Switch modes, not monitors: how a dual-mode monitor upgrades your PC setup with incredible versatility

Asking for gaming monitor recommendations often goes something like this. You go on Reddit, you hop on Discord, or you pester a tech-savvy friend. You ask for a recommendation, hoping for an easy answer, but everyone immediately answers your question with more questions. What games do you play? Will you also use the monitor for work? What graphics card do you have? And even when they get to the point of actually highlighting specific displays, their recommendations are usually conditional: for esports, get this one. For video editing, get this one. This one’s best for racing sims. Immersive sims and RPGs are best with this one.

These sorts of recommendations work great — for people who only use their monitor for one thing. And maybe your monitor really is only used for one thing, and you’re able to focus in on the display specs that matter most for that game or use case. But what about the rest of us? How about people who use their monitors for a bit of everything? What about the gamers who want to play all the recent hits? Is there a single monitor that’s great for Resident Evil Requiem, Slay the Spire II, and the revitalized Overwatch?

In short, yes. You don’t need to settle for a monitor that only excels in one genre. You don’t need to compromise with a monitor that’s okay for everything but not great at anything. You don’t need multiple monitors, each tailored to the needs of one genre. Instead, you can get a monitor with multiple modes. With dual-mode monitor technology, you can get the best visual experience for any given moment.

Why dual-mode monitor tech matters

A dual-mode monitor gives you an easy way to flip between two distinct sets of specs: one mode that prioritizes resolution, and one that prioritizes refresh rate.

Sometimes, a higher resolution is the way to go. For a story-driven game with incredible graphics, you might prefer the visual splendor of a more detailed image over a raw boost in FPS. Similarly, many indie titles or classic favorites simply don’t require all that much GPU horsepower, but aren’t optimized for crazy high FPS. For those games, you’re best off dialing up the resolution. And outside of gaming, a higher resolution is basically always better. It’s better for reading, better for multitasking, better for creative tasks involving high-res assets, better for CAD — the list goes on.

Other times, a higher refresh rate is the way to go. You won’t get much of an advantage from running Counter-Strike 2 at 4K rather than FHD, but professionals do swear by the combination of crazy high FPS and a chart-topping refresh rate. Beyond esports, there are many games where you’ll get more from juiced-up speed rather than bolstered detail. Gamers tend to prefer high-refresh-rate monitors for racing sims, fast-paced FPS games, fighting games, and action titles.

Why is a dual-mode monitor better than simply playing at a lower resolution?

Monitors basically always support multiple resolutions. So if you’re gaming on a 4K 144Hz monitor, and you decide that you’d be better off playing at FHD instead, you certainly can. And that might make the difference between a playable frame rate and an unplayable one.

The trouble with this approach is that while it might remove a problem for you, it doesn’t offer an additional benefit for your trouble. With a standard monitor, changing the resolution doesn’t change a thing about the refresh rate. That 144Hz monitor will run at 144Hz whether you’re gaming at 4K or FHD. And you won’t always have a seamless experience changing resolutions on your monitor. LCD and OLED monitors have a fixed array of pixels, so you’re best off running them at their native resolution. Running at 4K monitor at FHD isn’t too bad, since a 4K monitor has exactly four times as many pixels, but running at 4K monitor at QHD typically leads to artifacts like blurriness.

Dual-mode monitors avoid both of these concerns, giving you a high-quality image in both modes. Swapping to the high-refresh-rate mode is far superior to simply lowering the resolution because it also boosts your refresh rate. Standard monitors don’t do that. What’s more, the second mode acts like a second “native” resolution, complete with its own EDID table and (if it’s an LCD) overdrive table.

Why can’t I have the benefit of both modes at the same time?

Maybe you’re wondering why it’s necessary to have a dual-mode monitor — if a monitor can do 4K in one mode, and an ultra-high-refresh rate in another mode, why can’t it just have both at the same time? Partly, that’s due to bandwidth considerations, which are limited by the standardized ports and cables on the market. We don’t leave crumbs on the table: our 4K 240Hz monitors already take advantage of most of the bandwidth afforded by DisplayPort 2.1. Bumping up to 4K 480Hz would effectively double the required data rate.

