ASUS ProArt PA279CRV 27" Black 2023

A color-accurate 4K workhorse that won't empty your wallet. Just don't expect it to handle gaming without feeling like molasses.

The ASUS ProArt PA279CRV is the monitor you buy when color accuracy matters more than flashy specs. This thing is built for photographers, video editors, and designers who need 4K resolution with dead-on factory calibration, and it delivers that without the eye-watering price tag some pro displays carry. It's not fast, it's not great for gaming, and HDR is a bit of a joke here, but for static professional work, it's one of the best values on the market right now.

What surprised us is how well the color stacks up against monitors costing twice as much. With 99% Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 coverage and a Delta E under 2, it's a top-tier performer for creative tasks (96th percentile color accuracy in our database). The 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time, on the other hand, are a letdown if you ever stray from Photoshop. It's firmly in the bottom third of monitors we've tested for sheer speed, so don't expect fluid motion outside your timeline scrubbing.

You can find this monitor anywhere from $355 to over $800, which is wild. If you're paying more than $450, you're overpaying, so shop around and snag one from a retailer with the lower price. At the low end, it's a steal for the color accuracy and connectivity you get.

If color-critical work is your world, the ASUS goes toe-to-toe with Dell's UltraSharp U4025QW but in a more standard 27-inch 4K format and at a much friendlier price. For mixed use where you also game or watch movies, the MSI MAG 272UP QD-OLED or LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B will smoke this thing in contrast and refresh rate, though you'll pay more and sacrifice a bit of that Delta E <2 precision. Pick your poison, but if editing pays the bills, this ASUS is the smarter bet.

If you're a gamer, the 60Hz refresh rate here is a dealbreaker, go grab an LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B with 240Hz. Or if you're a movie buff craving inky blacks, an OLED like the Alienware AW-Series QD-OLED will blow this away for immersion.

For creative pros who need a color-accurate 4K panel and don't want to spend a fortune, the ASUS ProArt PA279CRV is a no-brainer. It's not perfect, but at its best price, the flaws are easy to shrug off. Just make sure you don't need high refresh rates.