collage2.jpgWhen you’re building, buying, or upgrading your computer, a monitor isn’t always high on the list of priorities. Sometimes we are just looking for a new system or upgrade for a specific task such as playing games or office work. However, a monitor is an integral part of any computer system that will heavily influence your entire experience.

Join me as I compare the ASUS MG279Q 27″ widescreen WQHD LED IPS monitor, ASUS PB328Q 32″ widescreen WQHD IPS LED monitor, and the ASUS PA328Q 32″ widescreen 4K Ultra HD IPS LED monitor. 

Together we’ll find out which of these three monitors is right for you.

 

What to look for when buying a new monitor

Before we can compare monitors, there are several key specifications we need to look at that will help us find which of the three ASUS monitors is best suited for your needs. Here are some specifications that I recommend you take into consideration when deciding which monitor is right for you: screen size, resolution, aspect ratio, response time, brightness, contrast ratio, refresh rate, viewing angles, connectors, and display colours.

Okay, so now we know what specs to look for, but you might be wondering what some of these terms mean. Here is a quick rundown of some of these lesser-known terms to help us out.

Resolution: the amount of pixels (dots) your screen can display, the higher the resolution the better graphics quality the monitor can provide.

Response time: the amount of time measured in milliseconds that it takes the pixels to change from one colour to another. The higher the response time the less of a blurring effect is created when an image moves across the screen.

Brightness: the brighter the monitor, the better the monitor will look in bright room.

Contrast ratio: the difference between the brightest image and the darkest image the monitor can create. A higher contract ratio results in rich deep blacks and vivid whites on the screen.

Refresh rate: the higher the refresh rate is the less the display with flicker, providing smoother scrolling and less blur on screen.

Viewing angle: the viewing angle at which the colour in the image can be seen accurately.

Display colours: tells you how many colours the monitor can display. The more colours displayed results in more accurate of colours of the images displayed on the screen.

If you still have a few questions its okay, just head on over to Best Buy Canada’s Computer Monitor Buying Guide for more in-depth and detail.

Picking the right monitor is all about knowing your needs

Now that we have an understanding of what the specs mean, let’s look at these three ASUS monitors and see some of the features that will benefit you the most.

 

Here’s a breakdown of their specs:

ASUS MG279Q 

ASUS PB328Q 

ASUS PB328Q 

Screen Size

27-inch

32-inch

32-inch

Maximum Resolution

2560 x 1440

2560 x 1440

3840 x 2160

Aspect Ratio

16:9

16:9

16:9

Response time

4 ms (Gray to Gray)

4 ms (Gray to Gray)

6 ms (Gray to Gray)

Refresh rate

144Hz

 60Hz

 60Hz

Brightness

350 cd/m²

300 cd/m²

350 cd/m²

Dynamic Contrast ratio

100000000:1 (ASCR)

100000000:1 (ASCR)

100000000:1 (ASCR)

Viewing angle

178° (H) / 178° (V)

178° (H) / 178° (V)

178° (H) / 178° (V)

Display colours

16.7 million

1.07 billion (10-bit)

1.07 billion (10-bit)

Other features

Eye Care, Ultra-Low Blue Light, Flicker-Free, AMD FreeSync, GamePlus, and GameVisual features

Eye Care, Flicker Free, Low Blue Light features, Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture

Eye Care, Flicker Free, Low Blue Light features, Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture

Connectors

2x USB 3.0, Mini-DisplayPort 1.2, DisplayPort 1.2, 2x HDMI/MHL

4x USB 3.0, HDMI, D-Sub, DisplayPort, Dual-link DVI-D

4x USB 3.0, 2 x HDMI, HDMI / MHL 3.0, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, DisplayPort 1.2

Dimensions

62.5 x 55.9 x 23.8 cm 

73.5 x 62.5 x 24.2 cm

73.4 x 61.5 x 24 cm

Weight

7.3 kg (with stand)

11.8 kg (with stand)

11.68 kg (with stand)

Cables included

Mini-DisplayPort 

Dual-link DVI, VGA, Audio, DisplayPort, USB 3.0, and HDMI

Mini-DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort, and HDMI

 ASUS MG279Q 27-inch Widescreen WQHD LED IPS Monitor

MG279q.jpgFirst, let’s look at the ASUS MG279Q widescreen WQHD monitor. 

