Asus VE278Q large-screen computer monitor

The name of the manufacturer Asus is well-known when it comes to motherboards, graphics cards and notebook and tablet computers, but it's less so when it comes to monitors.

It turns out the company has a range of screens from 17in models up to the 27in widescreen range, one of which is the VE278Q we're reviewing here.

It is a 27in screen with a high resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels and a response time of two milliseconds, which reduces the ‘ghosting' that sometimes results from similar screens that update themselves too slowly to keep up with the action on-screen. That combines with an LED backlight that gives a more even glow to the screen than older models and very impressive figures for contrast and brightness to make for a very good monitor all-round.

There's nothing partially fancy about the way the VE278Q looks – it's finished in black plastic and ergonomically it's disappointing, because the stand only tilts back and forward slightly, with no height adjustment. It comes with two small built-in speakers that account for some of its chunky 22cm depth (it's 65cm wide and 45cm tall).

Taking it out of the box and setting it up was straightforward and without changing any settings the colours and brightness looked fine; certainly good enough for watching high-definition video from the BBC iPlayer. It can be improved slightly using the on-screen menus, which include six presets including modes for films (called theatre), games and night viewing, as well as an sRGB mode that'll be good for photo enthusiasts. A manual explaining the menus would have been useful, but instead there's a not-terribly helpful fold-out setup guide in thirty languages.

It has DVI, VGA, HDMI and Displayport connectors on the back panel, so it'll connect to practically any modern computer or similar device, and two audio connections, though no USB sockets. The sockets face downward making it easier to connect cables if the screen is wall-mounted.

This is a high-quality large screen that's good for both work and play – whether you'll be looking at spreadsheets or shoot-em-ups, if you need a large screen it's a good choice.