Acer Predator XB271HU Review - bmiprz WQHD Gaming Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync
Complete with a gamer’s look and equally adorable gaming features, we are pleased to have a look at the Acer Predator XB271HU monitor. From the first impressions of this machine to its gaming experience, we are satisfied that you will have a smiley grin that tells you’ve just hit the sweet spot in gaming monitors.
Acer is no stranger to the gaming world and this monitor lines up with what we except. It offers an IPS panel, Nvidia’s adaptive refresh technology and a QHD resolution that supports 144Hz refresh rate. After looking at its reviews, we find that it scores highly and leaves an impressive touch on every competitive gamer. And to make it all better, it comes at a midrange price. This means it won’t be too hard to save for.
Pros:
- Superior image processing and performance
- Fast refresh rate
- Supports Nvidia G-Sync
- High-quality build
- Wide viewing angles on an IPS panel
- Great ergonomics
Cons
- 2W speakers
- Does not support HDR Gaming
Design Features
Acer Predator XB271HU comes in a premium design to support its high-end performance. It has a thick stand and a firm base with red accents. The feet keep the 27-inch panel quite stable and wobble-free coupled with the angular stand.
When this monitor arrives, it’s going to take around five minutes before you have it up and running. All you have to assemble is mounting the monitor onto the stand and plugging it in. After that, you can say high to the sleek exterior thanks to the thin bezels.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the design is that Acer does not depend on flimsy parts to tilt and pivot the monitor. It comes with a stable rotating joint that does all the work which also prevents it from wobbling. The monitor is height adjustable up to 150mm, tilts from -5 to 20 degrees, pivots up to 90 degrees, and swivels from -30 to 30 degrees.
It is an exceptional model since it has VESA holes that allow for a monitor stand setup.
Controls and Connectivity
Like many monitors, this one does not enjoy an intuitive set of buttons, but it takes only a short while to get used to. Armed with physical buttons located at the bottom right of the bezel, you will be able to the settings of this monitor to line up with your ideal picture and gaming performance.
We find the menu is very intuitive and it’s not going to give you a hard time. Among the stuff you can adjust are picture mode, gaming features, calibration, etc. It lets you in a world of possible settings that will help support competitive gaming.
When it comes to the connectivity, this monitor is on the simplistic side since it does not have a USB-C port. For the price, we are not impressed with this omission. But it includes a DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, two USB 3.0, and an audio jack. It also has two 2W speakers that will not wow any gamer.
Image Quality
This is where Acer Predator XB271HU truly shines. First, it has an IPS panel that not only has excellent black uniformity but it also has wide viewing angles. It showcases a 16:9 aspect ratio and decent pixel decent which allows for more work to be done rather than just gaming.
Its QHD resolution is just outstanding as it can deliver detailed images with vibrant color depth. It has 8-bit color depth with 1000:1 contrast ratio. Although it does not cover sRGB close to 100%, it still does a decent job at 97%.
This monitor does not have any trouble with different color shades. It produces dark shades of grey and saturated greens, blues, and reds. In other words, it is perfect for the most part.
Our only qualm is that the brand has its out of the box calibration inaccurate. You still have to make some adjustments which are not always effortless if you don’t what you are working with and the ideal settings that will work with this particular monitor.
Looking at what most people have done with it, the DeltaE which is way off at 7.25 should be brought down to 0.65, gamma from 2.22 to below 2.19, and luminance to 100cd/m2 down from 306cd/m2 with the color temperature at 6521K.
With its 350 nits of peak brightness, Acer Predator XB271HU manages to show off some fabulous images when viewed in a bright room. It can fight glare which results in great imagery in well-lit spaces.
Gaming Performance
It is interesting that even though this monitor does not support HDR gaming, it is still a top-notch performer. Acer Predator XB271HU comes with a variable refresh rate of up to 165Hz. With the help of Nvidia G-Sync technology, your favorites like Counter-Strike and Tomb Raider are not going to be riddled with streaks and stutter.
You will want to combine this monitor with a compatible Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card like the 650Ti or newer. This way, the monitor can help sync refresh rates which in turns helps to eliminate screen tearing. We like that Acer Predator XB271HU has only 1ms input lag when you enable G-Sync. It is super responsive which helps to play old and new titles with negligible delay.
Another feature that supports gaming performance is the inclusion of Nvidia ULMB (Ultra-Low Motion Blue) technology. This feature allows you to scale down the refresh rate which results in smooth gameplay. Unfortunately, you can’t have G-Sync and ULMB active at the same time. It has to be one of them meaning you have to identify which feature works for your particular situation.
Flaws of the Acer Predator XB271HU Monitor
Our only quarrel with this monitor has to with the backlight bleeding, and IPS glow. When viewing from a dark room, it is going to be reflective by showing light edges around the screen. You have to control the brightness of the screen according to the lighting conditions or control the amount of light in the room to be in line with the reflectivity of this monitor.
Conclusion
Acer Predator XB271HU is a gaming monitor that brings its A-game to the table. From gaming aesthetics to premium features in the likes of low input lag, adaptive refresh rates, and impressive display performance, you are going to get value for the money you spend on this monitor.