Acer Predator XB272
For when every frame counts.
While many gaming monitors offer 144Hz, the Acer Predator XB272 blasts though that with a massive 240Hz. Of course, to get there, it needs to make some trade-offs — for good and for bad.
For a start, despite the large 27-inch size, the XB272 sports a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and a TN panel. That’s by no means bad, but does mean the screen is focused on gaming, and day-to-day normal usage is not as pleasant as with a higher res, IPS screen. On the plus side, the Acer has a very low 1ms response time, and comes equipped with G-Sync.
As far as 1080p TN panels go, the Acer is great, with reasonable colour accuracy and viewing angles. It can be a little hard on the eyes for daily use, but isn’t bad by any means. When it comes to high-speed gaming, though, the Acer really stands out.
A powerful Nvidia GPU is must-have, but the XB272 gives an incredibly fast yet smooth gaming experience that few other monitors can compete with.
The actual monitor itself has a tough and functional style, with extremely thin bezels well suited to multimonitor gaming. The stand is also top notch, with height, tilt, pivot and swivel adjustment.
Aimed at niche gaming, the XB272 only has HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, but comes with both cables. It also has a 3.5mm output, plus a USB 3.0 connection with two ports on the rear, and another two on the side.
Verdict
Not ideal for most gamers, but a fantastic screen for those after G-Sync and 240Hz refresh rates.