Acer Predator XB273U F5 27-inch QHD 360 Hz gaming monitor review: Utilizing G-Sync Pulsar to deliver phenomenal blur reduction

G-Sync Pulsar blur reduction tech makes its debut in Acer’s Predator XB273U F5.

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Acer Predator XB273U F5
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(Image credit: © 3DTested)

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Ever since manufacturers surpassed the 60 Hz limit, there has been a quest to eliminate motion blur. LCD technology has a lot to overcome, but with tech like Adaptive-Sync, fast refresh and black frame insertion, the ultimate goal has come within reach.

G-Sync Pulsar is the first tech to successfully combine ULMB and Adaptive-Sync to create perfect motion resolution across a wide range of frame rates. And it does this with no performance or brightness penalty. It means that an LCD can be as smooth as a premium OLED with low input lag, quick response and high brightness. Acer’s Predator XB273U F5 is one of the first out of the gate and it is a stellar display in every respect.

(Image credit: 3DTested)

The wonders of G-Sync Pulsar are every bit as good as advertised. When observing both test patterns and during actual gameplay, I could not tell the difference between it and a premium OLED. Motion resolution is perfect in that moving objects are just as clear as stationary ones. And unlike ULMB, there is no brightness penalty. There is no pulse width to fiddle with and there is no overdrive to create artifacts either.

I also enjoyed the bright image, which peaked at over 500 nits for SDR and HDR. Though I wouldn’t use this much light for SDR content, it is a benefit for HDR, where I enjoyed sparkly highlights and decent black levels. My only wish was for a zone dimming feature to give HDR more impact. I also noted the color gamut, though wide, was not quite as large as others at 86% of DCI-P3.

But these are issues that pale when considering the leap forward in motion clarity brought by G-Sync Pulsar. Until now, I would have said OLED all the way, but I can heartily recommend any monitor with G-Sync Pulsar as an equally great choice. If you’re looking for the smoothest possible gaming experience, definitely check out the Acer Predator XB273U F5.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor
1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • Findecanor
    The type of responsiveness I would like to see tested, is how fast it adapts when the input source's resolution / refresh rate changes, or when input disappears completely.

    Last year, I worked at a company that delivered and installed screens, and programming equipment that switched input to them, and this was a recurring problem with "modern" devices that we didn't have with older equipment that we replaced.
    Brand new big expensive projectors got completely flummoxed when someone yanked the HDMI connector: they could not even be turned off with the remote control before you connected a source again.

    My newest screen at home is supposedly a "fast 180 Hz gaming screen" but it is so slow at startup that I never see the BIOS splash screen any more. When putting my PC in standby mode, I can not turn off the screen directly afterwards and instead have to do it before or wait five seconds until it figures out what is going on.
    Previously I had not imagined that equipment could be this bad.
    Reply