predator 21x lcd panel ips tn manufacturer

Acer amazed the world last September when it announced a laptop with a 21” curved display, a quad-core Intel Core i7 “Kaby Lake” CPU with an unlocked multiplier, two graphics processors, a mechanical keyboard, and other features of a desktop PC. Then the company surprised once again, when it disclosed pricing of the Predator 21X in early January: at $8999, the machine is one of the most expensive gaming notebooks ever. By now, the PC is available, but this Predator will be a rare beast because only 300 will be made.

The final version of the Predator 21 X notebook got Intel’s quad-core Core i7-7820HK CPU with an unlocked multiplier and overclocking capabilities, two GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs with 16 GB of GDDR5 memor, as well as 64 GB of DDR4 RAM — specifications that even few gaming desktops can match. The storage sub-system of the Predator 21 X also resembles that of an SFF or AIO desktop: the machine can fit in four M.2 SSDs (NVMe or SATA) and one 2.5” hard drive. Acer ships the system with two 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSDs working in RAID 0 as well as one 1 TB 7200 RPM HGST HDD, but the system is upgradeable and owners can install almost whatever they want eventually.

They key selling point of the Predator 21 X is its curved 21” IPS display panel with a 2560×1080 resolution, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and NVIDIA’s G-Sync dynamic refresh rate technology. After trying out the Predator 21 X at Computex, I cannot say that curvature on a monitor of this size is any more immersive to me, but it may work in a very dark room. In addition to curvature, the notebook also has Tobii infrared eye-tracking sensors, which opens up different user experiences in games that support the appropriate tech. Meanwhile the audio sub-system is also worth mentioning as it has four integrated speakers and two built-in subwoofers.

As one would expect from a laptop that is 2.71” – 3.3” (68.8 mm – 83.82 mm) thick and weighs 18.74 lbs (8.5 kilograms), the Predator 21 X has all the connectivity that one might ever need (just like high-end desktops), including 2×2 802.11ac + Bluetooth Wi-Fi module, a Gigabit Ethernet port, one Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) port, four USB 3.0 Type-A connectors, an HDMI 2.0 output, two DisplayPort 1.4 headers, and an SD card reader. For input, the Acer Predator 21 X uses a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX switches with five programmable buttons. The numeric keypad does not have mechanical switches, but it can be flipped and turned into a touchpad.

From performance point of view, the Predator 21 X has rivals from ASUS and MSI, but when it comes to its curved 21”/120 Hz display panel, it does not really have direct competitors (except desktops, of course). Meanwhile, the panel itself is custom, which adds to the cost of an already expensive machine. After considering performance, dimensions and price, Acer figured out that demand for a laptop that is priced at $8999 will be limited, and instead of trying to reduce the price tag, decided to make an ultra-exclusive product out of its Predator 21 X. The company will only produce 300 of such machines (referring to 300 Spartans?), each of which will have an individual number. The Acer Predator 21 X will ship in a Pelican-style case that can be “repurposed” and actually be used as a luggage.

Today Acer is announcing a beast of a gaming notebook in the Predator 21 X. This is the world’s first curved screen notebook, and it should be enough to satisfy almost any gamer’s needs.

Let’s start with the display, which is certainly a stand-out feature on this device. The 21-inch panel is massive for a notebook, and for some extra cool factor, it’s got a 2000R curvature. The 2560x1080 21:9 panel offers a 120 Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and it’s an IPS display. It also features Tobii eye-tracking, for in-game adjustments and more.

Following in the footsteps of the MSI GT80 Titan, the Acer Predator 21 X also features a fully mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX switches, and per-key RGB backlighting. The Acer outdoes the MSI though, with a number pad that can be flipped over to be used as a precision touchpad.

There is a maintenance panel about the keyboard which will feature a blue dragon logo, and the first 300 notebooks will include a limited edition series number on the panel. Below the panel you’ll find access to the RAM modules and one of the 2.5-inch hard drives. Acer is also including a hard-shell carrying case, which is a nice perk. It will be needed, since the laptop weighs just a hair under 20 lbs.