But more importantly, it has to do with the way we offer that second high-refresh mode. Take the ROG Swift OLED PG32UDCP, for example: it uses a 4K 240Hz panel. That’s the maximum refresh rate it’s capable of at 4K. We can’t change that. But we can tweak the panel to refresh two lines at a time, effectively doubling its speed — but cutting the resolution in half. This turns its 3840 columns of individual pixels into 1920 columns of “doubled” pixels, and its 2160 rows of pixels into 1080 rows of “doubled” pixels. Put those together, and you have 1920×1080, also known as FHD. We didn’t change the panel’s maximum capabilities, but we did “bend” them a bit to allow two different use cases.

Different dual-mode monitors handle this differently, but the end result is the same: the boost in refresh rate is made possible by a reduction in resolution. You can’t have one without the other.

How do I switch between the two modes?

The ability to switch quickly between the modes is vital. If it’s time-consuming or clunky to make a switch, you probably won’t get the most out of your dual-mode monitor.

For that reason, we often recommend that you select a dual-mode monitor that gives you a dedicated physical button for swapping modes. Such a monitor, like the ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP, lets you tap the button once to bring up the Frame Rate Boost menu. The screen will go dark briefly as Windows adjusts to the new monitor settings, and then you’re ready to go.

You’ll also be able to toggle Frame Rate Boost inside the on-screen display (OSD) menu. Tap the monitor’s joystick control to open the OSD and look for Frame Rate Boost under gaming settings. To make it even easier to switch modes, you can use the ASUS DisplayWidget Center app with your compatible ASUS monitor. This lightweight utility will let you define a hotkey so that you can change modes without even lifting your hands from your keyboard.

What is the best dual-mode monitor?

The best dual-mode monitor is the one whose two modes align most closely with your PC use cases. You should be able to look at the two modes and know exactly when you’d prefer the one, and when you’d gladly switch to the other.

Right now, ASUS offers a wide range of dual-mode monitors so that you can pick the right size, panel technology, and mode configuration for your setup. Here’s a quick overview of the current options from the ROG and TUF Gaming display lineups.

The upcoming TUF Gaming VG27UQEL5A will bring dual-mode monitor tech to mainstream audiences. It’s notable for just how hard it hits the gas pedal when you activate Frame Rate Boost, its mode that prioritizes refresh rate. In its default mode, you’ll enjoy 4K visuals at an 80Hz refresh rate. That’s well suited for cinematic titles, puzzlers, everyday computing, and productivity. But when you hit Frame Rate Boost, it switches over to FHD and quadruples the refresh rate all the way up to 310Hz, giving you esports-grade speed.

The ROG Strix XG27UCS Gen 2 similarly puts a 4K panel in a 27-inch frame, but it offers a higher refresh rate than the TUF Gaming model in both of its modes. By default, this Fast IPS monitor runs at 4K 160Hz. For gamers with a mainstream GPU, 160Hz will likely be more than sufficient most of the time when playing at 4K. When you want the competitive edge offered by a faster refresh rate, its FHD 324Hz mode awaits.

Some gamers find that they prefer QHD over FHD when they’re gaming on a 27-inch monitor. If that’s you, consider the ROG Strix 5K XG27JCG. Its Frame Rate Boost mode operates at QHD 330Hz. Mainstream gamers already love the combination of QHD and an elevated refresh rate, making this mode a great option for many games in your library. How about its default mode? There, you’ll enjoy an ultra-high-PPI 5K resolution (5120×2880). With that many pixels packed tightly into a 27-inch panel, you’ll be hard-pressed to even distinguish one pixel from another. That’ll create lavishly premium gaming experiences. But even if your PC can’t quite handle gaming at 5K (though upscaling tech like NVIDIA DLSS or AMD FSR can work magic in this regard), its 5K 160Hz mode might find regular use in your system for multitasking, content creation, and everyday computing.

You can enjoy dual-mode versatility and convenience alongside premium OLED panel tech, too. Take a look at the ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W, for instance. The fastest monitor that we offer, it bursts out of the gate with a default QHD 540Hz mode. Considering its blistering refresh rate and incredibly low response times, it’s capable of otherworldly motion clarity. But it’s got an even higher gear. Activate Frame Rate Boost, and you’ll enjoy a 720Hz refresh rate at a 1280×720 resolution.

