Looking at the specs and features of the new Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX, billed as "the world's first mini LED gaming monitor," we also see how Asus came to declare it "4K endgame": instead of HDMI 2.1, it uses HDMI 2.0 (and DisplayPort 1.4). [HDMI 2.1 is a significant upgrade over HDMI 2.0, with 48 Gbps of uncompressed bandwidth (up from 18 Gbps) and 128 Gbps when compressed. It also supports nifty features such as automatic low-latency mode and dynamic HDR.

So it's not really a final product (incidentally, Asus will also launch its first HDMI 2.1 gaming monitor next month). Nevertheless, it brings a robust spec sheet, including a Mini LED makeover.

Mini LEDs, as the name implies, use smaller LEDs than LCD screens with regular LED backlighting; unlike OLEDs, they require a separate light source to illuminate the pixels of an LCD screen. Mini LEDs work better than regular LEDs, potentially providing more lighting zones, better contrast, and higher brightness levels.

In this case, according to Asus, the PG32UQX can achieve scorching brightness of 1,400 nits for HDR content and 500 nits for SDR content. It is also one of only two monitors that meet VESA's DisplayHDR 1400 certification. In case you're wondering, the other monitor is also an Asus monitor, the ProArt PA32UCG. It is also a mini LED display, but it is more for creators and professionals than for gamers.

Instead of edge illumination, the PG32UQX offers full array local dimming (FALD) with 1,152 independent LED zones; FALD is the more desirable of the two because it allows deeper black levels and better uniformity, but is still not equivalent to OLEDs. FALDs are not; they are susceptible to halo effects and blooming (micro-LEDs cannot arrive fast enough). This phenomenon is more pronounced with white objects on a black background; I am curious to see how susceptible the PG32UQX is to blooming.

This is a 4K resolution monitor with a relatively fast refresh rate of 144 Hz. It is also a G-Sync Ultimate display, which synchronizes the refresh rate with the GeForce GPU to prevent screen tearing.

The PG32UQX utilizes quantum dot technology, which, according to Asus, covers 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color space and 160 percent of the sRGB color space. This makes it suitable for prosumer workloads such as digital photography and video editing. We have not reviewed this monitor, however, and will have to wait and see.

Connectivity consists of three HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 connector with Display Stream Compression (DSC), a 3.5mm headphone jack, two USB 3.1 ports, and a USB 2.0 port.

There are also a few unique features: one is a tripod socket built into the top of the display for mounting a webcam; a USB 2.0 port is conveniently located next to it; a USB 2.0 port is also available for use with a USB 2.0 port.

Also built into the bottom is an OLED display that functions as a live dashboard. It can display system temperature, voltage, fan speed, and system frequency. There is also a dial below it for quick and easy adjustment of the on-screen display (OSD) controls.

The PG32UQX is available for pre-order in the U.S. for $3,000.