Get the Acer XF240QS for £150 (was £185)
The XF240QS uses a modern TN panel, which gives it phenomenal motion handling with a quoted 1ms GtG response time - only high-end IPS and VA monitors can compare with this, with most IPS and VA screens at this price point more typically offering 4ms+ response times. This means that each pixel can change from one colour to another quickly, maximising motion clarity while minimising trails behind fast-moving objects. That’s an important feature for high refresh rate monitors like this one, which should offer a much more responsive feeling than a ‘default’ 1080p 60Hz monitor. It’s also a shade better than a 144Hz monitor, but in turn not quite as buttery-smooth as a 240Hz or 360Hz example. These higher refresh rates start at around £215, with many at £300 or higher, so for the money this is a really good spec.
FreeSync is also included, with a range of 48 to 165Hz over HDMI or DisplayPort, which smooths out uneven frame-rates, eliminates tearing and prevents judder without the heavy input lag penalty of traditional v-sync. It’s common to find on gaming monitors these days, where it can be used with Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, as well as the Xbox Series or One consoles.
Apart from its gaming chops, this should be a decent monitor for productivity and media use as well. There’s no HDR, and viewing angles aren’t as strong as IPS panels, but the contrast ratio of 1000:1 is decent and colour reproduction is great with 100% sRGB coverage. The monitor also comes with a very good stand given its price, with tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustment. This makes it easy to keep the screen dead-on, and makes the limited viewing angles a non-issue in my book.
So - overall, the Acer XF240QS is a strong option for gaming and this new low price of £150 is really reasonable for what you’re getting.
It’s even some £40 cheaper than the AOC 24G2U, our best 144Hz monitor pick, and for a pure gaming monitor I’d say it could be the better pick even at the same price. However, the AOC unit is probably a better all-rounder, thanks to its slower but more accurate IPS panel, so do check out Katharine’s review and decide for yourself.
