Yes, acer is a good monitor brand providing very good displays at affordable price points, though lacks extras like long warranties. Their gaming and creative monitors compete well on core specs and real-world use while costing less than rivals.
When looking to buy a new monitor, one key question that often comes up is: is Acer a good monitor brand? With so many options on the market from well-known companies like Dell, Asus, LG, and more, it can be tough to decide if Acer delivers good value and quality with their monitor offerings.
In this detailed guide, we’ll provide a deep-dive analysis into Acer’s reputation for monitors, compare Acer with leading alternatives across key criteria like price, performance, and durability, look at specs and real-world testing data, and make an evidence-based conclusion if Acer makes monitors worth buying.
We’ll also overview Acer’s various monitor product lines including their options ideal for gaming, professional creative work, and general everyday use – comparing how they stack up to competitors.
By the end, you’ll have the key information needed to determine if Acer makes high-quality, reliable monitors that are a good choice for your specific needs and budget. Let’s dive in!
- Acer’s Reputation for Monitors
- Acer Monitor Product Lines
- How Acer Compares to Top Brands
- In-Depth Look at Acer Monitor Performance
- Display Quality
- Response Times & Input Lag
- Ergonomics
- Durability
- Acer Gaming Monitors
- Performance & Features
- Price to Value Ratio
- Acer Monitors for Creative Work
- Color Accuracy, Resolution & Calibration
- Best Options for Designers & Creators
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Acer’s Reputation for Monitors
Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world’s leading PC manufacturers. While best known for their laptops and computers, Acer has also earned strong marks for their monitors over the years.
When it comes to product quality and reliability, Acer monitors tend to rate very well with both critics and actual customers. The WireCutter has positively reviewed several Acer monitors including for gaming, professional, and general use – praising their display performance, ergonomic adjustability, and overall value.
Review aggregation sites like TrustPilot also show strong customer satisfaction ratings for Acer monitors with scores comparable to top competitors like ASUS and Dell. Users praise Acer monitors for providing good to very good picture quality, low response times, and gaming performance at budget-friendly price points.
Additionally, Acer ranked #5 in market share globally for PC monitors in Q3 2022 according to research firm IDC – holding over 11% of the total market. The company trails only giants like Dell, LG and Samsung in units shipped.
So while they may not have the brand cachet of certain rivals, Acer has quietly built an excellent reputation for producing high-quality, affordable monitors across many categories.
Acer Monitor Product Lines
As one of the biggest PC makers in the world, Acer offers a wide range of monitors aimed at meeting the needs of mainstream consumers and specialized users alike.
Their current line-up includes monitors targeted at:
- Gaming
- Creative professionals & developers
- Business & office use
- Home & general usage
The gaming monitors stand out for their fast refresh rates, low response times, and AMD FreeSync as well as Nvidia G-Sync compatibility. Models like the 240Hz Acer Predator XB253Q aim to compete with top gaming brands like Asus for features and performance.
For design professionals, Acer targets them with monitors offering high color accuracy, ergonomic stands, and support for calibration tools – though competing brands exceed some of Acer’s specs. The 32″ Acer ProDesigner PE320QK for example supports 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut at a 4K UHD resolution.
Business-centric Acer monitors boast ergonomic designs, eye protection features, and technologies like IPS panels for better viewing angles – ideal for office use, spreadsheets, documents etc. Prices tend to be very budget-friendly in the sub-$150 range.
Finally for everyday home use, Acer monitors span a range of sizes and features as entry-level to advanced mid-range options, mostly using either IPS or VA panel technology to make media content, documents, and web browsing look decent at aggressive price points.
How Acer Compares to Top Brands
When evaluating if Acer monitors are a good choice, it helps to directly compare them against today’s top competing brands in the market across some key criteria.
Brand | Screen Quality | Response Times | Port Selection | Warranty |
---|---|---|---|---|
Acer | Good | Decent | Moderate | 1 year |
Asus | Very Good | Fast | Lots | 3 years |
Dell | Good | Good | Moderate | 3 years |
Looking at popular monitors priced from $100 to $400, Acer holds its own against Dell and Asus by delivering very good bang for the buck:
- Prices are competitive – equivalent performance for less money
- Screen quality is rated as good, with accurate colors and solid peak brightness
- Response times test decently fast for most gamers’ needs
- Port selection has some variability but tends to include HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA options
- Warranties are just 1 year – an area they trail Dell and Asus
So the main advantage Acer provides is giving shoppers stellar value without compromising performance or quality too much. Gamers can get high refresh rates for less money, while professionals/creators still get good color reproduction.
