05/22/2020 UPDATE. The IPS 240hz monitor tier list.(I've measured/tried the all) and my honest explanation why.

[sk1p]

I bought XL2540 after reading review about it on RTINGS and input lag was horrendous, but they admit it has 3.7ms. After I exchanged XL2540 to AW2518HF which has 4-5ms according to some reviews, but I felt that AW2518HF is faster than XL 2540 in term of input latency. So after that I with suspicious read RTINGS reviews. I believe to TFTcentral, I bought XF252QX with 3.3ms accordind to TFT and YES it was faster then AW2518HF. Now I have VG279QM for several months and really happy with it in CS GO and agree with TFTcentral measurements(2.3ms), RLCScontender has 2.4ms, so I guess Acer really faster and give it a try. 1.7ms on RTINGS really weird in 280hz mode, because I feel myself that in 240hz mode input lagh is lower than in 280hz, I think their methodology is incorrect.. TFTcentral and RLCScontender measurements are right.

I am not going to comment on RTINGS, as I believe their measurements are 100% accurate if comparing different monitors from their site. Getting 1.7ms @ 280Hz is still surprising, but keep in mind that is 240Hz vs 280Hz.

It is quite interesting that you find 240Hz to give you less lag than 280Hz and that is most likely due to the response time. Depending on what OD settings you went with, it is possible that the response time isn't fast enough to run fully compliant at 280Hz. But input lag is definitely less at 280Hz vs 240Hz. If you are not running ELMB, try setting OD @ 80 and give 280Hz another try.

The Acer is definitely faster (least input lag) and I believe it's worth trying out. As for whose measurements are correct? I believe they are all correct, they simply use different testing methodologies and it would be wrong to point fingers on a particular site just as Chief mentioned earlier.

It's possible you are confusing response time with input lag, these are the two most important factors in determining how snappy a monitor feels (apart from refresh rate). However, if you are gaming at sub-200 FPS, I definitely think the Acer will give you an edge.

(enlgish is not my native, it's little bit hard for me to explain:D, but I will try)

I'm not using ELMB. I like to use 240hz and 60 OD mode, 280hz and 60 OD has exactly higher input lag, 280hz with 80 OD is close to 240hz and 60 OD, but I get my best flicks and insane shots in CS GO in 240hz and 60 OD mode.

Why this theme bothers me?

I have been playing fps games from 2000, like Quake 3 arena, CS1.1 then 1.3 and 1.6(was played in PRO league in 2004-2006), and I used CRT monitors and know what is fast consistent input without any latency. Actually in 2000-2006 I never heard such term as input lag.

As from win7 and m_rawinput 1 was invented in CS my war with input latency started))

It happened cause I always used high sensitivity, had 3.75 sens with 400dpi in 2004-2006 and I mine aim was very snappy and consistent. But after m_rawinput 1 was invented my confidence dissapeared and strange mouse feeling has come.

My subjective opinion that CS GO engine has input lag itself and people have many variants how to avoid this. m_rawinput 1 adds slightly input latency, there is old topic about that https://www.overclock.net/forum/375-mic ... o-tf2.html

Many guides recommends to use low sensitivity for consistent aim, actually I think it's just another way how to fight with input latency, but I don't like to wave my mice all over the pad)). So what I want to said that many people who use low sensitivity probably won't find input lag with 280hz and 80OD, but with high sensitivity you can feel any bad impact on snappy feeling, with 240hz and 60OD I get best results in game than with 280hz and 80OD. Now I optimized my settings with VG279QM that I can be very consistent and snappy with high sensitivity in CS GO. What I want to say that lowest input lag gives me advantage with high sensitivity that feeling is very close or the same to CRT monitors and my 2004-2006 game sensitivity. (I understand it will be advantage for everybody:D, but may be not so much for the guys with low sens). All my conclusions made on my own experience and I'm not trying to persuade smb that it's definely right way of monitor setting.

[Blehhh]

There is a new Acer XB 253Q GZ in september not sure if this will be any improvement over Acer Current XB 253Q GX version
source link https://www.displayspecifications.com/en/news/55b2371
is at the bottom of the list out of the 4 Acer XB monitors coming soon

[RLCSContender*]

Acer Predator XB273X review.

the last 240hz monitor that i will review.. The criteria that determines how good this monitor, is in the context of COMPETITIVE GAMING ONLY. So there wont' be any discussion about "contrast ratios" or "color accuracy out of the box" or "color uniformity" or "ergonomics". Quite frankly, i'm pretty sure the target demographic care more about response times and input lag than those aforementioned traits.


prologue

There's a lot to go over because this monitor is very unique. If i were to make just one post, it will be too much tld;r so i like to keep it simple and separate this review in parts.

