Official Acer [XB270HU] 27" 1440p 144Hz G-Sync IPS ULMB Monitor Thread

Can't thank TFTCentral enough for the awesome work they do. Their reviews are now absolutely the best with new pursuit camera tests.

The only thing I don't quite understand is which of the ghost images is OD overshoot, which is "cross-talk" and which is pixel transition blur on the pursuit shots below. I can only see two ghost images, so which is of them is crosstalk?

Asus-Acer_pursuit.jpg


In ULMB mode Acer is pretty close to Asus, but looks like some color transitions can be a problem for Acer - see the alien's hand after image on his purple "shirt".
In 144 Hz mode can't see much difference in sharpness but the dark trail on Acer is longer.

Anyway apparently the difference in speed is not so big to justify buying Asus.
 
A lot of us won't be maintaining high enough average frame rates at (high+ to ultra settings) to justify ulmb mode vs using g-sync, or who won't want to suffer the muted contrast and brightness (especially on the 3440x1440 resolution models). However it's good to know the ulmb mode results for what games I would use it on or experiment with using on. With dual 780ti sc 's I can hit 100 - 120fps on some games, but the most demanding ones are more like 70 - 75fps unless I turn off the more demanding ultra settings like tressfx, superduper sampling/downsampling, etc. 980's would be a bit faster but not that much.

forums.evga.com GTX-780Ti-Benchmarks-1x4x-SLI-Work-in-Progress-
 
m51s said:
Anyway apparently the difference in speed is not so big to justify buying Asus.
Click to expand...
Only if you can maintain frames above 100 fps.

Remember all of these comparisons are when the frames are at 100 or 144. The Predator's pixel response depends on the framerate. The Swift pixel response is the same speed regardless of framerate.
 
m51s said:
Anyway apparently the difference in speed is not so big to justify buying Asus.
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Correct. For us to be saying that this Acer IPS is almost as good as the best TN panel on the market for motion is incredible. Acer is going to sell a lot of these babies!

elvn said:
A lot of us won't be maintaining high enough average frame rates at (high+ to ultra settings) to justify ulmb mode vs using g-sync
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You need a faster computer. :D Or turn down some settings. IMO motion clarity is more important than maxing every games graphical settings. A lot of settings in games have huge diminishing returns. For an example, the jump from say "low" preset in game X to "medium" preset is 50% increase in perceived visual quality, for a 40% reduction in FPS.

Then the jump from "medium" preset to "high/ultra" preset is a 10% increase in perceived visual quality, for another 40% reduction in FPS. Just not worth that last step. I know it's a psychological thing to say I'm playing X game "maxed out", but the vast majority of the time it isn't worth it.

Plus a lot of times when people max out these game settings, it actually maxes out their CPU and not their GPU setup and they are none-the-wiser.
 
Any smaller, 1080p variants coming down the line? I don't have the graphical muscle to do 1440p at 85hz. :(
 
Looks like the display is now available here in Germany. If I order today it will be here on 17th/18th March.
Thinking about getting this Acer(749€) or the BDM4065UC (777€)...
 
mope54 said:
Only if you can maintain frames above 100 fps.

Remember all of these comparisons are when the frames are at 100 or 144. The Predator's pixel response depends on the framerate. The Swift pixel response is the same speed regardless of framerate.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I have just realized that this can be a problem - G-sync changes refresh rate depending on the framerate, so 60 fps will result in 60 Hz refresh rate and 8.7ms GtG on Acer (and potentially even bigger GtG values with fps close to 30).
One solution is to deactivate G-sync if you can't maintain high enough fps. You lose G-sync fluidity (if any) and get tearing. But instead you have constant 144Hz refresh rate with 5.5 ms average GtG (low blur). I can live with tearing, not a problem for me.
 
It's only a limitation with g-sync on? The review made it sound like it was all the time and I thought maybe it was due to a limitation of the fact that it was IPS. If you don't plan to use G-sync, though, it seems like it'd be better to get a different monitor.
 
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@Michaelius
That SWEclockers review is new to me.
Btw can anyone translate this part:

"IPS Glow" är lika med uppljusad svärta

Det värsta som händer är att vi tappar kontrastförhållande som ger den så kallade "IPS Glow"-effekten. Sätter vi detta i relation till hur en TN-panel beter sig i samma vinklar med helt förändrade färger, helt annan gamma som gör bilden väldigt ljus eller väldigt mörk och till och med inverterade färger, så kallad "bronzing"-effekt där svart blir ljusare än mörkgrått. IPS Glow är egentligen det minsta problemet att knorra över och istället för skrivbordsplaneringen ses över.
Click to expand...

