ACER Nitro VG270UP Review

Acer are no strangers when it comes to creating some of the best monitors money can buy. I mean, just take their incredibly powerful Predator X27 4K monitor as a prime example. Today, we get to test run one of their impressive new arrivals – the Acer Nitro VG270UP gaming monitor.

This is a monitor that comes to the table with a powerful array of specs that include; a 1440p IPS panel, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms GTG response time, and a bunch of additional features that are geared towards gamers. That doesn’t just make this a serious contender in the mid-range price category, but one of the stand-out monitors in terms of value for money.

So, with that in mind, let’s waste no further time and jump straight into it.

How We Tested

Here at WePC, we take our reviews extremely seriously. Even though user feedback and product research is a major part of the review process, it isn’t the most important factor. Putting the hardware we review through its paces in our testing facility is by far the most important aspect of any review. Not only does it give us the information needed to review and compare that product properly, but it also lets you know that our opinions are well-informed and backed up by solid research.

Testing monitors is something we’ve done here at WePC since day one, so when Acer decided to send us their VG270UP gaming monitor, we already had all the tools in place to ensure this monitor got the complete rundown. After taking stock photos of the monitor, it gets sent to the review team. The team will put the product through its paces in several different scenarios to ensure it’s been benchmarked in full.

Most of our review team either play games or enjoy dabbling in creative endeavors, which means we understand the important role a monitor plays in your PC’s Setup. The difference between a budget monitor and a high-end one can be huge, and I’m not just referencing its size. That’s why most of our time spent reviewing a product is spent on the physical benchmarking section.

We like to give the most informed and unbiased review of the products we receive. That way, you can be sure what we say is both legit and informed.

Specifications

One of the most important aspects to consider before making a major hardware purchase is the specifications. It might sound like an obvious thing to say, but you’ll be surprised at how many people just look at the size and refresh rate of a monitor before making up their mind.

The following section will outline all the major specifications this monitor has to offer. If some of the specs don’t make much sense, don’t worry. We’ll be going over everything you need to know further down the article.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the specs:

• Size: 27″
• Refresh Rate: 144Hz
• Response Time: 1ms
• Panel Type: IPS
• Maximum Resolution: 2560 x 1440
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
• Brightness: 350 cd/m²

Size, Weight, & Design

The VG270UP is a 27-inch monitor that offers a sleek design accentuated by a blue-on-gray color scheme. It doesn’t come with any form of RGB lighting, no biggie, but does make up for that in terms of color and picture quality (something we’ll discuss shortly).

As far as 27-inch monitors go, this one feels pretty small – mainly thanks to the monitor’s three-sided borderless frame design. It weighs in at a mere 5.11Kg (middle of the road when concerning 27″ monitors) and has a fairly wide footprint. Overall I actually really enjoy the aesthetic this monitor brings to the table. It ticks both boxes for style, and game feel – if you know what I mean.

We may as well get the elephant out of the room straight away — that stand. Now, even though it might look cool and angular, it is pathetic in terms of stability and robustness. It is a piece of garbage. Never have I used a monitor (of this price) with such a terrible stand. It feels like it’s going to break every time I start typing. The wobble is so aggressive you feel a little queasy after time.

Anyway. Anger aside, the monitor does come with a VESA mount meaning you can destroy that stand at the next possible opportunity.

Resolution, Refresh Rate, & Response Time

Inputs

Taking a brief look at the inputs, the VG270UP doesn’t come with an abundance of options, but everything you need to get up and running.

• 1 x HDMI 1.4 port
• 1 x HDMI 2.0 port
• 1 x DisplayPort 1.2
• 1 x 3.5mm Headphone jack

Unlike many modern monitors, this one does not come with a USB input option. Having said that, it isn’t the end of the world. It still comes equipped with a couple of HMDI and DisplayPort inputs for obtaining silky-smooth 144hz visuals.

Features

Hands On Results

Let’s start off by discussing one of the standout purchasing features of this monitor, the stunning 1440p IPS panel. The 8-bit screen comes to the table equipped with a native maximum resolution of 2560 x 1440 and showcases extremely realistic color recreation and image quality. You’d think a monitor like this (largely tailored and marketed towards gamers) would probably fall a little short in the color accuracy department. Well, you’d be wrong to think that.

