At CES 2022, Acer announced an expansion to its gaming monitor lineup, with one model featuring a screen big enough to serve as a TV replacement.
The company unveiled three new additions to its Predator series of gaming monitors, the Predator CG48, the Predator X32, and the X32 FP. The X32 received a CES Innovation Award in the “Computer Peripherals & Accessories” category, while the FP variant is claimed to be the “fastest 4K monitor currently available,” though it may have already been surpassed by another gaming monitor announced at CES.
Predator CG48
For those looking for a TV-sized monitor with the same features a gaming monitor offers, look no further than the OLED Predator CG48 gaming monitor. A 4K 48-inch screen delivers refresh rates of 138Hz, and the model offers a range of ports.
This is a follow-up to Acer’s previous large-format gaming monitor, the Predator CG7, which was a 42.5-inch 4K display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The new model has a simplified design that more closely resembles a conventional television than a gaming monitor hybrid.
In terms of ports, the display includes HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 to ensure you’ll be able to connect to both PC gaming and consoles, with four USB 3.2 ports and a USB-C port offering additional connectivity options.
The Predator CG48 gaming monitor comes with AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro technology, which is “designed to ensure a smooth, variable refresh rate (VRR) gaming experience that minimizes tearing, stuttering, artifacts, and flicker.”
The OLED display boasts a 135K:1 contrast ratio, HDR10, and 98% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Acer stressed that OLED monitors can switch off individual pixels, subsequently allowing for true blacks to be replicated. Also, backlighting is not necessary for OLED monitors, thus increasing its overall efficiency.
Acer went a different direction with the display, though. It has a matte finish, unlike most OLED panels that have a glossy finish. It’s still vibrant, but not quite as much as a glossy monitor. That said, the finish helps reduce glare a lot.
With a TV-sized monitor delivering all the advantages a gaming monitor offers, it’s no surprise that the Predator CG48 will launch at a premium price point. Acer’s monitor will be available in North America during the third quarter of 2022 starting at $2,499. Other regions including Europe will receive the monitor during the same quarter as well.
Predator X32 and X32 FP
Alongside the Predator CG48, Acer also revealed the Predator X32 and X32 FP gaming monitors. The X32 features a 160Hz (overclocked) refresh rate, while the FP model comes with a 165Hz (overclocked) refresh rate.
The Predator X32 and X32 FP are both UHD (3,840 x 2,160) 32-inch monitors that have earned VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. The IPS panels support 576-zone miniLED local dimming, Delta E<2 color accuracy, and 99% coverage of the AdobeRGB color gamut. These capabilities will thus “deliver stunningly clear and fluid visuals that are essential for tracking objects as they zip across the screen,” the company says.
As for the Predator X32 specifically, Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate has been incorporated into the monitor for a smoother, improved gaming experience thanks to lifelike HDR and ultra-low latency. The X32 also comes equipped with Nvidia Reflex, a suite of GPU, G-Sync, and software technologies aimed at reducing system latency (click-to-display latency) within online games and therefore allowing players to react more quickly, in addition to increasing their aim precision.
The Predator X32 FP features an HDMI 2.1 port that makes 4K gaming possible for both PCs and consoles. With a 165Hz (overclock) refresh rate and a 1 ms response time, Acer claims the Predator X32 FP is the “fastest 4K monitor currently available.” Unfortunately for Acer, Samsung already announced its Odyssey Neo G8, which is a 4K 240Hz gaming monitor that surpasses the X32 FP in refresh rate.
Other specifications include a USB Type-C port that offers 90 watts of power delivery and AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro technology. Both displays are thick thanks to the DisplayHDR 1,000 certification, and they may get hotter than a normal gaming monitor.
The Predator X32 gaming monitor will launch in North America during the third quarter of 2022, with pricing starting at $1,999, followed by a European release during the same quarter. The Predator X32 FP will be available earlier in North America and Europe, with a launch scheduled for the second quarter of 2022, starting at $1,799.