Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM review

The Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM is the brand's self-proclaimed "world's first" of its kind—a 27-inch 4K OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate. The irony isn't lost on me that our own Jeremy published his review of the MSI MPG272URX before this one, but that's neither here nor there. Suffice it to say, this is just one of many new 27-inch 4K OLEDs launching this year, and it's easily one of the best gaming monitors you can buy in 2025—if you can stomach the $1,099 asking price. But do you really need a 27-inch 4K OLED? That depends on how much you value pixel density and space-saving.

Like MSI, Asus took the easy road when designing the PG27UCDM—it's basically a shrunken version of the 32-inch ROG PG32UCDM we saw last year. The aggressive yet refined gamer aesthetics, a desk-eating sturdy stand, and the signature projector logo with back RGB lighting remain unchanged. The build quality is excellent, and while I'm not a fan of the tri-leg stand design, it allows for flexible adjustments, including 90-degree rotation to portrait mode.

Connectivity is solid, featuring upgraded DisplayPort 2.1a, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and a USB-C port with DP Alt Mode and 90 W power delivery, offering flexibility for PCs, consoles, and other devices. There's also a USB hub with an automatic KVM switch, so you can use the same peripherals across multiple systems. The OSD (on-screen display) is intuitive, controlled via a joystick on the back, and Asus' DisplayWidget Center software makes customization a breeze. Standard gaming features like crosshairs, frame rate counters, and blue light filters are present.

The real star is the 4th-gen OLED panel, but as my colleague Jeremy noted, it's not noticeably different from last year's 3rd-gen OLED. What stands out is the heightened sharpness of packing 4K into a smaller 27-inch display, resulting in 166 pixels per inch. Everything from desktop applications to the latest AAA games looks incredibly crisp. This higher pixel density also eliminates the text fringing that OLEDs are often criticized for, thanks to smaller pixel clusters.

Brightness is still capped at 250 nits in SDR, which might not sound like much, but I had no issues in a bright room. The matte coating does a fantastic job mitigating glare. HDR is excellent, with Windows reporting a peak brightness of 1,015 nits, though that's limited to a 3% window. HDR content looks stunning, with searing highlights and perfect inky blacks. Interestingly, this monitor allows for adjustable HDR within preset HDR modes—a rare but useful feature for those who like to fine-tune their displays.

Dolby Vision support is a nice touch for Xbox users, though less relevant for PC gaming due to the lack of content. Color accuracy shifts slightly in HDR, so unless you're playing HDR games, SDR remains the best option to take full advantage of the 99% DCI-P3 color coverage. There's also six-axis color control for fine-tuning, or you can use the preset modes.

A 240 Hz refresh rate at 4K is a dream for gamers, though you'll need a beastly GPU—think RTX 5090 or 5080—to fully utilize it in AAA titles. The difference between 144 Hz and 240 Hz isn't as drastic as the jump from 60 Hz to 120 Hz, but in fast-paced shooters such as Apex Legends and Valorant, the ultra-smooth motion provides a competitive edge. The 0.03 ms response time eliminates perceptible ghosting or motion blur.

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G-Sync compatibility ensures smooth gameplay with Nvidia GPUs, eliminating screen tearing and stuttering. AMD FreeSync Premium Pro is also supported, making it a great choice regardless of your hardware. The panel's low latency makes every action feel immediate—exactly what you want in a high-performance gaming display.

Unfortunately, there's no dual-mode functionality to lower the resolution for an even higher refresh rate—a feature seen on some OLEDs. Given the smaller 27-inch panel, a 1080p/480 Hz option would have made sense for competitive gamers. However, there's a 4:3 mode at 1280x960 (with no refresh rate change) and a more practical 24.5-inch mode at 2368x1332 at 240 Hz.

The monitor has plenty of gaming-focused features, including an AI Assistant that automatically adjusts settings like crosshair color, shadow boost, and image profiles in real time. While nice in theory, these are non-interactive features that most experienced gamers might ignore.

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Since this is still an OLED, burn-in concerns remain. However, I'm confident the average gamer won't experience issues if they keep the panel's protection features enabled. This year we even get a Neo Proximity sensor that basically turns the monitor on or off depending on whether it detects your proximity. This is handy for walking away from the monitor and saving power and avoiding burn-in. Asus also offers a three-year warranty for added peace of mind.

At $1,099, the Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM is expensive, but it delivers a feature set few other monitors can match. The combination of 4K, OLED, and 240Hz puts it in a league of its own, and if you have the hardware to push it, the gaming experience is phenomenal. It's also an excellent work monitor for creatives who demand high clarity and color accuracy. However, as a creative myself, I'm not sold on the smaller size—especially since last year's 32-inch models offer nearly the same experience at a lower price. Plus, with Alienware, LG, and others launching their own 27-inch OLEDs, it's hard to say which will offer the best value. That said, the PG27UCDM is definitely one of the top contenders.