Im very "allergic" to IPS-glow and grey blacks of IPS panels and prefer VA, so i would like to know what the "IPS Glow"-part of this review is about.
 
Michaelius said:
Isn't responce time thing same on all monitors?

I've checked Swift review and altrough 60 Hz measurment was only done with overdrive off

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/images/asus_rog_swift_pg278q/overdrive_1.png

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/images/asus_rog_swift_pg278q/response_2.png

Similar behaviour in reviews of other 144 Hz displays on TFT.


edit: was sweclockers review posted?

http://www.sweclockers.com/recensio...aserad-gamingskarm-i-144-hz-med-nvidia-g-sync
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on the ROG Swift the refresh rate only impacted (improved) response times when running with OD off which surely noone is ever going to do anyway. With normal OD mode they confirmed in the review "The refresh rate doesn't have an impact on the response times here and it is the same at 60, 120 and 144Hz."

on the Acer though the refresh rate does impact response times and the overdrive control on all OD settings
 
Drags said:
on the ROG Swift the refresh rate only impacted (improved) response times when running with OD off which surely noone is ever going to do anyway. With normal OD mode they confirmed in the review "The refresh rate doesn't have an impact on the response times here and it is the same at 60, 120 and 144Hz."

on the Acer though the refresh rate does impact response times and the overdrive control on all OD settings
Click to expand...

Ahh didn't notice that
 
kalston said:
So at lower framerates with g-sync the Asus would be a bit better then?
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Yes, it sounds like it. And I'm not sure it's only at G-Sync. I thought the review said that refresh rate always impacted pixel response rate. That said, I wouldn't get either monitor unless I was going to use G-Sync anyway.
 
Ahoi, I received my Acer XB270HU on saturday at 10:00 and its the greatest thing ever. :eek:
I ordered it on Alternate in germany.
Before this monitor I had a ASUS PB278Q, 27", but the Acer is so much better, everything is so fluid, its my first tft with more than 60hz.
Im using it with G-Sync and 144hz, I dont like ULMB and 100hz since there is noticable flicker then, even though the motion blur is even more reduced.
It has some minor IPS-Glow in the lower right area, which I can only notice when looking at a black picture in a dark room, which I never ever normally do. :D
 
-oMLeTTe- said:
Ahoi, I received my Acer XB270HU on saturday at 10:00 and its the greatest thing ever. :eek:
I ordered it on Alternate in germany.
Before this monitor I had a ASUS PB278Q, 27", but the Acer is so much better, everything is so fluid, its my first tft with more than 60hz.
Im using it with G-Sync and 144hz, I dont like ULMB and 100hz since there is noticable flicker then, even though the motion blur is even more reduced.
It has some minor IPS-Glow in the lower right area, which I can only notice when looking at a black picture in a dark room, which I never ever normally do. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah I was worried about the 100Hz ULMB. I guess we still don't have "The Perfect Monitor." I'm definitely jealous you got yours already. Local PC shop here doesn't even know when they're getting it yet. I need me some Titan X cards and this monitor. Like Pronto. :(
 
That price is really nice, considering I have to pay redic sales tax on amazon and newegg.
 
Is shopblt known reliable/trustworthy? I've never bought anything from them before, and wondering if I'd be better off just waiting for Amazon to carry it. Assuming they will.
 
mope54 said:
Yes, it sounds like it. And I'm not sure it's only at G-Sync. I thought the review said that refresh rate always impacted pixel response rate. That said, I wouldn't get either monitor unless I was going to use G-Sync anyway.
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Hum well that's interesting. I only use g-sync (I find ULMB flickery even at 100hz) and I'm not pushing 100+ fps on a whole lot of games besides older ones so maybe I shouldn't rush out to get the Acer.
 
Great review from sweclockers, being native swedish speaker helps too.

Basically they reflected a lot of TFTcentral's opinions that especially the overdrive is working really well and as a combination with a very fast IPS panel without artifacts at all in "normal" OD setting seemed preferable even to many TN panels.

Input lag below 5 ms is really good too. Good color accuracy. Their sample had no BLB issues. All in all really good monitor it seems. They did state though that they've countered a bug that the color setting was resetting sometimes to another setting even if the same "user" setting was used and it was enough to go into that color menu and it would adjust back without having to touch any setting. I also found it interesting that they thought G-Sync helps to smoothen the performance of otherwise "stuttery" gameplay as say driving vehicles in Far Cry 4, even if the FPS is the same with or without, it felt to them smoother, more responsive.

Shame that it has to be so expensive (although seems worth it) but my expensiest monitor so far has costed little over 300 EUR and this is a little over twice the cost. :p

But yea personally I'm extremely impressed how great it does in terms of response time and RTC for an IPS, it's really tweaked ideally here. Sweclockers will review the Freesync TN version too when the Freesync driver has been released.
 