Sporting a 27” in-plane switching (IPS) display with an impressive 2560 x 1440 resolution (Wide Quad High Definition), the technology contained in this monitor allows for four times the resolution of standard Full HD (1920 x 1080) monitors. This means not only will you have excellent image detail; you’ll also get up to 77% more viewable space on your screen. In addition, the Trace Free technology allows for a lighting fast 4ms response time, and an amazing 144Hz refresh rate.

Moreover, features such as ASUS eye care, Ultra-low blue light, flicker-free technology allow for extended viewing sessions without straining your eyes. GamePlus and GameVisual features such as the on-screen crosshair overlay, and six pre-set display modes make the ASUS MG279Q perfect for the gamer looking to get the upper hand.

Let’s say you are playing the latest Call of Duty game, it not only requires lighting quick reflexes but also demands pin-point accuracy. With the ASUS MG279Q, you won’t have to worry about streaks, motion blur, ghosting, screen tearing, or choppy frame rates. Leveraging the high contrast ratio, allowing you to see your enemies even in the darkest of scenes, and using the built in screen overlay will clearly give you a major in-game advantage over everyone else.

ASUS PB328Q 32-inch Widescreen WQHD IPS LED Monitor

PB328Q.jpgNext, we look at the ASUS PB328Q. This monitor features a super sleek 32” WQHD IPS LED display, giving you 77% more viewable space on your screen than traditional Full HD 32” monitors. As you can see from the above specs, the ASUS PB328Q can produce razor-sharp, life-like images with over 1 billion on-screen colours. 

Wide viewing angles give you optimum viewing area from almost anywhere in the room, and eye care features ensure you’ll never feel discomfort during long viewing periods. Coupled with Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP) modes, the ASUS PB328Q is great for professional and home use.

If you’re a professional or a home user, you’ll love the extra desktop real estate that you will get with this monitor. Now you can spread out all of your windows, allowing you to be more productive on a single monitor. Imagine having several windows open without having to minimize each window when you want to switch between them.

The offered eye care features make the ASUS PB328Q perfect for professional or home use. If you’re putting the extra hours in at work to finish a project, or spending hours on end surfing the web you won’t have to worry about eye strain. If you’re looking for true, consistent colour, then the ASUS PB328Q’s 10-bit display colour will satisfy your needs. Whether you’re a professional or amateur photographer, you’ll appreciate the smoother gradations and a more natural transition between hues. Thus, giving you an image quality, which brings your pictures to life.

 

ASUS PA328Q 32-inch Widescreen 4K Ultra HD IPS LED Monitor

PA328Q new.jpgFinally, we have the ASUS PA328Q 32” 4K Ultra HD IPS LED monitor. Featuring a professional-grade 32-inch IPS display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, this monitor is the crème de la crème. Offering a remarkable 300% more viewable space than traditional Full HD 32” monitors, you’ll have little to no worry of how many windows you have open.

If you’re into video editing or you’re a graphic artist, then the ASUS PA328Q is right up your alley. It comes factory pre-calibrated to guarantee industry-leading colour accuracy and support for vibrant images that you depend on. Furthermore, videophiles looking for smooth 4K/UHD content playback will have no trouble with the extensive connectivity options this monitor offers.

Final thoughts

Whether your old monitor has died or you have finally decided that you need to upgrade for the latest movies or games, buying a new monitor is a big decision. Now that we have compared the ASUS MG279Q 27″ widescreen WQHD LED IPS monitor, ASUS PB328Q 32″ widescreen WQHD IPS LED monitor, and the ASUS PA328Q 32″ widescreen 4K Ultra HD IPS LED monitor which one best fits your needs? Let me know in the comments section below.

Jon Scarr
Jon is the Gaming Editor and is based in Toronto. He is a proud Canadian who has a serious passion for gaming. He is a veteran of the video game and tech industry with over 20 years experience. You can often find Jon streaming the latest games on his YouTube channel. Jon loves to talk about gaming and tech, come say hi and join the conversation with Jon on Threads @4ScarrsGaming and @4Scarrsgaming on Instagram.