The Asus ProArt Display PA279CRV is a monitor for professional users, such as graphics designers and photo editors. Basically, anyone who needs accurate and full colour gamut coverage will find this monitor suitable, especially if they are on a tight budget — it's more affordable than its competitors. It also works great as an office monitor, though it's relatively expensive for that scenario.

Given its professional slant, it's no surprise that Asus has focused heavily on the display aspect. The ProArt PA279CRV boasts a wide colour gamut (99% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB). It comes pre-calibrated (the included Calman report states that the average Delta E values for sRGB and DCI-P3 are an impressive 0.63 and 0.7 respectively). And if you want to fine-tune the colour settings, the Palette menu offers further adjustment of the hue, contrast, saturation, and even RGB gain/offset. It's a level of customisation you won't find in monitors in this price range (S$799). In addition, a QuickFit Plus feature in the OSD adds overlays such as grid markings and rulers, which can be useful for some users.

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Connectivity-wise, the ProArt excels here with two HDMI 2.0 ports, and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one of which can be used to daisy-chain a second monitor via DisplayPort. On top of that, you'll get a USB-C port that supports video input (DP Alt Mode), and delivers up to 96W of power. That's enough to charge most laptops that aren't gaming notebooks. And there's still a USB hub with three Type-A ports and a Type-C port. Build quality is good, though the monitor is mostly plastic. The stand is apparently 33% more compact than the one on its predecessor. Naturally, you can tilt, swivel, and pivot the monitor. I also liked that the the controls (joystick and physical buttons) for the OSD are located at the front bezel. They are easier to press compared with monitors that put them at the back.

However, HDR is not its forte. Despite its VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, this monitor doesn't do deep blacks well, and its 400 nits peak brightness is middling. Hence, Netflix shows in HDR lack the visual pop and kick you'd want, though the 4K resolution is much appreciated. Besides supporting 4K videos, this high resolution — on a 27-inch screen — ensures that text and icons appear extra crisp. The anti-glare layer is also effective at reducing reflections, even in a well-lit environment. Note that this monitor is not designed for gaming. While it has Adaptive Sync (VRR), it's constrained by its 60Hz refresh rate, and there's some motion blur, too. The ProArt also comes with relatively weak stereo speakers that work in a pinch, but they are not something to rely on for music and movies.

At S$799, the Asus ProArt Display PA279CRV is relatively cheap for a professional monitor. Last I checked, a similar 4K Dell monitor costs around S$1.2K, albeit with better blacks. If you're mostly working with SDR content, the ProArt offers great value for money. The generous connectivity options, USB hub, and 4K resolution also make this monitor ideal for normal office work, but it would probably be a bit of an overkill. Get the Asus from Lazada, and Shopee.

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Note: Review unit provided by Asus.