Although Amazon is currently readying the troops for its Prime Big Deal Days event (aka October Prime Day), which officially begins October 8, we’re already seeing a number of early laptop deals. I’ve curated a list of the best laptop deals below. Why should you listen to my recommendations? Valid question! I oversee PCWorld’s laptop review program, so I handle everything from assignment to publication. I also carefully maintain our best laptop deals roundup on a day-to-day basis as well as our best laptops of 2024 roundup on a weekly basis. Since I spend a good amount of time every day searching the web for the best laptop deals, I’m pretty tuned in to popular trends and able to pluck the good deals from a sea of bad ones. To assemble the list below, I looked at everything from graphics and storage space to design and form factor. I also checked out Amazon’s pricing history with Camel Camel Camel. Don’t forget to check out our Prime Big Deal Days 2024 hub for more great deals in other tech categories. First published on Sept. 24, 2024. Last updated on Sept. 24, 2024. Best Prime Big Deal Days deals on budget and mid-range laptops HP Stream 14, includes 16GB of RAM and an Intel Celeron N4120 CPU, $309 ($90 off at Amazon) HP Envy 360, includes a convertible form factor and an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U CPU, $759.99 ($240 off at Amazon) Acer Swift Go 14, includes an OLED display and an Intel Core Ultra processor 155H, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) The HP Envy x360 is a great laptop with a powerful Intel Core Ultra 5 125U processor and a versatile convertible form factor. It’s zippy enough for general browsing and productivity tasks, and the convertible form factor means you can fold the screen all the way back. Being able to use a laptop in different positions is useful if you’re a frequent traveler, especially when using the device in a cramped space like an airplane seat. The 15.6-inch 1080p display is also nice as it has touch capability. This is good news if you’re a regular doodler or note taker. Best Prime Big Deal Days deals on premium laptops Asus VivoBook S 16 OLED, includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU and a 3200×2000 OLED display, $999.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro, includes an OLED touchscreen and an Intel Core 7 Ultra CPU, $1,371.99 ($78 off at Amazon) Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, includes Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, $1,604 ($95.99 off at Amazon) The above laptop deals are all fantastic, but there’s one that really stands out from the rest. For under a grand, you can pick up the Asus VivoBook S 16 OLED, which boasts a powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU as well as a stunning 3200×2000 OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The CPU has 16 cores, 22 threads, and can run up to 5.1GHz. That means it should blitz right through day-to-day tasks and office work. The OLED display is ideal for entertainment or graphic design work, as this type of panel is capable of producing inky blacks and rich colors. The laptop itself also weighs just 3.31 pounds, which is perfect if you travel often. Best Prime Big Deal Days deals on high-end gaming laptops Asus TUF Gaming A15, includes a 1080p 144Hz refresh rate display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,034.99 ($365 off at Amazon) MSI Katana 17, includes 32GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,259 ($140 off at Amazon) Asus ROG Strix G16, includes a 165Hz refresh rate display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,282.76 ($117.23 off at Amazon) MSI Katana A17, includes a 240Hz refresh rate display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, $1,699.99 ($300 off at Amazon) If you’re looking for a great gaming experience at a reasonable price point, the Asus TUF Gaming A15 is definitely worth checking out, as it’s a very well-rounded machine. Between the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, this laptop should fly through most games on the higher graphics settings. The 1080p display is also quite spacious at 15.6-inches and the 144Hz refresh rate should keep things looking nice and smooth in the heat of battle. It also comes with 1TB of SSD storage, which is a good amount of space if you’ve got a massive games library. Best early Prime Big Deals Day deals on gaming laptops under $1,000 HP Victus, includes an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 GPU, $589.99 ($110 off at Amazon) Gigabyte Aorus 15, includes a 360Hz refresh rate display, an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, $979 ($120 off at Amazon) Acer Nitro 16, includes 1TB of SSD storage, an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $957.47 ($342.52 off at Amazon) Acer Nitro V 16, includes a 165Hz refresh rate display, a AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $967.49 ($162.05 off at Amazon) The Gigabyte Aorus 15 deserves a call-out because of its wickedly fast 360Hz refresh rate display. That’s an incredibly high number, so this display should churn out silky-smooth visuals, which is important during more