After Samsung and HKC, the Taiwanese tech manufacturer Acer has launched a new 1,000Hz gaming monitor. At CES 2026, the company unveiled the Predator XB273U F6, which looks like a fairly conventional 27-inch monitor at first glance, but it can switch from a 500Hz refresh rate to 1,000Hz in no time.
At 500Hz, the Acer Predator gaming monitor provides the native resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. It also offers other gaming-centric features, such as AMD FreeSync Premium and a minimum response time of 0.5ms.
How Acer’s 1,000Hz monitor stacks up against Samsung and HKC
It’s the company’s “Dynamic Frequency and Resolution” (DFR) technology that lets you bump up the refresh rate from 500Hz to 1,000Hz. However, the change comes with a key compromise. At the higher refresh rate, Acer’s new gaming monitor decreases its resolution to 1,280 x 720 pixels.
How does the refresh rate compare to the recent 1,000Hz gaming monitors (which seems to be a growing category)? Samsung’s Odyssey G6 offers 600Hz at QHD and 1,040Hz at HD, while the HKC ANTGAMER MAX has a native refresh rate of 540Hz at 2K and 1,080Hz at 720p.
So, whether in native or high refresh rate mode, the Acer Predator F6 runs behind the Samsung and HKC monitors. Now, I don’t really see it as a downside, and I have two reasons for that. First, even power users using the monitor for professional gaming might not be able to tell the difference between 1,000Hz and 1,080Hz.
Second, the slightly lower refresh rate (in both native and boost modes) should translate into a more affordable, accessible price point, allowing more buyers to experience ultra-smooth refresh rates without emptying their wallets. Let me explain.
The outgoing Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 (360Hz) is currently available for $842.39 on Best Buy (down from the regular price of $899.99), while the new 1,000Hz Acer Predator F6 (DP 1.4, HDMI 2.1) will cost $799.99 in the United States when it arrives in the second quarter of 2026.
But why are tech manufacturers focusing on refresh rate all of a sudden? It’s because higher refresh rates allow the screen to show new frames sooner, reducing motion blur and input lag.
Yes, I still believe that 1,000Hz gaming monitors aren’t for everyone (including me), and that not all graphics cards or computer systems support them. Still, they’re a glimpse of where the industry is headed: a virtually lag-free, life-like gaming experience.
