Acer Predator X27U X1 monitor evaluate: The OLED value struggle heats up

Greatest Costs At the moment: Acer Predator X27U X1

The OLED value wars are right here.

Acer’s Predator X27U X1 is a brand new monitor with a 27-inch 1440p QD-OLED show. But it carries an MSRP of $600, which is tons of of {dollars} lower than the MSRP comparable screens had in 2023 and 2024. Acer is pressured to make a number of compromises to hit a low value however, with regards to picture high quality, the X27U X1 is a match for its friends.

Learn on to study extra, then see our roundup of one of the best gaming screens for comparability.

Acer Predator X27U X1 (X1bmiiphx) specs and options

The Acer Predator X27U X1’s specs are typical for a 27-inch QD-OLED monitor. It has a 26.5-inch QD-OLED panel with 2560×1440 decision and a refresh charge as much as 240Hz. Adaptive sync is supported, although solely AMD FreeSync Premium Professional is formally listed.

• Show dimension: 26.5-inch 16:9 widescreen
• Native decision: 2560×1440
• Panel kind: 10-bit OLED
• Refresh charge: 240Hz
• Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Professional
• HDR: HDR10, VESA DisplayHDR 400 licensed
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4
• Audio: 2x 5-watt audio system
• Guarantee: 3 years
• Value: $599.99 MSRP, as little as $449.99 retail (U.S.)

Pricing is the place the Predator X27U X1 stands out, because it lists an MSRP only one cent shy of $600. Most comparable screens record an MSRP of $799.99 or extra. Newegg already lists this monitor at $450.

Customers must be cautious to put in writing down the X27U X1’s full mannequin identify, which is X1bmiiphx (sure, actually). Acer sells a number of screens which can be comparable in identify, design, and specs. It’s complicated sufficient that, as of March 2025, Newegg has the improper photographs on its itemizing for this monitor. 

Acer Predator X27U X1 design

The Acer Predator X27U X1 is clearly designed, constructed, and priced with affordability in thoughts. That results in fewer compromises than I anticipated, however its design displays the value. Although it does have a tiny Predator badge on the underside bezel, the monitor is in any other case extremely generic. It’s constructed from sturdy however unremarkable black plastics and lacks thrives like customizable RGB-LED accent lighting.

I’m not a fan of the stand, both. Whereas the monitor itself is generic, the stand feels a bit low-cost. That is principally because of the coarse texture of the supplies used. The tiny plastic clip used for cable administration, which feels prefer it’s positive to interrupt after a few years, doesn’t assist issues. I don’t just like the design of the stand base, both. It’s wider than most but doesn’t preserve the monitor any extra steady than its competitors.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

With that stated, although, Acer’s price range stand retains a lot of the performance you’d count on from a costlier OLED monitor. It adjusts for peak, tilt, and swivel, although it doesn’t pivot into portrait orientation. A 75x75mm VESA mount is obtainable to be used with third-party monitor stands and arms.

Acer Predator X27U X1 connectivity

Acer retains the Predator X27U X1’s connectivity so simple as its design. The monitor has two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4. All video ports can deal with the monitor’s full decision and refresh charge. The monitor additionally has a 3.5mm audio-out.

However that’s it for connectivity. It has no USB-A or USB-C ports, which additionally means it lacks a KVM change operate (an more and more widespread function on OLED screens).

The dearth of USB is definitely a draw back and makes the Predator X27U X1 much less versatile than costlier alternate options. Alternate options just like the MSI MPG 272URX provide a number of USB ports and USB-C with Energy Supply. That monitor has an MSRP of $1099.99, nonetheless.

Acer Predator X27U X1 menu and options

The reasonably priced Acer Predator X27U X1 makes cuts to design and connectivity, however that’s the place the sacrifices finish.

Opposite to what the value suggests, the X27U X1 has an efficient on-screen menu with many choices. Whereas I do take difficulty with the font dimension, which is a bit small and low distinction for my tastes, I used to be stunned by the plethora of choices. Particularly, the monitor has easy-to-find settings for shade temperature, gamma, and six-axis shade calibration.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The monitor additionally contains gaming options, like a darkish equalizer (which might elevate shadowy areas of a scene to make foes seen) and a body charge counter. The monitor contains a number of display screen house modes, too. For instance, you possibly can limit the seen space to 24 or 22 inches if desired.

Acer packs the show with a pair of 5-watt audio system (most OLED screens don’t have any audio system or follow dinky 2-watt audio system). The audio system aren’t going to knock your socks off, however they’re loud and clear. I didn’t thoughts counting on them for watching YouTube or enjoying video games that don’t deal with bombastic audio design (like Civilization), they usually’re indisputably an improve over best screens.

Acer Predator X27U X1 SDR picture high quality

The Acer Predator X27U X1’s affordability isn’t apparent from its picture high quality. It has a 26.5-inch QD-OLED panel with a local decision of 2560×1440. It has all the advantages widespread to OLED panels and doesn’t endure any vital flaw.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Let’s get the unhealthy information out of the way in which. The Acer Predator X27U X1, like different OLED screens, has a comparatively tame most SDR brightness of 263 nits. That’s typical for an OLED monitor however a great distance from the brightest LCD-IPS screens, which might exceed 400 nits.

