The Asus ROG Strix XG27JCG offers 5K resolution at 180 Hz, but in full mode it only supports Nvidia RTX 50 and AMD RX 7600 or newer. Older graphics cards will reach their limits.
Asus has announced the ROG Strix XG27JCG, a gaming monitor that, with its 5K resolution and 180 Hz refresh rate, is initially intended to be a comparatively high-quality screen.
The 27-inch display with Fast IPS panel achieves a pixel density of 218 PPI, offering significantly sharper images than conventional 4K monitors, according to the manufacturer.
However, to exploit the full potential of the screen, you need a current graphics card – older models such as the RTX 40 series reach their technical limits.
Bandwidth issue excludes RTX 40
According to the portal Videocardz, there is an important note in a footnote to the Asus monitor. According to this, the ROG Strix XG27JCG officially supports native 5K mode at 180 Hz only with Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 graphics cards and AMD Radeon RX 7600 or higher.
The reason for this is the required bandwidth: to display 5K content at 180 Hz, 10-bit color depth, and 4:4:4 color subsampling, the data transfer rate of DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1a is not sufficient – even with DSC (Display Stream Compression) enabled.
- This requires around 88 Gbit/s of bandwidth, but the DisplayPort 1.4 built into the RTX 40 series can only handle a maximum of 32.4 Gbit/s. Even the HDMI 2.1 connection of the Ada Lovelace generation is not sufficient with 48 Gbit/s.
- Videocardz speculates that, taking into account new DSC generations, it might still be possible to enjoy full monitor performance at the last minute. However, this is only guaranteed from the RTX 50 or RX 7000 onwards, which can access 80 Gbit/s with DisplayPort 2.1 and receive full support with some DSC support.
Further technical data
As a dual-mode display, the XG27JCG can switch between two operating modes: The native 5K mode with 5,120 x 2,880 pixels runs at 180 Hz, while in QHD mode with 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, up to 330 Hz is possible.
- According to the manufacturer’s specifications, the monitor achieves a gray-to-gray response time of 0.3 ms in both modes. The QHD option should be particularly interesting for competitive gamers who prioritize refresh rate over resolution.
- The ROG Strix XG27JCG is DisplayHDR 600 certified and, according to the data sheet, achieves a peak brightness of 600 cd/m²; the typical brightness is specified as 350 cd/m².
Gaming features include AMD FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility. With ELMB 2, Asus promises improved motion clarity, which is said to achieve higher brightness values and minimize ghosting thanks to dual backlighting.
In terms of connectivity, the XG27JCG offers two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4, a USB-C port with DP Alt Mode and 15-watt power delivery, as well as a USB hub with three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and a headphone output.
In terms of ergonomics, the display can be adjusted in height, tilt, and rotation and supports VESA 100 x 100 mm.
At the request of Hardwareluxx, a price and approximate release date are now also known: The ROG Strix XG27JCG is expected to hit the market between mid-January and February 2026. The recommended retail price will be just under 800 euros.
Asus plans to present the monitor in detail once again at the upcoming CES 2026, which will take place from January 6 to 9.