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bubulus said:
Ahoi, I received my Acer XB270HU on saturday at 10:00 and its the greatest thing ever.
I ordered it on Alternate in germany.
Before this monitor I had a ASUS PB278Q, 27", but the Acer is so much better, everything is so fluid, its my first tft with more than 60hz.
Im using it with G-Sync and 144hz, I dont like ULMB and 100hz since there is noticable flicker then, even though the motion blur is even more reduced.
It has some minor IPS-Glow in the lower right area, which I can only notice when looking at a black picture in a dark room, which I never ever normally do.
Click to expand...

We need pictures!
 
Hmmm this flickeryness at 100hz ULMB mode that oMLeTTe describes is concerning...so basically its useless on this display, which would in turn just make this a glorified Korean IPS then really. Does anybody know if it has PWM????

Wondering if I should stick with my perfect Rog Swifts as those give the option of:
(a) 144hz Gsync goodness
(b) 120hz ULMB goodness
(c) Nvidia 3D vision
(d) No PWM
 
How does 100Hz ULMB flicker compare to 100Hz CRT flicker? Is it pretty much the same or?

I used to use 100Hz on CRT and couldn't notice it flickering or not in any disturbingly way, 85Hz I thought I "felt" slight flicker, 100Hz acceptable/pretty much/almost no flicker at all and 120Hz not whatsoever noticeable.
 
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l88bastard said:
Does anybody know if it has PWM????
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The monitor does not have PWM.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/flicker_free_database.htm

Also from the TFT review:

Wide brightness range adjustment possible from the display, including high maximum luminance of ~327 cd/m2 and a good minimum luminance of 53 cd/m2. This should afford you very good control for different lighting conditions. Contrast ratio remains stable across most of that adjustment range as well and is excellent for an IPS-type panel. Brightness regulation is controlled without the need for PWM and so is flicker free at all settings which is pleasing.
Click to expand...
 
RPGWiZaRD said:
How does 100Hz ULMB flicker compare to 100Hz CRT flicker? Is it pretty much the same or?

I used to use 100Hz on CRT and couldn't notice it flickering or not in any disturbingly way, 85Hz I thought I "felt" slight flicker, 100Hz acceptable/pretty much/almost no flicker at all and 120Hz not whatsoever noticeable.
Click to expand...

I couldn't tell you how it compares but when thinking about LCDs vs. CRTs it would be good to keep in mind that LCDs can strobe but usually do not scan. CRTs flicker as the electron beam scans horizontally (far too fast to perceive) and vertically (slow enough to perceive) across the screen. They do not illuminate the entire screen at the same time.

Strobing LCDs tend to illuminate the entire screen when they pulse. Again, I couldn't tell you if it matters subjectively but it is at least a reason not to assume that LCD flicker looks the same as CRT flicker.
 
Just a heads up I found this on Amazon this morning.

Amazon Link

They want a lot of money for it though much more then ShopBLT.
 
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bubulus said:
We need pictures !!!!
Click to expand...

What kind of pictures do you want? It standing on my desk? ;P

I find the 100Hz ULMB flicker horrendous, Im very sensitive to it. Id compare it to a 75 Hz CRT, whereas on my 100Hz CRT I never saw flickering.
 
Prax said:
Just a heads up I found this on Amazon this morning.

Amazon Link

They want a lot of money for it though much more then ShopBLT.
Click to expand...

You'd be better off waiting until mid-April when it releases to major retailers. I wouldn't pay anything over the $799 price quoted by Acer on their website.

People like the Amazon link above are trying to cash in on peoples' lack of patience.
 
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Yeah I plan on waiting just wish it would hurry up and show up major retailers doors already.
 
Anyone that has a ULMB monitor now like the Swift can test to see if 100 Hz ULMB flickers too much. I've set monitors to 100 Hz for strobing and the flicker was pretty much un-perceivable. People like to embellish.
 
Ya I got three swifts in Landscape and I can tell a difference between 100hz and 120hz ULMB mode. 100hz ULMB is not something I would want to party with. And 100hz may be worse on the IPS panel versus the TN panel of the swift too, so he may not be embellishing the "horridness" of it lol

So basically, 100hz ULMB mode negates all the awesomeness of this being an IPS panel due to the strobing dimming that comes along too.

So basically this display is a glorified Korean IPS, that doesn't kill your eyes with PWM and does proper 144hz with gsync to boot. Its a hell of a display, but still a bit of a dissapointment as I am sick of the give and take with high end displays. Just want something that can match the awesomeness of the FW900s colors, black level, motion clarity without all of the LCD cons :mad:
 
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