This received’t matter in most conditions, as a brightness of 200 nits or extra is sufficient for a typical house workplace or gaming den. When you plan to make use of the monitor in a brightly lit room the place you possibly can’t flip off or block close by gentle sources, nonetheless, you would possibly discover the brightness unimpressive.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Distinction, as typical for OLED, is superb. The QD-OLED panel can obtain a minimal brightness of zero nits, which lets the monitor ship a convincing sense of depth and dimensionality. Brighter scenes will appear to have depth inside the scene, whereas darker scenes will present shadow particulars and a real, deep black degree that backlit LCD shows can’t present.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Coloration gamut is a power of all OLED screens, however the Acer Predator X27U X1 knocks it out of the park. It confirmed as much as one hundred pc of sRGB, 98 % of DCI-P3, and 95 % of AdobeRGB. That’s the widest shade gamut of all of the OLED screens I’ve examined thus far in 2025, although solely by a hair.

A large shade gamut interprets to a vivid, saturated picture that appears punchy straight out of the field. It’s additionally excellent news for creatives who wish to work with photographs, movies, or digital artwork that targets a selected shade gamut. Regardless of its value, the X27U X1’s shade gamut is on par with many shows pitched at inventive professionals.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The Acer Predator X27U X1 scores properly in shade accuracy, too. It’s not one of the best, however not the worst, and the extent of shade accuracy offered right here is sufficient that even probably the most essential viewers must be pleased with the outcomes. Content material seems practical and true to its unique inventive intent.

The monitor scored barely off-target in gamma and shade temperature. It hit a gamma curve of two.3 (off a goal of two.2) and a shade temperature of 6400K (off a goal of 6500). I discovered the distinction in gamma noticeable, as content material typically regarded a bit of darker than ideally suited, however I struggled to note the distinction in shade temperature. Additionally, most QD-OLED screens have the same gamma curve. In each circumstances the variations are minor.

Sharpness is the Predator X27U X1’s solely actual image-quality flaw. A decision of 2560×1440 just isn’t that sharp in 2025, and it’s made worse by the sub-pixel points QD-OLED shows can endure. You could discover sturdy pixelation or shade artifacts round small fonts and high-contrast edges. This isn’t typically noticeable in video games, however it’s straightforward to identify in Excel spreadsheets or an IDE like VSCode. Put merely, I wouldn’t suggest the X27U X1 should you typically view small textual content in your monitor—a 4K OLED, or an IPS-LCD show, shall be higher for that process.

The Acer Predator X27U X1’s SDR picture high quality is superb and precisely in keeping with most OLED screens, together with many which can be costlier. It scores particularly properly in distinction, shade gamut, and shade accuracy, the place the X27U X1 delivers outcomes on par with the costliest OLED shows out there at this time. It’s unbelievable to see this degree of shade efficiency from a monitor offered on-line for as little as $449.99.

Acer Predator X27U X1 HDR picture high quality

Okay, so the reasonably priced Acer Predator X27U X1 delivers SDR picture high quality on par with different 1440p QD-OLED screens, regardless of their value. So, certainly, it should surrender some HDR efficiency—proper?

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Nope. It’s a strong HDR monitor.

Sure, the Predator X27U X1 turned in outcomes which can be technically a bit dimmer than another OLED screens I’ve not too long ago examined.

However these are reasonably slim variations and, as I take a look at increasingly OLED screens, I’ve change into satisfied that the type of variations proven within the graph don’t translate to a significant real-world benefit. That’s to not say HDR brightness doesn’t matter, however I don’t assume the advantage of a barely brighter HDR monitor, just like the Alienware AW2725Q, is simple to see.

The take a look at clips that I usually view, which embody the “Into the Storm” scene from Mad Max Fury Highway and the “Gargantua” scene from Interstellar, confirmed good luminance element and impactful HDR highlights. HDR video games like Forza Horizon 5 regarded nice, too, offering a vivid and punchy presentation. 

Acer Predator X27U X1 movement efficiency

You received’t see any compromise within the monitor’s movement readability, both.

The Acer Predator X27U X1, like most 1440p OLED screens, has a most refresh charge of 240Hz and quotes gray-to-gray pixel response occasions as little as 0.03 milliseconds. This makes for wonderful movement readability with minimal ghosting.

Take a look at photographs from League of Legends, for instance, confirmed that character names and hitpoint bars had been often straightforward to learn whereas scrolling throughout the map, although low-contrast font can nonetheless be onerous to make out. A fast digital camera pan in a 3D recreation, like Valorant, will present good element even in small objects. The movement readability is useful in Phrase and in internet browsers, too, as fonts are simpler to learn when scrolling down a web page or doc.

After all, the identical is true of different OLED screens with a 240Hz refresh charge. However it’s good to see the X27U X1’s cheaper price doesn’t compromise movement readability.

Adaptive sync is supported, however Acer solely lists official help for AMD FreeSync Premium Professional. The monitor will typically work with G-Sync and different video sources that help adaptive sync, however it’s not assured. That is one small compromise within the identify of affordability, as costlier screens typically record themselves as appropriate with each FreeSync and G-Sync.

Do you have to purchase the Acer Predator X27U X1?

The Acer Predator X27U X1 is proof that 2025 is the 12 months OLED turns into reasonably priced. At $600 MSRP, which is already discounted to as little as $450 on-line, the X27U X1’s pricing severely undercuts what was typical for OLED screens in 2024. It additionally begins to compete with high-end IPS-LCD screens which, although they nonetheless have a number of perks (like sharpness), typically can’t compete with OLED on picture high quality.

I count on that Acer’s opponents received’t hesitate to match the X27U X1 with their very own value cuts. However, for now, the X27U X1 is an effective alternative if you wish to get pleasure from OLED for much less.