Table of contents

part 1 Response times and input lag RESULTS and interpretation. vs TN
part 2 ULMB in practice ghosting test, cannonball test from rocket league, and UFO test from blurbusters(240hz, 200hz, 144hz, 120hz, 100hz, 60hz)
Part 3 Asus TUF VG259qm mini review(response times, input lag, and ELMB-SYNC cannonball test)
Part 4 The FINAL update of my accumulated bar graph of ips monitors(which IPS monitor really is the best?)
part 5 Acer predator x25, Dell Alienware AW2521H

Part 1

As a consumer, this is very important and the key determining factor of why i buy these expensive super high refresh rate panels. Because of this...

i had a former classmate from college of come over. He's an actual electrical engineer. this is under the direction of an actual electrical engineer. Not only does he know how to do these kind of things, but he can break it down on how the procedure works from A to Z (just like how chief breaks how monitors work from a to z).

I also used new tools and slightly new testing methods to measure input lag and response times(although the photodiode that i used is the same). I'm more of a visual learner so this review overall is PICTURE heavy. The photos SPEAK FOR ITSELF.




There is some distance between my photodiode USB connector, so it's NOT POINT BLANK. if it's point blank, then the test will be 100% inaccurate.






Oscilloscope is self explanatory for the response times and input lag.

vs 360hz monitor

Unfortunately the 360hz acer predator x25 isn't using the panel M270HAN3.0 which allow tuning to such ridiculously low input lag numbers. By default, the 360hz panels would need a miracle to beat this monitor in the context of competitive gaming. If the recorded input lag is above .03ms, then no 360hz monitor can beat this monitor in a competitive sense. Input lag is the most important variable when it comes to competitive gaming and although 240hz vs 360hz may sound like a huge difference, it's really not. The higher the refresh rate, the more imperceptible the differences are. Also, NO CPU can EVER break 300hz to 99.9% of video games without a monumental bottleneck. Because these are 1080p monitors, this would beat it's strictly CPU BOUND, not GPU so even IF you had the RTX 3080Ti OC with i9 10900k with ROG maximus Xii Apex, bcuz it's 1080p, it woudl still be practically impossible to reach above 300hz on basically 99.9% of video games; therefore, the MPRT and framerate advantage is limited to VERY small # of video games.

vs MSI MAG251rx



vs MSI MAG251rx, the best 240hz IPS monitor based off my results.

So why do you have the MSI MAG251rx better than the acer predator xb273x? HDR, 240hz strobing, gaming app/OSD where u can cheat, 12 bit color depth, contrast ratio, brightness, color accuracy, and the most important of all FOCAL POINT ADVANTAGE. Although the pre

[Siye]

After reading all of this thread recently from start to finish i want to thank everyone for all the information provided, though i have some questions. Im here to buy a monitor and i need some advice. My 3 choices going off what iv seen from this thread are:-

- ASUS TUF VG259QM
- MSI MAG251RX
- Acer Predator XB253QGX

Im strictly a PC gamer, ill be playing Quake Live, Warzone and Fortnite. So just FPS shooters really.... Furthermore in Fortnite i can for the most part get over 200 FPS the majority of the time or close to it. However it warzone getting over 200 FPS constantly might be hard. I want the smoothest experience all around, id prefer to set it and leave it but if i had to change settings for warzone i could.

So i have some questions... If i use ELMB sync on the ASUS im worried it might be too dull to get an enjoyable experience. Though iv heard it can go upto 200nits brightness in ELMB mode and is much brighter than other monitors with ELMB, i have no experience to say if the dullness will steering me away from it. Also from what iv read 280 with OD 80 / regular ELMB is the best mode to go if your hitting over 200 FPS but below 200 FPS it suffers? Or at the very least impressive if you want the best motion clarity? Will i suffer if leave the mode on 280 hertz with OD 80 and change games and get only 170 FPS in warzone? Will i get any EXTRA input lag than i would with any of the other monitors? If i dont like ELMB on the ASUS does this make the ASUS the worst choice? Whats better between the MSI, ACER and ASUS strictly for FPS gaming without ELMB? (incase i dont want to use it). I have seen people say set the ASUS to 240 and OD 60 but isnt this counter-intuitive? Yes it might not overshoot atall but wont respone times suffer in that case compared to others or compared to 280@80? In games such as fortnite as mentioned i can hit over 200 FPS often and the words "peak proformance #1" look applealing but whats the reality and/or other variables? ... if it dips below say to 160 FPS and obviously most people get 1% Lows and FPS drops here and there, also for example rocket launchers or smoke grenades in many games can cause huge FPS drops so..... whats the adverse effects? Will it suffer more than another monitor? Is this only use ELMB that this is an issue below 200fps or will it act the same as any other monitor thats not constantly reaching its max refresh rate?

