Asus has a new gaming monitor to sell you and it could be the largest monitor you will ever need. At 49 inches diagonally, this “double Full HD” display (3,840 x 1,080) supports FreeSync 2 and can refresh at up to 144Hz for smooth, high-speed gaming. It even supports rudimentary HDR, so blacks will be blacker, whites whiter, and everything in between that bit more punchy.
Ultrawide monitors are a relatively new breed of screen that offers a single-display solution to the classic duel monitor design that both gamers and workers have employed for years. Ditching the bezels in between does have an advantage in offering a seamless image and their often less-than-4K resolutions can be a little easier on graphics hardware, too. Now that gamer-centric features are making their way into the panel designs, they’re becoming a more viable solution for high-end gamers.
The Asus ROG Swift XG49VQ is that idea taken to the extreme. With 49 inches of screen real estate, you will have almost your entire peripheral vision covered by this enormous curved display. Its resolution might not be quite 4K, but it’s not far off and it’s much more manageable for graphics cards than the likes of Dell’s new “quad HD” 5,120 x 1,440 resolution display.
While that might mean that it isn’t quite as detailed, don’t count the XG49VQ out. It comes back strong with its 144Hz high refresh rate. It also meets the DisplayHDR 400 certification from VESA, which isn’t exactly high-end HDR, but it’s better than no HDR at all. Other features include support for FreeSync 2, so those with AMD cards can smooth out framerates without using VSync and ShadowBoost, which should make it easier to see gaming opponents in darkened environments.
Asus is touting this monitor as a great solution for gaming streamers who can use its picture in picture mode to play a game in the center, while displaying chat and other streaming functions on the left or right of that window.
There is plenty we don’t know about this monitor yet, such as its price, planned launch date, or what panel type it uses. Expect more details in the lead up the holiday season, though, as Asus wouldn’t announce this display now if it wasn’t planning to launch it before then.
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