Acer Predator X27U 240Hz 27-inch 1440p OLED Gaming Monitor Review

TweakTown's Rating: 91%

The Bottom Line

The Acer Predator X27U gaming monitor provides gamers with an incredible gaming experience in first-person shooter titles. It does comes with a few issues that could be deal breakers for some users, especially those that are doing word processing.

Pros

• + Goregous OLED panel
• + Buttery smooth gameplay
• + Awesome colors
• + Decent brightness
• + Deep blacks

Cons

• - Price vs. competition
• - Blurry text
• - Basic physical design

Should you buy it?

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The Acer Predator X27U was my work and gaming monitor for over a month. I'm here to outline all of the positives and negatives of the product while also informing you of how it compares to other gaming monitors of a similar price.

The Predator X27U uses the same LG WOLED panel as the ASUS PG27AQDM, a brilliant gaming monitor I recently reviewed. Since both monitors utilize the same panel, the performance in some areas should be extremely similar, if not identical. Key differences between these two gaming monitors lay within their feature sets, aesthetics, overall feel, and price.

Throughout this review, I will identify the type of gamer best suited for a 27-inch 240Hz 1440p gaming monitor, the positives and negatives of the Predator X27U, and how it chalks up to its competition. With all of this information, you should be able to make an informed decision on whether you want to grab one of these gaming monitors. For reference, the Predator X27U is currently priced at $799 on Amazon, while the ASUS PG27AQDM is priced at $999. Before we get into the design, let's closely examine what we are working with.

Specifications

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Close-up

Design & Panel Breakdown

The physical design of the Predator X27U is somewhat basic and different from what I expected from a high-end gaming monitor. Compared to the ASUS PG27AQDM, which features an incredible pixelated ASUS logo design, the Predator X27U feels somewhat boring.

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The back of the monitor features a bulging back plate, and while there isn't much eye-catching about the monitor, it does feel very premium in the hand. All of the different components of the monitor are put together perfectly. I didn't notice any physical design flaws, and it looked clean on my desk. However, a bit of razzle dazzle could have gone a long way.

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Moving onto the stand. Acer has outfitted the Predator X27U with a high-quality stand that offers a level of maneuverability that will satisfy most gamers in height, swivel, and tilt. As for the display itself, the monitor features extremely thin bezels thanks to the OLED technology, which enables displays to be extremely thin compared to other pixel technologies.

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As for connectivity, Acer has equipped the Predator X27U with various inputs: two HDMI 2.0 (limited to 144Hz) ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, a USB-C port (90W PD), a 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB 3.0 Type-A ports. It's really nice to see 90W PD charging capabilities, as this is the perfect wattage to charge a device such as a laptop. However, it's unfortunate to only see HDMI 2.0. I would have preferred to see HDMI 2.1, which supports 2560 x 1440p @ 240Hz. Due to this limitation by the HDMI ports, I performed all of my testing using the DisplayPort 1.4 port.

Lastly, the On-Screen-Display toggle is found at the bottom of the monitor in the center. The multi-directional toggle is easy enough to use, and browsing through the settings gives you a tonne of gaming-related features. As with most of these proprietary gaming monitor OSDs from various brands, not just Acer, I found that most didn't impact my overall gaming experience enough to warrant their use. Additionally, continuously using a feature such as Crosshair would run the risk of burn-in, considering the Predator X27U features an OLED panel. Use at your own risk.

Panel Breakdown

The Predator X27U's panel is simply beautiful; the 2560 x 1440 resolution makes for a clearly defined, high-fidelity picture that will shine with almost anything you throw at it. The panel makes for beautiful, vibrant colors that really bring the most out of games and videos. The matte anti-glare finish over the entire display does an incredible job of blocking out reflections that may be caused by an abundance of light in a room. Due to how well the monitor reflects light, the Predator X27U is able to maintain those deep blacks on screen, leading to an overall better-preserved picture.

