On Thursday, Acer announced an addition to its Predator gaming monitor family in the United States — the Predator XB1 (XB241YU). This monitor provides a 23.8-inch flat panel enhanced by the company’s ZeroFrame design, which cuts down on the overall bezel thickness to provide more screen and less frame. It is available for $500 in the U.S. at participating retailers.
Here are the specs:
| Screen size: | 23.8 inches |
| Panel type: | Twisted Nematic (TN) |
| Native resolution: | 2,560 x 1,440 |
| Brightness: | 350 nits |
| Response time: | One millisecond |
| Standard refresh rate: | 144Hz |
| Overclock refresh rate: | 180Hz |
| Aspect ratio: | 16:9 |
| Backlit technology: | LED |
| Colors supported: | 16.7 million |
| G-Sync technology: | Yes |
| Speakers: | 2x 2-watt |
| Title angle: | -5 to 35 degrees |
| Swivel angle: | 30 degrees |
| Max adjustable height: | 5.91 inches |
| Ports: | 1x HDMI 1x DisplayPort 5x USB 3.0 (one up, four down) |
Note the use of a TN panel. This is old technology compared to IPS and OLED panels, but is still ideal for PC gaming. TN technology provides fast response times, meaning the panel is quick in receiving image data and throwing it on the screen. It is also capable of very bright screens, which we see here in the specs. As a comparison, the newer IPS panel technology is better suited for video watching and digital art production given it provides better colors and wider viewing angles.
As shown above, the panel includes Nvidia’s G-Sync technology. This is to help prevent image tearing, stuttering, and input lag associated with frequent drops in the graphics card’s output. Games and video generate a number of images per second. In turn, displays flash those images each second. If the two numbers do not match, then the screen seemingly tears horizontally. G-Sync synchronizes the display’s image draw rate (refresh rate) with the output of a compatible Geforce graphics card.
Other notable features offered with the new Predator monitor is GameView, which enables owners to switch between three customizable display profiles in-game without having to access the built-in display menu settings. The adjustable options include changing the level of darkness, the aim-point assistance, and the on-screen refresh rate.
The panel also includes Nvidia’s ULMB technology to reduce motion blur along with EyeProtect, which provides a flicker-less, blue-light filter and low-dimming technologies to protect those precious eyeballs and melatonin levels. If you are up all night after spending all day in front of a screen, chances are that your melatonin was burned out thanks to blue light. Owners of the Predator XB241YU may not have that problem.
“We believe this powerful WQHD monitor in a ZeroFrame design and Nvidia G-Sync offers a compelling feature set for gamers, including those competing in eSports,” Acer America Director of Stationary Computing Ronald Lau said in a statement. “The ZeroFrame design makes it a perfect choice for those wanting to create an immersive multi-monitor setup, while the fast refresh rate and support for changing settings in-game, gives gamers a competitive edge.”
Acer’s new monitor can be purchased through Amazon, CDW, Fry’s Electronics, Insight, Newegg, Staples, and TigerDirect.
