ASUS VS278Q-P Review

Is the VS278Q-P by Asus the best monitor for gaming?

Hello folks, in my previous post I wrote about BenQ’s bid for the best gaming monitor. It was astounding and I mentioned it was absolutely the best one I’ve used. Well, the Asus VS278Q-P was a close second. Read on.

The VS278Q-P is a solid 27″ monitor that’s a slight bit cheaper than the XL2420T. Though some people would think that since the monitor by ASUS is cheaper and bigger, they think it has more value than the XL2420T. Size means a lot of things, but it’s not everything.

VS278Q-P Build Quality

While BenQ focused much more on its feature set than ASUS did, they didn’t focus too much on the build quality. I felt the VS278Q-P was way more stable and much sturdier. It was a “heavyweight” kind of monitor and that’s not to say it actually weighs a lot (it doesn’t – for a 27 inch monitor), that’s to say that its build was like a rock: strong. I absolutely felt like I could drop the thing and it would still be intact.

Response time of the VS278Q-P

As I mentioned in my BenQ XL2420T review in my last post, the Asus monitor had a faster response time, clocking in at 1ms, just slightly faster than the 2ms BenQ offered. Still, this difference is hardly a noticeable one and should not at all be considered when making a purchase between the two.

The frame rate of the games I played (ranging from CS:GO to Battlefield 3) were rock solid and butter smooth. They didn’t include “Ultrafast” in the VS278Q-P title for nothing.

Feature set

Unlike the BenQ model, ASUS really didn’t pay a lot of attention to the features that gamers demanded. BenQ included an FPS mode, Asus didn’t. BenQ applied 3D features, Asus didn’t. But what Asus lacked in features, sort of made up for with build quality.

Still, it’s such a mistake not to include a ton of features, especially with the audience they were targeting. This is one of the reasons I picked the BenQ XL2420T over the ASUS VS278Q-P as my default computer monitor.

I would suggest reading both these reviews if you’re looking to buy one of them, as they are highly suited for PC gaming.

BenQ XL2420T Gaming Monitor Review

Review of the best gaming monitor – BenQ XL2420T

I absolutely love gaming, especially PC gaming. So I always try my best to get the best equipment possible (within my budget) that enhances my experience over the average stuff. This includes a better PC, comfortable keyboard, feature-rich mouse, and you guessed it, a solid gaming monitor for my computer.

The XL2420T was one of the first monitors I tried out. Of course, I couldn’t afford to pay for all the monitors I tried out, so I made sure some of my friends had a model that I can try out and see if I would like to purchase myself. Low and behold, the BenQ model was the last one I needed for a while. 

2ms response time on the BenQ monitor

One of the first things I noticed in this monitor (besides how sleek it looks) is the amazing response time it has. At 2ms GTG it was one of the best I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried a lot. There are other high-end monitors out there that have a faster response time like say… 1ms (on a lot of ASUS gaming monitors). However, it’s not at all noticeable unless you really examine it closely.

This response time allows the screen to not only bold everything out fluidly, but animations are noticeably much smoother. There’s a difference from a regular computer monitor to one of the best gaming monitors in the market if you’re hardcore like I am.

FPS Mode on the XL2420T

One of the most anticipated features on BenQ’s monitor is the FPS mode. Obviously, it’s a monitor for gaming. And what better way to advertise it as a gaming monitor other than to include an FPS mode? What FPS mode gives you is an optimal brightness, contrast, sharpness, and the like to better suit your FPS needs. They say it helps you find your enemies better and I can partially agree. Although I do notice that I can find and kill opponents easier, it’s not all that noticeable and it really isn’t anything special. Still, it’s worth what it is.

Overall

Overall, at the price, it is very much worthy to be named the best monitor for gaming. It’s specifically designed to help you out and it is very comfortable on the eyes for long stretches of viewing. On regular monitors, I often notice my eyes straining way too early from the jagged edges and junky colors. On the XL2420T, though, I really feel the experience and everything is really laid out to be smooth.

Oh, and it has 3D capabilities.

Will console gaming die out in 5 years?

Everyone has been talking about “console gaming dying” or the “death of consoles”. It’s everywhere and I am here to explain my opinion on this argument.

Honestly, I believe that console gaming is here to stay. My main argument for this is because the average gamer can’t afford a hunk-a-chunk machine (that is, a PC). These can cost upward of $999 and up. Compared to console gaming, that’s a steep difference.

Just recently, Sony and Microsoft announced the prices for their respective consoles. They said it’ll be $399 for the PS4 and $499 for the Xbox One. Now that is up to 2x more expensive than a personal computer. 

Everyone is talking about how the PC can run circles around consoles. True. But what about prices? Prices are a huge factor in buying something, especially expensive items such as gaming consoles.

Another reason I believe console gaming will live on is because so many people still use it today. There’s no way even the next generation can kill game consoles. The numbers for console games such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Grand Theft Auto IV were humongous. Call of Duty by itself sold millions of units. There’s no way that will completely go away in the next 5 years.

Plus, console gaming is advancing. Why in the world would it go away? Even though it’s advancing, it’s still getting cheaper! Cheaper = better especially with gamers on a tight budget such as myself and milions of other people.

Ironically, there’s a huge market within the PC gaming universe but an even larger one within the players who bought the PS3, Xbox 360, and the Wii. Each of these game consoles sold better than any single PC model out there. Granted there are a ton of PC models but that’s exactly why console gaming will live on. Because there is a limited amount of models and friends of gamers alike find a sense of equality when purchasing consoles.

With PCs, it’s I’m better than you because I have a better computer. With consoles, it’s hey you have a PS3 too? Want to play ____? Moments like these are definitely here to stay and I wouldn’t want to let go of that even if I am a dedicated PC gamer.

Interested in the best gaming monitor for xbox 360? Click here for more.