Technical Specifications
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Like a vast majority of gaming displays, the XB280HK employs a TN panel. What is unique here is the Ultra HD resolution. Playing graphics-intensive titles while pushing more than eight million pixels still requires a fairly expensive video card. But the addition of G-Sync means choosing between stuttering/input latency and frame tearing is no longer necessary.
This is a good thing because, thanks to its high resolution, the XB280HK is limited to a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz. There aren't many rigs able to operate above that frame rate at 3840x2160 anyway. With the variable refresh available from G-Sync, there is no stuttering until the action drops below 30 FPS. Then, the GPU simply doubles frames to keep input lag from increasing.
If you’re wondering about the panel part used, it’s the same Innolux piece found in every other 28-inch UHD/TN screen. Acer specs an 8-bit color depth, which suggests the frame-rate conversion to 10-bit has been eliminated to speed up video processing. We also recorded faster panel response times in our tests thanks to Acer’s more aggressive overdrive feature.
Like the XG280HU we reviewed recently, this is a no-frills design. Aside from Ultra HD and G-Sync, you don’t get much else. The build is solid and our tests show good picture quality as well. But if you’re looking for gaming modes, blur reduction or higher refresh rates, you’ll have to look elsewhere and take a hit to resolution in the process.