The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx is a great all-around monitor with excellent gaming performance and plenty of features. It has an overclocked 270Hz refresh rate and exceptionally low input lag that make gaming feel smooth and responsive. It also has an incredible response time and variable refresh rate (VRR) support. It feels solidly built, and it has very good ergonomics so you can set it as you like. It's an IPS monitor, so the contrast ratio is limited, but it's not bad overall, and the monitor has wide viewing angles, making it easy to share content or game with a friend. It also gets very bright, enough to overcome glare in most lighting conditions. While its HDR brightness is only decent, it's on the brighter side for a monitor, and it has one of the widest HDR color gamuts we've tested, along with an exceptional SDR color gamut. It can also display 10-bit color in 1440p at 270Hz by using Display Stream Compression (DSC).
The Acer Predator XB273U GX is an impressive monitor for mixed usage. It has very good ergonomics so that you can adjust it easily however you like, and it gets bright enough to overcome glare in an office or well-lit room. Its wide color gamut is great for content creation, and it delivers a fairly satisfying HDR experience. Finally, it's amazing for gaming, with a high refresh rate, very fast response times, low input lag, and VRR support.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX is a great office monitor. It's a good size for multitasking, and the 1440p resolution delivers a crisp image. It also has very good ergonomics, allowing you to adjust it as you please. While its vertical viewing angles are only okay, it has very wide horizontal viewing angles for sharing content. To top it off, it gets bright enough to overcome glare in most environments.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX is an excellent gaming monitor. It has a high overclocked 270Hz refresh rate and outstanding response times, both at its max refresh rate and 60Hz. It's compatible with FreeSync and G-SYNC; however, VRR doesn't work with the overclock setting, and it locks in overdrive, which may be annoying. Input lag is extremely low but somewhat higher at 60Hz.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX is great for multimedia. Its 27 inch screen is a good size for watching videos, and its 1440p resolution produces a crisp image. It also has wide viewing angles, which is great for watching with a friend. Reflection handling is decent, and it gets quite bright to overcome glare. Unfortunately, it has a mediocre contrast ratio, so blacks may appear more like gray in the dark.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX is impressive for media creation. It has an exceptional color gamut in both HDR and SDR, including full coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing. It also has good ergonomics, so you can adjust the screen to your ideal position. Unfortunately, it has a low contrast ratio, so it can't produce really deep blacks.
We tested the 27 inch Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx. It's the only one of this specific model, but there are several similar monitors under the Acer XB3 umbrella. You can see the differences between some of them below.
Model | Size | Panel Type | Refresh Rate | Resolution |
---|---|---|---|---|
XB273U GSBMIIPRZX | 27" | IPS | 165Hz | 1440p |
XB273U GXbmiipruzx | 27" | IPS | 240Hz (270Hz overclocked) | 1440p |
XB323U GXbmiiphzx | 32" | IPS | 240Hz | 1440p |
If you come across a different panel type or your Acer XB273U GX doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update it. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, can vary between individual units.
Our unit was manufactured in November 2020, and you can see the label here.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXmiipruzx is a great gaming monitor. It has one of the widest HDR color gamuts on any monitor we've tested and is one of the few with full coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. On top of that, it can display a 10-bit signal at 270Hz thanks to DSC, unlike a lot of monitors. However, it's on the pricier side for a 27 inch 1440p monitor.
For more options, see our recommendations for the best 1440p gaming monitors, the best 240Hz monitors, and the best gaming monitors on the market.
The Gigabyte M27Q and the Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx are excellent gaming monitors that stand out due to their exceptionally wide color gamuts. They also both have incredibly fast response times and low input lag. The biggest difference is that the Acer has a higher refresh rate of 270Hz versus the 170Hz on the Gigabyte.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx and the Acer Nitro XV272U KVbmiiprzx perform quite similarly overall. That said, the Predator has a higher refresh rate. Response times and input lag are similar, but the Predator also has a wider color gamut, especially with Adobe RGB coverage.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx and the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQ perform quite similarly. They both have superb response times, although the Acer has a higher refresh rate of 270Hz, versus 170Hz on the ASUS. The Acer gets significantly brighter in SDR and brighter in HDR too, and it has a wider color gamut.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx is better for gaming than the ASUS ROG Swift PG279QM. The Acer has a faster response time, resulting in clearer motion with less blur behind fast-moving objects. The Acer has an optional backlight strobing feature, commonly known as black frame insertion, but you can't use it if the variable refresh rate feature is enabled. On the other hand, the ASUS has native hardware support for NVIDIA's G-SYNC technology, ensuring a more visually consistent gaming experience at any refresh rate.
The Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T and the Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx are great monitors that offer amazing gaming features; they also use different panels with different advantages. The Samsung is a VA monitor, so it has a higher contrast ratio and narrower viewing angles. It comes in both a 27-inch and 32-inch size. The Acer, on the other hand, has an IPS panel, so its contrast is worse, but it has wide viewing angles. When it comes to gaming, they both have exceptionally fast response times and low input lag.
The MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD and the Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx are similar monitors, but the Acer has a bit more to recommend it. They both have exceptional color gamuts, but the MSI lacks an sRGB setting, so colors appear oversaturated. The Acer also has a higher refresh rate, gets brighter in SDR and HDR, and has better accuracy out of the box.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx is a better monitor overall than the LG 27GL850-B. The Acer has a higher refresh rate and faster response times with less overshoot. It has less of an issue with glare since it gets brighter, and it has a wider color gamut. It also has more ergonomic adjustment options, better text clarity, and more USB ports, including a USB-C port, so it's better suited to productivity.
The Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-X and the Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx perform very similarly overall. They both have native 240Hz refresh rates, although the Acer can be overclocked to 270Hz. Both have fantastic response times as well. The Acer, however, is better for HDR gaming because it has a slightly wider color gamut and better color volume. It gets a bit brighter in SDR as well.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx and the Samsung Odyssey G7 S28AG70 are different types of gaming monitors with excellent performance. The Acer is meant for high frame rate gaming because it has a 240Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 270Hz, while the Samsung delivers a more immersive gaming experience thanks to its 4k resolution and HDMI 2.1 inputs. Motion looks smoother on the Acer, especially at 60Hz, because it has a quicker response time with less overshoot. It also gets brighter, and while the Samsung has a local dimming feature, it performs terribly.
The Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx and the Dell Alienware AW2721D are both great monitors, but the Acer performs a little better overall, especially when it comes to gaming. The Acer has a higher overclockable refresh rate, as well as faster response times at both its max refresh rate and 60Hz. It also has a wider color gamut and better reflection handling, as well as a USB-C port with power delivery and DisplayPort Alt mode.
The Dell S2721DGF and the Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx both perform well when it comes to gaming, but the Acer has a significantly higher refresh rate at 270Hz, while the Dell maxes out at 165Hz. Still, both have exceptional response times and low input lag. The Acer has a few extra features that the Dell doesn't, like Black Frame Insertion (BFI), built-in speakers, and a USB-C port with power delivery and DisplayPort Alt mode.
The Dell Alienware AW2521H and the Acer Predator XB273U GXbmiipruzx are very different gaming monitors. The Dell is a 25 inch 1080p monitor with a 360Hz refresh rate, aimed at competitive gamers who want the best possible motion clarity. Meanwhile, the Acer is a 27 inch 1440p monitor, so you get a bit of a sharper image and a little more screen space to work with. It still has a high 270Hz refresh rate, however, and both have incredible response times. The Acer also has a wider color gamut in SDR and HDR.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX has a very similar design to the Acer Predator XB273K Pbmiphzx. It looks good with gamer-oriented touches and slight red accents.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX has very good ergonomics, similar to the Acer Predator XB273K Pbmiphzx, but with the added ability to rotate into portrait mode in either direction. The back is fairly simple, with the Acer branding and some brushed metal texture in the plastic at the top. There's a cutout in the stand for cable management.
The Acer XB273U GX doesn't have local dimming. The video above is provided for reference only.
The Acer XB273U GX has impressive SDR peak brightness, even higher than the advertised 400 nits. It's very consistent across different scenes and should be bright enough to overcome glare in most settings.
We measured SDR brightness after calibration in the 'User' Picture Mode, with Brightness set to max.
HDR peak brightness is decent. It meets the brightness requirement for its DisplayHDR 400 certification and stays very consistent across different scenes. It should be bright enough for a satisfying HDR gaming experience, but it may not be bright enough to make HDR movies really pop.
We measured HDR brightness in 'HDR' mode, with Brightness set to max.
The Acer XB273U GX has great horizontal viewing angles, so the image should stay accurate from the sides.
The vertical viewing angles are okay, but the image may lose a bit of accuracy if viewed from above or below.
