Local Dimming Zones - HDR - Color precision

Meet the ROG Strix XG49VQ

Sporting a massive curved 49” panel capable of a 144Hz refresh rate as well as FreeSync 2 HDR, the ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ is aimed directly at gaming enthusiasts. The prime real estate is made up of 3840X1080 pixels spread across a 32:9 form factor, effectively comprising two Full HD (1920x1080) screens in one product, allowing for both maximum immersion and unparalleled multitasking capabilities. Like its sibling, the XG32VQR, the XG49VQ achieves a typical brightness of 450cd/m2 and boasts DisplayHDR 400 certification. Those capabilities are backed by 125% coverage of the sRGB color space (or 90% of DCI-P3), and a low 4ms response time, ensuring vibrant colors and lightning-fast transitions between bright and dark scenes. Being a member of the ROG family, the XG49VQ also packs gaming-oriented features such as Shadow Boost, GamePlus, and GameFast Input Technology to stack the odds in your favor when the going gets tough.

Every now and then packages are a tiny bit bigger than expected ...

Spanning a full 49” in a ‘super ultra-wide’ 32:9 form factor it sends a clear ‘size matters’ message, equaling two 27” screens side by side in a bid to replace multi-monitor setups. The panel also features a 1800R curve to fill your peripheral vision and draw you deeper into the action.The XG49VQ 3840x1080 resolution provides ample clarity while being easier to drive than full 4K setups. Jarring transitions during frame rate changes are kept at bay thanks to Adaptive-Sync technology which adapts the panel refresh rate to the rendering rate of the graphics card to keep on-screen action smooth at all times. This ensures that proprietors of mid-range gaming systems will be able to experience the splendor of the XG49VQ without resorting to noisy and expensive multi-GPU solutions. As is implied by the ‘HDR’ suffix in Freesync 2 HDR, the XG49VQ comes with support for High Dynamic Range content. Setting HDR apart from SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) is mainly its brighter whites and deeper blacks, as well as a 10-bit color depth. The XG49VQ’s 10-bit signal processing and typical brightness of 450cd/m2 allow users to get deep blacks and pure whites at the same time. The additional dynamic range compared to SDR solutions also allows for features such as Shadow Boost to function, providing an edge in competitive gaming where dull colors can be downright disadvantageous.  In order to achieve the required sustained brightness level of 400cd/m2 , the display is backed by a custom ROG backlight solution incorporating additional LEDs as well as a proprietary light guide film which increases luminosity by over 10%.

Color precision

The XG49VQ’s gamut capabilities span 125% of the sRGB color space, or 90% of DCI-P3. It also produces a 3000:1 contrast ratio, surpassing DisplayHDR 400 requirements with ease. Building on the options this added dynamic range offers, the XG49VQ features two HDR modes. Dubbed Gaming HDR and Cinema HDR respectively, they work by implementing different tone maps on the PQ (Perceptual Quantizer) Curve. The Gaming HDR mode follows the standard PQ curve and knees as it approaches maximum panel luminance, resulting in maximum detail and gradient clarity in the brighter part of the panel’s luminosity range. The Cinema HDR mode instead deviates from the standard PQ curve, offering a richer palette of darker shades by allowing more luminance levels to be mapped to lower values on the curve. 

Gaming Features

As with other ROG monitors, the XG49VQ comes with a wide range of gaming-specific enhancements, ranging from hardware to software. On the hardware front, ASUS has implemented GameFast Input Technology, which bypasses time-sapping internal processing in order to reduce input lag. Milliseconds saved on the input side add up to an in-game edge, allowing users to react to what’s happening onscreen, sooner. GamePlus is a set of three on-screen tools. The Crosshair option allows you to choose from four different crosshairs overlaid in the center of the screen, allowing you to shoot from the hip more accurately when the game played doesn’t offer a marker. The Timer is a user-customizable, movable countdown timer, letting you keep track of time-based events. Lastly, for performance-tuning, a histogram FPS counter is also included (available when Adaptive-Sync is enabled). GameVisual is also built-in, which allows you to cycle through eight preset display modes at the press of a button or through the DisplayWidget software.

