ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A monitor

A well spec’d and designed monitor is one of the most important peripherals for gamers. Gaming monitors are meant to be fast, responsive, and provide the clearest images to gamers so that they can react to the world around them. Today I’m going to review the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A gaming monitor. I’ll discuss its set-up, design, performance, and of course sharing my final thoughts.

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A specs

  • 29.5 inches
  • 1500R curved VA Panel
  • 2560 x 1080 pixels
  • Freesync premium
  • 127% sRGB
  • HDR-10
  • 200Hz refresh and 1ms response
  • Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB)

Unboxing and setting up the ASUS TUF VG30QL1A 

The unboxing and set-up process for the ASUS TUF VG30QL1A is straightforward. Inside the box you will find the monitor, base, power supply, 1x HDMI cable, and 1x display port cable.

After removing the packaging, setting up the monitor is surprisingly simple. In my test unit the monitor arm was already attached to the back of the monitor, all I needed to do was connect the base. What I really appreciated in ASUS’s design is that assembly doesn’t require any additional tools. The base is connected to the monitor arm using 2x pre-installed thumb screws. Once you tighten both screws the base is securely attached.  

Overall the set-up process is quick and simple, you can have the monitor on your desk and ready to use in less than 5 minutes.

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A monitor ergonomics and adjustments

Something that’s often overlooked is the quality and design of a monitor stand. In the case of the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A, this monitor has a well designed stand with plenty of adjustments. Fine tuning is simple and the stand allows you to adjust the monitor height, tilt, and swivel. The stand also allows you to pivot the monitor 90 degrees from landscape to portrait mode.

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A connectivity

Plentiful connectivity on the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A

Connectivity is plentiful on the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A. For video input there are 2x HDMI 2.0 ports and 1x Display port. There’s also  2x USB-A 3.0 ports for users to connect peripherals. Given that USB-C is becoming the new standard for many devices it would’ve been nice to see ASUS include a thunderbolt port for audio/video or at least a regular USB-C port to connect peripherals. 

A monitor designed for gamers in mind

The ASUS TUF VG30QL1A sports a 30 inch VA panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1080. ASUS’s decision to use a VA panel reflects their target demographic of gamers. VA panels provide faster refresh rates, higher brightness, and better viewing angles. Gamers that need a fast monitor will definitely appreciate the ASUS’s 200Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. 

The ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A also comes with Freesync premium ensuring that the monitor will match the frames per second (FPS) produced by your graphics card. Adding to this the monitor also comes enabled with Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) which is meant to eliminate ghosting of on screen images. With these features gamers should experience near flawless images while playing any games.

The ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A also has a 1500R curve. Given how wide the monitor is I like the decision to make the screen curved. The curve adds more immersion to your games giving you easy visibility to the corners of your monitor without having to turn your head. 

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A gaming

Gaming and media performance of ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A

In my testing with the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A I played some of my favourite games including Call of Duty and Tomb Raider. The monitor is HDR-10 compatible and looks amazing while playing games and watching movies, the colors are punchy, the contrast provides deep blacks in dark areas, and the image is sharp. 

The high refresh rate of the monitor and ELMB really came through while playing both games. I’m able to clearly see what was happening during fast action sequences and the ELMB ensures that I’m not distracted by ghosting. 

What I’ve really come to love with the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A is the ultra wide curved panel. Having an ultra wide panel gives you a wider field of view allowing you to see more of the game in your peripherals. When you add the curved nature of the screen it greatly improves your immersion, spatial awareness, and allows you to react more quickly to the environment. 

Watching movies is equally enjoyable on this monitor. On traditional monitors with 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios, when watching movies you will see black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. However, with the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A the 21:9 aspect ratio means that when watching movies the image fills up the entire screen.

Average built-in speakers

I’m surprised to see that ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A also comes with built-in speakers. These speakers are on the average side, they have a slightly hollow sound and lack bass. If your computer doesn’t have speakers then the ASUS VG1A’s speakers will do in a pinch.

When comparing the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A speaker quality to my 2019 MacBook Air, the MacBook speakers are superior. The MacBook speakers produced clearer sound, more rich audio, and stronger bass. 

Overall, the built in speakers of the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A will be adequate for general use. Hardcore gamers and movie enthusiasts will want to use dedicated headphones or external speakers to better enjoy their content.

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A portrait

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A and productivity

The ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A performs equally as well when it comes to day-to-day productivity. As someone who’s working on multiple spreadsheets, video calls, and building PowerPoints throughout my day I can’t say enough good things about this monitor. The wide viewing angles, curved screen and adjustable stand make it easy for me to swap between applications, and comfortably multitask. I find portrait mode is most helpful when working on vertical designs or reading long documents.

Overall, the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A brings a lot of comforts and features that productivity professionals would like in their day to day workflow.

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A controls

Easy to use controls

Using the ASUS VG1A’s controls is simple and easy to use. On the back right hand side of the monitor you will find 4x buttons and a navigation joystick. While this is a standard layout ASUS made two key design decisions that made this style of navigation more user friendly. The first change is that the buttons are much larger than other computer monitor buttons. Secondly, ASUS staggered the buttons which improves the tactile feel and prevents accidental presses. 

