Asus PQ321 True 4K UHD Monitor

[Grooveriding]

How does IGZO compare to IPS? One thing that excites about the upcoming AMVA 4k panels is that VA typically has vastly better black levels and contrast than IPS. Don't get me wrong, I love IPS and would take that anyday over a TN Panel, but I do have to admit that the black levels aren't quite as good as VA. The only bad thing about VA is that they're limited to 1080p for the time being. Only unfortunate thing is that the AMVA 4k panels aren't being released until 2014. Bummer.

Anyway, i'm also somewhat leery about asus monitors. I love their motherboards and GPUs, but monitors...ehh...their RMA and return process certainly isn't up to the quality that Dell has.....

IGZO is a new technology by sharp for panel design. It's using a new material (IGZO) for the display layer than LCDs have before it. It's that new material that is allowing them to pack that greater PPI level into the same area and give us 4K at 31.5". This is why it's expected that Asus' upcoming 39" 4K screen will be cheaper than the 31.5" as it will not be using an IGZO panel. Probably something similar to what is in the cheap Seiki 4K HDTV.

The claim, and it is somewhat verified by subjective use of end-users of the Sharp 4K monitor, is that black levels are better on IGZO than IPS. I don't know if they are VA panel good or not though. Before switching to IPS I used a 24" PVMA screen and the first thing I noticed was black levels were much worse on IPS. VA screens do have very deep blacks, about the only thing better is a plasma.

Power consumption is also much lower, not that this really matters for a monitor, but is the reason companies like Apple are interested in IGZO for mobile devices. The power consumption and insane PPI make it ideal for new higher PPI retina displays in smartphones / tablets that can't be done with the tech being used for those displays currently. Sharp has demoed a 2560x1600 6.1" screen (498PPI ) For reference the 4K Asus IGZO is 140...

 

[Sancus]

Furthermore, Asus specifically states that 60hz works via displayport 1.2 and they actually demoed both units at computex running 60hz and powered by nvidia video cards. So the asus is obviously doing a proper displayport implementation with the panel electronics to drive 60hz. Perhaps Sharp isn't - that would be hardly surprising since Sharp does not typically release monitors geared towards PC users.

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about what this monitor actually is; it's not really an Asus product at all, it's pretty much just a rebadge of the Sharp monitor. It uses the exact same controllers, etc as the Sharp monitor, which means that yes, it doesn't have the capability to do 4k@60hz without using MST[1g33]. This is because there are no timing controllers on the market that are capable of doing 4k@60hz, so Sharp worked around this by including two controllers that can do 1920x2160@60hz, and built in a Displayport 1.2 MST hub into the monitor.

Now, Asus has stated on a response to the newegg review that Nvidia will have drivers available on the release date of this monitor that will support 4k@60hz. This is likely the rumoured release of the R325 branch with mosaic support for GeForce.

That said, I've preordered one, because who doesn't want 140ppi on the desktop? I'd take even higher ppi if I could get it!

1: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/LCD Monitors/e8225_PQ321_User_Manual_English.pdf pg 33 states "displays using multi-streaming" for 3840x2160@50hz and @60hz

The GPU power required to get good frame rates is too much right now.

I plan to primarily use this monitor as a workspace and for rpg/strategy gaming with 1-2 gtx 780s, where I'm not really concerned about getting >60fps all the time. For games where you care about extremely high fps and excellent response time, I would argue that you're better off getting a 24" 1080P Lightboost monitor for zero motion blur. But I don't really play hardcore FPSes and the like very often, so I'm not too concerned about that. If you are, it doesn't make sense to game at 3840x2160 with current graphics hardware. But the idea that it's TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE without 3-4 Titans is ridiculous; Even in anandtech's review, 1x Titan gets 60fps in Dirt3. One OCed gtx 780 is faster than 1 stock Titan, and using SSAA at 3840x2160 on a 140ppi monitor makes zero sense anyway, there's absolutely no need for it, so the Metro and Sleeping Dogs benchmarks are bunk.

YMMV, but there are definitely use cases for this monitor. 120+ fps shooter gaming is not one of them, however

 

[blackened23]

edit: nevermind

 

[Sancus]

You insist that you know more about their product than Asus does. Asus stated on their ROG forums that it will do 60hz with 1 cable, as it is displayport, not HDMI

Displayport MST does use 1 cable. I cited the manual for the actual product to you. This is how the monitor works. There is no question about it. I'm not saying _I_ know more about Asus, I'm saying the Asus documentation contradicts your uncited post.

You have not cited any source whatsoever that contradicts my citations.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

120hz will never take off with 4k on the horizon.

Games are made with 60 FPS in mind and GPU's are too.

CPU's cant handle 120fps either in new games.

Basically 120hz will never be anything other than a niche product for games that arent very demanding.

I can only assume you have never used a 120hz monitor reading this post. I will never go back to 60 hz even if it costs me ridiculous amounts of money.

I will game at 1080p for the next 20 years to keep 120 hz. It is honestly that much better.

 

[blackened23]

edit: dp

 

[Sancus]

MST is not needed for 4k 60hz with displayport - Displayport has enough bandwidth to handle 4k60hz without MST, HDMI doesn't, end of story. 4k60hz isn't even defined by HDMI 1.4, and won't be until HDMI 2.0. I'm not going to sit here and give you iron clad evidence. You can just wait and see when it happens, as it happened when asus demo'ed it.

If the monitor doesn't use MST, why would Asus themselves provide a manufacturer response to a newegg review saying that Nvidia drivers will support MST?

 

[blackened23]

Alrighty, well I just read the link you provided. It looks like you are indeed correct w.r.t. this monitor - I guess I had a major misinterpretation of prior posts i've seen from Asus. Anyway, my mistake....thanks for the info.

 

[Sancus]

Alrighty, well I just read the link you provided. It looks like you are indeed correct w.r.t. this monitor, my mistake.

No problem, I just didn't want anyone paying $3500 for a monitor without realizing how it actually works

I still think it's a great product and I'm really happy Asus made it available for $1000-1500 less than Sharp, without losing any features or anything, so I'm definitely buying it.

 

[XiandreX]

Nvidia is currently working on a 60Hz option for 4K. Possibly by allowing 2 monitor surround on a single 4K display.

https://forums.geforce.com/default/...round/2-monitor-gaming-/post/3796149/#3796149

I'll be aboard the 4K train if they come up with a nice solution.

I'd like them to have something like dual Link-DVI except for display port. That way you wouldn't have to worry about having to use a hack method like surround just to get 60Hz at 3840x2160.

I was going to question your comment then saw your sig.....good grief thats disposable income

 

[PlasmaBomb]

http://anandtech.com/show/7120/some-quick-gaming-numbers-at-4k-max-settings

Puts the price at around $3800... bit of a difference.

 

[AdamK47]

I have more than enough in extra cash for this monitor, but it's Summer and I'm in car craze mode. Saving up for an AES LQ9 390 and a TVS 2300. Who knows though? Perhaps when November hits and the car love fades I'll use some of the extra cash to actually buy a 4K monitor. Recent PC parts spending blitz kinda went the same way.

 

[amenx]

4k gaming benches:

http://hothardware.com/Reviews/ASUS-PQ321-Ultra-HD-4K-315inch-Monitor-Review/?page=6

Too big for me even if it was within my budget. Look at the size of the icons and the MSI-Afterburner app.

 

[wand3r3r]

I'm dreaming of 4k, I can't wait until they have quality monitors out in quantity for $1k or less.

I wonder if you could play in one corner if you don't have the GPU for it.