Gaming is big business and Acer has done well with its Predator products that target the gaming market. According to Chen, the Predator line has had a 64% year over year (YoY) growth for Acer. The Predator product line includes monitors, laptops, desktops and projectors, all specifically designed to give gamers an edge. One thing gamers consistently demand is high speed displays, including both high frame rate and short LC response times – they don’t want to waste milliseconds waiting for their opponents to show up on their screens.

Acer is the official sponsor and monitor partner of the League of Legends Championship Series for professional gamers. As I said, gaming is big business – the 2016 Championship series was viewed by 46 million people, more than the Superbowl! Acer will be supplying the 24” Predator XB241H monitor to all teams in the championship so none will have an advantage by having a better monitor. This monitor can be over-clocked to 180 Hz frame rate and has 1mS response time. Of course, Acer doesn’t mind that all aspiring gamers want to use this monitor so if they make the championships, they won’t be using an unfamiliar monitor.

Perhaps the most impressive new product shown at [email protected] was the 27” Predator X27 HDR monitor. High-end gamers demand high end products and the X27 is 1) not only high-end, but 2) is specifically dedicated to gaming applications. It’s not a television, it isn’t a color grading monitor, it isn’t a general-purpose computer monitor – it’s dedicated to high end gaming. It uses quantum dots to produce a wide color gamut (WCG), with a gamut of 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB and 96% DCI-P3. The unit is HDR with 384 backlight zones and 10-bit drive. The panel is IPS and the maximum peak brightness is 1000 nits. With local dimming, Acer claims a 100 Million:1 contrast ratio, whatever that means!

Acer also introduced a second 27” gaming monitor, the Predator Z271UV. This monitor had 2560 x 1440 resolution and a curved (1800R) TN panel. Color gamut is said to be 130% sRGB or 95% DCI-P3 – almost as good as the X27, and contrast is said to be 1000:1 Some gamers might prefer this monitor over the X27 because it has a refresh rate of 165 Hz and a 1mS grey-to-grey response time. In high-end gaming, speed is everything. This monitor had HDMI, DisplayPort (v1.2) and a built-in USB 3.0 Hub (1 up, 4 down) plus audio out. This is said to be the first curved monitor to incorporate Tobii eye tracking. Price and availability for the Z271UV are not available.

Acer also showed its Predator 21X laptop, said to be the world’s first curved laptop. This was not newly announced since it was shown at IFA last September. Calling it a “laptop” is a bit of a misnomer, as you can see in the image. Weight of the unit is 18.74 pounds (8.52 Kg).

The Predator 21X has a curved 21” WFHD (2560 x 1080) IPS display with an aspect ratio of 21:9. Refresh rate and response time are not given. While it has an internal 6000 mAh lithium ion battery, the unit consumes up to 330W so I suspect most people run it off of the AC adaptor. Starting price is $9,000 and it’s available now.

Acer did introduce two new Predator gaming laptops at the event, the Triton 700 and the Helios 300. These two laptops are a lot less extreme than the 21X and a laptop user who is also a gamer could consider them for both uses.

The Triton 700 notebook is said to be the first in the Triton series and comes with a 15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS screen and is only available with a solid state drive. The thickness is 18.9mm and the weight is 2.6Kg. Acer confirms the dual use of this as a general purpose/gaming laptop by saying “Skype for Business Certification ensures conversations are clear and lag-free.” A large Corning Gorilla Glass plate above the keyboard serves as a window into the notebook’s cooling system, showcasing the AeroBlade 3D Fan and five heat pipes, and also functions as a touchpad. The second generation of the AeroBlade 3D fan is said to provide 35% more airflow than a conventional fan in the same size package. This, in turn, is said to provide the ultimate in thermal performance, which allows Acer to pack massive computing power inside an ultrathin form factor without compromise. The Predator Triton 700 gaming notebook will be available in North America in August starting at $2,999 and in EMEA in August starting at €3,399.

