Acer CB282K monitor review: a high-quality, low-cost 4K monitor

The Acer CB282K is one of the cheapest as well as one of the best 4K monitors you're likely to come across if you're in the market for one. Although it doesn't offer best-in-class performance in all areas, it certainly gives you plenty of value for money and versatility.

It's actually one of the cheapest 4K monitors we've seen at T3, but it doesn't compromise too much in terms of specifications or build quality. In this in-depth review we'll explain everything you need to know about whether this is the right monitor for you.

No matter what you're looking for in a new monitor – whether the Acer CB282K fits the bill or not – we've got plenty of buying guide advice to share with you, everything from the best ultrawide monitors or the best gaming monitors on the market at the moment.

• Best 4K monitors 2024: the top Ultra HD displays with HDR and more

Acer CB282K: Price and availability

You can pick up the Acer CB282K monitor right now from a variety of retailers. The widgets embedded on this page should give you an indication of the current pricing for the monitor on the web, but at the time of writing this review it's around the £280/$300 mark from retailers that include Amazon and AO.

Acer CB282K: Design and setup

The Acer CB282K is very straightforward in terms of the required setup – the base slots into the stand and then the stand slots into the monitor. That's it! No screwdrivers or instruction manuals required. It's probably for the best if you get someone else to help you with assembly, though we reckon most people will be just about able to get everything done on their own.

Aesthetically this monitor has classy, minimal vibes – it's not the sort of monitor you would be surprised to see in an Apple-style promotional video (though, of course, it's not made by Apple). While the build quality doesn't scream premium or luxury, it's certainly not going to let you down, as it feels solid when it's being moved and tilted, for example.

For the purposes of checking how this is going to fill out your desk space, the monitor and its attached stand measure 637 x 617 x 269mm (that's 25.1 x 24.3 x 10.6in), and the weight is 7.25kg (16lbs). In terms of connections, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.2 socket – so enough for three devices, though it would've perhaps been nice to see USB-C here as well.

The bezels around the sizes of the display are reasonably thin and the speaker bar underneath the screen is tastefully done as well. On-screen menus are navigated using a joystick and three buttons positioned around the back of the device, which are simple enough to get to grips with once you've figured them out for the first time. 

• We've rounded up the best portable monitors

Acer CB282K: Features and picture quality

The highlight of this 28-inch IPS LCD screen is its 4K resolution – the classic 3,840 x 2,160 pixel arrangement. The other specs you'll want to know about are the 300 nits maximum brightness, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 4ms response time, and 60Hz refresh rate. Those are respectable rather than jaw-dropping specs, but considering the price you're paying for this monitor you're not going to feel short-changed. It's a competent all-rounder rather than a device that's going to blow the top-tier competition away.

We tested the Acer CB282K in a variety of scenarios, including movie-watching and game-playing, and found it capable of displaying well-balanced, sharp pictures without much in the way of motion blur (on the gaming side, you've got support for AMD FreeSync too). That 4K resolution really makes a difference in terms of detail, though you might have to adjust the scaling when you switch back to browsing the web or writing up reports.

With 90 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space and eight different picture modes to choose from – sRGB, Reading, Darkroom, Standard, Eco, Graphics, HDR and User (custom) – this is a screen for creatives and tinkerers too, though it's fair to say we had to do a bit of tinkering to get the right colour and white balance. Some of those modes at default settings looked a bit dim and washed out, but there's plenty of customisation to be had if needed through the on-screen menus.

This screen doesn't rotate on its pedestal but it does tilt across 40 degrees, and there is a limited amount of height adjustment as well. The monitor also comes with its own pair of 2W speakers – they're a little bit tinny and not fantastic as far as sound systems go, but it's always good to have speakers included if you don't want to have to hook up separate ones (also at added expense).

• Our guide to the best monitors for the Mac mini

Acer CB282K review: verdict

While the Acer CB282K falls short of the very best monitors in a few areas, it's priced accordingly to compensate for that. Besides, it has a lot going for it: a stylish, minimal design; that 4K resolution and resulting detail; and enough ports for most people. We also think it hits the sweet spot in terms of size, at 28-inch – big enough to display games and videos well, but not so big that it dominates any room that it's put in.

It is those uses – games and videos – where this monitor looks its best, with rich colours and deep blacks. Those impressive visuals aren't quite matched for normal web browsing and office work, but at all times the monitor displays a clear and reliable picture. It has its strengths and weaknesses, so some custom tweaking may be required to get the very best picture results.

Run your eyes down the list of technical specifications for the Acer CB282K and you can of course find other monitors that beat it in just about every area. However, we think this is a fine option for those who don't want to spend too much but do want a screen that's going to look great most of the time and in most scenarios. It's a great way to get 4K without the typical cost.

• We've picked the best monitors for MacBook Pros

Acer CB282K: Also consider

When we say the Acer CB282K is a good all-rounder for the price, you might be wondering what we're comparing it to. Take the MSI Optix MPG341CQR curved gaming monitor for example: it's bigger than the Acer, has a better refresh rate and response time, and it's a much better option if you're a serious gamer. At the same time, it's going to cost you considerably more money, so these are the choices you have to make.

For something of a similar size and price as the Acer, take a peek at the Huawei MateView. It uses a more unusual 3:2 aspect ratio, so you may consider it better for web browsing and office tasks, and it too boasts a 4K display resolution. 

T3 tests a wide range of products, from kayaks to kick scooters, mattresses to laptops, but the one thing that links them all is our approach to testing. Here's T3's How We Test page, so you know you're getting the real deal – actual time spent with testing products in the real world, not make-believe reviews based on spec sheets and assumption. 

• Take a look at the best laptops on the market