ASUS ROG Strix 23.8" Review

This is a 270Hz speed demon for $299. It's in the 97th percentile for performance, making it a top choice for competitive gaming. Just know you're getting a 1080p panel with mediocre HDR, so it's a one-trick pony.

The ASUS ROG Strix XG249CM is a monitor that knows its job: pure, unadulterated speed for competitive gaming. Its 270Hz refresh rate lands it in the 97th percentile for performance in our database, which is a fancy way of saying it's faster than almost everything else out there. At $299, you're paying for that frame rate and not much else, which is a pretty clear value proposition if you're chasing leaderboards.

It's a 24-inch, 1080p IPS panel, which keeps pixel density decent at this size. The specs tell a straightforward story: 350 nits brightness, 1ms GtG response time, and G-Sync compatibility. It's not trying to be an all-rounder. Its 'display' score sits at the 24th percentile, which tells you it's focused on motion clarity over visual spectacle.

Let's talk about that 97th percentile performance score. That's the headline. A 270Hz refresh rate means this thing can display up to 270 frames per second, which is overkill for most single-player games but pure gold for competitive shooters like Valorant or CS2. The 1ms GtG response time backs that up, minimizing ghosting. Pair that with G-Sync, and you've got a setup that feels incredibly locked in and responsive.

It's an IPS panel, so you get the 178-degree viewing angles and decent color out of the box, scoring in the 91st percentile for color. But remember, the 'display' score is low (24th percentile). That's because it's a 1080p panel in a world moving to 1440p and 4K, and the 350-nit brightness is just okay for HDR. This isn't your movie-watching monitor. It's your fragging monitor.

At $299, the value equation is simple: you're buying elite-tier speed for a mid-tier price. You won't find many monitors that hit 270Hz for under three hundred bucks. The trade-off is that you're accepting a 1080p panel in 2024. Compared to spending $400+ on a 1440p, 240Hz screen, this is a budget-conscious path to max frame rates. Just know exactly what you're sacrificing for that smoothness.

Stacked against its peers, the XG249CM carves a niche. The MSI MPG 32" 4K 240Hz is a visual powerhouse but costs more than twice as much and demands a monster GPU. The LG UltraGear 45" offers wild immersion with its ultrawide curve, but its pixel density is lower. Even the Dell UltraSharp 27" 4K is a better all-rounder for work and play. This ASUS? It's the specialist. If your sole metric is frames per dollar in competitive esports titles, it's hard to beat. But if you want higher resolution for productivity or more immersive single-player games, those competitors start looking a lot more appealing.

Skip this monitor if you care about resolution or all-purpose use. Its 24th percentile display score is a red flag for anyone doing content creation, productivity, or enjoying visually rich single-player games. The 1080p resolution will feel cramped and dated. Also, if portability matters, its 6.6kg weight is a brick. This is a tool for a specific task, not a daily driver.

We can recommend the ROG Strix XG249CM, but with a very specific audience in mind. If you're a competitive gaster on a budget who plays fast-paced shooters and values every single frame over visual fidelity, this monitor delivers exceptional speed for the money. The 270Hz refresh is its killer feature. For everyone else—content creators, productivity users, or gamers who enjoy cinematic single-player experiences—the low-resolution display is a deal-breaker. Look at 1440p options instead.