Question Problems with HDR 1000 Gaming - PG35VQ, X35, X27 etc.

[Mac34]

Hi,

I recently bought an Asus PG35VQ, as an all-round monitor for both work and gaming. This is my first VA and HDR monitor. IMO the brightness is too much sometimes. It's one thing sitting several meters away from an HDR 1000 TV in a large living room, but it's different sitting in front of a monitor blasting up to 1000 nits straight at your face. In games like Doom Eternal and Division 2, it's right at the edge of comfortable, while other games like Far Cry 5 and Metro Exodus are too bright IMO.

A 600 nits FALD HDR monitor would give us both a cheaper and more practical product. Otherwise, the technology needs some kind of added functionality, where the user can choose between different nits settings, or some way to compress the FALD brightness curve.

Also, every G-Sync Ultimate module is actively cooled with an audible fan, and in a quiet room the fan noise is always there. Right now, I'm still within the return window, and considering going back to a high-quality IPS monitor again, like the new Acer X34GS, and wait for the next generation of ultrwide HDR FALD monitors.

How does the new wide gamut monitors like X34GS or LG 34GN850 compare? Will it be a huge trade-off? Then there are certain games like Doom Eternal, which looks stunning in HDR - metal looks like proper metal, wood looks like wood, explosions look like real-life fireworks etc.

Thanks for reading. Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!


EDIT: Turning on "Eco mode" seems to tame the HDR brightness, and makes the monitor more comfortable for longer gaming sessions, and has a near perfect brightness balance IMO.

 

[VirtualLarry]

"The Future's so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades!"

 

[Mac34]

The longer I use the monitor, the more difficult it will be going back from the HDR FALD visuals, but the fan is the worst thing. Has anyone here been able to mod their actively cooled monitor? If I open up my PG35VQ I can forget about returning it, and probably also the warranty, but since I got this monitor at a high discount I'd definitely open it up, if I can get rid of that infernal humming.

 

[CP5670]

I use HDR in a few games on a LG CX. It maxes out at 800 nits but is more than bright enough at a 4-5' distance in a dark room, which is how I use it. As you said, the default setting is too bright if anything.

The main issue with HDR on Windows is that games don't always use it properly, and it ends up looking the same or worse as SDR with max brightness. It also has to be turned on manually in Windows when you open the game, as it's way too bright for desktop use. I like it in Cyberpunk and a few games.

 

[Mac34]

HDR works fine here. Just turn down the SDR in HDR brightness bar in Windows to 5/100. Some games only have an on/off switch for HDR, and they tend to be very bright. I've tested Division 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Doom Eternal and Cyberpunk 2077, and they all look amazing. The only game I didn't notice much of a difference was Crysis Remastered.

My main issue is the lack of nits output reduction in either the monitor OSD or in Windows, unlike with SDR. If the game has a white screen flashing at you, you'll be completely blinded. There should be a "true HDR 1000" setting, and 2-3 compressed brightness curves - just like with Dolby Digital in your home theater amplifier. A couple of mini-LED HDR gaming monitors up for release later this year, have a 1400 nits/HDR 1400 rating. Yikes! "Nobody" needs 1400 nits in their gaming monitor. Why not focus on a global brightness setting and a lower price point instead? So dumb...

 

[mnewsham]

A couple of mini-LED HDR gaming monitors up for release later this year, have a 1400 nits/HDR 1400 rating. Yikes! "Nobody" needs 1400 nits in their gaming monitor. Why not focus on a global brightness setting and a lower price point instead? So dumb...

To be fair, the VESA DisplayHDR standard for DisplayHDR 1400 is 1400 nits full-screen flash, but only 900 nits for sustained full-screen brightness. So it's not like that 1400 nits is on screen for more than a moment or two, unless it's a small highlight detail (like the sun that might be a small 5% patch of the screen that is sustained 1000+ nits).

And higher brightness IS needed for good HDR.

 

[Mac34]

To be fair, the VESA DisplayHDR standard for DisplayHDR 1400 is 1400 nits full-screen flash, but only 900 nits for sustained full-screen brightness. So it's not like that 1400 nits is on screen for more than a moment or two, unless it's a small highlight detail (like the sun that might be a small 5% patch of the screen that is sustained 1000+ nits).

And higher brightness IS needed for good HDR.

This makes sense for a TV in your living room, sitting in a sofa several meters away. "Only 900 nits", well that's 900 (or 1400) nits every time there is a white loading screen, flashing etc. in your game. At 600/1000 nits with a PG35VQ it's too much, and there is often no way of turning down the max brightness (only some games have decent brightness controls, and it makes the experience much more comfortable)...

EDIT: Turning on "Eco mode" seems to tame the HDR brightness, and makes the monitor more comfortable for longer gaming sessions, and has a near perfect brightness balance IMO.

 

[dmoney1980]

And now we have the 1400 nit mini-led Asus display....at only $3k! I've seen a review on YT and while the HDR is insane, and seems to fit a nice PPI ratio being 4k at 32 inches, the input lag and noise (plus cost) feels like this is a bleeding edge beta product

 

[Muadib]

And now we have the 1400 nit mini-led Asus display....at only $3k! I've seen a review on YT and while the HDR is insane, and seems to fit a nice PPI ratio being 4k at 32 inches, the input lag and noise (plus cost) feels like this is a bleeding edge beta product

I saw that on youtube! The legs destroy an otherwise great monitor. It's the PG32UQX, and I need to see it for myself.

 

[dmoney1980]

I saw that on youtube! The legs destroy an otherwise great monitor. It's the PG32UQX, and I need to see it for myself.

that, along with the required active cooling, plus the useless mini oled screen on the bezel. great technology, but you're paying some serious early adopter tax for a beta product in my opinion. That said i'd love to see one in action myself!

