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Brightness and Contrast

To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Acer Predator XB273K V5 — (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The XB273K V5 includes three options that change both brightness and contrast. Max Brightness must be turned on to get to the full 450 nits in SDR mode. You also get Advanced Contrast and ACM which are field dimming features. To avoid any clipping of highlight or shadow detail, they need to be off. In its native state, contrast is 932.3:1 which is just shy of the IPS average of 1,000:1. Though it’s in fifth place here, the group is fairly tight with little difference from bottom to top.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Calibration improves contrast slightly and vaults the XB273K V5 to the top with excellent black levels. This is impressive considering I had to lower the contrast slider by five clicks to solve a color issue at full brightness. The ANSI test is consistent at 930.3:1, which is just behind the first-place Samsung. This is very good performance.

Test Takeaway: The XB273K V5 offers contrast and brightness typical of IPS monitors with edge backlights. It’s consistent both before and after calibration with a solid intra-image result. It won’t hang with an OLED, but for $380, I can’t complain.

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Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.