Acer on Wednesday unveiled its new Nitro XV273K display that features an Ultra-HD resolution and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 144 Hz enabled by AMD’s FreeSync technology. The new monitor brings 4Kp144 gaming with variable refresh rates to owners of AMD’s Radeon graphics cards. What is noteworthy is that Acer’s Nitro-series FreeSync-supporting 4Kp144 monitor is considerably cheaper than its G-Sync-supporting counterpart.

The Acer Nitro XV273K uses a 27-inch IPS panel featuring a 3840x2160 resolution, an up to 400 nits peak brightness in HDR mode, and a maximum refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. It is unclear whether the display is based on the well-known AU Optronics’ M270QAN02.2 AHVA panel that powers the G-Sync HDR as well as Acer’s Predator XB273K monitors, but this is a likely scenario (though it is not cast in stone as by the time the XV273K hits the market competing panels with similar specs may become available).

Acer does not share all the specs of the Nitro XV273K LCD just yet, though it has confirmed that it supports AMD’s FreeSync dynamic refresh rate technology and carries VESA’s DisplayHDR 400 badge, thus supporting HDR10.

In addition to the flagship Nitro XV273K, Acer also introduced its Nitro XV272U and Nitro XF272U monitors based on IPS and TN panels and featuring WQHD resolution along with an up to 144 Hz dynamic refresh rate with AMD’s FreeSync (see precise specs in the table below). All three Nitro X-series models cover 90% – 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, though it is unclear whether all of them are also DisplayHDR 400 certified (though it is highly likely that they are). The monitors look similar as they use practically the same 27-inch chassis that can adjust tilt, swivel, and height. 

Acer’s new Nitro-series monitors with AMD’s FreeSync also feature the company’s Visual Response Boost (VRB) technology that promises to reduce motion blur in fast-paced gaming scenes and therefore make them look sharper. Acer does not explain how the VRB tech works, but it is highly likely the it relies on the same principle as NVIDIA’s ULMB and ASUS’s ELMB technologies. Both methods reduce motion blur by inserting a black image between each frame of video and thus reducing time each frame is displayed.

The new Acer Nitro X-series displays will all ship in Q4. The flagship XV273K will cost $899, whereas the XV272U as well as the XF272U will be priced at $499 and $449, respectively.

Specifications of Acer Nitro X-Series Gaming Monitors
  Nitro XV273K P Nitro XV272U P Nitro XF272U P
Panel 27" IPS (AHVA?) 27" IPS (AHVA?) 27" TN
Resolution 3840 × 2160 2560 × 1440
Refresh Rate Up to 144 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate AMD FreeSync
Response Time Native ?
VRB 1 ms
Brightness Native ?
Peak 400 cd/m² ? ?
Contrast ? ? ?
Backlighting LED
Quantum Dot No
HDR DisplayHDR 400
HDR10 Support
? ?
Viewing Angles 178°/178° horizontal/vertical 170°/160° horizontal/vertical
Pixel Density 163 pixels per inch 108 pixels per inch
Colors 1.07 billion (?) ? ?
Color Saturation sRGB: 100%
Adobe RGB: ?
 DCI-P3: 90%
Rec. 2020: ?
sRGB: 100%
Adobe RGB: ?
 DCI-P3: 95%
Rec. 2020: ?
sRGB: 100%
Adobe RGB: ?
 DCI-P3: 90%
Rec. 2020: ?
Inputs DisplayPort 1.4
Mini DisplayPort
HDMI 2.0
Audio Headphone jack
USB Hub Multi-port USB 3.0
Stand Adjustments Tilt: ?
Swivel: ?
Height Adjustment: ?
Vesa Mount 100 × 100
Power Consumption ? ? ?
ETA Q4 2018
MSRP $899
€1,049
¥6,999
$499
€599
$449
€529
¥3,999

Related Reading:

Comments Locked

11 Comments

View All Comments

  • nandnandnand - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    "4Kp"? Afraid to call it 2160p?

    I like the refresh rate though.
  • Alistair - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    Photos make it appear a lot slimmer and lighter than your average over done gamer monitor. I'm very interested in a review of this monitor!
  • rtho782 - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    Does this mean 4:2:2 for 10 bit HDR?
  • bug77 - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    For HDMI 2.0 there's no other way. DP 1.4 on the other hand doesn't need any compression.

    Still, no FreeSync2 makes this monitor a definite meh.
  • DanNeely - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    Assuming this isn't the first monitor with displayports optional data compression mode (also do any GPUs support it?):

    DP1.4 can only do 2 of these at once at 4k:
    10 bit
    99-144hz
    4:4:4 color

    So for non HDR content you get 144hz 8bit 4:4:4 color.
    For HDR with text (most HDR games) you need 4:4:4 for legibility so 98hz 10bit 4:4:4
    HDR without text (maybe a few games, but mostly HDR 4k video) you can go 144hz 10bit 4:2:2
  • DanNeely - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    "though it is not cast in stone as by the time the XV273K hits the market competing panels with similar specs may become available"

    Possible, but TFT central's most recent panel update said they're not aware of LG or Samsung working on 4k high refresh rate panels, so it's probably AUO's non FALD panel.
  • JoeyJoJo123 - Thursday, August 30, 2018 - link

    Yeah, 9 times out of 10, any time a display's made with a high refresh rate, it's coming out of AUO. LG and Samsung produce very few high refresh rate monitor panels. Both are much more focused on their high-end OLED and TV sized or phone sized panel production. Computer monitors have been ignored by them for a while, even though they're very capable of producing quality panels in that space.
  • Mecatronico - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link

    And now this monitor is G-Sync Compatible too!
  • QChronoD - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link

    Magically the price has increased several hundred dollars as well.

    The only place that I can ever find it for sale is directly from Acer and they are asking $1100 (with a $1700 MSRP). Granted, that's still $700 less than what the X27 and the comparable Asus are asking for their G-Sync HDR models, but at least those are available on Amazon.

    (Did the XB273K get renamed to just X27, cause I don't even see that listed anymore)
  • Astrix_AU - Sunday, January 13, 2019 - link

    The image you have here is a Acer Nitro XV272U (XV2) not (XV3). The XV272U uses a Innolux AAS panel technology (M270KCJ-K7B).

    http://www.panelook.com/M270KCJ-K7B_Innolux_27.0_L...

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now