The Helios 300 is also a dual-purpose laptop that represents the first in the Helios series and will come with either a 15.6” or 17.3” FHD IPS display. It is available with either a solid state or hard disk drive. In addition to gaming and business uses, it is said to be ideal for movie watching. With the 15.6” display it weights 2.7Kg and with the 17.3” display, 3.0Kg. The Helios 300 is “housed in a classic but tasteful gaming chassis with an iron red backlit keyboard, selected models include a metal top cover and keyboard area for added strength and rigidity”

The Predator Helios 300 gaming notebooks with a 15.6-inch display will be available in North America in July starting at $1,299; in EMEA in August starting at €1,199; and in China in June starting at ¥9,999. The Predator Helios 300 gaming notebooks with a 17.3-inch display will be available in North America in July starting at $1,399; in EMEA in August starting at €1,199; and in China in July starting at ¥9,999.

Jason Chen also announced the Nitro 5 laptop at [email protected] without providing any detains – it wasn’t in the press materials and it wasn’t on display. While it was discussed with the other gaming laptops, it isn’t even clear if Acer considers this a part of its Predator line.

The leading member of the Swift family is the Swift 7 and, according to Mr. Chen, at 0.39” (9.9mm), it is still the thinnest laptop in the world. He added that the Swift family has had a 11% YoY growth rate. At [email protected], the company introduced two lower-end members of the Swift series, the Swift 1 and Swift 3. The Swift 1 comes with a 13.3” FHD display and the Swift 3 comes with either a 14” or 15.6” FHD display. All displays are IPS. These new introductions carry on the lightweight tradition of the Swift 7 and Swift 5. The Swift 1 and the Swift 3 with the 14” display both weigh 1.8Kg while the Swift 3 with the 15.6” display will weight 2.2Kg. All members of the Swift family come with metal cases in a variety of colors.

The Acer Switch family computers are 2-in-1 laptops and are essentially touch-screen tablets with detachable keyboards. The two new members of the family are the Switch 3 and Switch 5. Both are fanless and use Acer’s LiquidLoop cooling technology. The Swift 3 uses a 12.2” FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS display and the Switch 5 has a 12.0” 2160 x 1440 IPS display. Both displays are touch displays and both also have 2MP front webcams and 5MP rear webcams. There is an optional USB Type-C docking station for the Swift 5.

Acer also introduced two Chromebooks, the Spin 11 and the Spin 11 N7. Both have 11.6” 1366 x 768 displays. In the Spin 11, the display is IPS and has a touch screen. In the Spin 11 N7, the display options are IPS with or without touch screen or TN. The units also have different processors and webcams. The Spin 11 N7 also doesn’t have the 360° hinge used in the Spin 11 and shown in the image. The reduced features of the Spin 11 N7 give it a longer battery life (12 vs 10 hours) and a slightly lower weight (1.35Kg vs 1.4Kg). Price and availability are not available for either unit.

Acer introduced one new non-gaming computer monitor, the ProDesigner PE320QK. This is a 31.5” UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate and a 4mS response time. While it only has 550 nits peak brightness and 8-bit drive, Acer called it a HDR monitor. Well, maybe. HDR-compatible, at least. It has a color gamut of 130% sRGB or 95% DCI-P3 and a variety of interfaces including HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2 plus the unit serves as a USB 3.1 Hub. Color accuracy of ΔE <1 is claimed for the monitor and the system targets photographers, video editors and others working in creative industries. Price and availability were not announced.

Acer also introduced two 4K projectors at the show, although neither was mentioned by Chen in his talk nor were they on display. They are nearly-identical single panel DLP UHD projectors with TI pixel shifting XPR technology. The only difference between the two is the V7850 has 2,100 ANSI lumens while the H7850 has 3000 ANSI Lumens. The difference appears to be the V7850 has a RGBRGB color wheel to produce accurate colors while the H7850 has a white segment to increase the brightness. Both projectors include Acer’s ExtremeECO power-saving feature that can reduce power consumption by up to 70% and extend lamp life by up to 15,000 hours.

