Acer only just dipped its toe into the OLED gaming monitor world last year in the form of the behemoth CG48 model. Now it's taking that high-contrast technology and running with it for CES 2023. Two new OLED displays are on the menu with the Acer Predator X27U and X45 officially announced, so we're diving into the specs to see what kind of threat they pose to the best gaming monitors on the market right now.
Both screens offer a robust 1440p resolution across a 240Hz variable refresh rate and a nice DCI-P3 98.5% color gamut to go with that HDR10 as well. However, the former does so in a standard 27-inch form factor while the Predator X45 is taking aim at the big-screen curved gaming monitor market. That 800R curvature isn't going to be as all-encompassing as Samsung's Odyssey range but paired with those vibrant colors, deep blacks, and variable refresh rates there's still a lot to take in.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Acer Predator X27U | Acer Predator X45 |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 27-inch | 45-inch |
| Resolution | 2560x1440 | 3440x1440 |
| Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz |
| Response Time | Up to 0.01ms | Up to 0.01ms |
| Contrast Ratio | 1,500,000:1 | 1,500,000:1 |
| Peak Brightness | 1000nits | 1000nits |
| Viewing Angle | 178° | 178° |
| Color Gamut | DCI-P3 98.5% | DCI-P3 98.5% |
| Colors | 1.07B | 1.07B |
| Ports | 2x HMDI 2.0 | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 | 1x USB Type-C | 1x USB Type-B | 1x USB Hub 3.0 (x2) | SPK | Audio Out | 2x HMDI 2.0 | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 | 1x USB Type-C | 1x USB Type-B | 1x USB Hub 3.0 (x2) | SPK | Audio Out |
Everything looks good from a PC perspective, but Acer's also taking aim at the console market here. Both screens offer a full USB hub to keep all your peripherals in check, as well as a 90W USB-C port and two HDMI 2.0 slots. After all, a 45-inch screen isn't going to fit into a cozy PC setup - anyone after a PS5 monitor or Xbox Series X monitor will have plenty to feast their eyes on.
There is one caveat to this console focus, though. The drop in resolution means you're not quite getting a built-for-console experience here. Yes, both the Xbox Series X and PS5 now support native 1440p output, but they were really built to shine on a UHD display with an HDMI 2.1 cable in hand. For all the OLED glory, that's not the language this spec sheet is speaking, so there's a decision to be made here.
With some stiff competition from the likes of LG, Asus, and Gigabyte, these screens are going to need to fight. The LG 48GQ900-B, Asus ROG Swift PG48UQ, and Gigabyte Aorus FO48U can't quite catch up with Acer's 240Hz refresh rate, but they're giving it a good run with higher 4K resolutions and the HMDI 2.1 ports to make good on them. We don't have a price list on Acer's new contenders, but it's going to make all the difference in this competition.
Whatever happens, these screens aren't going to be cheap - we'd recommend checking out the latest gaming monitor deals if you're after something a little more wallet friendly right now. Or, take a look at the best gaming TVs if you don't want to drop that big-screen experience. We're also rounding up all the best 4K monitors for gaming as well.