The Acer XB273U GX has excellent out-of-the-box color accuracy, though this can vary between units. The colors are excellent, most are only slightly off, and the white balance is great. Gamma follows the curve very well, and the color temperature is fairly close to our 6500K target, albeit slightly on the warmer side.
After calibration, the accuracy is fantastic. The color temperature is even closer to the 6500K target, and gamma follows the curve well, although bright scenes may be a bit over-brightened. Any remaining color or white balance inaccuracies shouldn't be noticeable to the naked eye.
The Acer Predator XB273U has an exceptional SDR color gamut. It has full coverage of both the sRGB color space used in most content and the Adobe RGB color space used in professional photo editing. If you're not in sRGB mode, some colors may appear oversaturated. Greens and reds may also be oversaturated in Adobe RGB since the gamut covers more than the required Adobe RGB color space.
The Acer Predator XB273U can display a wide color gamut for HDR content, with remarkable coverage of the DCI P3 color space and impressive coverage of the wider Rec. 2020. Its HDR tone mapping is excellent as well, with very few inaccuracies.
The Acer XB273U GX has a native 240Hz refresh rate, which can be overclocked to 270Hz. It supports Adaptive Sync natively, is FreeSync-compatible, and is certified as G-SYNC-compatible. Unfortunately, you can't enable VRR while 'Overclock' is on, meaning the monitor is limited to 240Hz with VRR. Enabling VRR also locks the overdrive setting to 'Normal'. While that's the recommended setting for the max refresh rate, it's not recommended for 60Hz because the overshoot is too noticeable, which could be frustrating if you're playing low frame rate games.
Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
Off | Chart | Table | Photo |
Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
Extreme | Chart | Table | Photo |
VRR | Chart | Table | Photo |
Update 11/26/2021: We measured the response time with VRR enabled across a range of refresh rates. We've added a table and explanation below.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX has an incredible response time at its max refresh rate, resulting in exceptionally clear motion in fast-moving content. We recommend the 'Normal' overdrive setting, as it's the fastest and the amount of overshoot is acceptable. The 'Off' setting has no overshoot, but it's a bit slower, while the 'Extreme' setting has too much overshoot.
60Hz | 80Hz | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Tables | Link | Link | Link | Link |
Charts | Link | Link | Link | Link |
We also measured the response time with VRR enabled across a range of refresh rates. One of the interesting things we found was that the monitor uses low framerate compensation as soon as the framerate drops below 60. For example, when the framerate decreased to 59, each frame was doubled by the GPU, and the monitor behaved as if it was receiving 118fps. This results in much smoother, clearer motion at 59fps than at 60fps. If your computer tends to hover around 60fps with some games, it might be best to cap the framerate at 59fps, as it delivers a smoother gaming experience overall. Note that these results were obtained using slightly different methodology, so the tables and charts look a bit different.
Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
Off | Chart | Table | Photo |
Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
Extreme | Chart | Table | Photo |
VRR | Chart | Table | Photo |
At 60Hz, the response time is still remarkable, although you may notice a bit more motion blur. The best overdrive setting at 60Hz is 'Off' because both 'Normal' and 'Extreme' produce too much overshoot.
Refresh Rate | BFI Setting | Motion Blur Photo |
270Hz | Normal | Photo |
Extreme | Photo | |
120Hz | Normal | Photo |
Extreme | Photo |
The Acer XB273U GX has an optional Black Frame Insertion (BFI) feature that flickers the backlight to help reduce motion blur, called Visual Response Boost (VRB). It only works above 120Hz and can't be used at the same time as VRR.
The Acer XB273U GX has a remarkably low input lag. It's a bit higher at 60Hz, but it's still quite low overall. The monitor uses Display Stream Compression (DSC) to achieve its 270Hz refresh rate, allowing it to display a 10-bit signal at 270Hz.
The Acer XB273U GX has a 27 inch screen with a high 1440p resolution. There's plenty of space for multitasking and the pixel density is good, resulting in a sharp image.
The USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alt mode at 1440p up to 270Hz with 10-bit thanks to DSC. It also supports power delivery up to 65W, as well as upstream, so it can transfer data to your PC from devices plugged into the monitor's USB ports.
The Acer Predator XB273U GX has built-in speakers and HDR10 support. It also has several extra features, including crosshairs, an Ultra-Low Latency mode to reduce input lag, and a low blue light mode to reduce eye strain.