Acer introduced the Leap Ware sports watch with a 1.1” color touchscreen transflective LCD. In addition to various fitness functions, it can be used to control your music. It uses the MediaTek MT2523 chipset and MT2511 bio-sensing chip; has a 3 – 5 day battery life; and is compatible with iOS 8+ and Android 5+ smartphones.

In the usual race to claim industry firsts, Acer does so with the Predator Z301CT in exemplifying it as the first 21:9 curved display. The Z301CT features a 30” display and utilizes an 8-bit VA panel. The VA panel type doubtless affords the Z301CT the high refresh rate (200Hz) and contrast ratio of 3000:1. The VA panel also contributes to the slower (in comparison with the XB2 series) response time of 4ms.

All of new Predator panels, including the Z301CT, will support nVidia G-Sync. The Predator Z301CT will be available beginning February 2017 with prices starting at $900.

The second additions to the Predator display line up are two different displays, with the only distinct difference being size. The Predator XB252Q is a 24.5” display, while the XB272 is a 27” version. Both displays use a TN panel; not surprising, given the 240Hz refresh rate. Maximum resolution for both displays is 1920x1080 at 240Hz. For color, we have 100% of the sRGB color space covered, and 1.67 million reproducible colors.

Although bereft of the more astonishing features of the abovementioned model, both the XB252Q and XB272 do feature nVidia G-Sync and Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB). Both panels tout 1000:1 contrast ratios and 1ms response times.

Perhaps the jewel in Acer’s CES crown, and certain anomaly in the notebook landscape, is the Acer Predator 21 X. Being the world’s first curved, 21:9 screen on a notebook, the Predator 21 X aims to be a portable, no compromise gaming solution whilst doing so in standout fashion.

The Predator 21 X boasts a 21” IPS panel of 2000R curvature with a maximum resolution of 2560x1080 at 120Hz. The display also features nVidia G-Sync as well as the previously mentioned Tobii Eye Tracking technology. The Predator 21 X uses the i7-7820HK overclockable CPU in combination with a GPU array consisting of two GTX 1080s in SLI.

The Predator 21 X can support up to 64GB of DDR4 2400MHz memory, and will offer support for up to four SSDs in RAID 0. Two of the SSDs are NVMe/PCIe capable while the other two are SATA based. Furthermore, there is a fifth storage option in the form of a 1TB HDD.

In similar fashion to that of MSI, Acer has implemented a fully mechanical keyboard on the Predator 21 X, featuring Cherry MX Brown switches with per-key RGB backlighting. The numeric keypad will also invert and serve as a tracking pad.

Onboard audio is a three-way (tweeter, midrange, subwoofer) design consisting of 4 speakers and 2 subwoofers. Also included is a Windows Hello IR camera for facial recognition. In the vicinity of the keyboard will be a maintenance panel adorned with a blue dragon logo. The panel will allow access to the RAM modules and one of the 2.5” SSDs. The first 300 units will feature a unique, limited edition series number about the panel.

Preloaded on the Acer Predator 21 X is the PredatorSense software and the Xsplit Gamecaster software. The former being an application used for control of lighting, overclocking, and fans while the latter is aimed at game streaming and video editing.

The Predator 17 X will see a refresh of sorts. The predator 17X sits near the top of the stack in Acer’s gaming notebooks. It will be updated to offer the i7-7820HK CPU and GTX 1080 video card. The newer Predator 17 X will contain four SODIMM slots with 64GB DDR4 2400MHz capacity. Storage options include one PCIe/NVMe or 3x SATA SSDs with RAID 0 support. Either options will be complimented with optional HDD support.

The Predator 17 X will offer the following interfaces and ports: 1x Thunderbolt 3 (USB 3.1 Type-C), 3x USB 3.0, 1x USB 3.0 w/ power off charging, 1x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI w/ HDCP support, 1x Ethernet port, 1x headphone/speaker/line-out jack, 1x Kensington lock slot.

Display options on the Predator 17 X will come in either 1920 X 1080 or 4K 3840 X 2160, both using a 17.3 “IPS display. The Acer Predator 17 X will be available this month, starting at $2,600.

