Acer’s latest Predator monitor lets you pick refresh rate over resolution

OLED has long been top of the tree in TV land, but gaming monitors were slower to embrace the tech while players demanded higher refresh rates than the panels could provide. Now panel manufacturers have cracked 240Hz and higher, the floodgates have fully opened. Acer’s trio of new models can reach as high as 480Hz, and the Predator X32 X3 even lets you give up resolution for a higher refresh rate.

Announced at Computex alongside a bunch of AI-accelerated Travelmate business laptops, Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers and Google TV-equipped smart monitors, the new Predator OLED line doesn’t skimp on specs. All three – the Predator X27U F3, Predator X32 X3 and curved Predator X34 X5 – have Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro adaptive refresh to stop any visible stuttering, HDMI 2.1 ports for hooking up consoles, and USB Type-C connectivity.

I think the Predator X32 X3 is the star of the show. The 31.5in panel has a 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, which should see single-player games looking their best – but multiplayer gamers wanting even faster response times can drop down to Full HD for a 480Hz refresh rate instead.

I’ve seen this kind of dual resolution/refresh rate tech before on the Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop; you had to reboot the machine to make the switch, which was a bit of a faff. Hopefully the Predator X32 X3 is a bit slicker on that front. It’ll land in the US and Europe in Q4 for $1200/€1399 (about £1200).

The Predator X27U F3 will probably be the most popular of the three, as PC gamers still see 27in as the size sweet spot. It’s got a 2560×1440 resolution and rapid 480Hz refresh rate. Streamers will like the tripod mount socket built into the stand, which can support key lights and webcams. Expect to pay $1200/€1199 when it lands in Q3.

Curved screen fans will want to check out the Predator X34 X5, which has a dramatic 1800R curvature stretched across 34in. It has a 3440×1440 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response rate, but you can’t clock this one any higher by dropping the pixel count in-game. One will set you back $1200/€1199 from Q3 2024 onwards.

All three screens promise 10-bit colour and 99% DCI-P3 coverage, so should be good for creative work as well as gaming. Naturally for an OLED I’m also expecting the deepest blacks, highest contrast and punchy colours. They each have tilt-, height- and swivel-adjustable stands, and pack 5W stereo speakers.

• Related: The Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 kept me guessing (for all the right reasons)