intensive matches. It also comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, meaning it has enough juice to run most games on the Medium or High graphics settings, but you may want to dial those settings back on more modern titles. The display, measuring a roomy 15.6-inches, is pretty spacious with a resolution of 1920×1080. It’s not the highest resolution we’ve ever seen, but it’s perfectly fine for most games. More awesome Prime Big Deal Days 2024 tech deals Our PCWorld editors have curated best deal roundups across all the major tech categories: Best Amazon tech deals across PCWorld’s top categories Laptop deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Monitor deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 SSD and storage deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 USB flash drive deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Thunderbolt dock and USB-C hub deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Office chairs and standing desks: Best of Prime Day 2024 Battery charger deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Chromebook deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Laptop deals FAQ 1. What kind of laptop should I get? Well, it depends on your needs and lifestyle. A 2-in-1, for example, is a good fit for someone who travels often. You can swing the screen back 360 degrees and use it in tablet mode for taking notes or you can prop it up like a tent for watching movies with others. If gaming is a top priority, then you’ll want to look into a laptop with powerful internal hardware and a display with a high refresh rate. For those of us who need a basic laptop for general web browsing, a low-powered Windows laptop should do you just fine. 2. How can I tell whether a laptop is a good Prime Day deal? I always use Camel Camel Camel, which is a pricing history platform. You can make a free account and the interface is pretty easy to navigate. Let’s use the Asus VivoBook 16 as an example. Plug the ASIN, which is the part of the URL that starts with the letter B (B0BT6NKLQR in this case), into the search bar and hit search. Once the result generates, scroll down and you’ll see a graph of its price history. You’ll see a big dip in the price this month, the lowest price it has ever been in fact. That’s a big drop from the end of March when it was as high as $741.16. 3. Do laptop brands matter? Not particularly when you’re hunting for deals, as long as you stick to household names. All of the big manufacturers like HP and Acer make perfectly capable machines and they all offer pretty steep discounts on their online retail storefronts. You may have a personal preference, though. Dell, for example, has great customer service and their website is easy to navigate. As for HP, their back-to-school guide is laid out in a really straightforward way. 4. How much memory do I need in a laptop? I always tell my friends and family to shoot for at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less than that and you may very well notice a slowdown. If you can go higher than 8GB, that’s great! The more RAM you have, the snappier your laptop will be, especially when it comes to general browsing or making spreadsheets. 16GB of RAM is better for productivity tasks and gaming, and 32GB of RAM is perfect for photo editors. Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating ProsExcellent motion clarity at 360HzGreat sharpness at 4K resolutionAttractive designConsLow contrast ratioModest color performanceNo USB-C video inputOur VerdictThe Alienware AW2725QF’s dual-resolution mode can offer 4K resolution at up to 180Hz, or 1080p at up to 360Hz. That makes the monitor more versatile, but mediocre image quality makes the monitor hard to recommend. There’s a new trend in gaming monitors: “dual-resolution” displays. These monitors advertise support for two resolutions with differing maximum refresh rates. The Alienware AW2725QF has a maximum resolution of 4K with a refresh rate up to 180Hz, but can also handle 1080p at up to 360Hz. That means the AW2725QF is a monitor that can deliver both excellent sharpness or top-tier motion clarity as required. However, the AW2725QF relies on an IPS panel without a Mini-LED backlight, which is bad news for its contrast and color performance. Alienware AW2725QF specs and features The AW2725QF’s specifications highlight its dual-resolution functionality. 4K resolution on a 27-inch monitor is the highest common resolution for Windows computers, as only a small handful of 5K monitors exists. However, when in 1080p resolution mode, the AW2725QF can achieve a refresh rate of 360Hz. Display size: 27-inch ultrawide 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 1920×1080 / 3840×2160 dual-mode Panel type: IPS Refresh rate: Up to 360Hz at 1080p, up to 180Hz at 4K Adaptive sync: VESA Adaptive Sync, Nvidia G-Sync Compatible HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 (upstream), 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (downstream), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (downstream) VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: No Price: $599.99 MSRP Display panel aside, the monitor’s