Acer VG271U Review

Cutting away any extra fluff, the Acer VG271U goes for the most important features: a fast 1ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate with reduced screen tearing and stuttering, over DCI-P3, and great contrast ratio. And it does that at an affordable price, making it the best gaming monitor for budget and performance. It is also one of the best monitors from Acer.

Acer VG271U

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Why We Like It – Acer VG271U

This gaming monitor by Acer walks a fine line between budget and performance, focusing on what matters rather than fluff. It features a fast 1ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate, and great contrast ratio w/ DCI-P3. Although, compared to its cousin the Acer Nitro VG272 XBMIIPX HD 1080p gaming monitor, it’s quite slow.

Performance

With a refresh rate of 144Hz, you’re going to feel buttery smooth gameplay, in addition to FreeSync technology, which reduces screen tearing and stuttering. It may just be one of the premier 27-inch monitors. However, what’s most impressive is response time. Typically, IPS panels have a 4ms response time, but Acer uses a technology called “Visual Response Boost” or “VRB” to decrease blur between images and achieve a 1ms response time. And it isn’t a slouch in the color/contrast department either. Through DisplayHDR 400 and DCI P3, you’re getting vibrant colors and far better contrast than the ASUS VG245H 24″ Gaming Monitor. If you prefer TN panels with 144Hz and 1ms response times, a good example is in our Acer KG241Q review.

Design

The Acer Nitro VG271U doesn’t make the same design choices you often see with “gaming” monitors—you know, the obsession over sharp angles and robotic aesthetic. It certainly dabbles a bit around the base with its own angular design, but it’s reeled back. The screen is 27-inches and displays in 2K or 1440p. In the back are two HDMI 2.0 ports, more up-to-date than the ASUS ROG PG279Q 27″ gaming monitor—and a single DisplayPort 1.2. The Acer VG271U is VESA mountable. Plus, the thin bezel edges are nice, just like you’ll find in the highly-rated frameless monitors that most gamers love.

Value

The Acer VG271U is putting in all the work to be a viable gaming monitor. It’s rocking all the features you need for gaming: fast response time, high refresh rate, FreeSync, and great color and contrast ratio for eye candy. It isn’t 4K, but 1440p is still leagues better than 1080p. And if you check the price of the ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q 34″ Gaming Monitor, you’d pay nearly four times as much for what is essentially a boost in pixels. We don’t think it’s worth it; the VG271U is a nice stepping stone.

Acer VG271U Wrap Up

The Acer VG271U has all the makings to steal the number 2 spot on our list, aside from a slightly slower refresh rate of 144Hz. Otherwise, it has newer HDMI ports, AMD FreeSync to reduce screen tearing/stuttering, and a fast 1ms response time hardly seen in IPS panels. Not to mention DCI-P3 and DisplayHDR 400. The fact that it isn’t 4K is hardly an issue. If the Acer VG271U hasn’t caught your eye, you may want to check out its sister monitor by reading our review of the Acer Nitro VG271U IPS FreeSync gaming monitor.