Predator Gaming is a gamer-focused brand and line of computer hardware owned by Acer. In 2008, Acer introduced itself in the gaming computer market with a line of desktop computers: the Acer Aspire Predator series, later renamed as Acer Predator. The series is characterized by the futuristic computer chassis and high performance. In 2016, a complete range of Predator desktops, gaming laptops, tablets and accessories exists.

Acer"s 9000$ range gaming laptop that run"s as powerful as a desktop with 2 nvidia gtx 1080"s in sli. It comes with 64gb of ram memory and 1tb of ssdAcer Predator 21 XDeveloper

Acer held its IFA 2016 press event today and one of the main focuses were the company"s new Windows 10 notebooks. The most interesting one is the Predator 21 X with a curved display aimed at the serious, on-the-go games.

There"s no going away from the fact that the Predator 21 X is a beast. It"s the first gaming laptop to sport a 21" curved display and its dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs support the awesome G-Sync technology. The CPU options include the latest 7th-gen Intel Core K-series. The resolution of the IPS display is 2560 x 1080.

That"s because it also sports Tobii eye-tracking, LED RGB mechanical keyboard with CherryMX switches and a SoundPound2+ sound system (4 speakers and 2 subwoofers). The list of cool features goes on with a numpad that flips over to become a touchpad, a large window that shows off some of the five cooling fans in total.

Each Predator 21 X will be made to order and shipping starts in January, 2017. Pricing is yet to be detailed. Meanwhile, you can check out the awesome promo video of the laptop.

The Swift 7 sports a 13.3" IPS2, Gorilla Glass display with micro-bezel design and a 1080p resolution. Acer says the notebook"s battery can last up to 9 hours on a single charge.

Inside the all-aluminum unibody, the Spin 7 houses a 14-inch 1080p IPS touch display with Gorilla Glass on top for protection. The display can be flipped to become a tablet, giving you more versatility.

What we do know is that the Nitro 5 relies on Acer’s CoolBoost technology, which enables users to manually adjust the speed of the fan cooling the innards inside. This enables Acer to inject the slim notebook with seventh-generation Core processors from Intel, and discrete GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB/4GB) or GTX 1050 Ti graphics chips.

The Predator X27 desktop display will support Nvidia’s G-Sync technology for synchronizing the visuals on-screen with the output of a GeForce graphics chip. This prevents screen tearing, stuttering, and visual input lag caused when the display and graphics chip are generating frames at different rates. This tech is backed by High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the blackest of blacks and incredibly bright whites for a huge, rich color spectrum.

Even better, the panel is based on Quantum Dot Technology, which relies on nanocrystals of different sizes, each of which can emit light at different frequencies. The panel also sports 384 individual backlights that can be controlled on a per-light basis, providing perfect void-like blacks and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits (the average display is only around 300 nits).

There will actually be two models released later this summer: the vanilla “flat” Predator X27 with a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution at 144Hz, and the curved Predator Z2271UV with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and a curvature of 1800R. The latter curvy model will sport a ZeroFrame edge-to-edge design, support for 125 percent of the sRGB color space, a 1mn response time (3ms native), and an overclocked 165Hz refresh rate.

Not mentioned during the show is that both panels will include integrated Tobii eye-tracking technology. We presume Acer plans to sell displays with and without the Tobii technology, but we won’t know the full scoop until Acer gets ready to toss the monitors out into the PC gaming community later this year.

With this laptop, Acer coughed up a bit more detail than the Nitro 5. The Helio 300 will arrive in July in 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch flavors, with the smaller model sporting a starting price of $1,300, and the larger unit with a starting price of $1,400. Both models appear to be based on In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel technology, offering rich colors and wide viewing angles. Acer only specified a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution.

There will be different configurations for each base unit, which include the seventh-generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ and Core i5-7300HQ processors, and discrete GeForce GTX 1060 or GTX 1050 Ti graphics chips from Nvidia.

During its presentation, Acer spent some time talking about the AeroBlade 3D fan cooling component, which enables the company to pack in those high-performance Intel and Nvidia chips without throttling back their full potential due to heat generation (hot = bad performance).

