ACER PREDATOR XB323U Review

With its 270Hz refresh rate and massive 32in panel, the Acer Predator XB323U is potentially ideal for those seeking blistering gaming performance without compromising on screen size. Once extricated from its enormous box, the XB323U strikes a stylish figure with its very slim bezels and large but slim V-shaped foot. Read our ACER PREDATOR XB323U Review.

32IN GAMING MONITOR

The stand, which is in large part made from solid metal with a metallic grey paint finish, offers height, rotation and tilt adjustment, but the panel can’t be pivoted into portrait orientation. For features, the Acer includes a typical input selection of one DisplayPort connector and two HDMI ports, plus there’s a 4-port USB 3 hub with two ports on the rear and two on the left edge. A headphone jack and some rather tinny speakers are also present. There’s no USB Type-C input for connecting laptops and tablets though.

Meanwhile, a mini D-pad and four buttons sit on the right rear of the panel. The top button is for power while the other three interact with the on-screen menus, as does the mini D-pad. It’s a speedy and largely intuitive control system.

SPEC

Screen size	32in
Resolution	2,560 x 1,440
Panel technology	IPS
Maximum refresh rate	270Hz
Stated response time	1ms
Max brightness	400cd/m2 SDR, 600cd/m2 HDR
Backlight zones	1
Stated contrast ratio	1,000:1
Adaptive sync	FreeSync Premium, G-Sync compatible
Display inputs	1    x DisplayPort 1.4, 2 x HDMI 2 Audio, 2    x 2W speakers, headphone out
Stand adjustment	Height, rotation, tilt
HDR certification	Display HDR 600
Extras	100 x 100mm VESA mount, HDMI, DisplayPort, HDMI and USB 3 cables, 4-port USB 3 hub

Thanks to its 2,560 x 1,440 resolution on a large 32in panel, the XB323U has a relatively low pixel density of 92ppi, so it doesn’t produce a very sharp image when you’re sat up close. However, this isn’t an issue for competitive gaming and it’s a level of sharpness on par with 24in 1080p displays.

Otherwise, this panel produces largely excellent image quality. Its measured contrast ratio of 1,051:1 is typical for an IPS panel, while its default colour temperature of 6,705K is reasonably close to the desired level of 6,500K. With a massive 170 per cent coverage of the sRGB colour space (120 per cent DCI-P3), this monitor also has very vivid colours with good delta E colour accuracy (0.28 average).

The extended colour range works wonders for HDR content and its performance is bolstered by a high 655cd/m² (measured) maximum brightness in HDR mode. However, contrast doesn’t rise beyond 1,000:1, so HDR ultimately lacks its titular dynamic range.

The three slight flies in the ointment are noticeable IPS glow in the corners, which can create a slightly grey look when watching dark images. The uniformity of the panel is a bit ropey too, with the left edge dropping an average 7.4 per cent in brightness. Also, while the sRGB mode reins in that wide colour gamut, it has poor colour balance (7,529K) and also locks out colour adjustments.

Thankfully, it gets back on track when it comes to gaming. Its speedy 270Hz refresh rate (which requires overclocking the panel from its default 240 Hz) provides a fantastically responsive experience. Its average initial response time of 6.1ms, using its Normal overdrive mode, isn’t all that fast (it’s nearly double the 3.7ms frame time of a panel running at 270Hz), but cranking the overdrive up to Extreme results in a much nippier 4.1ms response time while only introducing minimal colour overshoot.

It’s a shame there’s no backlight strobing blur reduction mode for further sharpening up the display’s response, though.

Conclusion

You pay a premium for the extra-fast refresh rate of this panel, with several rivals offering a 165Hz refresh rate for half the price. However, if you simply must have the fastest possible response for a 32in IPS panel, the XB323U delivers the goods.

EDWARD CHESTER

VERDICT