Acer G257HU smidpx 25" 1440p IPS Monitor

[Kavawuvi 7,026]

 

I got this monitor a month ago to replace my older 1080p display. Having used it every day, I feel it's time to give it a review to tell you if it sucks or not.

 

What's good about it?

 

This monitor is a 2560x1440 (or quad HD) 60 Hz display. For what I do, this is great because I have plenty of room on my desktop, now, to read and write code. It's also pretty good for gaming, though if you do game in native 1440p, you will want a graphics card that can play games at such a resolution effectively. Also, this monitor is an IPS display. Therefore, viewing angles should be (and are) good, being rated at 178 degrees horizontal and vertical. Also, the bezel is quite small, and the monitor itself feels quite sturdy.

 

The input options are also pretty good. You get one DisplayPort, one HDMI port, and one DVI port, and it comes with one of each cable. You can use the DisplayPort cable for your PC and the HDMI port for a console. I would have personally traded the DVI port for another DisplayPort or HDMI port, though.

 

Also, for a 1440p IPS display, it's fairly cheap. I got this for $241 with free shipping off of Amazon.

 

What's not so good?

 

There are a few issues I have with this monitor that make it a little difficult to recommend. As they say, you get what you pay for.

 

First, you will want to modify some settings in the monitor settings before you use this. Namely, you want to turn off OD (overdrive) as it causes more problems than it solves, especially in gaming. This is the only problem you can solve.

 

For problems you can't solve, let's start off with the fact that there is no VESA mounting, so you are stuck with the stand unless you want to use some clever method of mounting it. That wouldn't be such a bad thing if the stand wasn't crap. There's no swivel and it wobbles.

 

Next, the built-in speakers are pretty bad. In a pinch, they work and the audio quality is good enough to be listenable, but you can just buy some $15 speakers and plug those into the monitor. I would have been just as happy if they didn't add built-in speakers.

 

Lastly, the monitor is not overclockable. Granted, this isn't something most people should care about, but it is locked at a vertical refresh rate of 60 Hz. Some reviewers claim that the monitor is overclockable, and it is true that the monitor will support (and recognize) a 75 Hz signal, and, as far as your PC is concerned, it's running at 75 Hz. However, the panel itself operates at 60 Hz and simply skips frames. You can verify it with this test.

 

Overall

 

This 1440p IPS monitor is pretty good despite its drawbacks, and it's cheap. However, these same drawbacks will  be deal breakers to some people.

 

Pros

• Good price (for 1440p IPS displays)
• Decent input options
• Small bezel
• Sturdy (except for the stand)

 

Cons

• Crappy stand
• Crappy speakers
• No VESA mount
• Unoverclockable

[DiSiAC 1,347]

Whoever makes monitors without vesa holes should be shot.

 

Also, does anyone really use monitor speakers?

 

[Sunstriker7 698]

7 hours ago, DiSiAC said:

Also, does anyone really use monitor speakers?

 

I'd rather be diagnosed with terminal cancer than have to use monitor/tv speakers.