Acer Announces 4K G-SYNC Monitor, XB280HK
by Chris Heinonen on May 26, 2014 11:45 AM EST
Acer has introduced the first 4K monitor that also features G-SYNC technology from NVIDIA. The Acer XB280HK is a 28” TN display with 3840x2160 resolution, like many of the first affordable 4K monitors that are just starting to become available. The major difference is that it features G-SYNC, allowing it to adaptively adjust its frame-rate to sync to the video card.
When AnandTech’s Ian Cutress ran a wide variety of tests on 4K gaming with different hardware last year, it was clear that maintaining a steady 60Hz frame rate is a challenge. G-SYNC, reviewed by Anand late last year, helps to alleviate this issue by syncing the monitor to the video card. If a complex scene causes the frame rate to drop the monitor will sync to this instead of introducing stuttering or tearing. With this certain to happen on a 4K display with standard hardware, G-SYNC might make gaming far more enjoyable at 4K resolutions.
The rest of the features in the XB280HK are what we expect, with 4x USB 3.0 ports, anti-glare coating, and a flicker free backlight. The press release from Acer is also missing pricing information, but it has a scheduled ship date of 2Q2014 so it should start arriving very soon.
Source: Acer
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Runamok81 - Monday, May 26, 2014 - link
I'm anxious to get some low prioced G-sync'd monitors into the market but, honestly, 28" is too small for a 4K monitor. Wouldn't a cost effective 2.5K monitor be a better option in this size?euler007 - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
Actually 28 inch gives an ideal distance of about 2'-5" for watching the screen, most people will be closer than this and thus will actually be able to benefit from the increased resolution (source : http://referencehometheater.com/2013/commentary/4k... ).If it was bigger you'd have to start moving back from the monitor. For me 24" is pretty much the optimal size for the distance I am from my monitor and my preferred field of view.
rm19 - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
I want to grab a 4K monitor, but it's all still first gen stuff and I also wonder if it's risky to get a G-Sync monitor if everyone else establishes DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync as the industry standard. Oh well, never hurts to wait and see how things pan out.r3loaded - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
Almost there on the 4K monitor front, I'd just prefer if the panel was IPS/IGZO (actually, anything that's not TN) and supported the official VESA adaptive sync, aka FreeSync. 120Hz refresh rate would be nice but not essential.ender8282 - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
What would you use to drive 4K@120Hz? I thought that the current display port standard had to treat a 4K monitor as two different monitors just to get 60Hz.Dug - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
You won't get 120Hz, just 60hz with a 4k panel.Personally I would want a 2560 x 1440 IPS display with G-Sync rather than a 4K model
Impulses - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
Personally, a 28" TN display would be a big downgrade after getting used to IPS displays, color shifting just from moving your head around is as annoying as tearing, not sure whether that's worth the bump in resolution... Haven't had the chance to see any 4K desktop displays in action outside of smaller MBP displays.cheinonen - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 - link
The MBP isn't a 4K display, it's closer to QHD like a 27" monitor. While I am also not a TN-panel fan, the main area for it is gaming, and so a G-SYNC panel that uses TN makes more sense though it isn't 120Hz. We will see how it does and what it costs compared to the other TN 4K models coming out now.asuglax - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - link
I like the dynamic frame rate capability. However, I have reservations about a TN panel being able to get anywhere close to REC 2020 for color or having a good dynamic range for brightness.cheinonen - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 - link
Nothing gets close to Rec. 2020 or is even attempting to at this point. No UltraHD/4K TVs or Projectors even get close to it, and there is no content for it yet. I wouldn't worry about Rec. 2020 for at least 2-3 years most likely. Even OLED can't produce that gamut at this point.