Acer XFA240 - Quick Verdict
The Acer XFA240 is a robust gaming monitor that comes with a 24″ screen, 1080p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and support for G-Sync. With a contrast ratio of 1000:1, the display produces a rich color profile that is great for gaming and media consumption. If you’re looking for a sub $200 gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, then this one could be worth taking a look.
- Excellent ergonomics allowing you to tilt, swivel, pivot and adjust the height
- 144Hz is perfect for gaming and media consumption
- One of the best sub $200 monitors on the market
- You can't use G-Sync over HDMI port
Author's Rating
In recent times, getting a gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate is a lot easier. This is due to the fact that the market is flooded with new-age displays. It would be a good challenge to find a 144Hz gaming monitor at an affordable price. That’s where the Acer XFA240 comes in.
With a price tag of under $200, the Acer XFA240 is a gaming monitor that comes with all the essential features you would expect in a modern gaming display. Though it may not match up to other high-end displays, it surely does what it says, and does well. Is it worth the time and money? Let’s find out.
Design
Acer has taken a lot of inspiration from its Predator line when it comes to the design. Though not as grand, you can see that the Acer XFA240 is a stripped down version. Some users might not be comfortable with a monitor that is too funky with additional fittings and such. If that’s you, the simple design of this display will knock you down. At this price, this design is pretty neat and should serve the end user well.
The monitor comes in a dark gray shade with a matte finish on both the cabinet and the stand. If you’re used to glossy finishes, then you should be aware of how much fingerprints they can attract. Fortunately, that is not the case with the Acer XFA240. It is nice to touch, and your fingerprints are safe with you.
The bezels are neither too small nor too big. While the monitor fails to compete with bezelless displays, the bezels present don’t disturb the viewing experience.
Stand, Buttons, and more…
Even though the Acer XFA240 is a budget monitor, the stand comes with everything you need. It is an aluminum stand that is sturdy and holds the monitor well. What impresses us is the ergonomics of this display.
You can tilt, swivel, pivot, and also adjust the height of this display without any limitations. It is rare for a budget monitor to give this much freedom to the user. For this point alone, the Acer XFA240 surpasses many models when it comes to ergonomics.
Imagine making this monitor into a vertical display. It would be great for coding. The vertical display is also perfect as a secondary display for running Twitch chats or other chats if you’re an online influencer.
You can find the OSD buttons on the right bottom of the display. The buttons are a bit clunky but get the job done.
The Acer XFA240 comes with compatibility for VESA mounting. You can use four screws to mount this monitor on your wall without much effort.
With dimensions of 22.3 x 9.6 x 15.2 inches, the display weighs about 14 pounds. With a smaller footprint, this monitor can fit in any room. Thanks to the slealthy color scheme, you won’t even notice it. Overall, a pretty neat design for a budget display.
Acer XFA240 Specs
With a 24″ LED-backlit screen, the Acer XFA240 comes with a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. It comes with a TN panel, so all the benefits and shortcomings of using one exist here as well. The widescreen is handy when you need to use a function like split screen. That’s when you truly appreciate a widescreen.
The contrast ratio we have here is 1000:1 which is decent for a monitor in this price range. This contrast ratio allows for better color output as you can see excellent blacks and whites. There is also a good range for grays which is impressive for a budget monitor.
The native aspect ratio of 16:9 makes this display excellent for immersive media consumption. Whether it is movies or TV shows, they take up the whole screen and give you an excellent experience. However, modern content makers use the 2:1 aspect ratio, in which case you will get a black bar at the top and bottom.
Another good thing about the display is how bright this one can get. The maximum brightness is around 350 nits which is considerably bright for home use. If you put up a lot of lighting in your room, then this brightness can help you alleviate the reflections on the screen as this is not an anti-reflective screen.
Acer XFA240 Performance
Once you take the display out of the box, you can find that it comes in maximum brightness which is not necessary. You can also see that the colors are also in need of some tweaking. You can use the OSD to make minor adjustments that will make the colors much better.
You can set the gamma to about 2.2 as a thumb rule. Depending on the room brightness, we recommend going with a brightness setting from 25 to 35 to get a decently bright screen. You can also adjust the RGB settings and saturation to get a color profile you are comfortable with.
With these settings, you can see that the games are now more vibrant. If you’re a fan of games with beautiful outdoors, this monitor will give you a visual treat.
If you’re not sure which settings to use, you can search online for best settings. You’ll find a lot of users who present their own settings that lead to a good visual performance.
The viewing angles of the display are not great. This is due to the face that the Acer XFA240 comes with a TN panel as opposed to an IPS or a VA panel. For best results, you should try staying in front of the display.
Gaming on the Acer XFA240
Gaming on this display is a fulfilling experience. With a refresh rate of 144Hz, you will enjoy the smoothness at which the games run. Though a 144Hz refresh rate can affect the colors in a weird way, you can still keep it to about 120Hz for optimum performance. This reduction in the refresh rate does not affect the quality of gameplay which is crucial.
Another feature that impacts gaming in a big way is the response time. The Acer XFA240 comes with a response time of 1ms which is excellent. This response time is vital when it comes to reducing motion blur and ghosting on the display.
Furthermore, the Acer XFA240 is also compatible with G-Sync. With G-Sync, you match the refresh rate of your graphics card with that of your gaming monitor. This syncing process will prevent any tearing on the screen which leads to superior gaming performance.
Acer XFA240 Connectivity
The Acer XFA240 gaming monitor comes with a standard set of connectivity options. You have an HDMI port that is handy for quick connections with laptops and desktops. One caveat here is that G-Sync is not available over HDMI port. This is a bummer without a doubt.
You also get a display port which is actually the only port that supports G-Sync in this display. There is also a DVI port which can also be handy for a lot of users. The audio in port can be useful to plug in your headphones.
The monitor does come with a couple of integrated speakers which is decent. They don’t make the cut when it comes to gaming and media consumption so getting a good set of speakers or gaming headphones would be wise.
Other Features
The monitor also comes with a couple of user-friendly features.
The first feature is flicker-less tech. This one eliminates any flicker on the display. Though we don’t see flickers with our bare eyes, they can affect our eyes in a bad way. Having this flicker-free display can help your eyes in the long run.
Another important feature that we think should be in every monitor is the blue light filter. The blue light coming out of the screen can be very harmful to our eyes. This blue light filter can’t completely eliminate it but can reduce the amount o blue light coming out which is nice.
Bottomline
Under $200, the Acer XFA240 is one of the best 144Hz gaming monitors you’re going to get. You’d like to remind you that this one does not come with any bells and whistles. It does the fundamentals and does it really well. It is not a perfect monitor by any means, and there are some slight adjustments required out of the box. However, the excellent color profile, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and the ability to support G-Sync make this monitor a clear winner in our eyes.
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