Question 1

the joystick button on the back is super hard to press and the menu keeps popping up randomly

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The 5-way joystick is misaligned or has debris inside, causing it to register false inputs or stick in a depressed state. FIX Power off the monitor. Use a can of compressed air to blow forcefully into the gap around the base of the joystick. While powered off, firmly press the joystick in all directions (up, down, left, right, press) multiple times to work out any obstruction. Power on and test. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The joystick mechanism is likely physically defective. Contact ASUS support for a warranty claim. As a temporary workaround, you can control all monitor settings via the ASUS DisplayWidget Lite software using your mouse. HEADS UP Avoid applying excessive lateral force when pressing the joystick inward. It is designed for light directional nudges. Pressing it sideways can bend the internal mechanism, causing permanent damage.

Question 2

i'm trying to use the elmb sync but the screen gets super dark and looks terrible

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Extreme Backlight Strobing (ELMB SYNC) is functioning correctly. It pulses the backlight to reduce motion blur, which inherently reduces perceived brightness and can cause flicker. FIX ELMB SYNC cannot be used with Adaptive-Sync/G-SYNC. First, ensure Adaptive-Sync is Off in the OSD under GamePlus. Then, navigate to Image > ELMB SYNC and set it to On. You must then manually increase the monitor's Brightness and Contrast in the OSD (Image > Brightness/Contrast) to compensate. Brightness above 80 is typical. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK ELMB SYNC only works within a specific refresh range. Ensure your in-game framerate is stable and matches your set refresh rate (e.g., 144Hz or 120Hz). V-sync ON in-game can help maintain this. Do not use ELMB SYNC at 175Hz; drop to 144Hz. HEADS UP ELMB SYNC is not recommended for prolonged general use due to eye strain from the flicker. It is a feature for competitive gaming where motion clarity is the absolute priority over image quality.

Question 3

the monitor makes a faint buzzing or high pitched noise, especially on bright screens

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is coil whine from the monitor's internal power supply or backlight inverter. It is a physical characteristic of some units and varies with screen brightness and refresh rate. FIX Lower the monitor's brightness from the OSD (Image > Brightness). Set it to 60 or below. This reduces electrical load. Next, change the refresh rate. In Windows display settings, switch from 175Hz to 144Hz. Lower refresh rates often reduce or eliminate the whine. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The whine may be exacerbated by a specific GameVisual mode. In the OSD, under Image > GameVisual, switch from Racing or Cinema mode to sRGB or FPS Mode. These modes use different default brightness/contrast profiles. HEADS UP Coil whine is not a defect covered under warranty unless exceptionally loud. It is generally harmless and does not indicate impending failure. Environmental temperature can affect its intensity.

Question 4

the built-in crosshair overlay won't turn off, it's stuck on my screen even in the osd

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The GamePlus crosshair feature has been activated and is persisting due to a software glitch or stuck hotkey. FIX Press the monitor's joystick straight in to open the OSD. Navigate to GamePlus > Crosshair. Cycle through the options until you select "Off." Exit the OSD. If the crosshair remains, perform a full factory reset. While the monitor is on, press and hold the joystick for 10 seconds. The screen will go black and reset. Release the joystick. The crosshair will be cleared. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK A third-party application like ASUS DisplayWidget Lite may be overriding the OSD settings. Close that application completely via Task Manager, then repeat the OSD steps. HEADS UP The crosshair is rendered by the monitor's scalar, not the PC. It will appear over all inputs and even the OSD menu when active. It does not affect performance.

Question 5

my monitor won't wake up from sleep when my pc does, i have to turn it off and on again

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is a handshake issue between the monitor's power saving features and the PC's sleep state, often related to the DisplayPort version. FIX First, update your GPU drivers. Then, enter the monitor OSD via the joystick. Go to System Setup > Power Indicator and set it to On. This can sometimes resolve the handshake. Next, go to System Setup > Power Saving and set it to Off. This prevents the monitor from entering a deeper sleep than the PC. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The issue is likely with the DisplayPort link training. Replace your DisplayPort cable with a certified VESA DP 1.4 cable. If using HDMI, try a Premium High Speed HDMI cable. HEADS UP When the monitor fails to wake, first try pressing the Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset your graphics driver. This often restores the signal without a hard power cycle.

Question 6

i'm getting a weird washed out or hazy look on my vg27aq1a, colors look flat even after calibration

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The HDR mode is likely active while you are viewing SDR content. The VG27AQ1A's HDR implementation can cause this desaturated, grayish look in Windows. FIX Press the monitor's joystick to open the OSD. Navigate to Image > HDR. Set it to Off. Then, on your Windows PC, go to Settings > System > Display > HDR. Ensure "Use HDR" is toggled Off. For standard SDR use, set the OSD's GameVisual mode to Racing or sRGB for more accurate saturation. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The monitor may be in a low blue light mode. Check the OSD under Color > Blue Light Filter. Set it to Level 0. Also, ensure Shadow Boost is not set too high (GamePlus > Shadow Boost), as it can flatten contrast. HEADS UP The monitor's default overdrive setting (Trace Free) at 80 can cause slight corona artifacts. For clearest motion, set Trace Free to 60 in the OSD under Image.

Question 7

the screen on my asus tuf monitor keeps flickering when i have g-sync enabled, how do i stop it?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is a known compatibility issue with the Adaptive-Sync/G-Sync Compatible mode and specific refresh rates or driver states. FIX Open the monitor OSD. Go to GamePlus > Adaptive-Sync and set it to Off. Then, open NVIDIA Control Panel on your PC. Under Display, navigate to "Set up G-SYNC." Ensure the box for "Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible" is checked for this display. Apply. The flickering should stop. This forces the control to the NVIDIA driver. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Cap your frame rate 3-5 FPS below the monitor's maximum refresh rate (e.g., 172 FPS cap for 175Hz) using NVIDIA Inspector or in-game settings. This prevents the sync from operating at its upper limit. HEADS UP This monitor is not certified as G-SYNC Ultimate. It is G-SYNC Compatible via Adaptive-Sync. Inherent minor flickering in certain scenes, especially with low framerates, is a limitation of the technology.

Question 8

my vg27aq1a monitor screen is black but the power light is on solid white, what do i do?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The monitor is powered on but receiving no signal. The primary suspect is the input source or cable. FIX First, press the joystick on the back to open the OSD. Navigate to System Setup > Input Select. Confirm the input matches your source cable (DisplayPort or HDMI). If correct, power cycle. Turn the monitor off at its power button. Unplug the video cable from both the monitor and PC/console for 30 seconds. Reconnect firmly, ensuring the cable is fully seated. Power the monitor on, then the source. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The source GPU driver or output may be faulty. Boot your PC into Safe Mode. If the display works in Safe Mode, update or reinstall your graphics drivers. HEADS UP The VG27AQ1A has no automatic input detection. You must manually select the correct input in the OSD if you switch sources.

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ1A 27 inch QHD Monitor

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