Currently on Amazon in the UK the only monitor in stock is the ASUS TUF VG259QM, Though the MSI seems to be a solid choice and maybe the acer which has been mentioned towards the end of this thread. Do i just buy it, is it good enough or do i wait it out and wait for stock of another which could take awhile? Im currently on a Acer Predator XB271HU @165hertz and have been using this for many years and its served me well.. I do acctually play competitively even won 200 dollars on fortnite a year ago in a tournament. However i know my hardware lets me down and its time for a change. Also i just bought the OMEN x27 and returned it in 2 days. The monitor looked disgusting, the viewing angles mainly. I just cant go to a TN panel after so long with this ISP.

Hoping one of you with the knowledge can point me in the right direction as im sure this thread was started to help the customer and not just to constantly debate speeds. Thanks for any advice. Cheers.

Yeah in almost the same position as you, currently also running the Acer XB 271HU. but i play apex / overwatch but not in a tournament level like you do.
im deciding between
-ASUS TUF VG259QM
- MSI MAG251RX
- Acer XB 273X
im currently still waiting for a full review for VG 259QM and Acer XB 273X by @rlscontender. it should be out fairly soon though since he mentioned about a week- ish ago.here is the link if you want to see some comparison viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6666&start=490

Thank you for the link and yes i just want the fastest ISP panel that wont suffer if frames drop, im more of a set it and leave it type person... If i switch to warzone, i want to know if the proformance will suffer on the VG 259QM. I set all my games for max FPS and need a new fast ISP. Also i want to know when the words best peak proformance is mentioned. It is refering to the VG 259QM at 280@OD80 with ELMB or are other modes included? I see for g2g repsone time 280@80 is the way to go... however how will this fair up if i switch over from fortnite to warzone and sit at 150 - 190 fps? iv litterally ready the full forum twice recently, trying to put everyones information together and make my discision but it gets confusing because there is missing information and condictions.

[RLCSContender*]

Part 1 Acer Predator XB273x review cont...



vs MSI MAG251RX. Clearly, the XB273X is faster and has less overshoot and input lag compared to the MSI MAG251rx, so to most ppl i'ts a no brainer that it can easily beat it. Now hold your horses.

1. 240hz backlight strobing>>144hz backlight strobing
2. HDR>>>no HDR
3. 500 nits>>>350 nits
4. 1200:1 contrast>>1000:1 contrast
5. 118-133% SRGB>>>99% SRGB
6. Best Gaming OSD/APP>>>no gaming OSD app
7. upcoming ZERO latency option via APP
7. Focal point advantage advantage>>>>focal point disadvantage unless...




For the acer predator to beat the MSI MAG251rx in competitive gaming, you would need to follow these steps.




40-52 inches distance is good to match the 24-30 inch focal point of 24.5" monitors





MSI focal point(24-30 inches)



acer predator xb273x focal point 40-52 inches. (this is the presumption that u have 20/20 vision, if you are far sighted or near sighted u can either sit closer or further than the one i measured off what i learned in the physiology of vision.

the gist of it is this. when you play a game, you have to move your retina FURTHER than someone owning a 24.5" monitor sitting from the same distance. Which means you will be reacting more SLOWLY than someone who has a better focal point than you. So although yuo may have an input lag advantage and a g2g advantage, if u dont' have a focal point advantage, you won't win.

Keep in mind, the MSI has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Upcoming zero latency and its unfair Gaming OSD app(the predator doesn't have an OSD gaming app that i know of)

One advantage of a larger monitor is that things are bigger. Which means better precision when going for head shots or in rocket league better precision when shooting/dunking/passing/etc. Andi f you sit 40-52 inches away, u won't have any focal point disadvantages compared to someone with a 24.5" monitor

[Siye]

Can someone correct me if im wrong. So im looking at the ASUS VG259QM as currently its the only monitor i can find to buy on amazon in the UK currently. I may wait for another monitor or wait to see if the MSI becomes in stock.....if this doesnt give me what im looking for. Iv made previous comments in regards to my sitution, still seeking help before i pull the trigger on buying it from amazon as 530 pounds which is like 600 dollars (Yes thats acctually the current price, not 320 like some of you US guys payed). So my questions are and from information iv gathered:-

At 240 @ 80 OD is gtg is 3.6ms

however monitor is best at 280 @ 80 OD if you reach the higher frame rates? but it gives a g2g time is reduced to 4.0ms despite being a higher refresh rate which is 0.4ms less but the trade off is better motion clarity? and every better with elmb (with a further 1.1ms added) if you can stay above 200 fps? Is this correct? what frames would i have to be hitting to make 280@80 worth while in practice?

If you cant reach 200 fps+ in the current game is it best to use 240@80 and you will get a better responce time or do you just stick to 280? i take it the better motion clarity is only a thing when over 240 fps or no? do you get better motion clarity regardless at 280@80 OD?

