Acer Predator X35
3440 x 1440 pixels, 35"
The Predator X35 is an ultra-wide gaming monitor that hardly misses a feature. Thanks to the overclock function, it even delivers 200 Hz. In addition, the Quantum Dot technology in combination with HDR10 should ensure great colours, crisp contrasts and plenty of depth.
This curved monitor costs more than I spent on my Mercedes A190 two and a half years ago. Compared to my 1800 euro Occassions bargain, however, the monitor not only looks good, but the spec sheet also brings tears of joy to my eyes. For the proud price, Acer promises you a full load of gaming features.
The Predator comes in a box that I could ship myself in. After unpacking, the first thing that catches my eye is the sturdy stand. A VESA adapter for wall mounting is also included. I like the monitor. I sit down, tilt and swivel it in all four directions. It can only be tilted slightly forwards by 5 degrees. But there is plenty of room for manoeuvre in the other three directions (35 degrees upwards, 45 degrees sideways).
I find it irritating that the Predator cannot be adjusted in height. As I can't find a mechanism to adjust it and the instructions don't mention anything about it, I push on the Predator with almost my entire body weight. And lo and behold: it gives way - the Force is with me. From now on, the height of the monitor can be adjusted with normal force. Things are happening.
The technical data according to the manufacturer:
The monitor has active cooling. I never notice it while watching a film or gaming. Even with a quiet sound output, it is no longer audible.
I connect the Predator to the DisplayPort. I also connect the integrated USB hub and get four 3.0 ports of type A. Very practical if your monitor is on a height-adjustable table and you don't feel like paying attention to the cable length of the keyboard and others.
In addition to the aforementioned USB hub, a DisplayPort (v1.4), one HDMI Type A (v2.0) and a 3.5 mm jack connection are also on board.
There are LEDs on the rear that can be adjusted using the RGB Light Sense software.
To make sure you can also see the RGB spectacle in daylight, you should place the monitor as close to the wall as possible. In daylight, the lighting on the wall behind the Predator is only minimally visible. Compared to a Philips TV with Ambilight, the Predator's LEDs are much less bright. This may also be due to the fact that they are not directly attached to the edge of the screen.
The RGB Light Sense software offers four modes with which you can tune your backlighting.
In general mode, you can freely set colours and lighting effects. The music mode synchronises the LEDs with your sound based on rhythm and volume. For fans of LOL, there is also a League of Legends game mode, but this requires additional software.
The feature I like best is the screen synchronisation mode, in which the image output is synchronised and displayed with the corresponding colour. It's a nice added value when the lighting that matches the image is always generated automatically in the dark room.
Four buttons and a joystick on the rear right-hand side of the monitor are available for operation. These are easy to reach.
Use the top button to switch on the monitor. Pressing the button below takes you to predefined profiles. This allows you to switch from graphics mode to gaming mode at the touch of a button when you've had enough of working in Photoshop, for example. Of course, the preset modes can be customised and saved. If you want to watch films, we recommend activating HDR in the Windows display settings in addition to the corresponding mode.
The third button from the top takes you directly to the brightness setting. The fourth button selects the input signal. Pressing the joystick takes you to the fine settings, where you can also adjust the predefined modes.
The OSD menu is logically organised. Whether I'm making adjustments to the backlight response time, the colour temperature or the refresh rate - I can find the relevant items straight away.
Thanks to the ultrawide format, working on the screen is very comfortable. You can write a text with confidence and do research in a second window at the same time. The screen should also be pre-calibrated for graphic work and offer 90 per cent colour space coverage with DCI-P3. The brightness is claimed to be 600 cd/m².
I test what the monitor really does with the x-rite i1Display Pro. I switch to graphics mode, set the brightness to 100 per cent and get started.
The result is somewhat surprising:
453 cd/m² | 476 cd/m² | 451 cd/m² |
475 cd/m² | 498 cd/m² | 477 cd/m² |
456 cd/m² | 480 cd/m² | 455 cd/m² |
On average, I measured a brightness of 469 cd/m². This is perfectly sufficient in every conceivable situation, but does not correspond to the 600 cd/m² that Acer specifies in the data sheet. The monitor uniformity of the Predator is comparatively good. The drop from the centre to the corners is even and does not rise above 47 cd/m². I can't see this difference with the naked eye.
In terms of colour space coverage, I measured 99.8 per cent for sRGB, 77.5 per cent for Adobe RGB and 86.2 per cent for DCI P3. This means it doesn't quite reach the stated value of 90 per cent DCI P3. Nevertheless, the colour reproduction is better than that of many competing products and makes the monitor interesting for graphic work and video editing. When I measure the black and white values, I calculate a good static contrast of 2171:1.
This isn't the first time I've played with a curved display, but my experience is limited to a few minutes or my curved TV in combination with the PS4 Pro. Unlike my TV, I sit directly in front of the monitor.
Before my first gaming session with the Predator, I was a little sceptical as to whether the resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels would be sufficient when I was sitting just an arm's length away from the panel. My concerns were unfounded. As soon as I get going, the huge picture draws me completely into the action. I don't see any pixels. When gaming, I'm not only fascinated by the contrast and rich colours, but also by the fact that the curvature of the monitor creates an enhanced sense of three-dimensionality. I also gain 33 per cent space horizontally with the 21:9 format compared to the 16:9 format.
The fact that the monitor supports a refresh rate of up to 200 Hz is also noticeable. But to be honest, I don't really notice it. My standard monitor has 144 Hz. I can't clearly see the difference between 144 Hz and 200 Hz. However, if you switch from a model with only 60 Hz to one with 200 Hz, you will be able to work and game for noticeably longer before your eyes get tired. Thanks to G-Sync Ultimate, the frame rate can also be synchronised with the monitor when gaming and screen tearing is definitely a thing of the past.
By the way, I can't detect any input lag, backlight bleeding, ghosting or motion blur. In the event that the latter two points do occur, the Predator has overdrive settings.
When watching films with the Predator, those in 21:9 format are particularly worth watching. The fact that I can't play UHD material natively with the monitor is hardly noticeable. HDR10-capable material is played back without any problems, if not better than on my UHD Samsung TV. The 512 backlight zones are noticeable here and, together with the curvature, provide a lot of depth and a big smile.
The width of the monitor favours the puny stereo speakers with 4 watts each. This increases the stereo effect. The highs, mids and lows sound surprisingly good and invite you to enjoy films for longer periods without headphones. However, you have to sit in front of the monitor. If you move away and stand just one metre away, the sound will be distorted. Unfortunately, as with all puny loudspeakers, there is no bass that makes your stomach tingle.
Sometimes it's really nasty. Life puts a treat in front of you, gets you hooked and then you have to give it up again.
As it stands in front of me, this monitor is and remains a gamer's dream. As a casual gamer, it would be excessive to spend more on a monitor than my car cost. Nevertheless, the price is understandable considering there are fewer competing products and the many features. If you only intend to have a short gaming session, you won't be able to. The image of the Predator makes you forget the real world. Time and space become blurred.
From my side, and also from my mate, there is a big thumbs up for the monitor.
I find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.