The Acer Predator X38 is clearly in the premium category, but it's also one of the best gaming monitors we’ve experienced. Big can mean different things to different users. To us, this panel is just right. The right size, the right shape and the right curve. It’s fantastic for gaming, movie-watching or productivity. There is no computing task it cannot accomplish.
Image fidelity is the X38’s strongest attribute. Not only is it super-accurate out of the box, it calibrates to an even higher standard and rivals any professional monitor we’ve tested. Its color gamut is one of the largest currently available, over 92% of DCI-P3. That volume shows in HDR content especially, but also in SDR content. And if you prefer to use sRGB, the option is available and equally accurate. The X38 has well-designed and logical color management features.
Contrast is another strength of the X38. Though its native dynamic range is unimpressive, the SDR Variable Backlight option is very effective at doubling that range for SDR and almost quintupling it for HDR. There is stiff competition from VA monitors in this metric, but the X38 meets their challenge well. In the HDR games we played, the image practically leapt from the screen, not only due to the excellent contrast but from the saturated and accurate color as well.
Gaming performance is nearly unmatched among ultrawide monitors. The X38 makes the most of its 175 Hz capability, with quick response and low input lag. Motion blur is no problem, even though Acer chose to leave out ULMB. Though we’d prefer to have that choice, it’s far from being a deal-breaker.
The Acer Predator X38 is a substantial investment to be sure. But if you get the chance to try one, you may not care about the price. It’s truly addicting to play on. The X38 has few close rivals (the pricey Acer Predator X35 is one) and easily lands among the very best.