Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Go to page:

HDR Performance

Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The XB273K V5 supports HDR10 signals with two specific picture modes. Though one of them is called Auto, it doesn’t switch automatically between signal types.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

Image 1 of 3

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

I tested both Auto and HDR-400 modes and found the latter to deliver the most contrast and the brightest HDR image. It employs a field dimming feature to boost contrast up to 5,361.2:1, a figure surpassed only by the Alienware, which has more aggressive dimming and an 11,276.4:1 ratio. The XB273K V5 is the best of the rest, with very deep black levels though it is not quite as bright at 451 nits peak. This is still enough for a clear difference between HDR and SDR content.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

Image 1 of 3

The HDR-400 mode’s superiority was also manifested in the grayscale test, where it nailed the EOTF tracking and showed visually perfect grayscale. All errors are below 2dE, which puts the XB273K V5 ahead of most other HDR screens. The color tests were equally impressive with excellent hue tracking and just some slight oversaturation in red, blue and magenta. This is typical of the HDR monitors I’ve reviewed. In the BT.2020 test, the XB273K V5 hits the inner targets until running out of color at 85% red, 65% green and 95% blue, also typical performance.

Test Takeaway: The XB273K V5 is extremely color accurate in HDR mode when using the HDR-400 preset. It doesn’t make the switch automatically, so you’ll have to visit the OSD each time. But that doesn’t take away from the excellent HDR image, which benefits from field dimming and a contrast ratio over 5,300:1. Overall, it is a better HDR monitor than others in its price range.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor

Current page: HDR Performance

Prev Page Grayscale, Gamma and Color Next Page Conclusion

TOPICS

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.