The Acer X27 is the gaming monitor you have been waiting for – Hands on

[media:49747]

Last week at the Acer global press conference, the company announced its latest and probably greatest digital display in years. The upcoming Acer Predator X27 is every gamer's dream, and there is a reason why. It's HDR, 144Hz, 4K output, and Nvidia G-Sync support now places the display at the top of the throne, and going hands on with the device, and seeing it in action definitely made it one of the best devices at the GPC of 2017, apart from the Predator Triton which just blew me away.

Chatting to Victor Chien, president at the digital display division, he assured me that Acer has every gamer's best interest at heart and that the new 27X is a stepping stone for the new direction of gaming hardware in the PC industry.  For a standard gaming experience 60Hz should be the lowest spec in any display, and while most gaming displays boast a 120Hz, a 144Hz display is the best of both worlds. The thing here, however, is that most displays do 4K or 144Hz, but not both. This is where Acer has now found the sweet spot. To deliver 4K at 144Hz is a true marvel, and then we have HDR, which console gamers should be quite familiar with. The Predator X27's HDR support has to be seen to be believed and at the event, Acer showed off the exact same X27, but one had HDR and the other did not.

The HDR on the X27 delivers truly groundbreaking visuals and being able to witness this first hand was a great experience. Richer blacks and visuals that were not washed out with a white grain film, just proved what Acer was trying to do in the first place. If you remember, Acer was the first company to release the 24-inch 4K display at 144Hz a few years ago, and the move to the 27-inch might just mean a larger screen for some, but as we move into the HDR generation, the X27 will be future proof. 

[media:49748]

So what is the deal with the 144Hz you ask? Well the higher the hertz, the higher the refresh rate of the screen is. All this means is that the 144Hz display will push the limit and produce clearer and smoother frames. This coupled with 4K will be an experience you have to see to believe. While this all sounds fun, it would be quite a pricey feat for gamers to produce a 4K image at 144Hz, and chances are you will need two GPUs to do so. The support of Nvidia's G-Sync technology, as well as Nvidia HDR, is a match made in heaven. Let us not forget that the display boasts a 178-degree viewing angle with a whopping 384 LED backlights, which in a way mimics an OLED experience, but keeping things affordable.

Chatting to Victor Chien, he believes that the future of digital displays is brighter than ever, with more gamers jumping into the 27-inch displays, over the 24-inch models. However, esports and professional gamers tend to stick to the 24-inch models due to the ability to keep their head in one spot while being able to see the entire screen. When questioned why the X27 does not make use of the OLED technology, Victor Chien responded saying that for a PC experience, one which relies on both motion and still imagery, OLED tech is just not there yet. TVs always have moving pictures, and this benefits an OLED backlit display, while a PC screen you will use for spreadsheets and more. All these other functionalities are keeping display tech back a bit by forcing Acer to find other avenues to utilize smart ways to use LED tech. The X27 uses the over three hundred LED lights to emulate an OLED experience, without actually making use of the expensive tech. 

[media:49749]

So Acer's new Predator X27 is a beast. 144Hz, 4K, and HDR, and smart use of LED backlighting, all to produce one of the best visual hardware devices ever created. If you are all about future PC tech, then this is a display that you need to keep your eyes on. The X27 will be in stores later this year. Pricing is yet to be confirmed in SA. 

Coco: Twitter | MWEB GameZone: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube