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ASUS PA278QV vs Dell S2725DSM: Choose Your Display Mode and USB Setup

Choose PA278QV for its four USB peripheral sockets if a 75Hz ceiling is acceptable. Choose S2725DSM for a supported QHD 144Hz HDMI setup, accepting that peripherals must connect elsewhere. Both retain a 27-inch QHD screen and a height-adjustable, pivoting stand.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-13

Source checked 2026-10-13 10:17 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Should you keep peripherals connected at the monitor or prioritize a supported 144Hz QHD input?

ASUS provides four USB peripheral sockets but stops at 75Hz; Dell supports QHD 144Hz over HDMI but has no USB hub.

Quick verdict

When to skip: You require both QHD above 75Hz and a USB hub built into the same monitor. You require native one-cable USB-C video and laptop charging.
When the recommendation changes
  • You already have enough convenient host USB ports or a suitable external hub.
  • Your computer, adapter or dock cannot supply the intended display mode.
  • You require both QHD above 75Hz and an integrated USB hub.

The differences that matter

Supported Refresh Ceiling

ASUS ProArt PA278QV

Maximum listed refresh: 75Hz. The manual lists 2560 × 1440 at 74.924Hz but does not assign that timing to individual inputs.[1, 2]

Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor (S2725DSM, GTT45, Ash White)

Maximum preset: 2560 × 1440 at 144Hz. Dell explicitly supports this mode through HDMI; DisplayPort 1.4 is also present.[3]

What this changes: Choose Dell for a required QHD 144Hz HDMI input, provided the computer, cable and any dock or adapter support it. ASUS cannot meet a requirement above its 75Hz ceiling. Do not assume the ASUS timing works through every port or adapter.[1, 2, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Usb Peripheral Connections

ASUS ProArt PA278QV

Four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A peripheral sockets, enabled by a separate Type-B upstream connection to the computer.[1, 2]

Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor (S2725DSM, GTT45, Ash White)

Dell explicitly specifies no USB and no USB Type-C.[3]

What this changes: Choose ASUS when you want compatible keyboard, mouse and other USB devices connected at the monitor and accept a separate video cable plus USB data cable. With Dell, connect peripherals to the computer or a separately chosen hub; the monitor cannot be their USB connection point.[1, 2, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

A keyboard, mouse and other compatible USB peripherals kept at the screen

Best fit: ASUS ProArt PA278QV

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

ASUS supplies four downstream sockets. Budget a separate USB data connection to the computer and accept the lower refresh ceiling; socket count is not a guarantee for every peripheral or power requirement.

View ASUS ProArt PA278QV on AmazonPaid link

A QHD 144Hz HDMI source with USB devices already connected elsewhere

Best fit: Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor (S2725DSM, GTT45, Ash White)

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Dell matches that display-mode requirement without making you give up QHD or stand height adjustment. Its lack of USB matters less when the peripheral connections are already solved.

View Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor (S2725DSM, GTT45, Ash White) on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

Compare the complete setup cost, including any needed USB hub or cable. An integrated hub has less value when your peripheral connections are already convenient.

There is insufficient price-history evidence for a buy-now or wait recommendation.

Limitations

  • Pickoryx did not test these monitors. Refresh specifications establish supported inputs, not measured motion clarity, gaming frame rates, color accuracy, eye comfort or reliability.
  • ASUS’s timing table does not specify the QHD 74.924Hz mode per input; Dell’s explicit QHD 144Hz port claim here is for HDMI. Check your exact source, port, cable, settings and any intermediary.
  • Included cables and current retail offers are not guaranteed here. ASUS’s manual mentions optional cables; confirm the selected package before ordering.

Questions shoppers ask

Will an HDMI cable make the ASUS USB sockets work?

No. Follow two separate connection paths: video to a display input, and USB-B at the monitor to the computer’s compatible USB-A connection for peripheral data. Then connect devices to the monitor’s USB-A sockets. This is not USB-C laptop docking or charging.

Can an external USB hub remove the Dell’s compromise?

It can provide a separate peripheral connection point if it meets your computer and devices’ requirements. It does not add USB sockets to the Dell itself. If that arrangement already suits you, choose primarily by the required display mode; an external hub cannot raise ASUS’s refresh ceiling.

Methodology and sources

Compared documented display modes separately from USB peripheral wiring, keeping port-specific support and unverified compatibility distinct.

AI assisted source research, comparison and writing.

View 3 sources
  1. 1.ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV US technical specificationsASUS USA · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-13 10:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Display, I/O Ports, Mechanical Design; lines 20–36, 67–78 and 87–92: Exact PA278QV screen, refresh ceiling, four USB-A hub sockets and stand adjustment.
  2. 2.ASUS PA278QV / PA278QEV Series LCD Monitor User GuideASUS · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-13 10:17 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Printed 1-4 / PDF p.14 ports; 2-4 / PDF p.18 cables; 3-10–3-11 specifications; 3-14 / PDF p.32 timing table: Applicable PA278QV guide separates USB-B upstream from video wiring; four downstream USB-A sockets; generic QHD 74.924Hz timing, without per-input assignment; optional cable caveat.
  3. 3.Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor S2725DSM, GTT45 US specificationsDell USA · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-13 10:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model and part lines 281–299; stand 387–400; resolution 461–463; USB absence and HDMI mode 491–535; Ash White 620–622: Exact GTT45/Ash White S2725DSM: QHD144, explicit HDMI QHD144 support, DisplayPort1.4, no USB or USB-C, adjustable stand.

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