The Acer XF251Q Bmiirx is a decent 1080p TN monitor with some great gaming features. It has a fast response time, low input lag, and it supports AMD's FreeSync VRR technology. It has a good design, with a great stand that can be easily adjusted to an ideal viewing position. Unfortunately, it has poor viewing angles, so the image degrades when viewed at an angle, and it isn't very accurate out of the box.
Our Verdict
The Acer XF251Q is a decent monitor for most uses. It has great motion handling and low input lag for gaming, and it supports FreeSync VRR. The stand has great ergonomics, so it can easily be placed in an ideal viewing position. Unfortunately, the image degrades when viewed at an angle, and the 1080p resolution and 25" screen may be too small for some users, and it isn't ideal for multitasking.
- Low input lag
- Stand has great ergonomics
- Image degrades when viewed at an angle
- Poor accuracy out of the box
The XF251Q is a decent monitor for office use. It has great ergonomics, so it is easy to place it in the ideal viewing position. It has decent peak brightness and great reflection handling, so it looks good in bright offices. Unfortunately, the 25", 1080p screen isn't ideal for multitasking, and the image loses accuracy when viewed at an angle.
Great monitor for gaming. It has an excellent fast response time, but some transitions have a lot of overshoot that can bother some people. It has excellent low input lag, and it supports AMD FreeSync VRR technology for a tear-free gaming experience. Unfortunately, the 25" 1080p screen isn't very immersive.
Decent monitor for multimedia. It has a fast response time, so fast motion scenes look clear, with little motion blur trail. It also has excellent low input lag and great reflection handling. Unfortunately, it is limited to a 1080p resolution that may be insufficient for some people, and the image loses accuracy when viewed at an angle.
Decent monitor for media creation. It has excellent low input lag and a fast response time, and it has excellent coverage of the sRGB color space. Unfortunately, the Adobe RGB coverage isn't ideal for professional photo or video editing, and the 1080p resolution limits how much of your project you can see, and makes it harder to multitask.
The Acer XF251Q does not support HDR. For a good HDR monitor, check out the Samsung CHG70.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 15, 2019: We tested the monitor's compatibility with NVIDIA's new FreeSync driver. See our full investigation into NVIDIA's FreeSync Drivers here.
- Updated Nov 09, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Nov 07, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Nov 07, 2018: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 24.5" Acer XF251Q Bmiirx. There are other models in the XF series, but beyond FreeSync support they have different specifications.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Acer XF251Q doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Notes |
| XF251Q | 24.5" | 1080p | 75 Hz | FreeSync |
| XFA240 | 24" | 1080p | 144 Hz | FreeSync, DVI |
| XF270H B | 27" | 1080p | 144 Hz | FreeSync |
| XF250Q A | 24.5" | 1080p | 240 Hz | FreeSync, DVI |
| XF250Q B | 24.5" | 1080p | 144 Hz | FreeSync |
| XF250Q C | 24.5" | 1080p | 240 Hz | FreeSync |
The XF251Q we reviewed was manufactured in July 2017
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Acer XF251Q is a decent entry-level monitor with great gaming performance. See our recommendations for the best monitors under $200, the best 1080p gaming monitors, the best budget gaming monitors and the best 24-25 inch monitors.
The Acer XF251Q Bmiirx is much better than the Acer GN246HL Bbid. The GN246HL has a faster 144Hz refresh rate, but it doesn't support any variable refresh rate technologies like FreeSync or G-SYNC. The XF251Q has a 75 Hz refresh rate, but it supports FreeSync. The Acer GN246HL uses PWM to dim the backlight, and this causes flicker that may bother some people, whereas the XF251Q is flicker-free. Finally, the XF251Q has much less input lag, especially when gaming at 60Hz.
The Acer XF251Q Bmiirx is slightly better than the ASUS VG245H. Both models are 75Hz TN monitors, with FreeSync support. Both offer very similar performance, but the XF251Q we reviewed had better black uniformity and much better color volume. The ASUS VG245H is much more accurate out of the box, but a few setting changes on the XF251Q can correct this.
The ViewSonic XG2402 is better than the Acer XF251Q Bmiirx. The XG2402 has much better motion performance, thanks to the faster 144 Hz refresh rate. The XG2402 is also a bit brighter, and has a better color gamut and better color volume.
The Acer XF251Q Bmiirx is a 25" TN monitor, whereas the Samsung CF398 is a VA monitor. The XF251Q has better motion handling, thanks to a faster response time. The XF251Q is a bit brighter, but the CF398 has much better native contrast, so it looks better in a dark room.
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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