If you recall last week’s discussion, we touched on the pros and cons of 21:9 gaming.
Now, as promised, let’s take a brief look at my test subject – the Acer Predator X34.
The X34 comes with all the fixings: a crisp 34” IPS panel at a respectable 4ms response time, 3440×1440 resolution, a 100Hz refresh rate, NVIDIA G-Sync and (most importantly) LED underlighting so you get that nice glow in a few colour options. It also comes with that “enthusiast” level price tag at roughly $1,700 CDN. While I got mine on sale for $1,500, that’s still a hefty blow to the wallet.
Acer went for a minimalistic metallic look that I personally find very attractive. It saves on desk space while looking impressive, although it lacks that traditional “gamer” look like ASUS’ ROG Swift lineup of competitors if you’re into that sort of thing. The only really flashy thing about the aesthetic is the red “Predator” branding and logo on the bottom bezel. The top and side bezels are pleasantly thin.
The back features an HDMI port, a DisplayPort, and a USB hub.
While the monitor itself is almost as impressive as the MSRP, there are a few flaws with the design. Most notable is the menu system. While my previous ASUS monitor used a very intuitive single control, Acer has decided to annoy customers by using the most convoluted and impractical 4 button system I’ve ever had the displeasure of using.
In terms of quality control, I haven’t had any issues over the year I’ve had it so far with one exception: one of my LEDs beneath the bottom bezel produces a lovely shade of blue while attempting to do its best impression of white. A fairly minor detail, overall.
Gaming on this monitor is a pleasure, but is it worth the astronomical financial impact?
In hindsight, while the experience is a fantastic one I think the asking price may be too large. If you’re looking for a entry into epic 21:9 gaming, I recommend scoping out a 2560×1080 monitor instead due to their more reasonable (albeit still very high) asking price.
However, if you are looking for that tip top tier and can deal with a menu system that makes you want to hurl the monitor across the room on the rare occasion you need to fiddle with it, the Acer Predator X34 is a good choice.
It’s also one of only a few choices.
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