Check out the latest in 4k monitors with this ASUS MG279q 27 inch FreeSync gaming monitor. It's part of their growing line of gaming gear, but this might also become a great part of your home entertainment gear as well.

I usually run a 2 monitor system - one monitor in a portrait mode simply for reading and seeing more of the page then if in landscape. However, just like when the tech industry introduced 16:9 monitors over 4:3, I could see a lot of 2-screen users switch back to a single screen due to the amount of content you can put onto this monitor.
Specs - ASUS MG279q 4K Monitor with FreeSync
The ASUS MG279q is a 27 inch monitor with a planned maximum resolution of 2560x1440 - or 4k in 90 Hz. Now I just did an AMD update and it increased that spec to 3200x1800 in 60 Hz - adding more desktop space. The WQHD format can also see a refresh rate of 144MHz, giving you a crisp image with depth perception.

Now in my AMD FX 8350 computer I am runnng the HIS R9 390 video with 8 GB of internal memory - one of the newest cards in AMD's series. However, the 4K image also works really well on my HP Folio 1040 G1 (Intel Graphics HD 4400) and my 2011 Macbook Pro with AMD Radeon HD 6490 graphics card.

Let's talk connections. The monitor in the back contains 2 HDMI ports, large and small display port connectors, USB 3.0 input, 2 USB 3.0 outputs and external audio output for headphones or speakers. So not only can I connect a computer and run the HDMI audio, I can also connect a cable box, Roku, AppleTV, Chromecast or Amazon FireTV to watch some of my favorite shows.

Let's talk about FreeSync, because it's one of two standards out there (FreeSync and G-Sync). AMD FreeSync is a technology that resolves many communication issues between computer and monitor. If you are gaming, this is very important - it helps in reducing choppy gameplay and broken frames. Especially as games get more complex in their renders.

Of course, the HIS R9 390 is a FreeSync enabled card. Like I mentioned with the latest update also comes with some new features including ability to screen capture through Plays.tv or broadcast via TWITCH.

 
Pros and Cons of the ASUS MG279q 4K Monitor with FreeSync

When I first got the MG279q, I posted a picture on social media. Instantly, I got a reply from my friend Scott Ertz of PlugHitz live. He showed me his MG279q in action.

So let's start with the button system of this monitor. It took a little bit to get used to, but I was flipping between HDMI and Display Port pretty quick. I was even able to set FreeSync settings and color schemes for the types of games I might play. The monitor will detect if a display is connected, but when I had the Amazon FireTV hooked up and I turned the main computer off, it would get stuck on the FireTV even when the device was in sleep mode.

Now if I have this monitor in a 4-6 monitor block, that could become problematic because I might not be able to get behind the device to change ports.

Further, this could have easily become a monitor for my living room - IF it had a remote control to it.

What it does do is play games with better refresh rates. The monitor is just a beautiful thing to watch. I ran a before and after test using 3D Mark from our friends at Futuremark. The end result is some pretty impressive numbers you can see right here.

The monitor is around 16 lbs with the stand. On the Ergotron arm, I am able to move this monitor pretty free with one hand. It won't be a borderless monitor wall, but thin enough if you decide to put four of them together.

As for the video, I have been running Wirecast on this monitor and what's really impressive is I can put all the components on one screen. This includes the webpages I refer to when I'm switching back and forth. The single monitor doesn't have me searching for the mouse cursor all the time.

I ran color calibration on this monitor to find I did not have to calibrate.