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So, what are the downsides of the Predator X27U? Unfortunately, it's quite a big downside, and it's entirely to do with how the text looks on the Predator X27U. The WOLED panel ushers in an additional white subpixel that causes some blurriness and degradation to fine elements, such as text. The problem is apparent once it is noticed and is even more noticeable if you have a monitor alongside the Predator X27U that doesn't suffer from the same issue. Furthermore, this problem wasn't as apparent with ASUS's PG27AQDM.

Performance

Now, to the part of the review that likely matters most to gamers - what is it like gaming on the Predator X27U? I tested the Predator X27U in a variety of different games in an attempt to determine where the Predator X27U shines most and in what type of game. I played tens of hours of the following games: Apex Legends, Age of Empires IV, Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, and DOOM Eternal.

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The Predator X27U provided incredible image clarity in all the titles I tested. I was never disappointed by the impressive image that I was experiencing. In each game, the gorgeous OLED panel blessed my eyes with incredibly deep blacks, making other colors appear vibrant and rich. These incredible colors, paired with the 240Hz refresh rate and an impressive response time of 0.01ms, made for a buttery smooth in-game experience in every single title.

While every title that tested on the Predator X27U played at a more than satisfactory level, there are some titles that stood out more than others. The 27-inch display is made for first-person-shooter titles such as Apex Legends and DOOM Eternal to be far more enjoyable than titles such as Starfield and Age of Empires IV. The small screen size, paired with the 240Hz refresh rate and crazy response time, made for an immersive, locked-in experience that only intense first-person-shooter titles can draw out of you.

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The Predator X27U shined the most in competitive shooter titles where fast reaction times are paramount. While the Predator X27U will produce an overall enjoyable gaming experience with other titles, I believe an FPS gamer would get the most out of the Predator X27U. If you are a big FPS gamer, you are likely already using a gaming monitor that has a decently high refresh rate, and I'm here to tell you that the jump from 144Hz to 240Hz is noticeable, but it's nowhere near the difference between 60Hz and 144Hz.

If you are used to 144Hz, you will notice a slight improvement in terms of smoothness to your gameplay, but when it comes to what is best about the Predator X27U, it's not the refresh rate; it's the response time. The smooth 240Hz refresh rate paired creates a big jump from 144Hz / 1ms gaming, and it's something I would recommend if you are playing competitively and want an advantage over your opponents.

The Predator X27U made me feel more than dangerous in-game; I was deadly.

Final Thoughts

So, is the Predator X27U worth buying? Unfortunately, it's not as simple as a yes and no answer. There are a few problems with the Predator X27U that I would recommend you consider before purchasing, especially considering its competition.

The Predator X27U is a $799 monitor and only really shines throughout gaming, and while it excels in this area, it really doesn't make for an enjoyable working experience. The blurriness of the text is a real deal-breaker for me, and as I previously mentioned, it wasn't something I really noticed with the PG27AQDM, which is priced at $999. In my personal situation, where I require word processing and gaming, I would spend $999 for the PG27AQDM to get the best of both worlds.

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But what about if you were just gaming and had very minimal word processing? The Predator X27U would be a choice that I believe most gamers would be happy with, but that is only if its price stays at least $200 lower than the PG27AQDM. The type of gamer best suited for this monitor is a first-person-shooter gamer who is looking to make the upgrade from 1440p @ 144Hz or 1080p @ 60Hz but isn't looking to break the bank with an absolutely elite gaming monitor.

If you are this type of gamer and are on a tight budget, the Predator X27U may be just what you need, as in some cases, the $200 price difference between it and the PG27AQDM may simply be too much. However, if you can spare the extra $200, I would recommend you go with ASUS's PG27AQDM, as it's better in every single way.

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Overall, Acer hasn't really given me much to widely recommend the Predator X27U, but with the flood of 27-inch OLED panels to the market, gamers will have an abundance of options to choose from, all of which will have variations in specifications and price. Some models will be cheaper and lack certain specifications but be more aimed at the more budget gamer. Currently, the Predator X27U fits into that category for me. It does a very good job at what it's intended to do: provide gamers with a buttery smooth gameplay experience with high visual fidelity at a decent price.