You now already have the most powerful gaming computer with the latest CPU and graphics card components, or have Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X video game consoles that are capable of offering the best resolution and game quality.
But unfortunately you are still using a Full HD screen display that cannot take advantage of features such as 4K resolution, HDR technology and Variable Refresh Rate.
ASUS Malaysia has recently introduced their largest and most impressive screen display for local gamers who want a screen display that can be used for gaming purposes and also watching video content that has no comparison.
Design and Specifications
ASUS ROG SWIFT OLED PG42UQ
42″ OLED screen
Color Support 1.07 Billion colors
DCI-P3 98%
HDR 10
Contrast Ratio 700 : 1
Brightness 300 cd/m²
Response Time 5ms
Adaptive Display Support Available
VESA mount
I/O 2x HDMI 2.1, 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x Display Port 1.4
4x USB-A, 1x USB UP,
1x 3.5mm audio jack port
Audio Stereo speakers 10W x2, Subwoofer 5W x1
USB 4x USB-A 3.0
Webcam No
Price Recommended price RM 7998
You might think that the ASUS ROG SWIFT OLED PG42UQ is a television based on its size alone. This screen display is part of the BFGD or Big Format Gaming Display type of screen display. which is a large-sized computer screen display that comes with various features that are very useful for those who have a powerful gaming computer or game console.
This screen display comes with a size of 42 inches, 4K resolution with a refresh rate of 120Hz that can be overclocked to 138Hz using just one button. In terms of display quality, it uses an OLED display with an anti-glare coating, which gives it a matte surface.
The ROG Swift OLED PG42UQ display is capable of displaying 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, Delta E < 2 color accuracy and comes with support for NVIDIA G-SYNC along with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.
In terms of plug options, this screen display comes with a large number of input plugs, including two HDMI 2.1 plugs, two HDMI 2.0 plugs, two DisplayPort 1.4 plugs and a number of USB 3.2 Type-A plugs.
Not only that, this ROG Swift OLED PG42UQ display also comes with a built-in speaker system, and if you still want to use your own speakers, you can choose to use a 3.5mm audio plug or SPDIF Out if your speakers support it.
In terms of design, the ROG Swift PG42UQ screen display is very thin and despite its large size, it does not take up much space in terms of thickness. More than that, the power supply of this display is loaded directly into the display part, so you only need to connect the power cable directly to the display and the power socket.
For accessories, this display comes with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 cables as well as a remote control that can be used to change the input if you use this display as a television.
But here is probably where one of the biggest weaknesses of the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG42UQ display can be shown. It doesn't come with any built-in operating system like Android/Google TV and so on, and if you want these functions, you'll need to connect an Android/Google TV device to this display to access apps like YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar etc.
Installation
One thing I would like to mention is that this ROG Swift PG42UQ screen will probably require the help of at least one extra person to install it because you want to make sure that you don't accidentally drop or scratch this screen when lifting it.
Our recommendation is that you take this display out of the box first and not remove the display cover and install the base first. Depending on the position of the table, you may also want to install the cables first before setting them up in their final position.
User Experience
During my time , I had the opportunity to use a number of gaming screens as well as large OLED televisions, and I can say that I really enjoyed using this latest giant screen that ASUS has to offer.
One of the biggest problems with screen displays or televisions that use OLED screens is the glare issue. As said before, this ROG SWIFT PG42UQ model uses a matte surface to ensure that this problem does not occur, allowing this panel to be used regardless of whether it is in a dark room, or a living room that has a lot of natural lighting.
The issue with the matte surface is that it will feel difficult to get really accurate color reproduction, although ASUS says that this display is capable of displaying 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and has a delta E<2 color accuracy.
As a gaming screen display, I tested this display using a high-powered gaming laptop and also a Sony PlayStation 5 console where they can take advantage of different functions on this display, such as NVIDIA G-SYNC and also Variable Refresh Rate, combined with OLED display that promises beautiful color processing.
With the computer, I tested the game with Shadow of The Tomb Raider, and apart from the sharp focus of the graphics the color rendering also looked very beautiful, and never once did I see the graphics looking even when played at 4K resolution.
With the PlayStation 5 console, I played the game God of War, and through this game I could see that the console takes advantage of the combination of 4K resolution and also an OLED display that incorporates HDR features as well, showing really dark blacks and really bright sunlight. .
If you have a computer or game console that is powerful enough to move the content of video games and computers with this display, I dare say that the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG42UQ is one of the best gaming screens I have ever used.
I also managed to use Netflix through my PlayStation 5 console to watch some documentaries that took advantage of the HDR function and I have to say that the color processing of the content on this streaming platform with this display is excellent as well.
In fact, this display is not only great in terms of the ability to display sharp graphics and accurate colors, but also in terms of audio. I would normally use my own speakers to go along with any screen display I would be using, but with this ASUS ROG SWIFT PG42UQ, it is not necessary.
The quality of the ROG SWIFT PG42UQ display speakers is in my opinion on par with modern televisions offered on the market today, which directly makes it a display that can be placed in the living room as a television if you want.
This display also comes with several gaming modes that can change the color saturation depending on the content being played, but I was quite happy using this display in its original mode. Changing the display input is also quite easy using the buttons on that part of the display, or with the included remote control.
One major drawback that I have noticed about this display is that the color accuracy will drop when the display is viewed at an oblique angle. White colors will look more yellowish, and we expect that this is because of the matte coating used to avoid glare problems on this OLED display.
Depending on where you place the display, this will either not be a problem for you or it will be an annoying issue. My advice is if you are interested in getting this gaming screen display to try to see if you can test it first in any store before buying it.
Is It Worth Buying?
At a price beyond RM7000, you may feel that there are more worthwhile smart television options than the giant gaming screen display offered by ASUS. This may be true if you only consider support for game consoles, but if you are someone who wants to build a gaming fortress that can take advantage of both consoles and a powerful desktop computer, the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG42UQ is among the best gaming displays on the market right now.
It also comes with a 4K resolution with a refresh rate of 120Hz that can be used through the HDMI 2.1 plug, supports Variable Refresh Rate technology and also NVIDIA G-SYNC especially with computers that use powerful graphics cards such as NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 or GeForce RTX 4090 which just started selling in the market.
This screen display can be said to be a premium complement to your computer system and gaming console, especially with image and audio quality that in my opinion is only matched by premium class smart televisions as well.
Pros:
Suitable for desktop gaming computers and also the latest video game consoles
Solid color processing and graphics quality
Loud and pleasant audio quality
Thin design
Accessories complete with cable and remote control
Cons:
Installation may require the assistance of a second person
Color processing is not very accurate when viewed from the side
Maybe too big if loaded on a desk specifically for computers