Acer SB273 G0bi 27" Black 2024

The Acer SB273 G0bi is a budget 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor with a 120Hz refresh rate and FreeSync support. It's a great value for home office and casual gaming, with thin bezels and solid image quality. Just know that brightness is limited to 250 nits and connectivity is sparse with only one HDMI port.

The 120Hz refresh rate is the headline spec here, and it makes a real difference if you're coming from a standard 60Hz office monitor. Scrolling through documents feels smoother, and in games, the higher refresh rate combined with the 1ms VRB response time keeps motion reasonably clear. FreeSync support means AMD GPU owners get tear-free gaming without much fuss. Our database puts this monitor's performance around the 70th percentile, which is solid for the price but not going to blow anyone away.

The IPS panel delivers accurate colors with 99% sRGB coverage, which is great for productivity work and web browsing. But the 250 nits brightness is a weak spot. In a bright room with lots of natural light, the screen can feel a bit dim. The glossy surface doesn't help there either, since it picks up reflections. For a home office or a dimmer gaming setup, it's fine. Just don't expect it to compete with brighter panels in the same size class.

Compared to something like the LG UltraGear 27G810A-B, the Acer SB273 gives up some gaming features and brightness. The LG is a more serious gaming monitor with better response times and typically higher peak brightness. But it also costs more. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B is a different beast entirely, an ultrawide with a higher resolution, so it's not really a direct competitor unless you're specifically looking for more screen real estate.

The Dell S2725QC is an interesting alternative if you want 4K resolution and USB-C connectivity for a laptop setup. You'll pay more, but you get a sharper image and better port selection. The HP OMEN 27qs G2 is closer in spirit to the Acer, a 1440p gaming monitor that costs more but delivers better overall performance. If you're strictly on a budget and want a 27-inch 1080p panel with a high refresh rate, the Acer holds its own. If you can stretch your budget, the HP or Dell offer meaningful upgrades.

Pricing on this monitor varies quite a bit depending on where you shop. In the US, we're seeing it listed between $110 and $178 across two listings, which is a pretty wide spread for the same panel. If you're in Canada, it's going for around CAD 191. The lower end of that US range makes this an easy recommendation for a budget 27-inch monitor. At the higher end, you're getting close to territory where you might find something with better connectivity or a brighter panel. Shop around before you commit.

The Acer SB273 G0bi is a 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor that sits in that budget-friendly sweet spot between office work and casual gaming. It's not trying to be a premium display, and that's fine. With a 120Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and FreeSync support, it punches a bit above what you'd expect from a monitor in this price range. The frameless bezel design makes it look cleaner than most budget panels, and the IPS panel means colors stay consistent from different viewing angles.

People searching for an affordable 27-inch monitor for home office setups will find a lot to like here. The 99% sRGB coverage means documents, spreadsheets, and web browsing look crisp and accurate. And if you're wondering whether this monitor is good for gaming, the answer is a qualified yes. The 120Hz refresh rate and FreeSync compatibility make it a solid entry-level gaming display, though the 250 nits brightness and glossy screen surface mean it's best used in rooms where you control the lighting.

At 4536 grams, it's not exactly light, but the VESA 100x100 mount compatibility means you can get it off the included stand if you want a cleaner desk setup. The stand itself only offers tilt adjustment, which is a bit limiting, but that's pretty standard for budget monitors.

Skip this monitor if you need a bright display for a room with lots of windows, since 250 nits won't cut it in direct sunlight. Content creators and designers who need accurate color work should look elsewhere too, the color performance is average at best. If you're connecting multiple devices or want a clean single-cable setup with a laptop, the lack of USB-C and DisplayPort is a dealbreaker. For those cases, the Dell S2725QC or HP OMEN 27qs G2 are better fits. And if you're a competitive gamer chasing every frame, a dedicated gaming monitor with higher refresh rates and better response times will serve you better.

Should you buy the Acer SB273 G0bi? If you're looking for an affordable 27-inch monitor for home office work with some casual gaming on the side, yes. The 120Hz refresh rate and IPS panel make it a genuinely pleasant daily driver, and the thin bezels are a nice bonus if you're running a dual-monitor setup. Buyers consistently praise the image quality and value, and our data backs that up.

But if you need a bright display for a sunlit room, or you want better connectivity with DisplayPort or USB-C, this isn't the monitor for you. The single HDMI port is limiting, and the 250 nits brightness is a real constraint. For the right use case and the right price, though, this is a solid budget pick that does the basics well.