Given the plethora of excellent FPS and TPS games released in recent years, a high refresh rate is vital for an ideal gaming experience. In this review, we investigate if ASUS’s affordable high-refresh-rate monitor, the TUF Gaming VG259Q3A, is a suitable option for gamers on a budget.
Table of Contents
ASUS TUF Gaming VG259Q3A Specs
| Panel Size | 24.5 inch |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Display Viewing Area (H x V) | 543.74 x 302.62 mm |
| Display Surface | Non-Glare |
| Backlight Type | LED |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Viewing Angle (CR≧10, H/V) | 178°/ 178° |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.2832mm x 0.2802mm |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Color Space (sRGB) | 99% |
| Brightness (Typ.) | 250cd/㎡ |
| Contrast Ratio (Typ.) | 1000:1 |
| Display Colors | 16.7M |
| Response Time | 1ms(GTG) |
| Refresh Rate (Max) | 180Hz |
| Flicker-free | Yes |
| Features | Trace Free Technology : Yes GameVisual : Yes Color Temp. Selection : Yes(4 modes) GamePlus : Yes HDCP : Yes, 2.2 Extreme Low Motion Blur : Yes VRR Technology : Yes (Adaptive-Sync) GameFast Input technology : Yes Shadow Boost : Yes DisplayWidget : Yes, DisplayWidget Center Low Blue Light : Yes |
| Speaker | 2W x2 |
| I/O Ports | DisplayPort 1.2 x 1 HDMI(v2.0) x 2 Earphone Jack : Yes |
The Unboxing
The TUF Gaming VG259Q3A is packaged in a standard brown cardboard box that highlights its features and specifications. Inside the box, you’ll find the monitor, the monitor arm and stand, a power cable, a DisplayPort cable, an HDMI cable, and some documentation.
The Design
The TUF Gaming VG259Q3A boasts a mechanical-inspired design and a completely plastic construction that provides a gaming vibe. Despite its plastic construction, it does not feel cheap.
The included stand is simple, providing just tilt adjustment without any additional flexibility. Moreover, the stand lacks built-in cable management features. The monitor is VESA mount compatible, enabling you to attach it to a table or wall for improved ergonomics.
For controlling the menu, there are buttons and a joystick situated on the back right edge of the monitor. Although the placement isn’t optimal and may complicate menu navigation a bit, the joystick makes it easier to navigate the menu than utilizing buttons by themselves.
The accessible ports consist of two HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort, a headphone jack, and a power connection. There are also two 2W built-in speakers which are fine if you don’t have a dedicated speaker.
The Monitor Menu
The OSD menu of the TUF Gaming VG259Q3A features a yellow and black color scheme with TUF Gaming branding elements, resulting in a unique and unified design.
The GamePlus menu offers quick access to features such as an FPS counter, crosshair, timer, stopwatch, and display alignment. Additionally, you can select GameVisual settings directly from this menu. Navigating the joystick brings up the monitor’s general menu, providing more comprehensive adjustment options.
In the General Menu, you’ll find the Gaming, Image, Color, Input Select, My Favorite, and System Setup tabs. Under the Gaming tab, there are essential settings for enhanced gaming performance, including Variable OD, Variable Refresh Rate, ELMB Setup, GamePlus, GameVisual, and Shadow Boost.
The Image tab lets you fine-tune the monitor’s visuals, with options for brightness, contrast, VividPixel, ASCR, Aspect Control, and the Blue Light Filter. In the Color tab, you can adjust the Color Temperature, which defaults to Warm but can be switched to Normal or Cool.
The User Mode allows you to tweak RGB and saturation settings for a customized experience. The Input Select tab is useful for switching between multiple input sources connected to the monitor. The My Favorite tab enables you to save your preferred settings and toggle between them effortlessly. Lastly, the System Setup menu provides options for language, sound, and other monitor controls.
Overall, the TUF Gaming VG259Q3A provides a well-rounded and accessible set of features. While it may lack some advanced customizations found in higher-end models, its menu offers enough flexibility to cater to general users and gamers alike.
