Ahead of the big CES show in Las Vegas this week, Asus has debuted a new gaming monitor that pushes the boundaries of what was previously thought possible. This ROG Swift display measures 24.5-inches diagonally and operates at a resolution of 1080p, using a TN panel. While that's not an impressive spec list by itself, what is, is that this screen supports refresh rates up to 360Hz. That means games and desktop applications appear far smoother, but also reduces input lag and provides competitive gamers with a few milliseconds edge over the competition.
Most traditional LCD displays support a refresh rate of 60Hz, but gaming displays can stretch that to 75Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, and in some extreme cases, 240Hz. That lets them display much higher frame rates, which makes motion, especially fast motion, look far smoother. You don't see such long trails on your mouse pointer on the desktop, and in Esports games it can mean seeing something a few milliseconds before you would have otherwise. It won't make you a pro gamer by itself, but if you're looking for every advantage, a higher refresh rate will give you one.
There are diminishing returns, though. 240Hz isn't dramatically better than 144Hz, though 120Hz is a big uplift over 60Hz. 360Hz is unlikely to make a huge difference over 240Hz, but it could save a couple of extra milliseconds for those who are already good enough to take advantage of it.
Alongside its ludicrous refresh rate, this ROG Swift monitor also supports Nvidia's latest G-Sync standards, as per PCGamesN. That means it meets Nvidia's high bar for monitor quality, but also guarantees to prevent screen tearing should you encounter variance in your frame rate during play.
No pricing or release date details have been released for this display as of yet, but expect it to make an appearance before the end of the year.
