Acer Predator X34 X0 review: A Mini-LED ultrawide monitor for less than $500

Price When Reviewed

$479.99

Best Prices Today: Acer Predator X34 X0

Remember Mini-LED displays? If not, I can hardly blame you. Though they appeared as in the event that they is likely to be a preferred various to OLED a number of years in the past, the fast lower in OLED monitor pricing pushed a lot of them apart. 

Mini-LED nonetheless has its perks, although, and the Acer Predator X34 X0 is a brand new, reasonably priced Mini-LED possibility for individuals who need very shiny HDR and a low-glare show on a finances.

Read on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of the best gaming monitors for comparability.

Acer Predator X34 X0 (X34 X0bmiiphux) specs and options 

The Acer Predator X34 X0’s measurement and determination are exactly the identical as a whole bunch of 34-inch ultrawide displays bought over the previous half-decade. It’s a 34-inch diagonal show with a 21:9 facet ratio and a decision of 3440×1440. 

• Display measurement: 34-inch 21:9 facet ratio 
• Native decision: 3440×1440
• Panel kind: Mini-LED VA panel with 1,152 dimming zones 
• Refresh charge: 200Hz
• Adaptive Sync: Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium
• HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 1000
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB Type-C with 65 watts of Power Delivery, 1x 3.5mm audio out
• Audio: 2x five-watt audio system
• Price: $599.99 MSRP, $479.99 present retail

What makes this Acer totally different from most displays is the Mini-LED backlight with 1,152 impartial dimming zones, which is paired with a Vertical Alignment (VA) LCD panel. The monitor additionally has built-in audio system and a USB-C port with as much as 65 watts of Power Delivery, each of that are unusual for a gaming monitor. 

Acer launched the Predator X34 X0 at a $599.99 MSRP, however it’s already on sale for $479.99 on Amazon. I count on gross sales to be frequent on this mannequin, as Acer is commonly extremely aggressive on value. 

Acer Predator X34 X0 design 

The Acer Predator X34 X0 appears good-looking, although fundamental. It makes use of a easy matte-black shade scheme with a little bit of aptitude, which features a fake heatsink on the rear and a lovely cloth cowl over the monitor’s audio system positioned on the decrease lip. 

Build high quality is common however adequate. Aside from the stand, which incorporates some metallic, the monitor’s exterior is plastic. That’s typical for a monitor at any value bracket, and the few displays that buck that pattern, like some Samsung Odyssey displays, are costlier. 

This is a curved monitor with a 1500R curve (a decrease quantity means a extra noticeable curve). The curve is apparent however not so excessive that it makes the show’s picture look extraordinarily warped. I do are likely to choose a good much less aggressive curve, although. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Acer ships the monitor bundled with an ergonomic stand that gives peak, tilt, and swivel adjustment. It does its job, however I’ve a beef with the stand base, which is each vast and deep. It’s so deep that I wasn’t in a position to place the monitor at my most popular viewing distance on my desk, which is about 26 inches deep. A smaller stand base would’ve been a more sensible choice. 

The monitor does present a 100x100mm VESA mount, so third-party monitor arms and stands are an possibility. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Acer Predator X34 X0 connectivity 

You’ll discover two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and one USB-C port on the rear of the Acer Predator X34 X0. That’s a complete of 4 video inputs, which is yet one more than the typical for a gaming monitor. It’s additionally nice to see USB-C included, notably at this value level. Some manufacturers, like Alienware, are giving USB-C the chilly shoulder. 

There’s an issue, although: The HDMI ports solely assist a refresh charge of as much as 100Hz. That’s a disappointment, because it means you received’t see best movement readability from any HDMI supply. 

The monitor additionally has two USB-A downstream ports, which develop USB connectivity when utilizing the USB-C port or, alternatively, when utilizing a separate USB-B upstream port. Acer’s specs didn’t record the model of USB that the USB-A ports provide, however the speeds appear in keeping with USB-A 3.2 Gen 1. 

Acer Predator X34 X0 menus 

A joystick on the Acer Predator X34 X0’s rear proper flank presents fast, responsive entry to the monitor’s on-screen menu system. The menu itself is nicely organized and offers a superb vary of picture high quality choices, which embrace appropriate gamma settings, in addition to six-axis shade customization. I do really feel the textual content may very well be bigger and simpler to learn, although. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Acer presents a Windows utility referred to as Acer Display Widget that may present entry to most monitor settings inside Windows. It works nicely sufficient however the consumer interface feels half-baked when in comparison with related software program from Asus and Dell. 

