Acer Predator XB3

Acer makes 4K, HDR, and 144Hz IPS goodness a tiny bit cheaper

- Jeremy Laird

FOR PROOF THAT the gaming monitor market is in total overdrive, look no further than the new Acer Predator XB3. It looks like a high-end precision panel for content product pros, with its sober suit and three-sided glare-reduction hood. But no, this is a full-on gaming panel, and just one of three such monitors Acer now sells in the 4K 27-inch segment.

The XB3 represents the tweener in the trio, above the Nitro XV3 and below the Predator X27. All three offer ostensibly the same proposition: a 27-inch 4K IPS panel with 144Hz refresh and adaptive sync. But drill down into the details, and you’ll discover why the XV3 is yours for $899, the X27 goes for around $1,650, and this XB3 model lands at $1,299.