Aside from the standard computer monitor options the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A offers some gamer centric features. For example the shortcut menu allows users to select game specific presets including racing, real time strategy, and first person shooters. Another feature that’s offered is the ability to enable a frames per second counter and the ability to have an on screen crosshairs for first person shooter games.

Overall, I found the controls on the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A to be easy to use, navigate, and offer helpful features for gamers.

ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A back

Final thoughts on the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A

The ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A is a great monitor for gaming, media, and productivity. I love the flexibility of the monitor stand, the 1500R curve, its fast 200Hz refresh rate, and the 1ms response time. These features add up to a fantastic monitor that will satisfy even the most hardcore gamers. The only disadvantage I can find with the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A is it’s average speaker. This is a minor complaint in an otherwise feature rich and quality monitor.

If you’re in the market for a new monitor I strongly suggest checking out the ASUS TUF VG30VQL1A. If you’d like to see what other gaming accessories are made by ASUS you can check them out here.

Marcus Wong
Marcus Wong
Marcus is a tech blogger whose goal is to help his audience find the right technology for their needs. Since 2007, Marcus has been producing videos on his YouTube channel where he discusses a wide range of tech products including smart home devices, cell phones, and laptops.
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447 COMMENTS

  1. 200Hz refresh and 1ms response are the best features of this monitor for gaming and are a must for competitors! Input response needs to be fast and this monitor does it!

  2. I like having multiple ways to connect to the monitor. (For video input there are 2x HDMI 2.0 ports and 1x Display port. There’s also 2x USB-A 3.0 ports for users to connect peripherals.)

  4. I love the portrait mode as it allows for a more interesting view and makes working on documents easier. It is also a more efficient use of desk space.

  5. I like the multiple ports cause I can connect multiple devices to it at once like a PC, gaming system and my laptop incase I need another screen

  8. The feature of this monitor that stands out as the most interesting is the curved screen. It would be great to have a screen that size, and i have never had a curved screem I would think you could see more of the games with it.

  11. The ergonomics of this monitor stand out to me because it’s always important to ensure that you are not straining your neck when in front of a monitor for long periods of time.

  17. I’m impressed by the video inputs. With a flagship monitor like this, it’d be nice to have multiple systems functional at the same time. 2 HDMI ports and 1x Display port at lots!

  19. The ultrawide curved panel feature is most interesting to me. I’d really like to see how beneficial it is when it comes to productivity and vertical orientation, like if it’d hurt my neck or feel very easy/natural to just look down and up or not!

  22. The ergonomics look good as it allows you to adjust the monitor height, tilt and swivel. This should help with my back pain!

  25. The feature of this monitor that stands out as the most interesting is the curved screen. It would be great to enjoy a screen that size

  28. It may have average Speakers according to this article… but It’s better than not having any so I’ll take it where I can get it!

  29. I like the connecting ports and the wide screen! It would be really good for my little brother. He is very into gaming so I want to get it for Christmas to show him I care. He has always wanted a pc for gaming so I think it will be the perfect present. Its also not as good as this one because he always complains about lag so I want him to be happy. I hope I can win it for him! Thank you!

  30. I like the connecting ports and the wide screen! It would be really good for my little brother. He is very into gaming so I want to get it for Christmas to show him I care. He has always wanted a pc for gaming so I think it will be the perfect present. Its also not as good as this one because he always complains about lag so I want him to be happy. I hope I can win it for him!

  33. I like all the connectivity ports on the monitor itself! Sounds very convenient compared to my current monitor.

  35. I agree with Marcus that “it would’ve been nice to see ASUS include a thunderbolt port for audio/video or at least a regular USB-C port to connect peripherals.” And it would be nice to see this monitor support HDMI 2.1

    I do like the fact it has high refresh rate and has Extreme Low Motion Blur to reduce ghosting effect while gaming.

  37. I like the VA panel to provide faster refresh rates, higher brightness, and better viewing angles for me to enjoy my gaming more.

  39. ASUS ROG Strix 27″ 4K Ultra HD 144Hz 1ms GTG IPS LED G-Sync Gaming Monitor (XG27UQR)

    I love the refresh rate, the response time and graphic display
    The graphics are amazing!I am particularly pleased with the shadow enhancement option. Also having the blue light filter set at two makes the picture quality look exceptional .

  42. The feature of this monitor that stands out as the most interesting is the curved screen. It would be great to enjoy a screen that size

  43. Let’s start with the Brand: Asus, a trustable brand with quality enlaced with the name.
    Plus, is already enough to have something bigger than 27″ that has 200Hz and keeps the 1 ms.
    And is curved. Conclusion: That’s an excellent monitor. I will love to have one of those and truly believe that this monitor can help me and anyone else to have a better performance on FPS games like the one that I love, that is EFT.

  48. This monitor would be perfect for my new home work and play station.

    To have monitor with a 200Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time would be amazing.

    The navigation button is a great feature too. My current monitor doesn’t and toggling any setting is a nitemare.

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