Acer XB280HK
MSRP $799.00
“If your PC can handle 4K gaming and you’re willing to pay the premium price, you’ll love the Acer XB280HK.”
Avg
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Solid build quality
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Adjustable stand
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Excellent image quality after calibration
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G-Sync enables smooth gameplay
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4K takes graphics to a new level
Against
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Bad monitor controls
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G-Sync can cause stuttering at low frames per second
The term “gaming monitor” didn’t mean much at one point. While screens bearing this slogan typically offered response times that were a touch faster than their counterparts, the average monitor was already fast enough to make the advantage imperceptible. Gamers knew this and mostly opted for high quality IPS displays instead.
However, over the past year both AMD and Nvidia have introduced display sync techniques that have finally given more meaning to the term “gaming monitor”. Displays that support this feature can match their refresh rates to the frame rate of the games you play when you use them. This eliminates stuttering, screen tearing, and other artifacts. However, this is not a patchable feature. You have to buy a new monitor to get it.
Acer’s XB280HK is the company’s flagship entry into this new gaming monitor category. It boasts a 28-inch 4K display with Nvidia G-Sync support, a combination made for gaming.
However, it is not cheap as it has a price tag of $800. This makes it one of the most expensive gaming monitors. So is it worth the premium rates?
A great player
The XB280HK is framed by a slim, glossy black frame that gives it a premium look. While reflections from the plastic frame can be a problem in very bright rooms, the bezels are so thin that it’s usually not a problem. On the back, Acer switches to a matte plastic that looks mundane but feels durable. Overall, the Acer XB280HK’s build quality easily lives up to its $800 MSRP.
The Acer XB280HK is the first gaming monitor we’ve ever reviewed that truly enhanced our gaming experience.
An ergonomic stand with tilt, swivel and height adjustment supports the monitor. Encased in plastic, the stand feels solid, and the wide circular base isolates the screen from most vibrations. The monitor is VESA compatible, so you can use another stand if you don’t like what Acer includes.
Connectivity is limited to DisplayPort 1.2. This may confuse some buyers, as it is common for a screen this large to have three or four inputs. The reason for this limitation is the XB280HK’s ultra HD resolution and G-Sync functionality. DisplayPort is the only input that has enough bandwidth to run this panel.
The monitor can also serve as a USB hub thanks to its four USB 3.0 ports. Two are located on the left side and two on the back of the monitor.
Control problems
Despite its price, the XB280HK comes with a rudimentary control scheme that doesn’t differ much from what you’ll find on cheaper displays. Five tactile buttons are used to navigate through the menu that pops up along the lower right edge of the screen. Numerous icons represent different options, but, with the exception of brightness, none of the icons clearly indicate what they symbolize. You’ll have to dive into them to find out for yourself.
Although there are several image quality presets offered here, most of the monitor’s options are located in a single submenu. Users can adjust brightness, contrast, color temperature and gamma. The gamma control actually targets a value rather than an obscure preset, which we appreciate, but this advantage is offset by the lack of color control options. Even simple RGB changes cannot be achieved using a monitor.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Overdrive, a feature unique to this monitor, claims to combat ghosting by increasing pixel response time. We didn’t notice much of a difference with the feature on or off, as the screen suffers from minimal ghosting at its default settings anyway.
Display quality before calibration
Our first impressions of the XB280HK were plagued by the screen’s limited viewing angles. This is most visible on the vertical axis. Image quality drops drastically when you look at the monitor from a standing position. Fortunately, you can solve the problem by using an adjustable stand to position the screen where it looks best.
While the XB280HK isn’t perfect when it comes to color accuracy, it’s close.
When we dug deeper using our calibration tools, we found the display to be very capable. The XB280HK can render 96 percent of the sRGB gamut out of the box, along with 71 percent of Adobe RGB. It also boasts a solid 620:1 contrast ratio. While the Acer’s color gamut results don’t beat the LG 34UM95, which is a wide-format IPS display we tested earlier this year, the Acer’s out-of-the-box contrast rivals the AOC G2770PQU.
We were also impressed with the color accuracy results. We recorded an average delta error of 2.31 and also noted that no result deviated from this average by more than two. The largest error the human eye can see is a delta error of one. So while the XB280HK isn’t perfect when it comes to color accuracy, it’s close.
This beats or equals the pre-calibration results of all monitors we tested in 2014, except for the Samsung S27D390H. We also measured gamma at 2.1, which is slightly off the target 2.2.
Like most monitors, this Acer comes with the brightness set to maximum. We recorded a brilliant score of 306.5 lux, one of the highest results we’ve seen. While this is perfect for a retail floor, it is not good for use in a typical home environment. This setting eliminates shadow detail and can cause eye strain after viewing for just a few minutes. There are no issues with glare either, as the XB280HK has a semi-gloss finish that rarely produces reflections.
