The first HDMI 2.1 gaming monitor you can actually buy will launch in May

By Niels Broekhuijsen Published April 22, 2021

HDMI 2.1 is the hot new spec for gaming monitors, delivering high refresh rate support for both PCs and consoles. Asus’ massive ROG Stri XG43UQ looks like it will be the first to launch, hitting shelves some time in May.

The ROG Strix XG43UQ is, as its name implies, a large 43-inch gaming monitor, but there’s more to this one than just being big in size. It’s also a lavish display on the spec sheet, packing a 4K resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium Pro, DisplayHDR 1000, and 90% DCI-P3 color coverage, making it an easy contender for one of the best gaming monitors when it comes out.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

But above all else, it comes with one specific feature that no other monitor on the market has quite yet: HDMI 2.1 support. Indeed, this display will be suitable for use with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, supporting their 4K 120Hz display modes over the higher-bandwidth HDMI connection.

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With this feature set, the XG43UQ will certainly be equipped to take on the next few years of gaming, offering everything you could possibly want from a big gaming monitor, provided you have the desk space for it.

The tech underneath is based on a VA panel, and while this won’t give you quite as vivid colors as IPS panels do, 125% s-RGB/90% DCI-P3 is still quite a wide gamut, and the VA panel will give you deep, inky blacks, with this particular monitor promising a static contrast ratio of 4000:1 — which is very impressive indeed.

Inputs consist of one DisplayPort 1.4a connection for hooking up to your PC, two HDMI 2.1 inputs for your consoles, two more HDMI 2.0 ports in case you have even more devices, two USB 3.0 ports, and a headphone jack. Power consumption is also respectable at under 48 watts.

Asus did not reveal exact pricing yet, though earlier rumors have it pinned at about $2,000. Meanwhile, we have spotted pre-order listings in Europe pricing it at €1,600 or roughly $1,920 (including VAT), so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a U.S. price closer to the latter.

Niels Broekhuijsen

Former Computing Writer

Having failed to grow up, Niels never quit his gaming hobby and decided to turn it into his work as a freelance technology…

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