Acer’s latest gaming monitors include its first with HDMI 2.1

As the first part of Acer’s CES 2021 announcements, the company shared that it has three new gaming monitors releasing in May. In terms of specs, the standout product is the new Nitro XV28, a 28-inch 4K monitor with an IPS display and a 144Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium. It’s Acer’s first gaming monitor to use HDMI 2.1 ports, giving it the spec (assuming you’re using an HDMI 2.1-compliant cable) to support up to 4K gaming at 120 frames per second with variable refresh rate (VRR).

So, not only is this a solid option for PC gamers hoping to squeeze the most out of their Nvidia RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, it’s an option about which PS5 and Xbox Series X owners can be equally excited. In terms of port selection, this one has two HDMI ports (both are 2.1), one DisplayPort, one USB-C port capable of 65W PD charging, four USB Type-A 3.0 ports, and a USB Type-B port to power those USB ports.

Acer will sell the XV28 for $899, which certainly isn’t cheap, though not out of the ordinary for a 4K screen with fast refresh rates. If you want one that actually fits on your desk, it could be worth it. Though it’s hard not to think that, for around the same price during a sale, you could get a 55-inch Vizio 4K OLED TV that also supports HDMI 2.1 — though there are reports that its advertised VRR doesn’t yet work. Meanwhile, Acer claims the XV28 will have “hassle-free support” for the latest consoles at 4K 120Hz with VRR.

Image: Acer

Acer’s other two monitor announcements aren’t any more affordable, but they do have some high-end features missing from the Nitro XV28. The Predator XB27 costs $1,099 and features a 27-inch QHD IPS panel with HDR400 capability, the lowest rung on the DisplayHDR standard that can reach 400 cd/m2 peak brightness — effectively 400 nits, dim enough that it shouldn’t be your choice if you’re actually buying for HDR. It can run at a native 240Hz refresh rate with overclocking up to 275Hz, and it has a 0.5ms response time.

It comes with an Nvidia G-Sync module built in. In addition to the various benefits that it yields for keeping your Nvidia GPU-powered gameplay looking smooth, in this case it allows for Nvidia’s Reflex tech that analyzes and optimizes latency across all of your connected accessories. This monitor has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, a trio of USB Type-A 3.0 ports, a single USB Type-A 2.0 port, and a USB Type-B port for powering the USB ports.

Image: Acer

Finally, the Predator XB32 is a 31.5-inch 4K IPS display that’s G-Sync compatible (an update from GeForce Experience will make it play better with modern Nvidia GPUs). It has a native 144Hz refresh rate and also HDR400, if you want that slightly more vibrant image in apps that support it. This model will sell for $1,199. It features two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, a single USB-C port with 65W PD charging, and four USB Type-A 3.0 ports with a USB Type-B port for powering them.

These each seem like solid, albeit pricey picks if you’re really into gaming and want features that can boost the visual fidelity in different ways. The Nitro XB23 and Predator XB27 are the most appealing from a technical level, each with a few great features that set them apart from what’s currently out there. We don’t have the full spec sheets yet, though, and given that they will each release in May, there may be some competitive models on the market by then.