My primary gaming monitor has been the Asus VS228H -P. It's a 21.5-inch display with a 1920 x1080 resolution that I have had since late 2015. It is a very reliable monitor, even though it is old. However, when I bought a PlayStation 5 last year and a Xbox Series X last summer, I was unsure if I was using them to their full potential by not having a monitor capable of taking advantage of the 120fps resolution and 4K resolution.Acers Nitro XV282KKV is a $900 gaming monitor that I have been able test for the past month. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports and supports 4K resolution with 120Hz refresh rates. It has been my primary gaming screen for the past month and a half to test if it is worth the extra cost for high-fidelity gaming.Our Acer Nitro XV282K Verge Score 8 review Big screenGreat games look greatTwo HDMI 2.1 ports to play 4K/120fps games.Tinny speaker for as low as $899.99 on Amazon. Best Buy: For $899.99With its 28-inch LCD screen, which has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 (aka 4K), the monitor provides a lot more real estate. Acer claims the monitor responds in one millisecond. I haven't tested it, but I don't feel any input lag.Two HDMI 2.1 ports and DisplayPort are available on the Nitro, so that you can connect your next-gen consoles to the monitor. The monitor also comes with two speakers built in, but they are quite tinny. It is recommended that you pair the screen with external speakers or headphones.I'll be the first to admit that I am not the best person to go into the details about the display's colors and contrast ratio. Rtings review is a good place to start.To me, however? It was all great.Fortnite was vibrant with color during Ariana Grande's in-game concert. It felt silky smooth at 120fps. The faster frame rate has made me feel a little more responsive to the game. Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade looks much better on Nitro than it does on my Asus monitor. It was like flying over Boca Raton on Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Xbox Series X. The HDR screen is more impressive than my Asus.After spending more than a month using the Nitro, everything I had seen was amazing. I felt that I wouldn't be able to play games the same way again, and I was mentally ready to save some money for a bigger monitor.Then I got back to playing Nintendo Switch games and realized why I have never cared so much about the visual specifications. The story and the gameplay are what draw me in to a game more than any other aspect.My wife and me had a great time playing through The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. It is a port from two original Nintendo 3DS games. Although it looks great, it doesn't have the same level of detail as the PS5s Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart. Fire Emblem 3: Three Houses has been my favorite game. It plays at 30fps in portable mode. I won Fortnite on Switch on Nitro the other night. It looks terrible on next-gen consoles but also runs at 30fps. I still had as much fun as usual.Switch games, ultra-high fidelity PS5 games, and Xbox Series X games on Nitro were all great options, but graphics and technical specs are not what I value most. It doesn't matter how the game looks if it is enjoyable.To answer my original question: Is it worth spending $900 on Acers Nitro XV28 to enjoy next-generation gaming? The monitor is likely to be a good investment if you have the money. It might take a while to get it, though. Although the Nitro appears to have been sold out at this time, Acer claims that Amazon and Best Buy will receive more stock in September.For most people, however, I recommend waiting until HDMI-equipped monitors become more affordable or saving more money to get a great TV. The Nitro will display next-gen games beautifully, but it might not be worth the high price.
