Grab this 27-inch 180Hz Asus gaming monitor with Nvidia G-Sync for under $200

Right now, you can grab the superb Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A gaming monitor for a bargain price of $199, down $50 from its usual asking price. With its 27-inch screen size, 180Hz refresh rate, and 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, this Asus gaming monitor is a great option for those seeking an affordable step up from a 1080p screen, plus it packs in several useful features that elevate it above other cheaper options with similar specs.

With Asus being a regular entrant on our best gaming monitor guide, it’s no stranger to making great screens, and that’s the case with this panel too. However, while we’d all love to have the spare cash to splash $1,000+ on the 360Hz Asus ROG Swift PG27AQN, the VG27AQ3A is a more modest offering but one with lots of appeal, especially at today’s price.

With the likes of the Acer Nitro KG271U offering a 1440p resolution and 180Hz refresh rate for under $150, what is it that makes the VG27AQ3A so appealing? Well, there are a few factors.

The first key extra here is official G-Sync compatibility. While the Acer screen offers Freesync support and it may well work with Nvidia G-Sync too, it’s not guaranteed. With this Asus screen, though, you can buy in confidence that your Nvidia GPU will have its screen tearing and stutter eliminated. This Asus screen does also offer Freesync support for use with AMD cards too.

Another key addition is variable overdrive support. This means the display modulates the level of overdrive it applies to the panel to suit the frame rate you’re getting. Overdrive is the extra voltage applied to an LCD’s pixels in order to make them switch colors as fast as possible, and it’s important to fine-tune it to maximize a screen’s response without going too high and ruining the screen’s image quality.

Crucially, the right amount of overdrive varies depending on the frame rate, so with most screens, unless you’re always running at a frame rate higher than the maximum refresh rate of the panel, the overdrive might not be optimal. With variable overdrive, you’re ensured the best option at all times.

The final big extra is support for Asus’ Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB-Sync) technology. This uses the technique of turning off the screen’s backlight for a split-second in between each frame, which reduces the appearance of motion blur. However, unlike nearly every other monitor that offers this feature, ELMB-Sync allows Asus to offer this while the display is using Freesync or G-Sync, so you can get the best of both worlds: the fastest feeling response and the smoothest action.

Outside of these features, this panel offers just a really solidly appealing combination of a 27-inch screen size and a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, making for a reasonably sharp image without the huge GPU processing demand – and extra upfront cost – of a 4K screen. Its 180Hz refresh rate, meanwhile, is far from record-setting by today’s standards but is still plenty fast enough for all but the very most competitive of players, and it’s backed by a speedy 0.5ms response time.

HDR10 support is included too, with 95% DCI-P3 color space coverage. With a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, you’re not going to get the dazzling high contrast of high-end HDR monitors but that color coverage means colors will look vivid.

There are a few factors that clearly reflect the lower cost of this screen, such as its stand not offering height, rotation, or pivot adjustment – it can only be tilted up and down a bit – plus you don’t get a USB hub, though you do get a pair of 2W speakers. Connections, meanwhile, consist of a standard single DisplayPort and two HDMI.

To grab this monitor for this great price, just head on over to Amazon via this link. Buyers in the UK can’t get this screen on Amazon but its predecessor (at 170Hz) is available via this link for £192, which is its lowest price ever.

For more on the benefits of G-Sync compatibility, check out our G-Sync guide that explains everything about the tech.