Acer Predator XB241H 180Hz G-Sync Gaming Monitor Review

1. Introduction2. Acer Predator XB241H Design, Ergonomics and Connectivity3. Acer Predator XB241H Controls and OSD4. Acer Predator XB241H Power Consumption, Thermal Performance and Speakers5. Acer Predator XB241H Performance, Image Quality and Gaming6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

Overall, the Acer Predator XB241H is a decent enough 24in gaming monitor. You get good contrast (for a TN panel), very fast response time, up to 180Hz overclocked refresh, Nvidia G-Sync with ULMB, and some neat little extras like an on-screen refresh rate counter. There is even the rare addition of Nvidia 3D Vision – just remember the emitter and glasses are a separate purchase – and the XB241H packages all of this into a reasonably attractive design that offers full adjustability.

On the other hand, G-Sync limits connectivity to just a one DP and one HDMI port, and the only extra you get on top of this is a 3.5mm audio output, which is a bit stingy since most gaming displays at this kind of price point also offer at least a USB 3.0 hub. Meanwhile on the audio front, the XB241H’s speakers are poor at best; we wouldn’t even listen to a YouTube video on these given the choice.

But – depending on your requirements – this Predator’s main downside is its use of a TN panel, with all the inherent disadvantages that entails. While TN might be the panel type that offers the speediest pixel response, it’s also the one with the worst potential image quality due mainly to its sub-par viewing angles.

On top of this, unlike the royalty-free AMD FreeSync, Nvidia’s equivalent adds a significant price premium of around £150-200. So if you’re a more casual gamer or your main fare is RTS and 3^rd-person RPGs, even owners of an Nvidia card might wish to get a FreeSync or adaptive sync monitor with a superior VA or IPS panel and save some money while they’re at it. For example, the excellent Samsung C24FG70 can easily be found for under £300.

Even in its own class the Acer Predator XB241H faces some stiff competition, as there are plenty of TN-based G-Sync monitors available. Due to recent price drops one of its greatest competitors is ironically its slightly larger Acer Predator stablemate. The AG251FG gives you the same resolution and adjustability but a larger 25in display area, greater brightness, higher 240Hz refresh and USB 3.0 hub for only £55 more.

All that said, if you’re after a 24in G-Sync display on a strict budget and value gaming over productivity or creativity, you could do worse than this Predator.

The Acer Predator XB241H is available from Amazon for £365 inc. VAT.

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Pros:

• Very fast refresh
• Good contrast (for a TN panel)
• No obvious backlight bleed
• Nvidia G-Sync
• Fully adjustable
• Attractive Predator design

Cons:

• Sub-par viewing angles
• Limited connectivity and no USB hub
• Poor colour accuracy
• Unimpressive uniformity
• Expensive

KitGuru says: The Acer Predator XB241H does a lot right for a gaming monitor but its use of an average TN panel, poor default colour accuracy and lack of extras mean we would recommend spending a little extra to get a little more. If you are screaming for high refresh with good contrast – its worth a shortlist.

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