Acer Nitro XV252QF Review: 390 Hz Monitor for Virtual Shootouts

When choosing a monitor, not everything boils down to diagonal and resolution. Acer has released a gaming display with a record refresh rate of 390Hz. Strategies fans will hardly fully appreciate the benefits of the Acer Nitro XV252QF, but for hardcore players, this model will be a real gift.

The Acer Nitro XV252QF belongs to the family of Nitro XV monitors. All of them are designed for active gamers, they are distinguished by increased hertz and faster response times. But the XV252QF also stands out among its brethren as it is the first serial display on the market with a refresh rate of 390 Hz.

390 Hz Monitor

The Nitro XV252QF is equipped with a 24.5-inch matrix manufactured by AU Optronics. Normally, the IPS panel supports 360Hz, but Acers have been able to overclock it to 390. To date, this is a record figure. The display also has a low response time, which is 0.5 ms (using GTG technology).

Acer Nitro XV252QF features are optimized for Esports – professional gamers will appreciate it. The display resolution isn’t high (Full HD), but it’s high enough for this model for two reasons. First: with a diagonal of 24.5 inches, the pixel density is sufficient so that the stillness of the picture does not bother the eyes. The second feature is directly related to the purpose of the device. To render game content at a maximum sweep of 390Hz, you need really powerful hardware. A 4K picture with such a high hertz is too hard for most desktops. The compromise could be WQHD resolution, but then the price of the device would increase.

Acer Nitro XV252QF Specifications

• Display: 24.5-inch IPS panel
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Color Supported: 16.7 million
• Contrast Ratio: 100 million:1 max (ACM)
• Brightness: 400 Nit
• Native Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
• Response Time: 1 ms
• Viewing Angle: 178° / 178°
• Features: AMD Freesync Premium, DisplayHDR 400, ErgoStand
• Stand: Pivot, Swivel, Adjustable Display, Tilt Angle (-5° – 25°), Adjustable Height (120mm)
• Audio: 2W x2 Speakers
• Ports: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm audio jack, Audio Line Out
• VESA Mount: 100 x 100 mm
• Dimensions: 19.80″ x 21.97″ x 9.21″ (with stand)
• Weight: 10.36 lb (with stand)

Without unnecessary frills

The Acer gaming monitor seems to be bezel-less, has a thoughtful design without ostentatious elements. When you turn it on, it’s clear that the tiny frame is still present along the sides of the case. It comes with a neat stand that offers a good range of height and tilt adjustments. It rotates easily with the display. Therefore, theoretically, it can be deployed in the horizontal plane at least 360 degrees. There is cable management, as well as a standard VESA mount. The only comment arose about the stability: the stand is thin, so the screen can be easily moved if desired. It won’t be a hindrance, as long as you don’t shake the table after the match with the rotating teammates.

On the back of the gaming PC monitor are four physical keys and a joystick – a solution that is well-known from the company’s other products. We were disappointed by the lack of USB ports for peripherals. For connections, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports, a high-speed DisplayPort 1.4, and audio output. Built-in speakers have a standard sound for their class. You can listen to something on YouTube, but to fully immerse yourself in the gameplay, it is better to use headphones or external speakers.

Lightning-fast response

As expected, the AMD FreeSync Premium monitor does its best in multiplayer hits. The Acer Nitro XV252QF’s medium diagonal is suitable for shooting games like Apex Legends, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 that we tested. No need to turn your head, small details do not fall out of the peripheral vision – the entire surface of the display is in front of your eyes. The sight can be displayed on the screen, which contributes to a comfortable grip on the front sight of a fast-moving opponent.

In principle, there are no artifacts or tearing in the picture, for which we should thank AMD FreeSync Premium technology. Maximum overclocking Hz is available when connected via DisplayPort. When using HDMI, the sweep is 240 Hz – even this figure is more than enough for most gamers. Acer Nitro XV252QF really gives a lot of vivid impressions: when the picture is clear and smooth, it is much more pleasant to beat off blaster fire with a Jedi sword somewhere on Kashyyyk or aim with Wingman at an unsuspecting opponent.

Image quality is also in perfect order: the new Acer Nitro monitor is notable for its IPS-matrix with support for 99% sRGB and a brightness of 400 cd/m2. That’s not a record number, but enough to earn VESA Display HDR certification. There were no complaints about brightness, contrast, and saturation of the picture during testing. The matrix coating is matte, so the glare from sunlight and lamps won’t interfere with gaming and watching movies.

After online battles, we examined how the Acer Nitro XV252QF handles work tasks in Adobe Photoshop and the DaVinci Resolve video editor. Despite the slight diagonalization for such scenarios, the experiment was successful: the picture quality did not disappoint, and the settings made it possible to make the color reproduction realistic.

The BlueLightShield and Flickerless eye protection options are also worth mentioning. The first preset reduces the brightness in the blue light spectrum, making the image more comfortable to the eye. The second parameter reduces backlight flicker.

Rich adjustments

As a gaming solution, the Nitro XV252QF pleases with the thoughtfulness of the special modes. The Acer Display Widget has proven to be useful for quickly adjusting key features. When you need to quickly switch between presets, instant access to the main adjustments helps out.

If you have enough time and you want to fine-tune all the options, you can wander through the menu tabs. There are actually many useful settings. You can place an indicator of the current frequency on the display, there is an adjustment of the color scheme, black depth and grayscale, eco-mode, and quick switching between signal sources.

Final line

The Acer Nitro XV252QF is the first 390 Hz monitor deployed around this solution. The model is perfect for Esports gaming. And for ordinary players, the increased refresh rate and fast response time will also come in handy. And the increased sweep frequency and faster response time will also come in handy for ordinary players. Hence, the Acer gaming monitor is a great option for those who like to play online shooter games to beat their boredom in the evening.

The Acer Nitro XV252QF monitor is a great option at its current price of $499.99 on Amazon.com or £671.84 on Amazon.co.uk, and there are not many products that can compete with it based on the on-paper specifications. With a low response time of 1ms, 390Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync Premium support, it certainly is a good choice for gamers.

But folks who are looking to purchase a monitor with high resolution, won’t find the Nitro XV252QF to be their best choice. So for them, we have the LG 27GP850 (REVIEW) gaming monitor that features a 27-inch Nano IPS panel with a WQHD resolution of (2560 x 1440 pixels), a response time of 1 ms (GTG), can be overclocked up to 180 Hz from the native 165 Hz, and with VESA DisplayHDR 400 support.