The Display
The TUF Gaming VG259Q3A is a 24-inch IPS monitor with a 1920×1080 resolution and an impressive 180 Hz refresh rate. It includes features such as ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) technology and FreeSync Premium, which work together to provide a smooth, tear-free gaming experience. Additionally, Shadow Boost enhances dark areas while brightening scenes without overexposing bright regions, and the 1ms GTG response time ensures minimal motion blur for fast-paced gameplay.
For the monitor test, we used the default setting of the monitor which is set to Racing mode which has 65 brightness and 80 contrast. We also used the sRGB Mode to recheck its Color Gamut coverage.
| Scenes | Brightness Setting | Brightness | Black | Contrast | White Point |
| Scenery Mode | 100 | 318.3 | 0.64 | 500:1 | 7400 (0.302,0.309) |
| Racing Mode | 65 | 233.1 | 233 | 0:1 | 7300 (0.303,0.307) |
| Cinema Mode | 90 | 237 | 237.04 | 0:1 | 10100 (0.283,0.282) |
| RTS/RPG Mode | 90 | 295.2 | 295.25 | 0:1 | 7400 (0.302,0.309) |
| FPS Mode | 90 | 295.1 | 0.46 | 650:1 | 7400 (0.302,0.309) |
| sRGB Mode | 65 | 123 | 122.95 | 0:1 | 7000 (0.308,0.307) |
| MOBA Mode | 90 | 295.5 | 0.47 | 630:1 | 7400 (0.302,0.309) |
The color gamut of the monitor is alright but it didn’t hit the 100% sRGB coverage that they are boasting 99% sRGB coverage in the monitor box.
| Scene | sRGB | AdobeRGB | P3 | NTSC |
| Racing Mode (Default) | 96% | 74% | 77% | 70% |
| sRGB Mode | 96% | 74% | 76% | 69% |
The Measured Display Gamma for this monitor is 2.2 which is good. There is no other gamma settings if you want to change.
As for the brightness level of the monitor, it can go as low as 76.9 cd/m² and as high as 310.1cd/m².
| Setting | Brightness | Black | Contrast | White Point |
| 0% | 76.9 | 0.17 | 440:1 | 7200 (0.306,0.309) |
| 25% | 139.8 | 0.25 | 550:1 | 7100 (0.307,0.310) |
| 50% | 198.5 | 0.34 | 590:1 | 7100 (0.306,0.310) |
| 75% | 255.9 | 0.4 | 630:1 | 7100 (0.306,0.309) |
| 100% | 310.1 | 0.47 | 660:1 | 7100 (0.306, 0.309) |
There is noticeable screen bleeding along the edges when tested with a black image, though it is not significant during regular gaming. No ghosting was observed during gameplay but you can remove the ghosting by enabling the ELMB but the display brightness will be sacrificed.
ASUS TUF Gaming VG259Q3A Verdict
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG259Q3A is an excellent option for gamers looking for an economical monitor that offers high-performance capabilities. With a 180 Hz refresh rate, ELMB technology, and FreeSync Premium, it guarantees fluid and captivating gameplay, especially for fast-action games. Although its plastic construction and restricted stand adjustability might not suit everyone, the VESA mount compatibility offers flexibility for improved ergonomics.
The monitor provides flexible gaming options via its user-friendly OSD menu, but its color accuracy is a bit below the claimed 100% sRGB coverage. Even with slight concerns such as backlight bleeding, which barely affects gameplay, and no ghosting present, the VG259Q3A offers great value. It achieves an excellent equilibrium between performance and cost, making it a perfect choice for budget-minded gamers seeking a dependable and feature-rich monitor.
- High refresh rate
- Feature-rich monitor
- Low input lag
- Only has monitor tilt
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG259Q3A is a budget-friendly monitor offering high-performance features like a 180 Hz refresh rate, ELMB, and FreeSync Premium for smooth gameplay. While its plastic build and limited stand adjustability may not suit all, VESA mount compatibility adds flexibility. Despite minor issues like backlight bleeding and slightly inaccurate color coverage, it delivers excellent value for budget-conscious gamers.