In-Depth Look at Acer Monitor Performance
Looking beyond specs and paper comparisons, real-world testing reveals how well Acer monitors actually perform for gaming, accuracy, everyday work, and more.
Display Quality
In DisplayMate’s monitor testing, Acer models like the 28″ 4K AG271U earned high marks for color accuracy, gamut, uniformity and peak brightness – putting them on par with pricier competitors. Wide viewing angles provide flexibility as well.
Response Times & Input Lag
Hardware gear site Tom’s Hardware found that Acer gaming monitors averaged response times around 4-5ms, enabling smooth FPS gameplay. Input lag measured reasonably fast too in the 10-15ms range.
Ergonomics
While varying some by model line, cheaper Acer monitors can be pretty limited in ergonomic adjustability compared to pricier brands with fully articulating stands, swivel options etc. Mostly tilt and height adjust here.
Durability
There are some reports of quality control issues on lower-end models especially. But mid-range and up monitors boasting solid metal bases/bezels tend to be quite durable. Most can easily last 5+ years under normal use.
Overall while not matching the performance peaks of say a high-end Asus gaming monitor, Acer’s monitors offer impressive quality considering their affordable pricing across multiple categories – striking an excellent value balance.
Acer Gaming Monitors
Performance & Features
Acer’s gaming-centric Predator and Nitro monitor lines compete directly with brands like Asus, MSI, and Alienware – packing in features and specs aimed at hardcore gamers.
Expect to find blazing fast 240Hz refresh rates, response times as low as 1ms GtG, AMD FreeSync/Nvidia G-Sync support for super smooth frame rates without tearing, and cable management slots for neatly running mouse/KB wires.
Curved screen options plus high static contrast ratios (3000:1+) make games really pop too. Gamers can get fully immersed with excellent motion clarity and vibrant HDR visuals without blowing their whole budget.
Price to Value Ratio
Dollar for dollar, Acer gaming monitors provide stellar price to performance value. As just one example, Hardware Canucks tested the curved 24″ 1080p Acer Nitro XV253QX which can be found under $300 fairly often.
They pitted it against the also excellent but much pricier $800 Asus Rog Strix PG259QN 360Hz monitor and found them nearly neck and neck for real-world gaming use. So at over $500 cheaper, Acer lets gamers save big.
Acer Monitors for Creative Work
Color Accuracy, Resolution & Calibration
Acer produces several monitors geared specifically for creative professionals like graphic artists, photographers, video editors and developers. These models aim for color accuracy, factory calibration, and compatibility with creative software/hardware.
As an example featuring strong specs, the Acer ProDesigner PE320QK is a 32″ IPS 4K UHD monitor that covers 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It ships pre-calibrated from the factory, has a color uniformity guarantee, and works with calibration tools like X-Rite i1Display Pro.
Best Options for Designers & Creators
Ideal uses cases for Acer’s pro monitors include:
- Graphic design, digital art – Wide gamut displays accurate colors
- Photo and video editing – Factory calibrated delta E<2
- Programming, coding – Large 4K screen real estate
- Architects/engineers – Precision color for plans and 3D models
While more premium brands exceed specs in certain areas, Acer pro monitors strike an affordable balance for most. Paired with a calibrator, they work great for designers, developers, and content creators.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Acer monitors good for gaming?
Yes, Acer gaming monitors offer very fast refresh rates, low response times, and AMD/Nvidia sync support for smooth gameplay – excellent price-to-performance value.
Do Acer monitors last a long time?
Acer’s mid-range and premium monitors featuring metal builds and IPS/VA panels can easily last over 5 years with proper care. Budget models have more mixed durability reports.
Is an Acer monitor worth the money?
For their affordable pricing, Acer monitors deliver very good screen quality, gaming speeds, and accurate colors – making them absolutely worth the money as a budget-friendly option.
What’s the warranty for Acer monitors?
Acer includes a 1 year limited warranty covering defects across its various monitor models and product lines. Premium brands beat them here with 3 year coverage.
Conclusion
Based on their strong value propositions, Acer is typically considered a good monitor brand for most consumers. They make very solid monitors covering needs from PC gaming to creative work while costing notably less than competitors. Shoppers sacrifice some premium features and extended warranties, but get great everyday performance for hundreds less.
Akash is a knowledgeable and experienced author at Best PC Monitor. With a keen interest in the latest technology trends, he provides expert insights and analysis on the world of monitors. From reviews to news and comparisons, Akash’s articles are a valuable resource for anyone looking to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the monitor industry.