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.
Acer ensures the X34 X0’s color accuracy with a data sheet unique to each sample. Mine measured very close to the factory result. It didn’t need calibration, but I did one anyway for a small improvement in quality.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
There are a couple of tiny things worthy of comment here. I could see a little warmth at 20% brightness in a grayscale step pattern and gamma runs just a tad under the reference line, which means it’s too light. These errors aren’t visible in actual content but with tweaks to the RGB gain and bias sliders, and a one-click drop in contrast, a subtle improvement can be seen.
To engage sRGB, I chose it from the color space options. It has the same grayscale tracking with a tiny error at 20% and light gamma. But it has no issues that are visible in content.
Comparisons
The X34 X0 acquits itself well in this group with the best out-of-box grayscale tracking and no place lower than third in the other tests. It calibrates to a high standard and has nearly perfect gamma that averages 2.17 and tracks with a small 0.13 range of values. This is excellent performance.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
Looking at the first gamut chart above, you’d think it was more off the mark than a 2.64dE score suggests. But if you were to graph it against BT.2020, it would make more sense. Acer is making the most of the X34 X0’s extra gamut volume by riding the line between DCI-P3 and 2020. This makes for a very colorful monitor that doesn’t look oversaturated. This is the right way to engineer a Quantum Dot display. Calibration barely changes the numbers, but I saw a tiny bit more saturation in content and that’s a good thing.
sRGB is reference-level with no point off target, even by a little. A 1.06dE average is pro-level accuracy. You can use the X34 X0 for precise photo and graphics work as well as video post-production.
Comparisons
The first chart comparing the color error levels doesn’t make the X34 X0 look impressive but remember that 2.65dE is below the visible threshold. That’s saying something when you consider the next chart and the Acer’s top finish of 106.75% coverage of DCI-P3. Yes, it’s the only Quantum Dot monitor here and even among 34-inch monitors I haven’t reviewed, QD layers are rare. This kind of color coverage would normally cost you more so to get it for $600 is a point in Acer’s favor. The 101.17% coverage of sRGB is ideal. Most monitors come up a tad short of 100%. It’s a small but significant thing when considering a monitor’s color saturation and fidelity.
Test Takeaway: The X34 X0 delivers pro-level color out of the box that is improved with calibration. It also has more color volume than its competitors because they don’t include Quantum Dots. You don’t have to calibrate to enjoy this feature. And if you need sRGB or other industry-standard gamuts, they are available in the OSD.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor
