ASUS ROG Swift PG38UQ 144Hz 4K IPS with HDMI 2.1
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made using the “Buy” button at the bottom of this post. Where possible, you'll be redirected to your nearest store. Further information on supporting our work.The ‘4K’ UHD resolution provides plenty of pixels for work and play. Some prefer relatively small screens with this resolution for a tight pixel density, whilst others favour larger screens so elements are larger and the whole experience is more immersive. The ASUS ROG Swift PG38UQ plugs the gap between most current ‘4K’ options, which jump from 32″ all the way up to 42″ without intermediate sizes. To enhance console support, HDMI 2.1 is included to allow ‘4K’ UHD @120Hz for systems such as the Xbox Series X and PS5. The monitor has similar styling to other large ROG Swift models, a sort of hybrid monitor and TV aesthetic which feels natural for a screen of this size. The stand is coated metal for a premium ‘feel’, with dark matte plastics used elsewhere. Forward-facing speakers feature prominently on the bottom bezels, 2 x 5W parts. The OSD (On Screen Display) is controlled by a joystick beneath the central region of the bottom bezel or alternatively using an included IR remote.
A 38″ 3840 x 2160 (‘4K’ UHD) IPS-type panel features with matte anti-glare screen surface, providing a pixel density of 115.94 Pixels Per Inch (PPI). This is somewhat higher than the 108.79 PPI of a 27″ QHD model. A 144Hz refresh rate is supported, alongside Adaptive-Sync and HDMI 2.1 VRR – allowing technologies such as AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ to be used, with 48 – 144Hz VRR range plus LFC. The screen is also AdaptiveSync Display 144 certified. Other aspects of note include a 1000:1 static contrast ratio, 178°/178° viewing angles and 8-bit colour support. The screen is factory calibrated with specified DeltaE <2 and includes a flicker-free WLED backlight. This delivers a 98% DCI-P3 colour gamut and 350 cd/m² (600 cd/m² HDR peak) typical maximum luminance. LBL (Low Blue Light) settings are included to provide a potentially more relaxing viewing experience. The monitor responds to HDR10 content in a reasonably dynamic way, with VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification. This requires basic local dimming and allows the screen to provide some decent brightness bursts to slightly enhance the contrast experience. It also allows 10-bit colour processing to be used and for the fairly generous gamut to be potentially put to good use. A 1ms grey to grey response time is specified (usual pinch of salt required), with ELMB Sync also supported - a strobe backlight setting which can be used alongside VRR if you wish. The included stand is tilt-only, though 100 x 100mm VESA holes are included if alternative mounting is preferred. The ports include; AC power input (internal power converter), DP 1.4 (with DSC), 2 HDMI 2.1 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (plus Type-B upstream).
Further information can be found on the manufacturer’s website. The monitor is listed for ~$1000 USD.