So far, all the options that we’ve covered have been 27-inch monitors. Maybe you’re looking for something even larger. A 32-inch monitor fills even more of your vision with your gaming world, heightening immersion. It lets you lean back in your chair with a controller without feeling too far away from the action. And when you’re multitasking, it lets you work with each open window more comfortably. If a 32-inch monitor fits the way that you use your PC, consider the ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWG. Offering a large-and-in-charge 32-inch panel, its default mode serves up a 4K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. When you feel a need for speed, Frame Rate Boost kicks things up to FHD 330Hz. Since there are times when it’s preferable to keep the full game window in the center of your vision, this monitor offers Aspect Ratio Control, as well. This allows you to opt for 24.5-inch or 27-inch imagery whenever that offers a competitive advantage.

Maybe you want a 32-inch monitor with even higher refresh rates in both modes. Consider the ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP. This OLED gaming monitor offers premium gaming experiences whether you’re using its 4K 240Hz or FHD 480Hz modes. Since there are times when it’s preferable to keep the full game window in the center of your vision, this monitor offers Aspect Ratio Control, as well. This allows you to opt for 24.5-inch or 27-inch imagery whenever that offers a competitive advantage. Like the XG32UCWG, this monitor keeps you in charge with Aspect Ratio Control.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How is a dual-mode monitor different from just changing the resolution in my Windows settings?

A: On a standard monitor, lowering the resolution (e.g., from 4K to FHD) does not increase the maximum refresh rate. A 144Hz panel remains capped at 144Hz regardless of the pixel count. A dual-mode monitor offers a secondary mode that refreshes multiple lines at once in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions, allowing for much higher refresh rates, though with a reduced resolution.

Q: Does lowering the resolution to “Frame Rate Boost” mode cause the image to look blurry?

A: Typically, non-native resolutions look blurry because the pixels don’t align perfectly. However, dual-mode monitors are engineered with this switch in mind. For example, the TUF Gaming VG27UQEL5A scales from 4K to FHD. Because 4K is exactly four times the pixel count of FHD, the monitor maintains much better image clarity than a standard monitor trying to interpolate an uneven resolution.

That said, a 4K image has considerably more detail than an FHD image. Whenever sharpness and clarity are more important for your current use case than fast animation, use the higher-resolution mode of your dual-mode monitor.

Q: Will I need to restart my PC or my game when I toggle modes?

A: No restart is required, though the screen will briefly go dark while the handshake between the GPU and the monitor’s new EDID occurs. If you use a physical button or the ASUS DisplayWidget Center hotkey, Windows will recognize the “new” maximum refresh rate immediately. For the best experience, it is recommended to toggle the mode before launching a game to ensure the game engine detects the correct available refresh rates.

Q: Do these monitors support G-SYNC or FreeSync in both modes?

A: Yes. Dual-mode monitors are designed to maintain Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support across both the high-resolution and high-refresh-rate profiles. This ensures that whether you are playing a cinematic title at 4K 80Hz or an esports title at FHD 310Hz, you will still experience tear-free gaming and smooth frame delivery.

Q: What is the benefit of the 5K resolution on the ROG Strix XG27JCG if my GPU can’t hit 180 FPS at that resolution?

A: The 5120×2880 (5K) resolution provides an exceptionally high Pixel Per Inch (PPI) count on a 27-inch frame. While this resolution does require more GPU resources, not every game has the same performance requirements. You might also find that upscaling technology like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR can help you take advantage of the display’s 5K resolution Mode. Additionally, the 5K mode offers many benefits outside of gaming. You’ll get significantly more “screen real estate” for multitasking and sharper text rendering, which reduces eye strain during long work sessions or creative content editing.

Q: What is “Aspect Ratio Control” and why is it included on the 32-inch PG32UCDP?

A: While a 32-inch screen is great for immersion in RPGs, many competitive players find it too large for FPS games because they want to keep as much of the scene as possible in the center of their field of view. Aspect Ratio Control allows you to simulate a 24.5-inch or 27-inch screen area on the larger 32-inch panel. This keeps the action centered in your field of view, allowing you to combine the 480Hz speed with a smaller visual footprint for maximum competitive focus.