• FPS mode: High-contrast mode, helping visibility in dark environments, making spotting enemies easier
• RTS/RPG mode: Enhanced sharpness and color clarity
• sRGB mode: Optimizes colors for editing and web use * MOBA mode: Enhances the colors of in-game health bars and other critical notifications
• Racing mode: Optimizes colors for fast-moving games, sets gamma to 2.2 and color temperature to 6500K
• Cinema mode: Enhances contrast and increases color saturation, for more vivid videos
• Scenery mode: Increases brightness and contrast, tweaks color saturation to bring out green landscapes and blue seas
• User mode: Customize your own profile
• Shadow Boost draws on the XG49VQ’s superior dynamic range and brightness capabilities to bump up brightness levels to make it easier for users to spot objects and enemies in darker areas. Note that this feature is tuned so that it doesn’t affect the color balance of any other area.
• DisplayWidget is a one-stop software utility that allows you to quickly adjust monitor parameters and create rules based on applications you run. It is split into four tabs:
  • GameVisual: Choose, create, and import/export GameVisual Profiles and set Blue Light Filter levels in five increments 
  • App Sync: Create application-based rules, e.g. set the monitor to RTS/RPG mode when launching World of Warships
  • Image: Set Shadow Boost levels in four increments 
  • System: See display/app properties, check for updates, reset to factory settings

The XG49VQ comes with a 5-way navigation joystick, paired with four other keys, two of which offer quick access to the GamePlus and GameVisual modes. Further user-friendliness is found in the monitor’s I/O selection. A downfacing 2-port USB 3.0 hub as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack puts vital connectivity within quick reach. The XG49VQ’s stand comes with plenty of height, tilt, and swivel adjustment. The range for height adjustment is 120mm, while the tilt range is 15° (+20° to -5°). Swivel range is 16° each way off-center for a full 32° of adjustment. VESA 100x100mm mounts are also supported. Like other members of the ROG family, the XG49VQ has made a trip to the labs of TÜV Rheinland, attaining certifications for Flicker Free Technology and Low Blue Light. Flicker Free Technology reduces eye strain during those longer sessions in front of the monitor, while the Low Blue Light mode profiles reduce the amount of blue light emitted, which is another potential source of eye strain.

HDR

The HDR implementation on this monitor is out of this world. Playing HDR games like Far Cry 5, FF15 and Formula 1 2018 exhibits a level of clarity that not something that is easily described in a written review. Seeing it in a real-world environment, in the end, is what will be the convincing factor. The monitor is both VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified to ensure a proper HDR viewing experience. My advice, go to a store, watch HDR and let yourself be convinced. It's more and dynamic colors, retina soaring whites. You'll notice it in game with fires, car headlights, the sun or moon. 

Panel size (diagonal)		49” (124.46cm) Ultra-Wide Screen 32:9
Display viewing area (horizontal x vertical)		1195.8x336.3 mm
Panel backlight		WLED
Panel type		VA
Display surface (non-glare/glare)		Non-glare
Color saturation		DCI-P3 90%
Color accuracy		△E<3 (average)
True resolution		3840x1080 px (144Hz)
Pixel pitch		0.311 mm
Brightness (Max.)		450 cd/m2 (typical/SDR on), 450 cd/m2 (peak/ HDR on)
Contrast ratio (Max.)		3000:1
Power		47W / < 0.5 Power off
Viewing angle (CR≧10)		178°(H) /178°(V)
Size		1193.33 x 529.10 x 344.74 mm
Response time		4ms (gray-to-gray)
Flicker-free		Yes
HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support		Yes, VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified
Dynamic Local Dimming		No
GamePlus		Yes (Crosshair, Timer, FPS Counter, Display Alignment)
GameVisual		Yes (FPS, RTS/RPG, Racing , sRGB, Cinema, Scenery modes)
I/O ports		1 x DisplayPort v1.2 2 x HDMI (v2.0) 2 x USB 3.0  1 x Earphone jack (3.5 mm)
Features		FreeSync 2 HDR, DisplayHDR 400, Shadow Boost, DisplayWidget, GameFast Input Technology