Acer ConceptD CP7 Review

Acer’s panel looks fantastic and has good features including G-Sync. Its image quality is top-notch in sRGB and Adobe RGB scenarios, which means it’s ideal for colour-sensitive tasks in those colour spaces. It’s missing some big features though, and isn’t quite good enough for HDR-based work – plus it’s expensive.

The Acer ConceptD CP7 (CP7271KP) monitor takes aim at professionals, especially designers and creatives, who need colour accuracy and features alongside a keen sense of style.

The ConceptD CP7 serves up a 4K resolution, Pantone validation, big claims about colour accuracy and even 144Hz Nvidia G-Sync alongside industrial metal and wood veneer. It costs a steep £1999 ($1663), though. Does it earn such an outlay?

Design

The ConceptD CP7 certainly looks the part. Its round base is coated with a wood veneer that helps this display stand out, and there’s an eye-catching cylindrical metal stand. The only design misstep is the thick bezel.

The Acer uses a 10-bit IPS panel with a 4K resolution, and the 27in diagonal means a density level of 163ppi – a superb figure that means crisp images alongside loads of on-screen real estate. The Acer’s professional credentials are enhanced by Pantone validation and factory calibration, and it’s rated for DisplayHDR 1000, which is one of the best HDR standards currently used on consumer displays. There are 384 local dimming zones, which is excellent and better than most screens.

This panel also includes Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate at 144Hz. That’s usually found on gaming displays, and it does mean that the Acer can be used for after-work entertainment. It helps in the workday, albeit less dramatically, by making animation and Windows smoother.

Elsewhere, the Acer has a glare-reducing plastic hood. Around the rear there are two accessible, outward-facing USB 3.0 ports, and there are two more downward-facing USB 3.0 ports alongside HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. The OSD is easy to navigate, with loads of colour-alteration options and a surprising number of gaming settings, and the panel supports 3D LUTs.

However, in some areas the Acer is surprisingly deficient. There’s no USB Type-C and no card reader. The adjustment options could be better: the Acer has a generous 180mm of height adjustment and it can tilt, but it has no swivel or pivot movement.

Image Quality

Out of the box, the Acer is inauspicious; its Delta E of 3.17 is short of Acer’s claimed, calibrated 1.0 figure. Switch to Acer’s sRGB mode and swap its Warm colour temperature for its Normal option, though, and things improve. The Acer’s revised Delta E of 1.03 is fantastic, the colour temperature of 6,415K is superb, and the gamma measurement of 2.11 is decent.

The Acer’s brightness of 438 nits and black point of 0.39 nits combine for a good contrast ratio of 1123:1, which provides impressive depth and nuance without over-saturation. The panel displays 99.8% of the sRGB colour gamut and 97.8% of the Adobe RGB gamut, which are both impressive figures.

The Acer’s contrast was maintained with the brightness dialled back to a more sensible 250 nits. Switch into HDR mode and the Acer is good enough for gaming and media viewing; bright and punchy, with loads of depth. The Acer’s backlight only varies by around 3% in most segments, and even in the corners it’s no more than 9% deviated – excellent uniformity.

There are a handful of areas where the Acer falls short. It only displays 89.3% of HDR’s DCI-P3 gamut, which is fine for HDR gaming but not quite good enough for HDR work. Don’t expect much from the Acer’s alternative screen modes, none of which improve on that sRGB option. The speakers are so muddy they could be underwater.

Should you buy it?

The Acer ConceptD CP7 image quality is fantastic in sRGB mode with professional-grade colour accuracy. It also has great contrast, uniformity and sRGB and Adobe gamut abilities alongside that 4K resolution. For working in those environments, it’s top-notch. The addition of DisplayHDR 1000 and Nvidia G-Sync add functionality, and the CP7 looks great too.

Despite that, the Acer can’t quite reach greatness. At this price I’d expect its DCI gamut coverage to be better – that sub-90% figure means it can’t be used for HDR work. I’d also want more adjustment options and better connectivity such as USB-C support. This screen is good looking and fantastic for sRGB and Adobe-based work, but more versatile options are available elsewhere.