specifications are typical for the category. It supports HDR and Adaptive Sync and has three video inputs. It can also function as a USB hub with multiple downstream USB-A ports, though its range of USB functionality is not impressive, and it lacks a USB-C input with DisplayPort Alternate Mode. Further reading: See our roundup of the best gaming monitors to learn about competing products. Alienware AW2725QF design The Alienware AW2725QF is immediately identifiable as an Alienware monitor, and that’s a positive. Alienware embraced its current retro sci-fi “Legend” design language in 2019, and it hasn’t looked back since. Though no longer novel, the AW2725QF’s swooping panels and attractive RGB-LED lighting deliver an eye-catching look. It’s a well-built monitor, as well, with good material quality across the panel. With that said, though, new OLED monitors (including those from Alienware) are a step ahead of the AW2725QF. OLED monitors don’t require a backlight behind the display panel, so they’re much thinner at the edges. The AW2725QF does require a backlight, so it looks a bit bulky when compared to 27-inch OLED alternatives. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The monitor ships with a sturdy stand that adjusts for height, tilt, pivot, and swivel. It has a small, hexagon-like base that doesn’t take up much room on a desk. It’s not entirely flat, but close to it, so some items can still be placed on the stand. That’s an advantage over competitors that use a wide, tripod-like stand, as the AW2725QF will fit comfortably on small desks. The monitor also has a 100x100mm VESA mount for use with third-party monitor arms and stands. Alienware AW2725QF connectivity and menus Alienware provides three video inputs for the AW2725QF: two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4. All three video inputs can handle the monitor’s full refresh rate and resolution at both 1080p and 4K. There’s no USB-C with video input, however, so the monitor isn’t a great choice for connecting a laptop or tablet with USB-C. That’s a bit of a disadvantage in 2024, as some gaming monitors, like recent Gigabyte Aorus and MSI MPG models, have USB-C ports with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and USB Power Delivery. The AW2725QF does offer some USB connectivity, which is driven by a USB-B upstream port. This includes three downstream USB-A ports and one USB-C port. The USB-C port does include power charging, but only up to 15 watts. A joystick centered on the monitor’s low bezel provides access to Alienware’s on-screen menus. The joystick is responsive and the menus feel logically arranged — though, like many monitors, the font size is a bit smaller than would be ideal. I also noticed that the text of the menu did not contrast well with the dark background, as the text was a dark hue of gray instead of near white. This would be easy to fix in a firmware update, I think, and I’d encourage Alienware to do so, because I think many people will find the current menu system difficult to read. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The menus provide an acceptable but not outstanding range of adjustment. There’s a custom color mode, which includes adjustment for color hue, gain, saturation. However, the monitor does not have a standalone color temperature mode to target specific color temperature values. Also, both the sRGB color gamut mode and gamma adjustment controls are only accessible in the monitor’s “Creator” mode. A variety of gaming-centric features are available, too, such as a dark stabilizer to increase the brightness of dark areas of screen and on-screen timer and framerate counters. The AW2725QF doesn’t include speakers, which is typical for a gaming monitor. Most don’t, and few that do provide passable audio quality. Strangely, though, the AW272QF also lacks a 3.5mm audio output. That means you can’t connect speakers or headphones to the monitor and must instead connect directly to the audio source, which might be inconvenient if you have multiple video inputs connected and frequently switch between them. Alienware AW2725QF SDR image quality I’ll be honest: The Alienware AW2725QF immediately struck me as a strange, and perhaps disappointing, monitor. 4K resolution at up to 180Hz looks sharp, and the dual-resolution versatility is appreciated, but in exchange the AW2725QF sticks with a conventional IPS display panel. This type of panel tends to offer a lower contrast ratio and (without Quantum Dots) a more limited color gamut than OLED competitors. Unfortunately, testing the AW2725QF revealed the limitations I expected, though the monitor does have some strengths. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is among those strengths. I measured a maximum SDR brightness of 518 nits, which is excellent for any monitor and way more than a typical gaming display. This level of brightness is excessive if you’re planning to game in a dim or dark room (and I usually used the monitor at 35 to 40 percent of its maximum brightness), but it’s good news if you want to use the monitor in a very bright room. The monitor is brighter than its competitors, as well, and roughly twice as bright as the Gigabyte Aorus FO27QS, which has a QD-OLED panel. