Main trade-off
ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
The 165Hz maximum is an overclock setting through DisplayPort.
Head-to-head
ASUS VG27AQ vs VG27AQL1A: AQL1A adds USB, older AQ offers much wider stand swivel
The short answer
Choose the VG27AQL1A for its USB hub and wider stated color gamut. Choose the VG27AQ when its current offer is lower or you need the stand's much wider swivel range. The five-hertz difference alone is too small to be a strong reason to upgrade.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
Five hertz changes the interval by only 0.18 ms
The maximum-refresh interval is about 6.06 ms on the VG27AQ and 5.88 ms on the VG27AQL1A.
What this is based on
1000 ÷ 165 − 1000 ÷ 170 = 0.178 ms. This is not a measured input-lag difference.
Main trade-off
ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
The 170Hz maximum requires overclocking and a compatible DisplayPort source.
ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
- Choose it for
- You want to turn the screen far toward another seat.
- You do not need a monitor USB hub and prefer the better current offer.
- Main trade-off
- The 165Hz maximum is an overclock setting through DisplayPort.
ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
- Choose it for
- You want two USB-A peripheral ports on the monitor.
- Your use benefits from a documented wider color gamut.
- Main trade-off
- The 170Hz maximum requires overclocking and a compatible DisplayPort source.
About this comparison
Compare ASUS VG27AQ and VG27AQL1A for USB ports, stand swivel and QHD gaming. Both stop at 144Hz on HDMI, so check more than 165 versus 170Hz.
Look past 165Hz versus 170Hz to the useful differences
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Turning the monitor toward a neighboring chair
The VG27AQ has a far wider swivel range.
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
- Better fit
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
- Good
Connecting a mouse and keyboard at the monitor
Only the VG27AQL1A provides the USB hub.
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
- Depends
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
- Better fit
Using HDMI for gaming
Both stop at 144Hz through HDMI.
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
- Similar
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
- Similar
Upgrading solely for 170Hz instead of 165Hz
A 0.18 ms interval change alone is a weak upgrade case.
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
- Better fit
- ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
- Depends
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
Five hertz changes the interval by only 0.18 ms
The maximum-refresh interval is about 6.06 ms on the VG27AQ and 5.88 ms on the VG27AQL1A.
How we reached this conclusion
1000 ÷ 165 − 1000 ÷ 170 = 0.178 ms. This is not a measured input-lag difference.
HDMI removes the headline refresh difference
Both specify a maximum of 144Hz through HDMI.
How we reached this conclusion
ASUS lists 48 to 144Hz HDMI ranges for both. Their higher overclock rates use DisplayPort.
The older stand has 140 degrees more total swivel
The VG27AQ offers a 180-degree total sweep versus 40 degrees on the VG27AQL1A.
How we reached this conclusion
90 + 90 = 180 degrees and 20 + 20 = 40 degrees. The difference is 140 degrees, subject to physical clearance.
Choice A
ASUS, VG27AQ
TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
A 27-inch QHD IPS screen with up to 165Hz covers familiar PC gaming needs. The flexible stand makes more practical difference than chasing a few extra hertz on a closely related model.
- Best matched use
- A simple QHD gaming desk with an adjustable stand
Checked facts
- 27-inch 2560 by 1440 IPS panel with up to 165Hz refresh
- DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0 inputs
- 130 mm height adjustment and built-in stereo speakers
Choice B
ASUS, VG27AQL1A
TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
The VG27AQL1A adds a USB hub and wide-gamut panel to the familiar 27-inch QHD gaming format. Its 170Hz ceiling is only a small step from 165Hz, so connections and the current offer deserve more weight.
- Best matched use
- QHD gaming with a wider color gamut and USB hub
Checked facts
- 27-inch 2560 by 1440 IPS panel with up to 170Hz refresh
- 96 percent DCI-P3 coverage
- Two USB-A downstream ports, DisplayPort and two HDMI inputs
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD | ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native resolution | 2560 × 1440 | 2560 × 1440 | Both provide the same QHD desktop. |
| Maximum refresh | 165Hz overclock | 170Hz overclock | The difference is just 3% in refresh count. |
| HDMI refresh ceiling | 144Hz | 144Hz | The extra five hertz is not available through HDMI. |
| USB hub | No | Two USB-A downstream ports | The newer model can keep peripherals connected at the screen. |
| Stand swivel | 90 degrees each way | 20 degrees each way | The VG27AQ can turn much farther toward a neighboring seat. |
| Stand depth | 211 mm | 215 mm | The footprint difference is only 4 mm. |
| Published gamut | 100% sRGB | 96% DCI-P3 | These reference different color spaces, not comparable accuracy scores. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
- There is no USB hub, USB-C video or laptop charging.
If you choose ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
- Wide-gamut color is not automatically more accurate for ordinary sRGB content.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
The extra five hertz is the smallest practical difference
At their maximum overclock settings, the refresh intervals differ by less than two-tenths of a millisecond. That does not establish a visible or measured latency advantage. If the monitor is connected through HDMI, both share the same 144Hz ceiling anyway.
The stand can favor the older model
The VG27AQ swivels 90 degrees to either side, while the VG27AQL1A offers 20 degrees each way. That is a meaningful difference for showing work to someone beside you or angling the screen around another device. Both still need enough physical clearance to turn.
The hub and gamut make a better upgrade argument
Two USB-A ports can simplify a desk, and the VG27AQL1A's stated DCI-P3 coverage can matter for appropriate content. Wider gamut is not automatically more accurate for ordinary web content, so use the right color mode and workflow. These are clearer reasons to choose the newer model than the small refresh-number change.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Overclock availability depends on the source and supported mode.
- No measured color-accuracy or input-lag winner is inferred.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current computer monitors comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
Compared set
18 of 50 models checked match every need here: “Smoother motion at 120Hz or higher”, “Height, tilt and rotation adjustments”, and “A comfortable screen for everyday office work”.
18 matching models from 50 checkedSee the checked facts and calculation notes
Match countThe count uses the current product-to-need assignments for “Smoother motion at 120Hz or higher”, “Height, tilt and rotation adjustments”, and “A comfortable screen for everyday office work”. A need with no documented match does not count.
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD |
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| ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD
You want to turn the screen far toward another seat.
See price & reviews on AmazonASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch QHD 170Hz
You want two USB-A peripheral ports on the monitor.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.