Next, we have the Triton 700, a super-thin gaming rig measuring just 18.9mm thick (0.75 inches), and weighing a mere 5.7 pounds. It will have a 15.6-inch screen based on an IPS panel with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Nvidia’s G-Sync technology will be baked into the display as well for stutter-free, tear-free visuals while playing your favorite PC games.

Acer will provide many fixed configurations when the laptop arrives this summer based on Intel’s seventh-generation Core i5-7300HQ and Core i7-7700HQ processors, and discrete GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics from Nvidia. That means it too relies on Acer’s AeroBlade 3D fan cooling system to keep those high-performance chips cooled and working optimally.

Ultimately, consider the Triton 700 as a cheaper-in-price spinoff of Acer’s $9,000 Predator 21 X curved gaming notebook. The Predator Triton 700 will be available in August with a starting price of $3,000.

Technically, the Aspire GX desktops hit the scene in January with a starting price of $900. There are five models in all based on Intel’s seventh-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors. However, starting in May, Acer will offer additional models based on AMD’s new Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 chips that just hit the desktop market, which promise more bang for the buck.

In the Predator family, we are used to extremely solid, stable stands and bases - this is also the case here. The adjustment options cover almost everything: height (120 mm), tilt (-5...+25 degrees), turning sideways (25 degrees). Only portrait orientation is missing, but because of the curved screen, this does not make sense, flat-screen Predator monitors know this as well.

It is a nice big monitor, although there is or will be a smaller and bigger brother (the largest is 34"). The design is extravagant, as we are used to from Predators. The difference here is that at the bottom of the screen we find a narrow, elongated accessory unit, the hardware part of the Tobii Eye Tracking eye-tracking game support system (see later).

Managing the monitor couldn"t be simpler. When testing the Acer BM320 monitor ( Professional designer monitor: Acer BM320 ), the already familiar joystick + four control buttons on the lower right part of the back panel are extremely comfortable and handy. The only difference is that the joystick button here is – not surprisingly – red.

As you can see, there are eight picture modes to choose from. The bottom four modes essentially only differ in brightness, the default native mode (after reset) is Standard. In the top row, we find three types of Game factory settings, plus the User mode, when selecting which we have the option to set certain parameters individually

The curved 30" VA panel is made with AUO"s AMVA technology and is a fairly modern type. What we expect from it: a high contrast ratio compared to TN and IPS, a large but at least acceptable viewing angle and the most accurate coverage of the sRGB color range. Another question is the level of light leakage and the homogeneity of the panel in terms of luminance and colors.

The specified viewing angle of 178/178 degrees is of course an exaggeration (since the 10:1 contrast as a boundary condition is an unrealistic criterion in the first place), but approx. the change of colors and contrast is acceptable in an angle range of plus/minus 40 degrees. Laterally, the situation is a little worse than vertically. Looking at the latter, from the bottom position, there is almost no deterioration (with the TN panel, the situation is exactly the opposite).

The monitor does not particularly excel in terms of the homogeneity of the screen. Measured at 50% of maximum brightness (which is close to realistic brightness for gaming), the luminance distribution on the surface is quite uneven. However, the figures presented here do not show the result of visual perception (that is not what we see in the picture), but the differences measured with a colorimeter, in order to illustrate the errors of uniformity.

In any case, our monitor is prepared for the correct display of extremely fast games: it is capable of 144 Hz even without overclocking, and up to 200 Hz when overclocked (intermediate, adjustable values: 160 and 180 Hz). The advantage of the big update in itself is that it reduces the motion blur that necessarily occurs due to the "sample and hold" operation of the LCD cells (pixels).

Nvidia"s G-Sync hardware is built into the Z301CT, which, in cooperation with a video card also equipped with G-Sync capabilities, can eliminate stuttering or judder (stuttering in Hungarian) and additional delay occurring when vertical sync is turned on, as well as when vertical sync is turned off tearing (image breakage) occurring in addition to synchronization. It does this by matching the refresh rate of the monitor to the rendering of the video card. G-Sync can also be turned on or off in the NVIDIA Control Panel.