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast completely changes the narrative, however, as the AW2725QF had a contrast ratio of just 1150:1. That’s the worst contrast ratio of the competitors I chose for comparison, falling behind even the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS, which also had an IPS display panel. The lack of contrast is an issue when viewing darker, more atmospheric games, movies, and photos in a dim or dark room. The dreaded “IPS glow” — a hazy silver-gray cast to dark scenes — is apparent. It also noticeably lacks uniformity, which only adds to the distraction. Whether this matters depends on what you use the monitor: It’s often not a major issue on the Windows desktop and in productivity apps, but a major downside in games and other entertainment. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry It feels a bit odd to say the Alienware’s color gamut is limited, as a gamut like this would’ve been excellent five years ago. But times have changed, and many modern monitors offer a comparable, or better, color gamut. Gamers don’t need to worry about this too much, as the AW2725QF’s color gamut is still more than adequate to deliver a vivid and saturated image. Colorful games tend to look bright, attractive, and punchy. However, the color gamut might turn off content creators who want to create or edit digital art, photo, video, and other media, as the AW2725QF can’t display as many colors overall as some competitors can. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Color accuracy is also a modest result. This level of color accuracy is still good, and I don’t think most people will see anything wrong, even when looking critically. Still, it’s clear that competitors have an edge in out-of-box color accuracy. All else being equal, that could lean some shoppers away from the AW2725QF. However, while the AW2725QF didn’t have the best out-of-box color accuracy, it did well in color temperature and gamma tests. It had a default color temperature of 6500K and a gamma curve of 2.2. Both figures match our preference. In the real world, these numbers mean the AW2725QF’s image doesn’t look too warm or cool, and content is displayed with accurate luminance. Most monitors in this price range tend to be slightly off in at least one of these two metrics. OLED monitors, for example, often have a gamma result of 2.3, and look a bit darker and dimmer than I would prefer (though this can usually be corrected with the monitor’s on-screen menu options, which typically provide alternative gamma modes). The Alienware AW2725QF is a rare miss for Dell’s gaming brand. Sharpness is another highlight. The AW2725QF is a dual display monitor meant for use at 4K resolution up to 180Hz or 1080p resolution up to 360Hz. At 4K, the monitor provides excellent sharpness with a pixel density 163 pixels per inch. 27-inch OLED monitors are still stuck at 1440p resolution, so they won’t look as sharp as the AW2725QF. One final point: While the AW2725QF has an anti-glare coating, it’s more of a semi-gloss finish than matte. Glare is diffused somewhat but can still appear rather concentrated at times. In general, I’m not a big fan of how this particular anti-glare finish looks; it seems like a poor compromise between matte and glossy. Overall, the AW2725QF’s image quality is solid, but it seems like a bad match for its intended purpose. The monitor’s high brightness and excellent sharpness (at 4K resolution) make it a great monitor for productivity, but its low contrast ratio and modest color gamut make it less appealing for games and entertainment. That’s a problem, because the AW2725QF is meant to be a gaming monitor. Alienware AW2725QF HDR image quality The Alienware AW2725QF is VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified. That’s a notch above the entry-level VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, but the AW2725QF isn’t a good HDR monitor. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry I measured a maximum sustained full-screen HDR brightness of 614 nits. The monitor also reached a near-identical brightness of 616 nits in a 10 percent window, meaning just 10 percent of the display was active, while the rest was entirely dark. As the graph above shows, the AW2725QF has a higher full-screen HDR brightness than an OLED monitor, but falls behind the best OLED monitors in a 10 percent window. Mini-LED monitors, meanwhile, beat the AW2725QF in both areas. Brightness aside, the AW2725QF’s contrast ratio remains a problem. As mentioned earlier, the monitor had a maximum contrast ratio of 1150:1 when at 50 percent of SDR brightness. That figure slightly worsens to a ratio of 1130:1 at maximum HDR brightness. The low contrast ratio means that dark areas of the screen suffer from elevated brightness, which compress luminance detail. Put more simply: The HDR image looks flat and dull. This is not a surprise, given the AW2725QF’s IPS display panel, but it’s an issue. Both OLED and Mini-LED monitors can be purchased at a similar price, and both deliver much better HDR performance. The AW2725QF is a no-go for anyone who