There’s additionally a variety of gaming choices, comparable to a timer and on-screen crosshair. One characteristic to notice is a mode that restricts the seen area of the monitor to a smaller, 16:9 facet ratio with a number of measurement choices. That’s helpful if you wish to play an older PC sport that doesn’t work nicely with ultrawide resolutions. 

Acer Predator X34 X0 audio 

Acer packs a pair of five-watt audio system within the Predator X34 X0, and needs you to know it. The cloth overlaying the monitor’s decrease lip, the place the audio system are positioned, appears premium. Audio high quality is first rate although you’ll must maintain expectations in examine. 

The excellent news is that the pair of five-watt audio system are a lot louder than typical monitor audio system and supply a extra exact, full sound. They’re fulfilling if you wish to take heed to ambient music whereas working, or if you’re enjoying a sport the place the audio expertise isn’t entrance and middle. 

The Predator X34 X0 doesn’t have a built-in woofer, although, so there are nonetheless limits to what the audio system can provide. The soundstage is slim and bass-heavy conditions could make the audio sound muddy. 

I additionally observed a quiet however audible buzz from the audio system on my evaluate unit, as if the wiring for the audio system wasn’t correctly shielded. I didn’t choose up on it till over every week utilizing the monitor, but it surely was there. 

Gamers will need headphones for extra immersive titles, however the audio system work nicely sufficient for the worth, and most rivals don’t have audio system in any respect. 

Acer Predator X34 X0 SDR picture high quality 

The Acer Predator X34 X0 has a Vertical Alignment (VA) LCD show panel. This is a typical kind of panel present in a whole bunch of displays and televisions. 

What’s extra uncommon, although, is the Mini-LED backlight. It consists of 1,152 particular person dimming zones which might activate and off independently for higher management of distinction and brightness. Most LCD displays have a decrease variety of LED backlights positioned solely alongside the perimeters of the show. 

The Mini-LED backlight has benefits but additionally comes with downsides. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

First up is brightness, the place the Acer Predator X34 X0 offers a most of 379 nits in SDR. That is shiny, although not unusually shiny for an LCD show. As the HDR outcomes will present, the monitor may get brighter, but it surely seems Acer positioned a restrict on the brightness in SDR. 

It’s additionally price point out the show has a matte end with modest glare, so reflections are not often a difficulty. That means the monitor seems shiny and readable in all kinds of lighting conditions. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The monitor’s distinction is tough to sum up in a single graph. 

As proven above, I measured a distinction ratio of 8,930:1 at 50 p.c of most brightness. But distinction can fluctuate drastically relying on the brightness of the show, which isn’t typical for many shows. 

The distinction ratio is successfully infinite at decrease ranges of brightness, the place the show’s minimal brightness registers an ideal results of zero nits. At 100 p.c brightness, in the meantime, I measured a distinction ratio of 16,470:1, which remains to be an ideal end result. 

I think most players will use this show at decrease ranges of SDR brightness, wherein case the distinction ratio is successfully infinite. 

But the Mini-LED backlight additional complicates the problem as a result of, not like OLED displays such because the Alienware AW3425DW, it can’t dim or brighten particular person pixels. The Predator X34 X0’s 1,152 dimming zones are loads, however you’ll nonetheless see a splotchy “halo” or “blooming” impact round small shiny objects—like your mouse cursor—when they’re on a darkish background. 

This is commonly not that noticeable in video games, however it’s extra apparent on the Windows desktop. Even one thing so simple as white textual content on a darkish background could cause an apparent blooming impact. This may also be a difficulty should you activate subtitles in motion pictures or video games. 

Personally, I don’t thoughts this overly a lot, however your mileage will fluctuate. Some individuals might hardly discover whereas others might discover it fully unacceptable. 

It’s price point out, too, that the dynamic backlight could be turned off. I wouldn’t advocate that for video games, as you’ll lose the distinction advantages of the Mini-LED backlight, however it’s a nice possibility should you dislike how blooming appears in Windows desktop apps. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Next up is shade gamut, and the Predator X34 X0 knocks this metric out of the park. It managed to cowl 100 p.c of sRGB, 98 precent of DCI-P3, and 95 precent of AdobeRGB. 

Those figures are just like OLED displays and imply the Predator X34 X0 can ship a vivid, colourful, extremely saturated expertise. The monitor additionally covers sufficient of the DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB shade gamut to be helpful for photograph and video enhancing or digital artwork in these wider shade areas. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Color accuracy is nice, too. Though not the absolute best, the typical shade error was persistently low, which suggests the picture appears lifelike. The monitor additionally hit the popular gamma goal of two.2. Color temperature was solely barely off at 6600Okay, barely cooler than the goal of 6500Okay. Overall, the monitor’s picture feels balanced and true-to-life. 

