The Acer XV272UKV has a lot to offer even if it sits at the affordable to medium range slot of the 1440p gaming display spectrum. It carries a fast IPS panel that goes up to 170Hz along with some necessary features for your enjoyment. Let’s check out if the Acer XV272UKV compares to its well-received competition like the Asus VG27AQL1A.
Acer XV272UKV Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 170Hz
- Response Time: 1ms MPRT
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 400 cd/m²
- Speakers: Yes(2 x 2 Watts)
- Stand: Height -Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: HDMI 2.0 x 2, DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, USB 3.0 x 4, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 24.17” x 20.51” x 9.17”
- Weight: 14.44 lbs
Design and Features
The Acer XV272UKV uses the same aesthetic as the rest of the recent Nitro monitor releases, and it could really use a redesign. The chassis has a matte black finish with a discrete red accent on the base. The monitor is bezel-free on three sides that allow you to enjoy almost every square inch of the screen.
The cabinet used on the Acer XV272UKV has reasonable proportions, but the circular base takes up more space than what is necessary. The device when fully set up needs a little over nine inches of depth, but it’s light enough to move around at 14.44 pounds. However, what’s good about this design is the stand’s placement towards the back of the plate which allows users to push it closer to a wall.
Build quality for the Acer XV272UKV is unchanged as well so you can expect excellent durability and a long lifespan from it. The plastics are thick enough to prevent cracking and flexing, and there are no cosmetic defects on the monitor. The included stand is stable and it can keep the monitor upright without dizzying shaking even during heavy use.
The Acer XV272UKV has four hotkeys and a joystick for its OSD, so accessing its features or adjusting the screen is a breeze. The layout is behind the monitor, but they are quite close to the right side edge so you won’t have to lean in. The OSD has plenty of options, so it’s always nice to have a user-friendly tool to navigate it swiftly.
The Acer XV272UKV’s stand offers full adjustability so you can tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the screen height. It’s quite sturdy and flexible enough, so most users won’t need to swap it out with a VESA mount which is also compatible with it. The only thing we dislike is the circular base, but most will be able to live with it.
Nitro monitors represent the budget to midrange line, but the Acer XV272UKV doesn’t skimp when it comes to connectivity. Its layout includes DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0 slots for video inputs, along with four USB 3.0 ports and a 3.5mm jack for peripherals. Some high-end connectors like USB-C are missing, but that’s okay considering the price point.
The Acer XV272UKV even manages to include built-in speakers which aren’t powerful, but valuable for uses other than gaming. They don’t have the necessary oomph for entertainment and they can easily distort, but we think they are usable for background music or video calls. There’s a lot of us doing the work from home thing nowadays, so it can come in handy either way.
Display and Performance
The Acer XV272UKV sports a 27-inch Fast IPS panel with a 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution, a 170Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms boosted response time. The backlight has a 400 cd/m2 maximum output while the contrast ratio is listed at 1000:1 like most IPS panels. This model is HDR 400 certified like its competitors, but this level isn’t powerful enough for true HDR performance.
27-inch 1440p monitors are considered as the sweet spot if you want to upgrade your screen’s sharpness without the downsides of going with 4K variants. Productivity won’t suffer since the screen isn’t too crisp to make letters less legible while giving you more space to work with. Games will look cleaner and crisper with this screen, but you will need more GPU horsepower to reach that 170Hz ceiling.
The Acer XV272UKV produces 100% sRGB and around 92% DCI-P3 for excellent vibrancy for daily use. It also looks like it’s factory-calibrated since the deltaE average of the default setting is only at 1.57. That’s a fantastic score for a gaming variant, and most users will feel that it’s ready for use right away.
Calibrating the Acer XV272UKV posted even better results with a reduced dE average of 0.63 which is excellent at this level. It’s usable for color-critical work, but you will need to employ a colorimeter to get this kind of output. It’s not necessary for gaming, but if you already have the gadget or if you work with digital arts then it’s a nice bonus.
The backlight on the Acer XV272UKV only managed to reach 253 cd/m2 in SDR, but it can pulse up to 451 cd/m2 when it’s fed an HDR signal. It’s too dim to use in well-lit rooms, so adding some blackout curtains to your décor might be beneficial. The contrast ratio maxed out at 1044:1 at 70% brightness in SDR, so it’s still unable to produce deep blacks or compelling dark scenes like VA panels.
Panel uniformity for the Acer XV272UKV could use some improvements since there are some clouding issues on the screen. Backlight bleeding was not a problem, but putting on an all-black image revealed some discrepancies on the display. Take note that this varies wildly between every monitor due to the limitations of IPS and some manufacturing tolerances, so there are better units out there.
Responsiveness is another strength of the Acer XV272UKV, proving why Fast IPS panels are the ones to beat in the market. The screen isn’t prone to blurring, so motion sequences are smooth and clear. There is some minor persistence in contrasting transitions, but the monitor’s overdrive at its Normal level does a good job of cleaning it up.
The Acer XV272UKV is a FreeSync monitor, but it also works with Nvidia’s G-Sync Compatible mode without any issues. Both GPU brands have ideal cards for this monitor, so it’s nice to have the freedom to choose whichever you want for your setup. Input lag sits under 4ms at 170Hz, so the monitor is a viable choice for competitive gaming.
Thoughts on the Acer XV272UKV
The Acer XV272UKV is a great choice if you want a decently priced gaming monitor with high-end capabilities and specifications. The 170Hz screen is buttery smooth and its color quality is amazing by default and when calibrated. We’re a bit tired of the monitor’s dated look, but it packs great functionality for convenience and utility.
The only downside to it is its low brightness and contrast ratio, but the latter is expected when it comes to IPS panels. We also hope that Acer finally decides to stop recycling this design since it now looks dated against the competition. The Acer XV272UKV is a solid buy for gaming at its price point with very few disadvantages that most can shrug off.
Pros:
- Fantastic Gamut Coverage
- Great Default and Calibrated Accuracy
- Buttery Smooth with Superb Pixel Responsiveness
- FreeSync/G-Sync Compatible
- Attractive Price
Cons:
- Old Aesthetic Needs Redesign
- Mediocre Contrast
- Low Brightness (SDR)
About the Author: 
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
Camo says
HEllo, difference between this and the VG272UV?
Both seem to have the same panels just with varying stands.
Is this true?
Paolo Reva says
Hi, Camo! We can’t verify if the panels used are exactly the same since this is a newer model. However, their performance will be comparable with the exception of the physical features. We recommend picking this model instead since the price difference is negligible if you ask us. Cheers!