wants to watch HDR movies or play HDR games. Alienware AW2725QF motion performance Motion performance is arguably the reason to buy the AW2725QF. But, unlike some recent OLED monitors with refresh rates up to 360Hz, I’m not sure the argument holds up. That’s not to say the AW2725QF’s motion clarity is bad. On the contrary, it’s excellent, and most owners are likely to be blown away by what they see. Games look clear and crisp even at 4K and up to 180Hz. At 1080p and 360Hz they look exceptionally detailed in motion. Only the smallest fonts and low-contrast UI elements are too blurred to make out. The monitor’s dual-resolution feature has its uses, too. Gamers who want excellent motion clarity and low input lag in competitive games can obtain that from the 1080p/360Hz mode, but also have the option to switch to 4K/180Hz for better sharpness in single-player games. Also, it’s worth remembering that a high refresh rate is only useful when a game achieves a matching frame rate. Some games are incapable of a frame rate up to 360 frames per second, so opting for the 4K/180Hz mode makes more sense in those titles. However, the AW2725QF faces stiff competition from OLED alternatives. Alienware’s own 360Hz QD-OLED monitors, the AW2725DF, is much more expensive at $899.99, but it’s often possible to find an alternative priced close to the AW2725QF. The MSI MPG 271QPX is currently $649.99 on Amazon, for example. Going OLED means you’ll have to trade a maximum resolution of 4K for 1440p, but I think most gamers will be happy to exchange that for OLED’s superior contrast and color performance. Should you buy the Alienware AW2725QF? The Alienware AW2725QF is a rare miss for Dell’s gaming brand. I can sort of see what Alienware was going for, as the AW2725QF’s dual-display capability and high refresh rate could appeal to competitive gamers. However, the rapid fall in OLED monitor pricing means that many models are just $50 to $100 more expensive, and some Mini-LED monitors also achieve similar pricing. That makes the AW2725QF a tough sell, as it lacks the contrast, color gamut, and HDR performance of its competition. The AW2725QF is good for motion clarity, yes — but if you’re a gamer who spent over $1,000 to snag a video card capable of 4K at 180Hz or 1080p at 360Hz, I don’t think you’ll be happy with the SDR or HDR image quality this monitor can deliver. Read...

One of the best and easiest ways to upgrade your home entertainment system is to get a Fire TV Stick, and now’s a great time to do it because the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is now just $40 on Amazon. That’s a notable 33 percent discount off its usual $60 price tag, and this is a fantastic price for a device that’s useful for anyone who wants to stream content to their TV. It’s compatible with most streaming services, and Microsoft recently made it possible to play hundreds of Xbox games on Fire TV even without an Xbox console. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max in particular lets you watch movies and TV shows in 4K quality from Netflix, Disney+, and more, complete with superb colors and sharp details, along with both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It’s the ultimate home entertainment experience, and the best of the Fire TV Stick models. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max features a strong processor, so it’s smoother and faster than its siblings, and when you aren’t watching anything, you can turn your TV into a piece of art by picking from the thousands of wallpaper options in the Fire TV gallery. If you’re ready to upgrade your home entertainment setup, grab this Fire TV Stick 4K Max for just $40 on Amazon while this deal lasts. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is fantastic at this priceBuy now on Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating ProsA new high mark for motion clarityExcellent image qualityEasy-to-use menu with many optionsBroad official Adaptive Sync supportConsStand is too largeNo USB-COur VerdictThe Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP sets a new high bar for motion clarity—and has great image quality, too. Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP Retailer Price Asus $999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Well, that escalated quickly. OLED monitors were just beginning to go mainstream in 2023 as new, more affordable panels hit retailers. But now, in mid-2024, we’re amid a full-on OLED monitor war. Multiple manufacturers have deployed multiple OLED monitors across a variety of sizes and price brackets. Even the most affordable of these have a display size of at least 27 inches, and most also have a refresh rate of at least 240Hz. Asus’ latest salvo in this fight takes motion clarity to new heights: It’s the first monitor to deliver 480Hz at 2560×1440 resolution. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP specs and features The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP would seem like a typical OLED monitor if not for one fact: It has a maximum refresh rate of 480Hz, which is available at the monitor’s native resolution of 2560×1440. A few OLED monitors have arrived with a 480Hz refresh rate, but could only achieve it at a resolution of 1920×1080. The PG27AQDP is the first to achieve 480Hz at 1440p. Display size: 26.5-inch ultrawide 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 2560×1440 Panel type: QD-OLED Refresh rate: Up to 480Hz Adaptive sync: Adaptive Sync, Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-B 3.1 Gen 1 (upstream), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (downstream), 1x 3.5mm headphone jack VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: No Price: $999 Refresh rate aside, the PG27AQDP’s specifications are a bit basic. It has three video inputs, but lacks USB-C. The monitor also lacks built-in speakers. These issues aren’t enough to distract from the monitor’s strengths, however. Further reading: See our roundup of the best gaming monitors to learn about competing products. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP design The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP is a nice-looking monitor from most angles and holds up to close inspection. Asus provides slim bezels on all four sides of the display, with only a small chin centered in the lower bezel to provide access to the monitor’s menu controls. Around back, Asus uses the OLED panel’s thin profile to deliver a svelte look. The rectangular enclosure which houses the mainboard and connectivity, meanwhile, is adorned with bold Asus branding and uses transparent plastics, which is a nice touch. I think it’s gaudy when compared to the latest monitors from Alienware, Samsung, and LG, but gamers looking for a monitor that screams “I’m a gaming monitor” at the top of its lungs will like it, and the design is consistent with Asus’ ROG brand. There’s no mistaking the Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP as anything other than a gaming monitor. There’s no mistaking the Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP as anything other than a gaming monitor. Matthew Smith / Foundry There’s no mistaking the Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP as anything other than a gaming monitor. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The PG27AQDP includes RGB-LED lighting. It has a downward-firing light from the stand base, which is available on many Asus ROG monitors, as well as RGB-LED lighting built into the rear of the display panel for extra flair. The RGB-LED lights look nice, though I find the downward-firing light a bit annoying and prefer to turn it off. Your mileage may vary. The PG27AQDP adopts Asus’ common tripod-style ergonomic stand which adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot. The stand is nearly as wide as the display panel, and much deeper than normal, so it occupies far more desk space than is necessary. Not everyone will find this a problem, but it’s annoying if you want to use your desk as something other than a perch for your monitor. Of course, the monitor does support a 100x100mm VESA mount, so an alternative monitor stand or arm is an option. As a bonus, the PG27AQDP has a threaded mount at the top of the stand. The mount can be used to support a camera, microphone, key light, or anything else that will attach to it. It’s a handy extra for any streaming or home office setup that places a camera or microphone above the display. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP connectivity and menus The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP’s video connectivity is typical for a gaming monitor. It spans two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4. That’s a total of three video inputs, which should be enough for most gamers. It allows you to connect a computer and two game consoles at once. All video inputs can achieve the monitor’s maximum refresh rate and resolution. With that said, the PG27AQDP is conspicuously missing USB-C. Some competitor monitors now have USB-C with DisplayPort as an alternative video input and data connection. The lack of USB-C might be annoying if you wanted to dock a laptop to the monitor instead of, or in addition to, a gaming desktop. There is some USB connectivity in the form of a single USB-B upstream input that drives two USB-A ports. That’s better than nothing, but it’s not much. On the whole, USB connectivity is not among the monitor’s strengths. A joystick-style control, centered on the lower bezel, can be used to adjust the monitor’s on-screen menus. It is responsive and easy to use, and Asus’ menus are well-labeled. However, as with many competitors, the font size is a bit small. The monitor’s options and settings can also be accessed through DisplayWidget, a Windows application available to download from Asus’ website. The Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP on-screen menu. The Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP on-screen menu.Matthew Smith / Foundry The Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP on-screen menu.Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry A wide range of image quality options, including color temperature and gamma adjustments, are available, and are flanked by gaming features like an on-screen crosshair and a black equalizer designed to make enemies easier to see in dark areas of a game. Asus also adds AI-assisted features that are meant to automate functions like the Shadow Boost, the on-screen crosshair, and Sniper mode. I can see some of these features having some use; the AI Shadow Boost feature, in particular, could be handy since it will boost dark areas of the scene when required but have less impact on image quality when it’s not needed. However, I didn’t feel much benefit from these features. I think their usefulness remains to be proven. Like many OLED monitors, the PG27AQDP provides the option to constrain the visible display space to that of a 24.5-inch monitor. That might seem odd, but competitive gamers sometimes prefer this, as it keeps the entire display space within their field of vision. Here, the 24.5-inch mode has a resolution of 2368×1332 and can achieve the maximum refresh rate of 480Hz. The monitor also supports a 4:3 mode, which might be handy for retro games that never received proper widescreen support. The PG27AQDP does not include speakers, which is another area where the monitor is behind some competitors. For example, the LG UltraGear 32-inch has an excellent built-in sound system. But that said, many monitors don’t include speakers — and many gamers prefer to use a headset — so it’s not a major disadvantage. With the PG27AQDP, even small objects, like a baseball whizzing across a field, appear razor-sharp and easy to identify. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP SDR image quality The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP has an LG WOLED display panel, which differs from the Samsung QD-OLED panels found in many OLED monitors. WOLED doesn’t quite defeat QD-OLED’s color performance, but it’s a contender. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP makes a strong showing in SDR brightness, where it achieved a maximum sustained brightness of 310 nits. That’s better than average for an OLED monitor. While most OLED monitors are more than bright enough to use in a room with light control, they can look dim if placed next to a sunlit window. The PG27AQDP isn’t immune to that, but it fairs better than most. Asus opts for an anti-glare display coating instead of the more common glossy finish. This is a controversial choice among OLED fans, as in some lighting conditions it may cause dark areas of the screen to appear slightly brighter than on a glossy OLED panel. On the other hand, an anti-glare coat can reduce reflections and look more attractive when viewing documents or photos. Ultimately, your choice between a glossy and anti-glare will depend on your needs. I prefer the anti-glare finish. Contrast was effectively perfect in tests. The monitor can achieve a minimum luminance of zero nits, which means dark areas of the display are perfectly black. Nearly all OLED monitors can achieve the same result, so it’s not an advantage for the PG27AQDP. Still, the monitor’s excellent contrast contributes greatly to its gorgeous SDR image quality, and it gives the monitor a huge advantage over less expensive monitors with an IPS or VA display panel. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut is another strong suit for OLED monitors. However, monitors with an LG WOLED panel, such as the PG27AQDP, tend to perform slightly worse than those with a Samsung QD-OLED panel. The PG27AQDP achieved 96 percent of DCI-P3 and 88 percent of AdobeRGB. By comparison, the Gigabyte Aorus FO27QS achieved 98 percent of DCI-P3 and 95 percent of AdobeRGB. This is not a major concern for nearly all users, including gamers. The PG27AQDP’s color gamut is far more than enough to deliver a vibrant, saturated image that looks fantastic. However, if you’re an artist or photographer who needs to have a monitor that can display as many gradations of color as possible, the PG27AQDP is not your best choice. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The PG27AQDP solid color accuracy results are better than most WOLED monitors I have tested and closer to what QD-OLED monitors typically achieve. The default color accuracy is good enough to look realistic and should be suitable for a wide range of tasks, from gaming to photo and video editing. The PG27AQDP’s achieved a default color temperature of 7000K, which is cooler than our preferred target of 6500K, and an on-target gamma curve of 2.2. What does this mean in reality? Well, the PG27AQDP can look a bit cooler and more sterile than we prefer to see. The difference is large enough for it to be noticeable if you know what you’re looking for, or if the monitor is compared side-by-side with another. However, the monitor provides a wide range of image quality controls, so you can adjust the monitor to look warmer if you prefer. As mentioned, the PG27AQDP has 2560×1440 resolution which, at its size, works out to about 109 pixels per inch. That’s the typical pixel density for a 1440p display, and it looks sharp enough in most situations. OLED monitors can at times suffer degraded sharpness due to how their sub pixels are arranged, a problem I find most noticeable when reading small text. Asus tries to combat that with a “Clear Text Algorithm” which, to my eyes, is somewhat effective. Small fonts can still look a bit pixelated or aliased, but the monitor’s sharpness is enough to provide a crisp look to games and Netflix, among other entertainment. The PG27AQDP doesn’t reach new heights in SDR image quality, but instead delivers performance that’s typical of a 27-inch OLED monitor. Fortunately, that’s a high bar, so simply meeting it results in excellent image quality. The monitor looks great in SDR. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP HDR image quality The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP’s focus on motion clarity makes it easy to overlook the monitor’s HDR performance. That would be a mistake, because it performs well in HDR. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry LG’s latest WOLED display panels, like the one used by the PG27AQDP, tend to outperform current Samsung QD-OLED monitors in HDR brightness. The PG27AQDP didn’t disappoint, as shown on the graph above. Although the new Asus didn’t set records, it performed well across the board, and delivered a rich, vivid experience. Scenes that call for the entire display to be brightly lit are the PG27AQDP’s only weakness: It’s better at rendering a lightning strike than a snowy mountainside. But that downside is shared with other OLED displays. The PG27AQDP goes the extra mile with the option to unlock brightness in HDR mode. Normally, a display’s HDR mode locks user control of brightness to ensure content is displayed with the appropriate brightness. But this can be annoying on a monitor, which may display a variety of SDR and HDR content simultaneously in various windows or across various displays. The PG27AQDP’s option to adjust HDR brightness gives users more control over their experience. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP motion performance There’s a lot of reasons to like the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP, but motion clarity is the reason to choose it from the buffet of excellent OLED displays now available. The PG27AQDP is the first 1440p 480Hz monitor, and it looks stunning in motion. This is not the first 480Hz OLED monitor we’ve reviewed. Several earlier monitors, like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP, could reach 480Hz, but only if the resolution was reduced to 1920×1080. The PG27AQDP can hit 480Hz at 256 x1440, which means it’s sharper both in motion and at rest. The result is superb clarity. In many cases, moving scenes appear almost perfect. This is not technically correct, but the appearance of motion blur is so reduced that even small objects, like a baseball whizzing across a field, appear razor-sharp and easy to identify. I was also able to make out details while scrolling across a map in League of Legends. Every individual tick in a character’s hitpoint bar, every UI element, and every font was legible. The same is also true for some other high-refresh rate monitors, like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP and the Alienware AW2524HF. But they only reach 1080p resolution at their maximum refresh rate, so they’re not as sharp overall. Asus includes Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB), a feature that strobes the monitor at an extremely high frequency. Due to oddities of how human vision works, this has the effect of reducing motion blur. However, the feature is only available at a refresh rate of 120Hz or 240Hz. This is less of a problem than it might seem; most games will not run at a frame rate high enough to maximize the clarity of 480Hz (to do so requires the game to run at 480 frames per second). ELMB can come into play as an alternative for more typical refresh rates, and it does a good job minimizing motion blur. I don’t want to mince words here. The PG27AQDP has the best motion clarity of any monitor I’ve witnessed to date. Recently, I’ve felt the need to make this declaration every few months, as new monitors continually leapfrog each other with ever-higher refresh rates. But the PG27AQDP is the new high bar that others must clear. If you’re coming from an older 60Hz monitor, well, you’ll be in for a bit of a shock. The difference is astounding. Adaptive sync is supported, as well, for smooth frame pacing and motion in games. The PG27AQDP lists support for the Adaptive Sync, Nvidia G-Sync, and AMD FreeSync standards. In practice, support for any of these should support them all, as they are generally compatible. But it’s good to see Asus list support for all three, as it helps gamers understand that adaptive sync will work with their particular video card. Should you buy the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP? The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP is yet another great OLED monitor from Asus, which continues to bang out hits through 2024. While I’m not a fan of Asus’ design, and I’d prefer to see USB-C included, it’s difficult to argue with the PG27AQDP’s image quality. It delivers a new high bar for motion clarity alongside good HDR and SDR image quality, a long list of image quality adjustments, and several features that most competitors don’t have, like the option to adjust the monitor’s brightness in HDR. Read...