Acer's Predator XB253Q U1 hits 1000Hz at full 1080p — for $1,099

Acer has announced the Predator XB253Q U1, a 24.5-inch IPS gaming monitor that runs at 1000Hz at native 1080p — no resolution downgrade required. It goes on sale in Q1 2027 at $1,099.99 in the US and €1,099 in EMEA. That makes it the second monitor ever to hit 1000Hz at Full HD, after LG's UltraGear 25G590B, but Acer is asking $100 more than LG's launch price of $999.99.

The panel

Most monitors that claimed 1000Hz previously had to drop to 720p to get there. Acer's earlier XV273U F6, shown at CES 2026, had the same limitation. The XB253Q U1 is the first Acer screen to reach 1000Hz at the full 1920×1080 resolution, per the Acer official press release.

The IPS panel uses Acer's VRB Pro backlight-strobing technology to bring response time down to 0.3ms — competitive with older 360Hz TN panels while adding IPS-level color accuracy. Color coverage is 99% sRGB and 90% DCI-P3, with a Delta E of less than 1. The monitor is VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified and supports both AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible adaptive sync. A circular polarizer reduces glare during long sessions.

Connectivity is solid: DisplayPort 2.1, dual HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The stand adjusts for height (up to 150mm), tilt, swivel, and portrait mode, with a 100×100mm VESA mount as an alternative.

The competition

The 1000Hz IPS segment is currently a two-horse race. As Digital Trends notes, LG's UltraGear 25G590B launched at $999.99 with a comparable IPS setup. Acer's $100 premium will need to be justified by real-world performance — something reviewers won't be able to test until units ship.

For now, most pro esports circuits still rely on 360Hz TN panels from ASUS and BenQ, where response times and glass-to-glass latency have been refined over years of tournament use. Whether a 1000Hz IPS display shifts that calculus is an open question heading into 2027.

Availability

The Predator XB253Q U1 is scheduled for Q1 2027 in North America and EMEA. No specific UK or US retail partners have been confirmed yet.