Monitor lag at the center line of the screen, measured with Bodnar"s lag meter at 60Hz, 1080p resolution. Top image: Action and Racing settings, bottom image: Sports settings. Since the "sample and hold" delay at 60 Hz is around 8.4 ms, the difference is roughly the reaction time of the VA panel in relation to the black-to-white (BtoW) transition

As far as we know, Acer was the first manufacturer to integrate Tobii"s Eye Tracking system, first in a notebook and then in some monitor types. The Tobii software for PC installation for Acer/Predator monitors can be downloaded from tobiigaming.com. The Predator family currently includes the following models: Predator Z301CT, Predator Z271T, Predator XB271HUT, Predator XB251HQT and Predator 21 X.

Our tested monitor is therefore on the list, but this can be seen just by looking at the device, as the Tobii Eye Tracker is located on the bottom edge of the monitor in the form of a built-in thin bar. All we have to do is to download, install and adjust the "Predator Eye Tracking Core Software v2.10" software under the name Predator for our own eyes (or the eyes of the guest player) after connecting the USB(B) port of the monitor to the PC ( this is indicated by the red lights coming on).

The essence of all these procedures is that the backlight is shortened synchronously with the update frequency (that is, in each update cycle). Thus, the image is not visible on the screen for the entire cycle (e.g. up to 16.7 ms at 60 Hz update, 8.4 ms at 120 Hz update), but for a much shorter time, typically a few ms, but the duration can usually be changed . As a result, the operation of the LCD monitor "imitates" the operation of the CRT, which is often called "pulse-like", as opposed to the inherent "sample and hold" operation of the LCD (that is, the pixels keep their brightness value at the beginning of the update).

However, everything has a price. One of the disadvantages is flickering, which is unknown for LCDs but well-known for CRTs, the degree of which of course depends on many things, and is not necessarily the case with a high refresh rate (e.g. 120 Hz) and a relatively moderate shortening (half to a third of the cycle time) it is confusing and also a function of individual sensitivity.

In the native, reset state (Standard mode), the brightness is measured at 312 cd/m2 (division of 80). By pushing the control up to 100, the brightness became 360 ​​cd/m2. The brightness of around 120 cd/m2, which is usually set for calibration, has division 18, and setting the control to minimum (0) gives 59.2 cd/m2. In accordance with the ambient light and the purpose of use, practically any brightness can be set according to taste and eye sensitivity.

As for the contrast, based on the VA panel and the specification, we expected a static contrast ratio between 2000:1 and 3000:1, which is significantly better than the contrast of other panel types. By measuring the RGB synchronization, gamma and color temperature in the native (uncalibrated) state, we obtained the following:

Finally, with our most frequently used monitor calibration software, CalMAN RGB, we performed the monitor calibration (setting the target brightness of 120 cd/m2, the gamma of 2.2 and the gray scale within the dE = 0.5 margin of error and the profiling, i.e. the preparing a customized ICC profile.

The state before (Pre-Calibration) and after (Post-Calibration) with the representation of color points and RGB co-run. The ColorChecker error after calibration is 0.53, the gradation error is 0.61 — 121.2 cd/m2 at brightness. As can be seen in the bottom figure, approx. deviations occur at gray scales below 25% (RGB synchronization and gamma)

One of the newest members of the already well-known and highly regarded Predator family in the world of gamers. What stands out compared to previous Predators is the combined use of the 21:9 format and the curved design. Undoubtedly, it is a premium gaming monitor with many excellent features.

What is somewhat unusual is the use of the VA panel (the advantage is the high contrast, the disadvantage is the relatively longer response time). Nevertheless, it does not significantly increase the display lag - perhaps by 3-4 milliseconds, which does not really significantly affect the overall input lag during the game. We can only say good things about the big update, G-Sync and ULMB, the latter is particularly well done, there is almost no image doubling.

