Acer XFA240 Review: 1080p 144Hz 1ms FreeSync Gaming Monitor

The Acer XFA240 is one of the many 24″ 1080p 144Hz 1ms gaming models available. However, the XFA240 was the first monitor of this type to be certified by NVIDIA as G-SYNC compatible.

Image Quality

The monitor is based on a TN panel with a 350-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, 8-bit color depth (6-bit + 2-bit FRC), and 160°/170° viewing angles.

Other specifications include 1080p resolution, which on the 24″ screen of the Acer XFA240 monitor results in sharp and clear picture quality.

Naturally, 1440p or 4K would provide you with significantly more details and screen space, but it would also be more demanding to drive at 144Hz, whereas 1080p isn’t too taxing on your CPU/GPU allowing you to reach higher frame rates.

While TN panel monitors don’t have as vibrant colors nor as high contrast ratio as IPS and VA panels, respectively, they do offer the best response time speed of only 1ms.

Such quick response time allows the pixels to change from one color into another almost instantaneously, which, in turn, removes ghosting and motion blur in fast-paced games.

When you add the 144Hz refresh rate to that, you get an incredibly responsive and engaging fast-paced gaming experience.

Performance

The Acer XFA240 input lag amounts to ~6ms, which is fit for professional gameplay as there’s no perceptible delay between your commands and the result on the display.

Note that the backlight of the monitor is flicker-free as it doesn’t use PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) to regulate brightness, so you don’t have to worry about headaches if you’re sensitive to flickering.

There’s also a low-blue light filter, which, when enabled, removes the harmful blue lights and prevents eye strain.

If you have an Adaptive-Sync (FreeSync) compatible graphics card, you’ll be able to use the full potential of the Acer XFA240 144Hz gaming monitor.

The FreeSync technology removes screen tearing and stuttering by allowing the monitor to change its refresh rate according to the GPU’s frame rates, thus providing you with a variable refresh rate (VRR).

Note that VRR works with most of AMD and certain NVIDIA (GTX 10-series, RTX 20-series, or newer) graphics cards.

The Acer XFA240 VRR range for AMD cards is 48-144Hz/FPS (Frames Per Second) over DisplayPort and 48-120Hz over HDMI.

For NVIDIA cards, VRR is supported only via DisplayPort with a 48-144Hz range.

AMD LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) is also supported, which means that even when your FPS drops below 48, FreeSync won’t stop working; the display’s refresh rate will be double or triple the frame rate for a smoother performance.

Features

There are six monitor hotkeys at the bottom bezel which can be used as shortcuts for the following functions: swapping between the Game modes, adjusting the Overdrive setting, opening the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, changing the input source, adjusting the volume, and turning the monitor on/off.

The Game modes include three customizable profiles where you can save and edit your settings. The Acer XFA240 also offers advanced picture adjustments such as gamma presets and 6-axis hue/saturation.

Other gaming features include ‘Black Level’ for better visibility in darker games and ‘Aim Point,’ which consists of customizable crosshair overlays.

Design & Connectivity

The Acer XFA240 display offers full ergonomic support with up to 150mm height adjustment, -5°/35° tilt, 90° pivot, and +/- 60° swivel. It’s also VESA mount compatible with 100 x 100mm holes.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4 with MHL, and Dual-Link DVI-D. There are also two 2W built-in speakers and a headphone jack.

Price & Similar Monitors

The Acer XFA240 goes for around $200.

Alongside the Acer XFA240, there’s also the Acer XF240H model, which is essentially the same monitor (also G-SYNC compatible), but it only supports FreeSync over DisplayPort, not over HDMI.

It’s also available as a 27″ model, the Acer XF270H Bbmiiprx, which is also G-SYNC compatible.

We recommend the LG 24GN650 instead. It’s just as fast, but also has an IPS panel with wider viewing angles and better image quality for the same price.

To learn more about monitors and ensure you’re getting the model most suited for your personal preference, visit our comprehensive and always up-to-date best gaming monitor buyer’s guide.

Conclusion

While the Acer XFA240 does offer smooth performance and a decent image quality, there are newer and better monitors available around this price range.

Specifications

Screen Size	24-inch
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	TN
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	144Hz
Response Time	1ms (GtG)
Adaptive Sync	FreeSync (48Hz-144Hz) G-SYNC Compatible
Speakers	2x2W
Ports	DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, DVI-D
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	350 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (6-bit + FRC)
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)