Old Sharlayan and Labyrinthos look realistic and spacious, especially in midday lighting. I appreciate the beautiful presentation of the monitor while walking around the places I usually go Final Fantasy XIV. It combines the depth and dimension needed to deliver dark scenes with the crisp, clear look gamers want in more colorful titles. It provides a higher contrast ratio than edge-lit IPS LCD or VA panel monitors and has a color gamut that far exceeds the norm.
The ViewSonic Elite XG321UG is a fantastic monitor for PC gaming. ViewSonic Elite XG321UG – Gaming Performance Gamers will definitely want to use a dedicated headset or speaker. They provide clear, crisp sound that’s great for podcasts, but lack the volume and bass to fill even a small room. That’s great for those who want to use the monitor for sRGB content creation or don’t like the ultra-clear display of a wide gamut monitor. The XG321UG offers a range of image quality features including precise gamma curve targets, color tuning across six colors (Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow in addition to regular sRGB), and multiple color temperature targets. I often turn off the monitor when I intend to make adjustments. ViewSonic has also placed the power button next to the joystick. Menus are well labeled, but navigating them can be a chore as the joystick controls sometimes require them to be pointed in a direction that doesn’t match the menu. The feature is activated via a joystick that controls the on-screen menu. It’s also an unimpressive choice for a high-end monitor.
USB connectivity comes via three USB-A 3.2 ports driven by a single USB-B 3.2 port. The lack of HDMI 2.1 immediately makes the XG321UG unattractive to console gamers, but the port selection seems skewed towards that audience. ViewSonic is pouring salt on this cut with three HDMI ports but only one DisplayPort input.
However, dozens of HDMI 2.1 monitors have been around since then, so it’s no longer easy to ignore. The Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX also lacks HDMI 2.1, but that omission is somewhat forgivable in mid-2021. Instead, the monitor has three HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4. ViewSonic Elite XG321UG – Features & MenuĬonnectivity is a bad point for the XG321UG for one particular reason: it lacks HDMI 2.1. A 100mm x 100mm VESA mount is also available for attaching a third party stand or monitor. Although narrower than some alternatives, the stand does a good job of keeping the monitor steady. The XG321UG stand adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel, but like most large monitors, it doesn’t rotate 90 degrees for use in portrait mode. This means you can slide the keyboard over the stand or continue to use the desk space it uses. And unlike Asus (and most monitors of any brand), the ViewSonic has an L-shaped stand with flat feet. The stand is not as wide or deep as the PG32UQX, making it easier to place at a comfortable distance on a regular table. The XG321UG will look great on any table except the largest. The bezels aren’t huge, but they’re not nearly as slim, and the monitor is much thicker than an edge-lit LED or OLED display. Nonetheless, few would mistake the XG321UG for a “normal” monitor.
The back is just as simple, though the LED ring gives it a play when it’s turned on.
From the front, the monitor’s matte black bezels and L-shape are hardly different from high-end office monitors.
The ViewSonic Elite XG321UG offers a quiet and professional design, a look that’s very different from the aggressive styling of its Asus competitors.