Somewhere in between Full HD (1,920-by-1080) and Ultra HD (3,840by-2,160) lies a resolution known as Quad HD, or WQHD, that delivers a maximum resolution of 2,560-by-1,440 pixels. Monitors capable of WQHD resolutions are typically used by graphics professionals who require precise color accuracy and intricate image detail, or gaming enthusiasts with deep pockets. The Acer B276HUL( at Amazon) is the latest 27-inch Quad HD monitor to hit the shelves, joining other professional grade models like the Dell UltraSharp U2713HM($629.99 at Amazon) and Viewsonic VX2770Smh-LED. It is the most affordable WQHD monitor we've seen, and it's an overall good performer that is loaded with features. However, its grayscale performance can't match that of its more expensive competitors.

Design and Features
The B276HUL has a no-nonsense business design. The 27-inch IPS screen has a matte coating and is housed in a 2.4-inch thick mate black cabinet with dark gray ¾-inch bezels. The bottom bezel sports the requisite Acer logo and six buttons, and there's another logo etched into the rear of the cabinet.

The cabinet has four VESA mounting holes on the back and comes with a flexible stand with height, swivel, tilt, and pivot adjustments. The flat rectangular base provides a place to stash your keyboard or store small peripherals, and the mounting arm has a slot to help keep cables organized. Two USB 3.0 ports are mounted on the left side of the cabinet, and there are two more, plus an upstream port, at the rear.

Video inputs are plentiful; the B276HUL has two HDMI and two DisplayPort connections and a dual link DVI connection. There's also an audio input for the embedded speakers. Unfortunately, the speakers are underpowered and sound very tinny with no bass response whatsoever.

The B276HUL offers a good selection of picture settings. In addition to brightness, contrast, and color temperature settings you can adjust saturation and hue levels for red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, and cyan. Acer's empowering Technology (picture presets) contains standard, movie, graphics, eco, and user modes. There are also several PIP (picture in picture) settings including input source, position, size, and a picture by picture (side by side) mode.

Acer covers the B276HU with a three year warranty and includes DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB (upstream) cables in the box.

Performance
The B276HUL's extensive picture settings make it easy to calibrate the monitor, but chance are you won't have to tweak this panel at all as color accuracy was quite good right out of the box. The CIE (International Committee on Illumination) chart below contains boxes that represent the ideal coordinates for each color, and the dots represent our findings (measured with a colorimeter). As shown, blue and red are right where they should be and green is only slightly off and well within an acceptable range as there was no perceptible tinting or oversaturation. Like any good IPS monitor worth its salt, the B276HUL provides a bright, colorful picture from any angle.

Grayscale performance was good but not stellar. There was some clipping at the light end of the scale on the DisplayMate 64-Step Grayscale test that made the two brightest shades appear white. Dark grayscale performance was better but the final two shades did not transition smoothly; the darkest shade was much darker than its predecessor. As a result, highlight and shadow detail in my test photos, while good, could have been sharper.

The panel's 6-millisecond (g-g) pixel response kept motion artifacts to a minimum. I detected a very slight trace of blurring while watching a UEFA (European Football) match, but it was fleeting and would likely go unnoticed unless you were actively looking for it.

Power consumption was not overly excessive but not miserly either. The B276HUL averaged 48 watts of power during testing in standard mode. In comparison, the Dell U2713M used 32 watts in standard mode and the AOC i2757fh used 30 watts. The B276HUL's eco mode will knock that number down to 33 watts but you'll sacrifice luminance as a trade off.

With the B276HUL you get a reasonably priced WQHD monitor that delivers solid color quality and wide viewing angles courtesy of IPS panel technology. A highly adjustable stand, multiple digital inputs, and built in 4-port USB 3.0 hub make this 27-inch monitor a solid choice for cash-strapped graphics pros that need a big screen with a high pixel count. Only its so-so grayscale performance prevents the B276HUL from replacing the NEC MultiSync PA271W( at Amazon) as our Editors' Choice for big-screen monitors.

Best Monitor Picks

• The Best 4K Monitors for 2020
• The Best Curved Monitors for 2020
• The Best Ultrawide Monitors for 2020
• The Best Gaming Monitors for 2020
• More Monitor Reviews
• More from Acer

Further Reading

• Samsung Will Stop Making LCD Panels This Year
• MSI Responds to Coronavirus With Extended Warranties
• What to Do When Your Computer Screen Won't Show a Picture
• Save $60 on This 15.6-Inch Portable Touch-Screen Deco Gear Monitor
• Report: LG and Samsung Are Developing Portable Displays for Phones