 

[Muadib]

that, along with the required active cooling, plus the useless mini oled screen on the bezel. great technology, but you're paying some serious early adopter tax for a beta product in my opinion. That said i'd love to see one in action myself!

$3000 is too rich for my blood, but I must see it. Hopefully Microcenter will have it when it goes on sale.

 

[aigomorla]

$3000 is too rich for my blood, but I must see it. Hopefully Microcenter will have it when it goes on sale.

if this was only 1000 dollars cheaper...

LG UltraFine 32EP950-B 31.5" 16:9 4K HDR OLED Monitor

Buy LG UltraFine 32EP950-B 31.5" 16:9 4K HDR OLED Monitor featuring 31.5" OLED Panel, DisplayPort + HDMI + USB Type-C Inputs, 3840 x 2160 UHD Resolution @ 60 Hz, 1 Million:1 Contrast Ratio, 250 nits Brightness, 178°/178° Viewing Angles, 1 ms Response Time (GtG), 1.07 Billion Colors with HDR...

www.bhphotovideo.com

i would be all over it, but at that price i really need to think about using a LG C1 48".

 

[mnewsham]

if this was only 1000 dollars cheaper...

LG UltraFine 32EP950-B 31.5" 16:9 4K HDR OLED Monitor

Buy LG UltraFine 32EP950-B 31.5" 16:9 4K HDR OLED Monitor featuring 31.5" OLED Panel, DisplayPort + HDMI + USB Type-C Inputs, 3840 x 2160 UHD Resolution @ 60 Hz, 1 Million:1 Contrast Ratio, 250 nits Brightness, 178°/178° Viewing Angles, 1 ms Response Time (GtG), 1.07 Billion Colors with HDR...

www.bhphotovideo.com

i would be all over it, but at that price i really need to think about using a LG C1 48".

The rumored 42" LG OLED model is what I've been waiting on. But I might also wait for the new generation OLED panel in that size if the first release at 42" uses the previous-gen panel.

 

[Muadib]

if this was only 1000 dollars cheaper...

LG UltraFine 32EP950-B 31.5" 16:9 4K HDR OLED Monitor

Buy LG UltraFine 32EP950-B 31.5" 16:9 4K HDR OLED Monitor featuring 31.5" OLED Panel, DisplayPort + HDMI + USB Type-C Inputs, 3840 x 2160 UHD Resolution @ 60 Hz, 1 Million:1 Contrast Ratio, 250 nits Brightness, 178°/178° Viewing Angles, 1 ms Response Time (GtG), 1.07 Billion Colors with HDR...

www.bhphotovideo.com

i would be all over it, but at that price i really need to think about using a LG C1 48".

I’m leaning towards the C1, but keep going back and forth over the size. I had the CX last year but it was broken, and Best Buy had no replacement at the time. I got to see what it would look like on my desk though, and I don’t know if I could deal with it.

 

[Muadib]

The rumored 42" LG OLED model is what I've been waiting on. But I might also wait for the new generation OLED panel in that size if the first release at 42" uses the previous-gen panel.

Is this a monitor or a tv?

 

[mnewsham]

Is this a monitor or a tv?

Supposedly a TV. Though there isn't really too much that would stop them from offering it in either segment. They're already targeting PC gamers with the current CX/C1 48"

 

[aigomorla]

So i caved in and bought a Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ.
Its the fastest 4k monitor i could find larger then 27".

I also picked up a Ergotron HX arm for it to mount on my desk.
I'll do a new thread with a mini review when i receive it.

But OP lets see if i have the same issues you are running into with the PG35VQ

Supposedly a TV. Though there isn't really too much that would stop them from offering it in either segment. They're already targeting PC gamers with the current CX/C1 48"

I was really considering this until i saw my cousins 55".
He got burn in which he did not notice until I pointed it out, and now he hates me for it, because he see's it all the time.
What got burn't in the streaming position bar at the bottom of the screen.

Its only really noticable until you do a burn in test.
But once you notice it, it is GG, you see it ever so slightly once you know where to focus on.

So yeah, he's a bit upset.

His upset made me go NOPE not OLEDing yet... gonna see what the JOLED are~
Im going back to either a super VA or a IPS.

 

[mnewsham]

What got burn't in the streaming position bar at the bottom of the screen.

Sounds like someone paused a movie and left it sitting for a long time.

Or he doesn't allow his TV to run compensation cycles, OR it's a pretty old model.

In any case, burn in is a well known OLED issue, and has many ways to mitigate it and with some basic steps can be pretty safely ignored for many users.

Obviously if your particular use-case is going to involve static GUI elements for extended periods of time, an OLED isn't for you. But for general media usage? OLED blows everything else out of the water in picture quality.

 

[aigomorla]

Obviously if your particular use-case is going to involve static GUI elements for extended periods of time, an OLED isn't for you. But for general media usage? OLED blows everything else out of the water in picture quality.

I completely agree however i am not the type to turn my monitors off when i step away.
Sometimes when i step away i don't even intend on stay away for long periods, yet you know it happens.

I really really want an OLED monitor, but not if i have to change my habits when sitting in front of my PC.

 

[mnewsham]

I completely agree however i am not the type to turn my monitors off when i step away.
Sometimes when i step away i don't even intend on stay away for long periods, yet you know it happens.

I really really want an OLED monitor, but not if i have to change my habits when sitting in front of my PC.

You can set a plain black screensaver to turn on after 1-3 minutes, but short of that, yeah you do need to be aware and change your habits accordingly.