It comes as no surprise to me that last year's Acer Predator XB271HU is still available even though the gaming monitor market is swiftly changing with HDR and 4K being all the rage nowadays. It's a truly fantastic gaming monitor Acer equipped with an IPS panel that can be overclocked from 144 Hz to 165 Hz and a G-Sync module, which actively adapts the refresh rate to the current framerate and makes screen tearing something you'll never have to think about again. Its input lag is shockingly low as well.

Buying the Predator XB271HU will instantly transform you into a better player, especially if you were previously using a standard 60 Hz monitor. You will love every second spent using it. When I first got it, I couldn't stop hopping from game to game just to see how smoothly this monitor interprets them. The picture quality is very good, although not as good as its gaming performance. This is by no means a monitor you should consider if you're professionally working with photos, video, or any kind of serious design and only play games occasionally. The Predator XB271HU doesn't offer the refinement needed for those tasks, particularly when it comes to color and luminance uniformity. However, that doesn't mean the picture quality is subpar. On the contrary - for gaming and everyday usage, it's more than satisfactory even without calibration.

Its ergonomics are excellent. You can adjust the screen in every possible direction or mount it to a VESA mount should you not like the supplied base and stand. I also like the design, especially the ultra-thin edges of the screen, which aren't there only for aesthetics but to also improve overall immersion.

While the Predator XB271HU was released last year, I'd dare say that it can only now be used to its full potential. We finally have the graphics cards that allow us to crank the details up to Ultra and still get 100 or more frames per second at its native 1440p resolution. That's not a luxury you'll have if you get a 4K monitor. Thanks to its sublime gaming performance and many other qualities, I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a serious gaming monitor.