Acer ConceptD CM3271K 4K Monitor Review: Colorful and Bright 27-Incher

Color gamut options that'll make pros smile

Reviews
By Christian Eberle
published
Acer ConceptD CM3271K
(Image: © Acer)

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Viewing Angles

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The CM3271K shows typical IPS viewing angles when photographed at 45 degrees to the sides. A green tint is visible and peak output drops about 30% brightness. Detail is visible down to the darkest steps. In the vertical plane, the image looks more washed out with a blue tint and a 50% drop in brightness. 

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Our CM3271K sample had slight hotspots in the corners with the bottom right showing a barely visible glow. That hurt its uniformity score though 13.10% isn’t too bad. This is a sample-specific issue, so not all CM3271Ks will exhibit this behavior. Color uniformity was exemplary at every brightness level and field patterns above 10% brightness had no issues. 

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Image 1 of 2
Acer ConceptD CM3271K
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Among 60Hz monitors, the CM3271K has a tad less input delay. Of course, compared to faster screens, it lags behind. 61ms is fine for casual gaming, but more skilled players will need a speedier monitor to rack up the frags. The 22ms draw time can be mitigated with overdrive, but when Adaptive-Sync is engaged, overdrive is unavailable. This means rapid movements on screen will show visible motion blur and a reduction in resolution. 

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test Monitors

MORE: All Monitor Content

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

3 Comments Comment from the forums
  • ingodwestream
    Is this a better pick for video/photo/office vs BenQ PD2700U? 4K and color accurate is top priority.
    Reply
  • kkruecke
    Thanks for the CM3271K review and for the suggested User mode settings mentioned in the review.
    Reply
  • Pro.swe
    Thanks a lot for this great review. I have one of this and a colorimeter. Which are the differencies is using "Acer Calibrator" software for calibration or the colorimeter software with icc profile? Does this monitor support hardware calibration? I cannot find clear information about this
    Reply