Put collectively a want checklist—the sky is the restrict—of stuff you’d need in a 27-inch gaming monitor, and also you’d in all probability provide you with one thing just like the Acer Predator X27 ($1,999.99). 4K UHD decision, assist for Nvidia’s G-Sync adaptive-sync tech, and HDR assist—test. High luminance and an expanded coloration gamut—test. Add wicked-fast refresh charges, a plethora of enter ports, an ergonomically pleasant stand, and gaming-friendly options corresponding to a number of crosshair varieties, and you’ve got an absolute dream-screen gaming show (with a worth to match).
I first noticed the X27 in motion final summer season at a demo hosted by Nvidia, which developed the monitor’s G-Sync adaptive-sync expertise. I seen a demo of Final Fantasy XV and was awestruck by this monitor’s capability to seize delicate variations in shading and produce out element in darkish areas, in addition to to seize brilliance in vibrant areas with out them wanting washed out. This panel’s brilliance and dynamic vary set it aside as one thing particular, and my preliminary impressions have been borne out in each our quantitative and experiential testing.
Now, to make sure, at two grand for a 27-inch panel, the Predator X27 is just not for everybody. On high of the monitor’s personal stratospheric worth, for many customers it would require a substantial further funding in a top-of-the-line graphics card, corresponding to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 or the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. If you may afford it (and if want be, construct a gaming system round it), although, the Predator X27 is with out peer, and it earns our choose as our Editors’ Choice high-performance gaming monitor.
At a Glance, Deceptively Plain
From the entrance, at the very least, the Predator X27 appears like a typical 27-inch panel, housed in a matte-black cupboard. When affixed on its stand, it measures 22.3 by 14.8 by 24.8 inches (HWD) and weighs 27.1 kilos. Its bezels are pretty substantial, 0.6 inch thick on high and on the perimeters, and 0.9 inch on the underside.
The stand includes a “V”-shaped base that branches upward to assist a cylindrical shaft to which the panel is mounted. The ergonomically pleasant mount appears fashionable and feels strong. It supplies as much as 4.7 inches of top adjustment, plus or minus 30 levels of swivel adjustment, and minus-5 to 25 levels of tilt adjustment. You can snake cables by a triangular gap within the stand’s column. A deal with on the high of the shaft supplies further assist for carrying the monitor. Also included is an anti-glare hood, which fastens simply to the panel’s high and sides to offer some shielding from ambient mild.
The panel’s 4K UHD (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) decision renders a extremely detailed picture, although to run it at full body charges (144Hz when overclocked, up from a normal 120Hz) requires a primo graphics card—I used the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition. Based on the brand new VESA DisplayHDR customary, the Predator X27 helps DisplayHDR 1000, with a most brightness of 1,000 nits and a local brightness of 600 nits.
Indeed, in our quantitative testing utilizing a Klein Ok10-A colorimeter and SpectraCal CalMAN 5 software program, the Predator X27 shone at 643 nits in Racing mode, simply the best luminance rating that I’ve ever recorded. I measured the distinction ratio at 2,800:1, significantly higher than its 1,000:1 score, because of a low black stage and a very good rating for an in-plane switching (IPS) monitor.
The monitor’s viewing angles, each from the aspect and above, had been broad, typical of an IPS panel, with no discernible dimming or coloration shift, even at excessive angles.
Controls and Connections
Physical controls consist of 4 tiny management buttons situated in again, in a vertical association alongside the underside right-hand fringe of the cupboard. Below them is the form of mini-joystick management widespread on gaming screens of late.
These buttons and stick let you choose the image mode (amongst them, Movie, Graphics, Standard, Eco, and User), in addition to bounce amongst three gaming modes: Action, Racing, and Sports. You also can change brightness, enter supply, and entry the onscreen show (OSD) menu system. Acer calls the OSD system Predator GameView, which lets you regulate brightness and distinction, in addition to allow Dark Boost (which brings out element in dimly lit scenes), amongst different settings.
The Predator X27’s enter port choice contains one HDMI 2.0 port, a full-size DisplayPort 1.4 connector, a USB hub with one upstream USB 3.0 port and 4 USB 3.0 downstream ports. Of these downstream ports, two are dealing with outward on the monitor’s left aspect. It additionally has two built-in 4-watt audio system, which give good sound high quality at pretty modest quantity.
The rated gray-to-gray pixel response time is 4 milliseconds, and enter lag—as measured with a Leo Bodnar Lag Tester—got here in at a swift 11.5 milliseconds, not for much longer than what I measured on the BenQ SW2700PT, which stays our chief with a 9.5-millisecond input-lag measure.
Acer covers the Predator X27 with a three-year guarantee.
Performance Testing
Color accuracy for the Predator X27 was superb in our testing. As proven on the chromaticity chart beneath, with the X27 examined in Standard mode, my coloration measurements (represented by the coloured dots) are in or are very near their ultimate CIE coordinates (represented by the packing containers). Better, a lot of the factors are on the exterior fringe of the triangle, representing a barely expanded coloration gamut, which makes for a richer vary of colours.
See How We Test Monitors
I put the Predator X27 by its paces in rendering HDR movies (chosen from the YouTube HDR channel). Colors had been vibrant, and the monitor did particularly properly in preserving element in each very vibrant and really darkish areas.
Gaming outcomes, within the HDR-capable titles Hitman and Far Cry 5, had been comparable, with a vivid, vibrant picture and buttery-smooth gameplay with no important artifacts. If cash had been no object, and I had a desktop rig and graphics card worthy of this monitor, I might not hesitate in getting it for video and gaming use.
A Magnificent, Extravagant Choice
We have not reviewed something fairly just like the Predator X27 earlier than. For instance, our most up-to-date Editors’ Choice gaming monitor, the Asus ROG Strix XG32VQ, is a 31.5-inch monitor with a VA panel, WQHD native decision (2,560 by 1,440 pixels), and assist for AMD’s FreeSync adaptive expertise. Although it will possibly’t method the Predator X27’s efficiency, it is available in at a a lot lower cost: $699 checklist.
If you are prepared to tug out all of the stops in pursuit of the most effective gaming expertise doable, the Acer Predator X27 is a compelling selection as your monitor. Blazingly vibrant and with excessive decision and dynamic vary, it supplies an exquisite, vivid picture for gaming and video viewing alike.
That mentioned, when you balk on the X27’s ginormous worth, do not get too hooked up to this panel, as a result of the graphics card you may seemingly have to purchase to get probably the most out of it would price an extra honest share of the worth of the monitor itself. The Predator X27 is just not for everyone, however if you wish to mix excessive decision, brightness, excellent dynamic vary, and scorching refresh charges to get probably the most out of your gaming system, it is value each penny of its stratospheric pricing.
The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ could be very comparable in its specs to the Predator X27, it being a 27-inch monitor with 4K UHD, Nvidia G-Sync, a 144Hz most refresh fee, and a 1,000-nit rated peak brightness. We stay up for reviewing it quickly. But for now, at the very least, the Acer Predator X27 guidelines the desktop as our Editors’ Choice high-performance gaming monitor.