didn't hear a sound from the PG259QN, even after hours of intense gameplay.

Final Thoughts

For many gamers, a standard 144 Hz monitor is perfectly adequate. There are lots of budget-friendly panels that provide a solid gaming experience. However, those looking for the best in quick response times and smooth motion should consider a higher refresh rate. The biggest improvement in responsiveness is seen when moving from 60 to 120 Hz, but you can still notice benefits when upgrading from 144 Hz to 360 Hz. The Asus ROG Swift PG259QN is an excellent choice in this category and is one of only five 360 Hz monitors announced this year, with one being a variant of this model featuring Nvidia’s Reflex Latency Analyzer.

The big question is: Would you drop $700 on a 1080p monitor for CS2? It offers HDR, and the PG259QN handles it well, but it lacks extended color range, VA-level contrast, and high pixel density. How important are these features? On paper, they might turn some gamers off, but in the heat of battle, we quickly overlooked the monitor's steep price, lower resolution, and limited DCI-P3 support.

The accurate sRGB color range delivers vibrant and realistic colors for both SDR and HDR gameplay. The adjustable backlight feature enhances contrast, making bright and dark areas pop while maintaining deep blacks when needed. When your frame rate hits over 250 Hz, the pixel density of the PG259QN doesn't matter. With G-Sync support (and unofficial FreeSync), all you need is a powerful graphics card to experience the smoothest motion ever on a gaming monitor. No matter how intense the action gets, everything from objects to backgrounds stays crystal clear.

We experienced a noticeable boost from the instant response time. It helped us improve our gameplay. Even slight variations in lag can impact your aim and accuracy during movement in CS2. After countless hours of gaming, the PG259QN led us to believe we had become much better players than we actually were.

For gamers seeking peak performance, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN is the way to go. Currently, it stands as the sole 360 Hz monitor up for preorder. It feels polished right out of the box. We plugged it in, and it was ready to roll. If your budget and GPU can handle it, make sure to give it a look. This monitor is undoubtedly one of the top choices we've seen for gaming so far.