The Acer Nitro XF252Q Xbmiiprzx is a decent TN monitor that's great for gaming, with outstanding motion handling, excellent low input lag, and FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support to help reduce screen tearing. It has great peak brightness and good reflection handling, so glare shouldn't be an issue in most rooms. Unfortunately, like most TN monitors, it delivers only mediocre picture quality, with disappointing viewing angles, a low contrast ratio, and terrible black uniformity. Although this monitor supports HDR, there's little benefit to it, as it can't display a wide color gamut and can't get very bright.
Our Verdict
The Acer XF252Q is a decent monitor for most uses. It's a great gaming monitor, with outstanding motion handling and low input lag. This 25 inch screen has a 1080p resolution, which might be too low for multitasking, and the poor viewing angles aren't great for sharing the screen with other people. Luckily, it can get bright enough to combat glare in most rooms.
- Outstanding motion handling.
- Excellent low input lag.
- FreeSync VRR support.
- Can't display a wide color gamut for HDR.
- Poor viewing angles.
- Terrible black uniformity.
The Acer XF252Q is an okay monitor for office use. It has excellent ergonomics, so it's easy to place it in an ideal viewing position, and it has good reflection handling. Unfortunately, it has poor viewing angles, and some people might find it too small to multitask comfortably.
The Acer XF252Q is a great monitor for gaming. Thanks to its high 240Hz refresh rate, it has outstanding motion handling, resulting in extremely clear motion with almost no noticeable blur behind fast-moving objects. It also has excellent low input lag. Unfortunately, it isn't as well-suited for gaming in a dark room as it has terrible black uniformity. However, it supports FreeSync VRR to reduce screen tearing.
Alright monitor for multimedia. The Acer XF252Q has excellent low input lag for gaming and good reflection handling for a bright room. Unfortunately, it has poor viewing angles, so it isn't great for watching videos with friends, and it has terrible black uniformity, so it doesn't look as good in a dark room.
The Acer XF252Q is decent for media creation. It has excellent ergonomics and a low input lag, responding to your actions quickly, but poor viewing angles. Also, it has a great SDR color gamut and decent coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space. However, the 25 inch, 1080p screen might be too small for some people.
This is a decent monitor for HDR gaming, mainly due to its great gaming performance. The Acer XF252Q has a low input lag and outstanding motion handling. Unfortunately, HDR doesn't add much, as it can't get very bright in HDR, has a low contrast ratio, and can't display a wide color gamut.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 17, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Sep 06, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Sep 04, 2019: Early access published.
- Updated Sep 03, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 25 inch Acer XF252Q, version Xbmiiprzx, which is the only size available. There are other monitors in the Nitro lineup, though, some of which are listed below. There are also a few G-SYNC variants available, which have a slightly different model number.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their XF252QX doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
| Model | Version | Part Number | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Notes |
| XF252Q | Xbmiiprzx | UM.KX2AA.X01 | 25" | 1080p | 240Hz | FreeSync, HDR |
| XB252Q | Bmiprz | UM.KX2AA.001 | 25" | 1080p | 240Hz | G-SYNC |
| XN253Q | Xbmiprzx | UM.KX3AA.X01 | 25" | 1080p | 240Hz | G-SYNC |
| XN253Q | Pbmiprzx | UM.KX3AA.P01 | 25" | 1080p | 144Hz | G-SYNC |
The Acer XF252Q we reviewed was manufactured in May 2019.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Acer XF252Q is a great gaming monitor and at a competitive price might be a good choice if you don't mind losing some picture quality. See our recommendations for the best monitors, the best 27 inch gaming monitors, and the best budget monitors.
The BenQ ZOWIE XL2540 and the Acer Nitro XF252Q Xbmiiprzx are extremely similar overall. The BenQ we tested has better black uniformity, so it's a slightly better choice for dark room viewing. The XF252Q supports HDR, but this adds very little.
The Acer Nitro XF252Q Xbmiiprzx is slightly better than the Dell S2719DGF. The XF252Q supports HDR, although this doesn't add much, and it has an optional black frame insertion feature to help improve the appearance of motion. The Dell S2719DGF has a higher native resolution, which is easier for multitasking and makes it easier to see more fine details in games.
The Acer Nitro XF252Q Xbmiiprzx and the ViewSonic XG2402 are very similar overall. The XF252Q is slightly better for gaming, as it has an optional black frame insertion feature and a higher refresh rate. The XG2402 we tested has better black uniformity, but it doesn't support HDR. Although the XF252Q supports HDR, there is little benefit to it.
The Acer Nitro XF252Q Xbmiiprzx is a bit better than the HP OMEN X 25f. The XF252Q has better ergonomics, and an optional black frame insertion feature to help improve the clarity of motion. The XF252Q supports HDR, but this doesn't add much. The OMEN X 25f we tested has significantly better black uniformity, so it's a better choice for dark room viewing.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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