3D Monitor Asus VG278H Review

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You know how it goes by now - a 3D monitor is a capable gaming screen; lacks color quality of IPS panels and is slightly overpriced... Well this one's different. The reason? LightBoost. This is Nvidia's big idea for improving 3D image quality. LightBoost is essentially an extra layer in the panel that compensates for any dimness in the image, making it twice as bright as previous 3D screens.

The shocker is that the LightBoost isn't just a fancy gimmick and actually does make a big difference. But that's not the only endearing feature of this screen: there's the height-adjustable bezel, a bundled pair of Nvidia 3D Vision 2 glasses and a 27-inch panel. There's plenty to be wary of when buying an expensive 3D monitor though, so the VG278H isn't home and dry yet, let us don our scrutinising hats.

Eye-popping
It was really impressive with the efforts Asus has gone to with the VG278H's bezel. It's rare to get a height-adjustable panel outside of IPS screens, which is madness because it's a feature everyone welcomes. In our opinion, the panel surround does look a little cheap and flimsy for a monitor costing over $773, though.

The screen itself is an LED-backlit TN, and as a result its image quality is a mixed bag. The screen suffers from gradient banding from white to black in the test, displaying striped shades instead of smooth transitions. The viewing angle is also poor - and there's some serious color distortion at wider angles.

But then there's Nvidia's LightBoost. In 2D mode it doesn't count for much, but this screen (paired with Nvidia's new Vision 2 specs) produced the first truly clear, deep, colorful and frankly jaw-dropping 3D experience seen so far. And this is mostly thanks to that increased brightness. It was found that close-up objects don't appear to be painted on your eyeballs and the middle ground doesn't look like something out of a pop-up book, which is genuinely refreshing. The 3D experience was really enjoyable. Who'd have thought something that sounded so much like marketing codswallop would actually be really good?

Game changer
As gaming monitor, the VG278H is top-notch. If you're going be the only one watching it, the viewing angle isn't much of an issue and it's plenty big enough. It will become a problem if you try to get two or more people involved though, so be warned.

The 3D experience on offer from the VG278H was genuinely impressive. The Vision 2 glasses supplied team up with LightBoost to deliver better depth and image clarity than it was seen before in a 3D monitor.

The trade-off for nippy 120Hz screens is often image quality, and this screen is no exception. Don't expect a professional-quality color palette or brilliant viewing angles - this screen is entirely about 3D.

Factoring in the premium for the new LightBoost technology and LED back lighting, the $186 glasses thrown in and the 27-inches of panel, the VG278H certainly isn't a rip-off. For 3D lovers, this is a must-have and for sceptics this could be your game-changer.