Acer is growing its Predator lineup of its best gaming monitors with some extreme specs that should appeal to both console and PC gamers who enjoy the finer things in life. The company announced three upcoming 4K gaming displays today, including a 42.5 inch model with HDMI 2.1 and a 37.5 incher with the Nvidia’s G-Sync ESports Mode, which was originally released for 360 Hz monitors.
Acer Predator CG437K S
Starting with the largest of the screens, the Acer Predator CG437K S is 42.5 inches and will compete with the best 4K gaming monitors for console gamers, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 port. The glory of HDMI 2.1 over the old HDMI 2.0 is that with the newer port, you can enjoy uncompressed 4K video at up to 120 Hz, instead of 60 Hz. You can also use a variable refresh rate to fight screen tearing when the console and monitor’s speeds don’t match up.
This is particularly appealing to owners of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which don’t have any DisplayPorts and, thus, need HDMI 2.1 for you to enjoy 4K gaming at the fastest refresh rates. In January, Acer introduced its first HDMI 2.1 monitor, the 28-inch Nitro XV282K KV, but clearly Acer is going bigger now.
PC gamers aren’t left behind though. The Predator CG437K S has G-Sync Compatibility too. It also boasts a handy USB hub with two USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports each and even USB-C delivering power at up to 30W. But 30W is low compared to the 240W maximum introduced yesterday (before then, the max was 100W). A KVM switch is handy for those who want to use the monitor with multiple PCs, and you also get HDR with the same level of certification as some of the best HDR monitors: VESA DisplayHDR 1000.
According to Acer, the Predator CG437K S will debut sometime in November for $1,800.Starting with the largest of the screens, the Acer Predator CG437K S is 42.5 inches and will compete with the best 4K gaming monitors for console gamers, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 port. The glory of HDMI 2.1 over the old HDMI 2.0 is that with the newer port, you can enjoy uncompressed 4K video at up to 120 Hz, instead of 60 Hz. You can also use a variable refresh rate to fight screen tearing when the console and monitor’s speeds don’t match up.
This is particularly appealing to owners of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which don’t have any DisplayPorts and, thus, need HDMI 2.1 for you to enjoy 4K gaming at the fastest refresh rates. In January, Acer introduced its first HDMI 2.1 monitor, the 28-inch Nitro XV282K KV, but clearly Acer is going bigger now.
PC gamers aren’t left behind though. The Predator CG437K S has G-Sync Compatibility too. It also boasts a handy USB hub with two USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports each and even USB-C delivering power at up to 30W. BUt 30W is low compared to the 240W maximum introduced yesterday (before then, the max was 100W). A KVM switch is handy for those who want to use the monitor with multiple PCs, and you also get HDR with the same level of certification as some of the best HDR monitors: VESA DisplayHDR 1000.
According to Acer, the Predator CG437K S will debut sometime in November for $1,800.
Acer Predator X38 S
The Predator X38 S more targets PC gamers with competition-level skills. The 37.5-incher includes Nvidia’s G-Sync ESports Mode. The image preset debuted with 360 Hz monitors in September and, according to Nvidia, “ensures the lowest latency by turning off variable backlight,” makes blacks look darker and tweaks gamma “to offset darker contrast areas, allowing players to better distinguish objects in dark areas.” Nvidia also says the mode is specifically made for competitive titles, like CS:GO. We haven't seen it in action, but you can check out a demo form Nvidia (so take it with a grain of salt) here.
Further appealing to gamers looking to squeeze out as much performance as possible, the Predator X38 S has a 0.3ms GTG response time coupled with a refresh rate that can hit as high as 175 Hz if you overclock it. There’s also Nvidia’s Reflex Latency Analyzer for checking if your system is competition-ready and G-Sync Ultimate.
This is an ultra-wide, 2300R curved monitor, which Acer claims will really help “immersive gameplay.” HDR also drops a certification level compared to the Predator CG437K S to DisplayHDR 600, (which requires a minimum peak brightness of 600 nits), but that should be fine for gaming.
All that makes the Predator X38 S cost even more then the Predator CG437K S: $2,000.
Acer Predator X28
The 28-inch Acer Predator X28’s refresh rate can climb as high as 155 Hz with overclock, and it has a 1ms GTG response time. It’s also supposed to be color-accurate. Acer is claiming a color error of under 1 Delta E (dE) with its IPS panel, which would make its color accuracy on par with expensive monitors geared toward creative professionals.
HDR performance will probably not be a big advantage of though, as Acer opted for DisplayHDR 400 certification here.
This smaller, 28-inch screen is a little cheaper than the aforementioned screens. Acer says the Predator X28 will arrive in August for $1,300.