The Acer Predator 21 X is unmatched by anything we"ve tested, at least on paper. It features the overclockable 7th generation Intel Core i7-7820HK, which we"ve only seen in the MSI GT73VR Titan SLI 4K. It has two Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080s, making it a graphical powerhouse as far as laptops (if we can even use that word) go. It contains 64GB of DDR4-2400 memory, two 512GB M.2 SSDs running in RAID 0, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD for added storage. But those qualifiers pale in comparison to the 21" Wide-FHD (2160x1080) matte IPS display with G-Sync running at 120Hz.

For starters, the MSI GT73VR Titan SLI 4K, another dual graphics configuration. Besides its i7-7820HK CPU, this laptop features two GTX 1070s, 32GB of DD4-2400, two 256GB M.2 SSDs running MSI"s Super RAID technology, and a separate 1TB 7200RPM drive for additional storage. As you might guess, the Titan SLI 4K features a 17.3" Ultra HD (3840x216) matte IPS display. Price-wise, this is the closest competitor to the Acer Predator 21 X, but even then it"s well under half of the Predator"s price.

We"ll also toss in Eurocom"s Tornado F5. We"ve yet to publish our full review, but we will very soon. It"s equipped with a desktop Intel Core i7-7700K as well as a GTX 1080. It also has 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 250GB M.2 SSD, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD for additional storage. The Tornado F5 utilizes a 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) IPS display with a matte coating. With its desktop-class CPU, we can expect competitive performance in synthetic tests and in gaming titles that are hungry for more than just GPU muscle.

Finally, we"ve included the EVGA SC17, which for all intents and purposes is really a high-end laptop. But in this comparison group it actually fulfills the low end of the comparison spectrum, and in this context seems like a bargain at $2,000+. It"s packing last generation"s i7-6820HK CPU, a single GTX 1070, 32GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 256GB M.2 SSD, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD for additional storage. It has a 17.3" UHD (3840x2160) matte IPS display running at 60Hz.

3DMark gives us an initial picture of performance. As you"d expect, the Acer Predator 21 X bests all others in Fire Strike and Graphics scores, thanks to its dual GTX 1080s. In Fire Strike, those 1080s exhibit almost 100% scaling compared with the Eurocom"s single GTX 1080, and the scaling increases in Fire Strike Extreme, Fire Strike Ultra, and Time Spy. However, the Eurocom has a desktop-class i7-7700K, and that kicks in during the Physics and CPU tests.

We use two CompuBench workloads: Video Processing and Bitcoin Mining. The Video Processing test is heavily CPU-based, so the Predator 21 X"s i7-7820HK takes a back seat to the Tornado F5. The Bitcoin Mining test is more GPU-based, but a powerful CPU will benefit here. Also, the Bitcoin Mining test doesn"t support multi-GPU configurations. Thus, the Eurocom laptop runs the table.

We perform an IOmeter test on each laptop’s primary drive to measure basic random and sequential read and write speeds. The Predator 21 X utilizes two 512GB Toshiba OCZ RD400 M.2 SSDs running in RAID 0. The MSI Titan SLI features two 256GB Samsung SM951s running MSI"s Super RAID, which is essentially a RAID 0 configuration. The Eurocom Tornado F5 uses a 250GB Samsung 960 EVO SSD. Finally, the EVGA SC17 has a 256GB Toshiba XG3 SSD.

The Predator 21 X"s RD400s outshine the competition, especially in 128K sequential performance (QD2). This ensures faster performance on larger file types, like movies, photos, and music. The Acer"s 4K random read speeds are also impressive, but this laptop has the slowest random write speed.

PCMark 8 features workloads that use the Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative suites to gauge a system’s performance in common workday tasks. The workloads are mainly platform-based, so a powerful CPU is a major determinant in the Creative and Office scores. As such, the Eurocom takes first place, thanks to its beefy i7-7700K. Our Acer Predator 21 X contains an i7-7820HK, just like the Titan SLI, so the scores are eerily similar. The EVGA SC17 takes the last spot, primarily because it"s using last generation"s i7-6820HK.Acer Predator 21 X: Price Comparison