The landscape of competitive PC gaming monitors is shifting as Asus' ROG Swift OLED PG259QWS Ace has been selected as the official monitor for the 2026 PGL Counter-Strike 2 Major tournament. This marks a watershed moment, bringing OLED display technology to the forefront of professional esports.
The PG259QWS Ace features a 24.5-inch tandem WOLED panel with an impressive 0.02ms (GTG) response time. Crucially for competitive play, it achieves a 720Hz refresh rate. While high refresh rate OLEDs have emerged previously, many have been larger 27-inch panels and often required a drop to 720p resolution to reach their peak refresh rates. The Asus monitor's ability to maintain high refresh rates at 1080p resolution, a standard for professional gaming especially in titles like Counter-Strike 2 where players may opt for stretched resolutions, is a key advancement.
Smaller screen sizes, such as the 24 to 25-inch form factor of the PG259QWS Ace, are often preferred by professional Counter-Strike players for comfort and visibility, allowing them to take in the entire game scene without excessive head movement. Although diminishing returns on refresh rate benefits are noted above approximately 360Hz, professional players are expected to leverage the advantages of such high refresh rates.
The adoption of this OLED monitor by a major tournament organizer like PGL signals a potential new era for professional gaming hardware. PGL CEO Silviu Stroie stated, "The first OLED Major on the fastest OLED ever made—it's a new generation of competitive Counter-Strike." Historically, Counter-Strike tournaments have relied on TN panels, and professional players have often trained on the same hardware used in competitions. The transition to OLED displays in major events could encourage a broader shift within the professional scene.
OLED technology's inherent advantages, such as incredibly fast pixel response times that eliminate the need for backlight strobing to reduce motion blur, contribute to its appeal. Furthermore, the visual quality offered by OLEDs is a significant benefit. The market has also seen advancements in OLED monitor pricing, with some 1440p, 240Hz panels becoming available at competitive price points. The rise of high-performance, visually superior OLED monitors like the Asus ROG Swift presents a compelling alternative to traditional TN panels in the competitive gaming space.