Sharpness is simply okay. The monitor’s 3440×1440 decision works out to roughly 110 pixels per inch throughout the 34-inch ultrawide panel. That’s pretty sharp, however loads much less so than the ultrawide equal to 4K decision, which is 5120×2160 and delivers about 163 pixels per inch. However, 34-inch ultrawides with 5120×2160 are uncommon, so you’ll most likely have to accept 1440p if you would like a 34-inch ultrawide monitor. 

The Acer Predator X34 X0 places in a stable SDR efficiency for the worth. It has shade efficiency just like costlier OLED rivals alongside increased brightness and considerably aggressive distinction. The query it’s good to ask your self is whether or not you possibly can put up with Mini-LED’s “blooming” impact, which I believe most customers will discover and could be distracting. 

Personally, I discover it most noticeable in video games with numerous menus, like Crusader Kings 3, and far much less so in video games the place you’re usually immersed on the planet, comparable to Cyberpunk 2077. The monitor’s aggressive retail value of $479.99 can also assist budget-conscious consumers overlook the blooming impact.   

Acer Predator X34 X0 HDR Image Quality 

HDR was a bonus for Mini-LED, as OLED shows couldn’t attain brightness ranges excessive sufficient for good HDR. OLED has improved, nonetheless, and the competitors between Mini-LED and OLED is now blended. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

As the graph reveals, the best way the Acer Predator X34 X0 performs in HDR is a lot totally different from how an OLED monitor will carry out. 

The Predator X34 X0 truly displayed a decrease most brightness than some latest OLED displays, which stunned me. However, the Predator X34 X0 nonetheless reveals a major benefit in HDR brightness when bigger areas of the show are lit. 

Subjectively, I believe there’s a brilliance with Mini-LED that you just don’t fairly get from OLED. This was most blatant within the “Into the Storm” scene from Mad Max: Fury Road. Here, bursts of lighting weave their approach by means of a mud storm. The finest OLED displays additionally carry out nicely right here, however the lighting appears to leap from the scene on the Predator X34 X0. 

The flipside is that OLED will carry out higher in darkish scenes, which might make Mini-LED’s “blooming” challenge apparent. You can count on to see apparent orbs of sunshine surrounding small, shiny HDR particulars. 

It’s price retaining value in thoughts, too. At $600 MSRP, and sub-$500 present retail, the Acer Predator X34 X0’s HDR efficiency shall be tough to beat. OLED ultrawides are sometimes $100 to $200 costlier. The Predator X34 X0’s HDR efficiency has execs and cons, however it’s the perfect I’ve seen just lately in a monitor bought below $500. 

Acer Predator X34 X0 movement efficiency 

The Acer Predator X34 X0 offers a refresh charge as much as 200Hz. 

That’s positively a lot increased than 60Hz, and it means the Predator X34 X0 can really feel reasonably easy. But 240Hz displays at the moment are quite common, so 200Hz doesn’t really feel as particular because it used to. You should buy 34-inch ultrawide displays with a 240Hz refresh charge for lower than $300. 

Because of that, the Predator X34 X0’s movement readability is merely okay for the worth. It’s easy and moderately crisp in fast-paced content material. I may use the monitor for a lot of sport genres and by no means have a difficulty with the readability. But if you’ve ever used a 240Hz OLED, or perhaps a 240Hz IPS monitor with a low pixel refresh time, you received’t be impressed. 

Also, as talked about earlier, the 200Hz refresh charge is barely accessible over DisplayPort and USB-C. HDMI is caught at 100Hz. That’s a bit bizarre. I even thought it is likely to be a typo within the monitor specs, however I attempted it with HDMI and I can verify 100Hz is the restrict at 3440×1440 decision. 

The Predator X34 X0 helps adaptive sync with official AMD FreeSync Premium certification. Nvidia G-Sync assist shouldn’t be official, although it did work with an Nvidia-powered laptop computer I had readily available. 

Should you purchase the Acer Predator X34 X0? 

The Acer Predator X34 X0 is an fascinating addition to the sub-$500 monitor market. It delivers a Mini-LED panel with excessive brightness, stable distinction, a large shade gamut, and good HDR efficiency, although these traits come paired with a “blooming” impact that may be distracting. 

The monitor additionally offers USB-C and first rate audio system, each of that are a bonus at this value, although it additionally has a refresh charge of solely 200Hz (and simply 100Hz over HDMI), which isn’t all that spectacular for near $500. 

That makes the Predator X34 X0 a complicated monitor to think about. I can’t advocate it to everybody, however the Predator X34 X0 is a stable choose if you would like a vivid ultrawide monitor with first rate HDR and USB-C connectivity within the sub-$500 value bracket.