Nvidia’s G-Sync Ultimate displays could also be a number of the best gaming monitors I’ve ever laid eyes on, however good gravy do they value an arm and a leg, with each Acer’s Predator X27 and Asus’ ROG Swift PG27UQ nonetheless going for round two grand a pop. The Acer Nitro XV273Ok may simply be the following neatest thing, although. It’s not a G-Sync Ultimate display screen, however this 27in, 4K, 144Hz, FreeSync monitor with DisplayHDR 400 help is without doubt one of the choose few that’s handed Nvidia’s G-Sync Compatible checks, which means Nvidia graphics card house owners can nonetheless benefit from its variable refresh price tech for tremendous clean, tear-free gaming. Sure, no graphics card on the planet is able to hitting 144fps at 4K proper now, however by golly if it isn’t some of the attractive gaming displays I’ve ever clapped eyes on.
It nonetheless prices not less than half an arm and a leg, with present costs sitting round £795 / $900, however when the Nitro XV273Ok is that this pretty, it’s positively so much simpler to justify to your self than plonking down two grand on one thing that, for all intents and functions, seems to be just about an identical throughout on a regular basis use.
Straight off the bat, my X-Rite Display i1 Pro color calibrator confirmed its IPS panel was displaying a pitch excellent 100% of the usual sRGB color gamut on its default User profile and heat color temperature mode, and a powerful 92.4% of the HDR-grade DCI-P3 color gamut as properly. That places it just about neck and neck with the Acer Predator X27 and really a smidge forward of the Asus PG27UQ’s DCI-P3 protection, which simply goes to indicate you don’t must spend a loopy amount of cash on an Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate show simply to get a brilliant correct gaming display screen.
The most important distinction, in fact, is that the Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate displays have ludicrous HDR capabilities. Both of them can hit a eye-searing 1000cd/m2, for instance, and have tons of of particular person backlights to facilitate it, too. The Acer Nitro XV273Ok, alternatively, is much more modest in its HDR aspirations, as this one’s solely licensed to fulfill VESA’s entry-level HDR commonplace, DisplayHDR 400.
In reality, I used to be shocked once I noticed this, as different DisplayHDR 400 displays I’ve examined have all been a bit underwhelming within the color accuracy division – largely as a result of the DisplayHDR 400 spec doesn’t truly require a display screen to fulfill any form of DCI-P3 determine in anyway. Indeed, with the Acer Nitro XV273Ok in a position to attain a peak brightness of round 520cd/m2 in accordance with my color calibrator, I questioned why it wasn’t adequate to fulfill VESA’s subsequent HDR spec, DisplayHDR 500.
I think it’s in all probability due to the monitor’s black ranges, which got here in at a slightly excessive 0.49cd/m2 on most brightness (the nearer to 0.00cd/m2, the higher). DisplayHDR 500, you see, requires a most black degree of simply 0.10cd/m2, which might be why it doesn’t meet AMD’s FreeSync 2 HDR commonplace both. I say in all probability, as a result of AMD nonetheless haven’t disclosed what their FreeSync 2 spec truly entails but, however when all the pieces else appears to be in tip-top form, it appears doubtless that the XV273Ok’s black degree is accountable right here.
If you’re not a fan of the Nitro XV273Ok’s LED strip, you’ll be able to flip it off within the monitor’s onboard menu system.
In apply, although, I didn’t actually have a lot of a problem with it. To my eyes, my darker check photographs nonetheless seemed deep and inky onscreen, and because of its good distinction ratio of 1042:1, there was loads of shadow element to be seen as properly. Besides, nobody must have their monitor blaring away at a peak brightness of 520cd/m2 all day. If something, you’ll give your self a headache taking a look at one thing that brilliant for lengthy stretches of time (I do know I did), and as soon as I turned the brightness all the way down to round 200cd/m2 (round 20 on the XV273Ok’s brightness scale), the black degree dropped to a way more acceptable 0.20cd/m2.
As for the Nitro XV273Ok’s precise efficiency as an HDR monitor, it’s… high-quality. Much just like the Asus ROG Strix XG32VQR I examined not too long ago, it’s nonetheless a ache within the ass to get working (largely due to ongoing compatibility points with Windows 10, but in addition as a result of the XV273Ok’s myriad of color modes and HDR color choices imply it doesn’t essentially kick in robotically on a regular basis until you’ve enabled the right half dozen choices within the monitor’s onboard menu system), however when you lastly wrangle it into submission it seems to be very nice.
The Nitro XV273Ok comes with loads of ports, together with two HDMI 2.Zero inputs, two DisplayPort 1.Four inputs, and 4 USB3 ports (the opposite two are on the facet).
In this case, although, HDR in all probability isn’t going to be the principle motive you may need to purchase this monitor. HDR is a pleasant further, certain, but it surely’s the Nitro XV273Ok’s excellent color accuracy that’s the actual draw right here, plus that pretty excessive refresh price. It’s uncommon to see a 4K monitor with a excessive refresh price of 144Hz (exterior of Nvidia’s G-Sync Ultimate shows, anyway), though I ought to be aware that it might probably solely attain 144Hz when you’ve overclocked it within the monitor’s onboard menu system. The remainder of the time it’s simply 120Hz over DisplayPort.
Still, even in case you can’t be faffed to poke across the menu display screen to push it as much as 144Hz, even 120Hz continues to be fairly rattling tasty at this decision, notably for normal desktop duties. In reality, not even the insanely costly Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is able to hitting that form of body price in games at 4K, however not less than you’ve nonetheless acquired the choice of taking part in at 120Hz or 144Hz at 1440p or 1080p relying on how highly effective your graphics card is.
At £795 / $900, it’s nonetheless fairly costly as gaming displays go, particularly when the present mid-range 4K HDR champion on our best gaming monitor checklist, the Philips 436M6VBPAB, may be had for as little as £580 within the UK proper now. Over within the US, it’s nonetheless across the $1000 mark (if yow will discover someplace that also sells it, that’s), however even then you definately’re getting a whopping 43in, 4K, DisplayHDR 1000 display screen for roughly the identical amount of cash in comparison with Acer’s tiny 27in job. That gained’t be a lot use in case you’re after one thing that may simply sit on a desk, in fact, but it surely’s value making an allowance for all the identical.
Still, as 27in, 4K, 144Hz displays go, the Acer Nitro XV273Ok is unquestionably probably the greatest I’ve seen to date, and it’s just about the proper gaming monitor for anybody who’s been hankering after an Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate show however doesn’t need to spend an absolute fortune on it. The XV273Ok’s color accuracy is simply nearly as good because the Acer Predator X27 and Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ, it’s acquired precisely the identical refresh price and backbone, and its variable refresh price tech has the added bonus of being appropriate with each AMD and Nvidia graphics playing cards. The solely factor it’s actually missing is that eye-popping HDR. To be sincere, although, till HDR stops being a royal ache within the ass, I’m actually not that fussed about whether or not it’s there or not. All I would like is a beautiful wanting panel with correct, vibrant colors, and the XV273Ok has that in spades.