IS all of this what iv said accurate? Im no monitor expert and in desperate need of advice before i purchase. Litterally sat waiting on one or more of you knowledgable guys on here to give me the information i need or steer me clear of making the wrong choice? from what i can see its a solid monitor (only one i can get rn as stated).

[RLCSContender*]

part 1 acer predator xb273x cont...



one main advantage of 1080p 27" is, things are larger which means better precision when shooting in rocket league, or sniping/shooting for FPS, etc.

vs TN

Only a very small % of TN is faster in terms of G2G response times. Even then the xb3, predator has .03ms input lag(negligible processing latency). This xb3 model has the new g-sync specific MODULE. This module allows freesync GPU owners to be able to play on it. It also allows HDMI-VRR and HDMI 2.0 which is also the FIRST of its kind.

The most important part is the collision avoidance enforcement upgrades which is clearly more advanced than the previous predecessors. This means the g sync scaler waits for the GPU for new frames, not the other way around. This is huge because this eliminates basically most of the monitor latency. Thx to the better collision enforcement, there's basically NO input lag. 0.03ms delay


unlike the MSI MAG251rx where it has other tricks up its sleeve and redeeming factors(better contrast, 240hz strobing, wide color gamut, 12 bit color depth, vibrant colors thanks to 118-133% srgb, etc) TN doesn't have any tricks up its sleeve nor any redeeming factors.


If i had to pick the best candidate to basically beat any TN user, the xb273x would rank #1. (this is presuming that your SKILL and the TN user's skill is similar/equal to and the sample size is enough to the point where the person with the lower input lag will eventually win a vast majority of games.

Part 1 OVER!

Part 2. Backlight strobing. Cannonball test in rocket league(in practice test). Smash bros ultimate (latency 60hz)(in practice latency), and blurbusters UFO tests for ULMB, 240hz g sync, 200hz, 144hz, 120hz, 100hz, 60hz pursuit test videos.

cannonball test. 960 pixels and 1900 pixels






will be posted tomorrow!

[kofman13]

I am really surprised there is not a SINGLE review of the XB273 X on youtube as its been IN STOCK on Amazon US for ages already, never goes out of stock, mean while there are tons of alienware reviews etc lol
@RLCSContender: How does the MSI OSD let you "cheat?"

[RLCSContender*]

There's a macro lag glitch where u can form frames of yourself where teams see u 50-60 frames as u were. Its not a lag switch, but the osd macros disrupt the net
code from processing your individual Frames.


So if the opposing player is 50-60 frames off, he's shooting your shadow.

U can exploit this just by pressing the buton u assigned. Pm me for the details. I dont want msi patching this. This work ls better in shooters since u are trying to kill the players. On rocket league, not so much.

[ptuga]

Part 1 Acer Predator XB273x review cont...



vs MSI MAG251RX. Clearly, the XB273X is faster and has less overshoot and input lag compared to the MSI MAG251rx, so to most ppl i'ts a no brainer that it can easily beat it. Now hold your horses.

1. 240hz backlight strobing>>144hz backlight strobing
2. HDR>>>no HDR
3. 500 nits>>>350 nits
4. 1200:1 contrast>>1000:1 contrast
5. 118-133% SRGB>>>99% SRGB
6. Best Gaming OSD/APP>>>no gaming OSD app
7. upcoming ZERO latency option via APP
7. Focal point advantage advantage>>>>focal point disadvantage unless...




For the acer predator to beat the MSI MAG251rx in competitive gaming, you would need to follow these steps.




40-52 inches distance is good to match the 24-30 inch focal point of 24.5" monitors





MSI focal point(24-30 inches)



acer predator xb273x focal point 40-52 inches. (this is the presumption that u have 20/20 vision, if you are far sighted or near sighted u can either sit closer or further than the one i measured off what i learned in the physiology of vision.

the gist of it is this. when you play a game, you have to move your retina FURTHER than someone owning a 24.5" monitor sitting from the same distance. Which means you will be reacting more SLOWLY than someone who has a better focal point than you. So although yuo may have an input lag advantage and a g2g advantage, if u dont' have a focal point advantage, you won't win.

Keep in mind, the MSI has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Upcoming zero latency and its unfair Gaming OSD app(the predator doesn't have an OSD gaming app that i know of)

One advantage of a larger monitor is that things are bigger. Which means better precision when going for head shots or in rocket league better precision when shooting/dunking/passing/etc. Andi f you sit 40-52 inches away, u won't have any focal point disadvantages compared to someone with a 24.5" monitor

Most people don't like to run those apps in the background, anything you can do on that you can also do in the firmware. The app won't reduce latency. There's no way, unless the firmware changes. I personally don't use any of those features, only black eq in some situations.
About the focal point, i'm using 27" and yes I feel it in Apex, easy fix, increase FOV. You can easily adjust to it.