Display quality after calibration
While the XB280HK looks good at its default settings, it suffers from an overly bright image, poor shadow detail, and excessively low color temperature. Fortunately, these problems were solved with one round of calibration.
The color gamut didn’t change much after calibration, and the contrast was reduced to 530:1 because we significantly reduced the brightness of the panel. This also reduced black brightness by half, which improved the image quality of dark scenes in movies and games.
The biggest improvements were found in color accuracy. The average delta error dropped from 2.31 to 1.55, a strong number that nearly equals the AOC G2770PQU. That unit received a rating of 1.44. We were also able to correct the gamma curve to a perfect 2.2, besting the AOC’s score of 2.0.
With the screen calibrated, we fell in love with the image of the Acer XB280HK. Games look clear, vivid and beautiful. Even text documents and browser windows had a precise, crisp, and balanced look that rivals the best monitors we’ve tested. While we’d like to see a bit more contrast for better shadow detail, most people using this monitor won’t have much to complain about, other than the narrow viewing angle.
Living with 4K and G-Sync
However, color accuracy and gamma do not tell the whole story about the XB280HK. The monitor’s 4K resolution and Nvidia G-Sync technology also have their own chapters. Acer’s XB280HK is the only 4K G-Sync monitor currently available. Simply put, displays don’t get any more advanced than this.
Upscaling to 4K (3840 x 2160) makes games look better than ever before. Even older titles like league of legends and Diablo 3 benefit. The improved sharpness is most apparent in the textures, which look much more realistic than on a 1080p or even 1440p monitor, but the added detail helps everywhere.
With the screen calibrated, we fell in love with the image of the Acer XB280HK. Games look clear, vivid and beautiful.
IN Battlefield 4for example, we noticed that explosions look richer and more realistic in 4K, while in Diablo 3we noted particle effects that are easy to miss at lower resolutions.
We’re also happy to report a few UI or scaling issues in the games we played at 4K. Even Final Fantasy XIV: Rebirth of a KingdomAn MMORPG with a busy interface, it was enjoyable after we adjusted the UI to 140 percent of normal using the in-game settings.
However, you’ll need some serious hardware to power the XB280HK at an acceptable frame rate. Nvidia’s new GeForce GTX 980, which is the most powerful single-GPU graphics card, struggles to play games at 4K resolution while maintaining frame rates of 30 FPS or better. Until we had such problems in Diablo 3we had to play Battlefield 4 on medium details. To enjoy demanding games on this monitor, you need an expensive rig with two GPUs.
4K also somewhat reduces the appeal of Nvidia G-Sync. The technology can handle monitors with very high refresh rates, but the XB280HK is only comfortable at 60Hz because the extreme resolution requires significant bandwidth. You won’t see improved responsiveness in games that run above 60 FPS. That said, G-Sync still does its job. Stuttering and sync issues have been completely eliminated. The result is extremely smooth rendering that is evident in character animations and particle effects.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
The benefits of G-Sync were somewhat marred by the flickering issue. At times, the Acer XB280HK exhibited the worst flickering issues we’ve seen in years. This is an artifact rooted in G-Sync. Linking the refresh rate to the frame rate means that the screen refreshes very slowly if the game’s FPS drops below 20 seconds.
While we understand why this happens, it’s disappointing to see flickering on an $800 display. Besides, this is a problem that was largely thought to have been eradicated long ago. Hopefully Nvidia can fix the driver update issue.
Conclusion
The Acer XB280HK is the first gaming monitor we’ve ever reviewed that really improved our gaming experience. While competitors like the AOC G2770PQU are cheaper and offer roughly the same color accuracy, Acer’s combination of 4K and G-Sync makes for a premium monitor that no competitor can match. This screen can add new life and detail to your favorite games.
However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all monitor. You will need a pair of high-end Nvidia graphics cards, such as a GTX 780 Ti, GTX Titan or GTX 980, to play the most attractive games at maximum or near maximum detail. That’s an expensive proposition.
But that’s not Acer’s fault. Gaming is an expensive hobby, especially if you want top-notch graphics and performance. The most dedicated PC fans have embraced this. So if die-hard gamers are willing to pay the $800 premium, they’ll love the Acer XB280HK.
Tall
- Solid build quality
- Adjustable stand
- Excellent image quality after calibration
- G-Sync enables smooth gameplay
- 4K takes graphics to a new level
Falls
- Bad monitor controls
- G-Sync can cause stuttering at low frames per second
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn