Acer ConceptD CP7271K review: a 4K monitor for creators and gamers

In this Acer ConceptD CP7271K review, I’ll take a deep dive into this monitor’s performance and features to explain exactly what I loved about it, and what I didn't. 

Acer is no stranger to T3’s guide of the best 4K monitors you can buy, with this entry being their third. It’s a brand you can trust to produce some of the best screen tech, and this 27-inch UHD monitor is no different. The Acer ConceptD CP7271K boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, IPS display, 1,000 nits of brightness, impressive colour reproduction and Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate. 

If you’re looking for a versatile 4K monitor, the Acer ConceptD CP7271K caters to both content creators and videogamers. But an eye-watering price comes alongside its high-end specs, and while some may feel enamoured by it, others will deem it a confusing combination of features. 

Acer ConceptD CP7271K review: price and availability 

A premium monitor, the Acer ConceptD CP7271K starts at $2,199 in the US, £1,999 in the UK and AU$3,449 in Australia. You can pick one up from Amazon, or from B&H in the US. 

Acer ConceptD CP7271K review: design and setup

Straight out of the box, the Acer ConceptD CP7271K looks like a monitor geared towards creatives. With a minimalist wood-effect base and a matte-silver metal stand, it avoids the black industrial appearance that many gaming monitors have. But that doesn't mean it's flimsy, this monitor has a really sturdy, solid feel to it. The rounded base and thick stand do take up quite a lot of desk real-estate in comparison to the more common V-shaped style, so make sure you have the space for it. 

There’s an optional clip-on hood to go across the top and side bezels of the display, though you may not feel the need to have it on. It does ruin the appearance somewhat but it will do a good job to reduce glare. You can easily adjust the height and swivel but unfortunately, it doesn’t offer any tilt or rotation to have it set up vertically - a shame at this price.

The display itself is 27 inches, with four buttons and a joystick located on the back to control the on-screen display, whether that’s to switch between inputs, change the picture mode or adjust the brightness. There’s an HDMI, a DisplayPort and two USB-3 ports to hook it up to your computer or console, as well as a 3.5mm audio output for your headphones or speaker. I would have liked to have seen some USB-C connectivity on it too but that hasn’t been included on the Acer ConceptD CP7271K.

Setting it up was pretty easy, unlike other monitors it’s not that heavy, weighing about 8.3kg. Then, it was just a case of plugging it in.

Acer ConceptD CP7271K review: picture and features 

The Acer ConceptD CP7271K has a crisp 4K UHD display with a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. To please avid gamers there’s Nvidia G-Sync support, Vesa certified DisplayHDR 1000, 4ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate.

Having an IPS display and whopping 1,000 nits of brightness gives it impressive clarity and wide viewing angles (178° horizontally and vertically). One issue with IPS displays has historically been issues with glare, but thanks to the hood and anti-glare coating this wasn’t son much of a problem here. 

What really impressed me was the colour reproduction, it looks incredibly vibrant with very deep blacks and the whitest whites. To draw in professional creators, it supports 1.07 billion colours and 93% DCI-P3 Wide Colour Gamut. Acer also claims it has a Delta E average of less than 1, meaning it has been calibrated based on colour accuracy. The vivid, true-to-life hues will be very well-suited for content creation. For gaming, it's more of an added bonus.

For those using it over long periods, the built-in ambient light sensor reduces eye-strain by measuring the brightness of the environment and automatically adjusting the backlight, which will be useful no matter what you use the Acer ConceptD CP7271K for. 

It has two 4W speakers built-in, but I thought they were disappointing. The sound was hollow, with distortion in the mid to high-end range and they gave very little impression of having stereo sound. If you buy this monitor, I would recommend hooking it up to your own audio device. 

Acer ConceptD CP7271K review: verdict and price 

While the Acer ConceptD CP7271K looks super sharp and has accurate colour reproduction, it does feel like a bit of a mismatch of features, trying to cater to both creators and gamers at once. 

Such a high price point is unlikely to convince gamers who could get a bigger 4K monitor for much less, creators on the other hand may be more likely to buy into the quality of the display but won’t have the need for gaming features like Nvidia G-Sync. But if you are someone who does both, this could be a good choice, if you are willing to spend a fair amount of cash on it.

• If you aren't bothered about having 4K resolution, these are the best gaming monitors