Acer just unveiled a host of new gaming monitors at IFA 2024, and some of them sound downright ridiculous — but in a good way. The best embodiment of that word is definitely the new Acer Nitro XV240 F6, which drives up the refresh rate to a whopping 600Hz.
That’s a first, and considering the price, it’s really not a bad deal. I find myself wanting to check it out. Whether or not anyone actually needs (or could observe the difference with) a display this fast is an entirely different question, of course.
Before we get into the “is it worth it” side of things, though, let’s take a look at the three new Nitro monitors that are set to hit the shelves in the first quarter of 2025. The aforementioned Nitro XV240 F6, the Nitro XV270U F5, and the Nitro XV270 F5. All three serve up crazy high refresh rates — it’s no wonder that Acer refers to them as “Nitro Ultraspeed,” but they’re not all the same.
The 600Hz model is a 24-inch 1080p monitor with a gray-to-gray (GtG) response time of up to 0.1 ms. It has a VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification and offers up to 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. This display is set to launch at a recommended price of $600, making it cheaper than 540Hz monitors like the Asus ROG Swift Pro.
What’s the catch? It’s a TN panel, which, as you’ll find in our monitor buying guide, is notorious for washed-out colors and poor viewing angles. You’re sacrificing visuals for that extra refresh rate, which is why the next model in line sounds like a fierce competitor.
The Nitro XV270 F5 marks the first of the two 27-inch “UltraSpeed” displays that Acer is serving up today, and it’s also a 1080p screen, but with a 520Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms GtG response time. This model is HDR10-certified and sports an IPS panel, which should mean better contrasts and brighter visuals. Like the TN variant, this one will cost $600 at launch.
Lastly, there’s the $800 Nitro XV270U F5, which is a WQHD (2,560 x 1,440) 27-inch display with an IPS panel and a 500Hz refresh rate. While it’s the least speedy of all three, the WQHD resolution combined with an IPS panel puts it in a league of its own — as does the price tag.
All three screens are AMD FreeSync Premium compatible, and Acer stresses that the goal was to minimize screen stuttering and tearing. Good thing, too, as monitors like this are exclusively useful in first-person shooters (FPS) and other competitive games. However, the two 27-inch models sound like they might be good for gamers of all kinds, and it’s hard not to wonder whether the 600Hz variant is really worth it. Personally, I’m not a fan of TN monitors, but I know they have their merits in competitive gaming.
Aside from the above, Acer also revealed new smart monitors with built-in WebOS, as well as new Predator gaming monitors. The latter aren’t slow by any stretch, but they’re not this fast. There’s a 360Hz model with a WQHD resolution and a 4K variant that maxes out at 160Hz. Both are 27 inches.
So, is that 600Hz monitor going to be worth the money? For the majority of gamers, probably not, but that doesn’t make me want to try it any less.