This has some of the best color recreations we’ve seen, and I’m not just talking about monitors of this price point. It displays such good color; it’s almost knocking on the door of premium displays for editors.

The contrast ratio isn’t bad either, with a displayed rating of 1000:1. Having said that, it tested higher than that when measured in-house. If you’re looking for extreme levels of black, however, I’d recommend going for a VA-panel over an IPS.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have the brightness, and this monitor is rated at 380cd/m² – not bad for SDR image quality. That being said if you plan on using the VRB mode while gaming, be prepared to sacrifice some of that brightness. The levels drop to over half the displayed brightness when using VRB in extreme mode. Furthermore, when testing for brightness uniformity, we noticed a fairly large discrepancy (around 20%) in certain areas. This was almost unrecognizable while in use, but it was definitely there during the test.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, this monitor doesn’t come with any form of HDR support (yep, not even HDR400). Not a big deal. HDR400 is pretty gimmicky if truth be told. It falls short of the minimum requirements you’d expect from official HDR10 and Dolby vision standards. If you are looking for an HDR panel, I would recommend looking for a minimum of HDR600. Anything less, and you really won’t see much benefit.

In-Game Performance

So, let’s move onto the in-game performance.

If you were impressed by the colors and image quality, you’ll be blown away by the gaming performance. This thing was awesome! The VG270UP hits shelves with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate and an equally attractive 1ms GTG response time. For comparison, a lot of IPS panels in this price point only offer 4ms – so you’re in good company here.

You will have to enable the visual response boost (VRB) mode to achieve the improved response time. Remember, if you want to reap the full rewards of this mode, you will have to reduce the refresh rate of your monitor down to 120Hz. Not a huge issue, but certainly an area that people might frown upon.

If you’d rather enjoy the smoothness 144Hz offers, simply disable the VRB mode and crank the overdrive up to extreme – you will not be disappointed. I always like to test a gaming monitor on CS:GO mostly because I love that game. But secondly, it’s incredibly fast-paced. You can usually see any screen artifact right off the bat, and to my surprise, there was basically nothing to fault. We put this side by side with the TN panel of the ASUS PG278QR (a high-end alternative), and it was tough to see the difference.

What I will say about using extreme overdrive, however, is that you do start to notice fairly obvious image ghosting. Now, for competitive gamers, this isn’t a huge gripe. If you’re looking for the most immersive experience, however, you will find this a little annoying. We experimented with a number of different setting combinations, and there was really no way around it. You simply have to dial down the overdrive.

Testing it across several different games yielded the same impressive results. Picture quality was crisp and clear, colors accurate, and immersion levels extremely high. It even allows Nvidia GPU users to utilize G-Sync (well, the ones that have a 10-series GTX card anyway).

Flicker-free technology is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a technology that eradicates the flicker that occurs when refreshing the image you’re seeing.

If you’re a gamer, you’ll probably indulge in long gaming sessions that span over several hours. If you’re using a monitor that doesn’t come equipped with flicker-free technology, you are putting additional strain on your eyes that can lead to damage over time.

Annoyingly, flicker-free isn’t visible to the naked eye. You might be reading this section now, thinking that your monitor doesn’t have this problem. When in reality, you might be putting your eyes through a lot of potential damage.

Anyway, that being said, this is just another additional extra that Acer added to this already impressive package.

Our Verdict

So, there you have it, our comprehensive rundown of the Acer Nitro VG270UP gaming monitor.

It currently retails at a shade under $300 (at the time of writing this), making it one of the best value-for-money monitors out there right now. We struggled to find a single monitor (in its price range) that delivered similar levels of picture quality, color accuracy, and smooth gameplay. The only real downside to this monitor is the absolutely abysmal stand that it comes with.

All-in-all though, if you’re looking for an affordable gaming monitor that offers stunning visuals and an overall immersive experience, and you can live with the stand, this monitor should be high up on your list of considerations.

Let us know what you thought of the monitor by dropping us a comment in the section below. Better still, head on over to our community hub, where you can discuss everything monitor related with like-minded individuals!