ASUS ROG Swift PG43UQ Review

Conclusion

Blimey. When the Swift PG43UQ first arrived and we put it on our desk we expected the size to be completely dominating. It’s just SO much bigger than anything you would place on a desk in front of you that it takes a bit of getting used to. However, having spent a lot of time using it for all that we could, the most abiding memory we have of it is the image quality. Given how bloody big it is that speaks volumes for how ridiculously good the picture quality is when everything has been properly set up. Setting up a display is always something that rewards you for the time you spend, and whilst the Swift has all the build in modes that manufacturers insist on supplying for the lazy, there is no replacement for the consistent image quality you can obtain with a good setup. Thanks to both an easy-to-use OSD and the excellent software package it doesn’t take too long to get a picture which balances out your current display placement. Whether you’re in a blacked-out room or far too near a window, the reproduction of the PG43UQ is spectacular.

It’s a curious thing about high resolution, large format displays that we get one or two features, but we can’t recall another display that has brought everything the PG43UQ does to the party. We’ve seen HDR before, but never HDR 1000 and certainly not the eye-popping, call your partner in the room, breathing new life into old-favourites application of HDR that the PG43UQ has to offer. Rarer still is the 4K display that supports 144 Hz and G-Sync/Adaptive Sync too. Getting all that in one monitor, and one that is big enough for gaming on your couch should you so desire it, is unique. What really sets this apart are the speakers, which aren’t the usual ‘instantly replaced’ monitor ones, but actually good enough for all but the most demanding audiophile.

We could spend the next hour or two describing the feature set, but suffice it to say that if you want custom modes, overlays, multiple windows, picture in picture, blue light filters, VESA mounting, G-Sync support, USB pass-through or a whole host of other quality of life features then the PG43UQ can provide it. Whilst it might not have HDMI 2.1 – soon to appear on the next generation of consoles and GPUs – it is up to spec on the current hardware with the HDMI port able to provide 4K @ 60Hz. For PC gaming though you’ll want to utilise the DisplayPorts to get the full 4K/144Hz/HDR1000 experience. Believe us, you’ll want to.

In fact that – the image quality – is the thing that really stands out. We’ve seen so many technologies come and go or at least come and splutter, 3D, VR etc, but the real benefits are to be had from higher resolutions and High Dynamic Range. Not least because they aren’t likely to make 50% of the population get motion sickness. If you feel that the boon of VR is filling your vision, we’d argue that a 43″ desktop monitor will fill your vision as much as you could desire. The beauty of the image is unsurpassed too. Anyone who has looked into grabbing an HDR TV will know that, like the early days of HD itself, there are many different flavours. The HDR600 on the MSI Prestige was impressive, but the HDR1000 on the PG43UQ is truly game-changing. If your title can support it then you’ll be left in no doubt at all that your life is significantly enhanced by the benefits in realism and image quality it brings. Also, if you have looked into high end televisions that provide something close to the feature set of the PG43UQ you’ll realise that it’s price tag is actually a bargain. For a similar spec you’d be looking well north of 2 grand, and even then the ROG Swift has things you’ll just not find on a cutting edge TV. Suddenly that £1365 price tag isn’t so steep. Yes it’s steep for the average monitor, but this isn’t an average monitor. Given how much we spend on our flagship GPUs, running them on anything but the best is sacrilege.

The ASUS ROG Swift PG43UQ is a monitor whose physical size is dwarfed by its incredible image quality. One of the finest displays we’ve ever seen.

  

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