Acer XV252QF Review: 1080p 390Hz 1ms FreeSync IPS Gaming Monitor

The Acer XV252QF was the first 360Hz gaming monitor available without the dedicated G-SYNC module and with MBR support all the way up to 360Hz (390Hz if overclocked) – here’s how it stacks up today.

Image Quality

Thanks to its IPS panel, the Acer Nitro XV252Q F provides wide 178° viewing angles for flawless image quality regardless of the angle you’re looking at the screen. Further, with ~99% sRGB gamut coverage in the sRGB mode or ~115% sRGB gamut size for increased saturation, you get accurate and vibrant colors.

Now, the Full HD resolution results in only a decent pixel density of ~93 PPI (pixels per inch) on 24.5″ screens, which might seem too low for a ~$400 monitor, but if you wish to take full advantage of 390Hz, it makes sense.

In order to see the benefits of 390Hz, you’ll need to get 390FPS, which is mainly doable at 1080p and while playing undemanding eSports titles at low settings.

Still, the image is pretty crisp and you get a fair amount of screen real estate. Moreover, most professional players prefer ~24″ sized screens as it allows them to see everything that’s happening on the screen without having to move their eyes/heads much.

The Acer XV252QF can get quite bright thanks to its 400-nit peak luminance while the contrast ratio sits at 1,000:1, which is standard for IPS monitors.

You won’t have any trouble with the glare even in well-lit rooms and even though blacks aren’t quite as deep as that of VA panels with a ~3,000:1 contrast ratio, they’re decent.

Besides, there aren’t any 360Hz monitors with VA technology (at least not yet) due to their slower pixel response times.

Some IPS glow is noticeable, as expected from an IPS panel, but it’s manageable and its intensity will vary across different units of the monitor.

Performance

The main selling point of the Acer XV252QF monitor is, of course, the 360Hz refresh rate that’s overclockable to 390Hz by simply enabling the option in the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu and then increasing the refresh rate in your drivers/display settings.

You most likely won’t notice the difference between 360Hz and 390Hz, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there – you get lower input lag (just below 3ms), which is sometimes enough to determine the result of a match.

The pixel response time speed is also impressive as it can keep up with the fast refresh rate and thus prevent visible trailing behind fast-moving objects.

While screen tearing becomes almost unnoticeable at 390Hz, you can use AMD FreeSync to enable variable refresh rate (VRR) for tear-free gameplay within the supported 48-390Hz range, and below 48FPS via LFC (Low Framerate Compensation).

The Acer XV252QF is not officially certified by NVIDIA as G-SYNC Compatible, but FreeSync works with GeForce cards without any issues.

There are three response time overdrive settings: Off, Normal, and Extreme. ‘Normal’ works best at high refresh rates, but below 144Hz, it introduces some inverse ghosting, in which case you should use the ‘Off’ mode.

When FreeSync/G-SYNC Compatible is enabled, response time overdrive is locked to ‘Normal’, so in order to avoid overshoot (inverse ghosting) below 144FPS, you’ll need to disable variable refresh rate.

The Acer XV252QF also supports MBR (Motion Blur Reduction) via the VRB (Visual Response Boost) feature.

Related:What Is Motion Blur Reduction? (ULMB, LightBoost, BenQ Blur Reduction, Ultra Low Motion Blur)

VRB uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur. Unlike the 360Hz G-SYNC models with NVIDIA ULMB that can only strobe at up to 240Hz, the VRB on the XV252QF can work all the way up to 390Hz!

This allows you to keep the fluidity and lower input lag of a higher refresh rate while also getting smoother motion clarity. For the best MBR results, your in-game FPS should be as close to your refresh rate as possible, so use it in conjunction with V-Sync (and this input lag trick) or in-game FPS cap.

VRB can’t be active at the same time as VRR. It also reduces the maximum brightness while enabled, but there are two well-optimized presets available: Normal (brighter screen, more motion blur) and Extreme (darker screen, less motion blur).

All in all, the Acer Nitro XV252QF provides you with three different ways to enjoy competitive gaming, depending on your personal preference.

For minimal input lag, you can just run it at a fixed 390Hz. For tear-free gameplay, use FreeSync/G-SYNC with 387FPS cap to prevent any spikes in input lag. And for CRT-like motion clarity, use VRB with V-Sync or FPS cap matching the refresh rate. There’s no single best option, it will vary from player to player and from game to game.

Features

The Acer XV252QF 390Hz display is equipped with plenty of additional useful features, including various picture presets, Black Boost (improves visibility in dark scenes), a refresh rate tracker and crosshair overlays (Aim Point).

You also get a lot of image adjustment tools besides the standard brightness, contrast, and color temperature settings; There are gamma, sharpness, grayscale and 6-axis hue/saturation adjustments available.

To access and navigate the OSD menu, there’s a directional joystick at the rear of the monitor, along with three hotkeys for shortcuts and the power button.

The backlight of the monitor is flicker-free (unless VRB is enabled) and there’s a low-blue light filter mode.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) is also supported and the monitor is DisplayHDR 400 certified by VESA. However, due to its low contrast ratio and lack of a wide color gamut, you won’t get a meaningful HDR viewing experience.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is a bit wobbly, but it takes up little desk space, allowing you to place your keyboard close to it.

Moreover, it offers full ergonomic support with up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/25° tilt, +/- 180° swivel, 90° pivot, and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports (limited to 240Hz), a headphone jack and dual 2W integrated speakers.

Price & Similar Monitors

The Acer XV252QF goes for $400 – $500, which is a good deal in comparison to the G-SYNC models, such as the Dell Alienware AW2521H. Even though the G-SYNC models can now be found on sale for ~$400 too, we still recommend the XV252QF due to its better MBR implementation and 390Hz OC.

Aopen, a sub-company of Acer, offers the Acer Aopen 25XV2Q model which uses the same panel. It has the same features, image quality and performance – just different branding. So, you can pick between them depending on availability and region. It can sometimes be found on sale for just ~$300!

If you can’t get the Aopen version (Microcenter exclusive), we recommend considering investing in the BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K. It uses a 24.5″ 1080p 360Hz TN panel, so it won’t have as good image quality as the XV252QF, but it offers a faster pixel response time speed for noticeable less ghosting.

Additionally, it offers the impeccable DyAc+ backlight strobing implementation as well as additional gaming features, such as a shading hood, the S.Switch device, XL Settings To Share and more. Check out our BenQ XL2566K review for more information.

Finally, for professional players, we recommend investing in the ASUS PG248QP with a 24″ 1080p 540Hz TN panel with ULMB2.

Visit our comprehensive best gaming monitor buyer’s guide if you’re looking for a different kind of display.

Conclusion

If you’re a competitive gamer playing eSports titles and you can maintain 300-400FPS or over, you can’t go wrong with the Acer XV252QF. However, if you can, get the cheaper Aopen version and if you want even faster performance, consider the Zowie XL2566K or the ASUS PG248QP.

Specifications

Screen Size	24.5-inch
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	IPS
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	360Hz (390Hz OC)
Response Time (GtG)	1ms
Motion Blur Reduction	VRB (Visual Response Boost)
Adaptive-Sync	FreeSync (48-390Hz)
Speakers	2x2W
Ports	DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	400 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (true 8-bit)
HDR	DisplayHDR 400
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)