Acer Predator X34 Reviewed

[Bosco]

Today Andrew takes a look at the Acer Predator X34 Monitor.

 

Check out his review here:

 

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/acer_predator_x34/

[ir_cow]

So i've been trying to figure out that Overclocked hz monitor thing and it seems just a marketing stance. Everything I've read so far tells me that the monitor isn't being "overclocked" but supported out of the box.

 

I'm trying to find out if my theory is true since I cannot find any official information.

From what I can tell, the issue is that the monitors do not have enough profiles for all the choices. Therefore the top setting, which in this case is 75hz is replaced hen the next overclock is selected. In this example the 75hz would be replaced with the next one.

 

Any truth to this?

[That_Guy]

So, you mean, you've got one without lightbleed, freezing OSD or overclocking problems from the first try? Chances of that though. Could hit a powerball as well. Or it was handpicked for shipping to reviewers

QC problems aside, it is a pretty sweet monitor and i regret not being as lucky as you are or i'd kept the one i got on newegg back in October.

Here are my original thoughts on the one i had

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/topic/203437-acer-predator-x34/

After seeing the pic you may understand why i couldnt keep it... Didnt want to gamble 4 times to get a good one as well. So, gonna wait for Asus counterpart, see how that goes.

 

Other than that, great review, hope you'll enjoy the monitor for many days to come

[ClayMeow]

So i've been trying to figure out that Overclocked hz monitor thing and it seems just a marketing stance. Everything I've read so far tells me that the monitor isn't being "overclocked" but supported out of the box.

 

I'm trying to find out if my theory is true since I cannot find any official information.

From what I can tell, the issue is that the monitors do not have enough profiles for all the choices. Therefore the top setting, which in this case is 75hz is replaced hen the next overclock is selected. In this example the 75hz would be replaced with the next one.

 

Any truth to this?

The "overclocking" is not just a marketing gimmick based on my testing. By default, it's set at 60Hz. Overclocking allows you to set it at 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100; as long as you're using DisplayPort. After upping the Hz, you need to reboot the monitor, otherwise it does not go into effect, which could be why some people don't think it works - because the first time I tried I didn't realize I had to reboot...just closed the OSD and didn't notice a difference. But after redoing it and rebooting, it did indeed up it. And while it's hard to discern 60 vs 100 by the naked eye, I can confirm it did increase it by the FPS readings I was getting with v-sync on and with my g-sync testing.

 

The real question for me is why not just have it 100Hz by default, but I think that may be because of HDMI support, which does not support the overclocking. I personally find the inclusion of HDMI a waste, as anyone who buys a G-Sync monitor is going to be an NVIDIA GPU user and thus have DisplayPort available to them. Otherwise, why spend the premium for a feature you couldn't use?

 

So, you mean, you've got one without lightbleed, freezing OSD or overclocking problems from the first try? Chances of that though. Could hit a powerball as well. Or it was handpicked for shipping to reviewers

QC problems aside, it is a pretty sweet monitor and i regret not being as lucky as you are or i'd kept the one i got on newegg back in October.

 

Here are my original thoughts on the one i had

 

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/topic/203437-acer-predator-x34/

 

After seeing the pic you may understand why i couldnt keep it... Didnt want to gamble 4 times to get a good one as well. So, gonna wait for Asus counterpart, see how that goes.

 

Other than that, great review, hope you'll enjoy the monitor for many days to come

My office blocks your photo in that thread, so I'll have to check it out when I get home. But no, definitely didn't experience any of those issues. I've been using the monitor for almost nine weeks. All my OSD settings have saved, including my 100Hz OC.

 

Sadly I don't have enough data to say whether I was the lucky one or you were the unlucky one lol. Nor can I really say if mine was "handpicked" for me, though I can assure you it was sealed in full retail packaging, so I doubt it - and it also didn't come straight from Acer, but another vendor.

 

It's a shame you had those problems though because it's definitely a beauty. What'd you wind up going with?

[bp9801]

One of our affiliates reviewed the Predator X34, too, and found there is a touch of light bleed on their monitor in the upper right. The unedited photo barely shows it, but the touched up one shows where it is for sure. Doesn't seem overly noticeable on that monitor, so maybe it is just luck of the draw.

[ir_cow]

 

So i've been trying to figure out that Overclocked hz monitor thing and it seems just a marketing stance. Everything I've read so far tells me that the monitor isn't being "overclocked" but supported out of the box.

 

I'm trying to find out if my theory is true since I cannot find any official information.

From what I can tell, the issue is that the monitors do not have enough profiles for all the choices. Therefore the top setting, which in this case is 75hz is replaced hen the next overclock is selected. In this example the 75hz would be replaced with the next one.

 

Any truth to this?

The "overclocking" is not just a marketing gimmick based on my testing. By default, it's set at 60Hz. Overclocking allows you to set it at 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100; as long as you're using DisplayPort. After upping the Hz, you need to reboot the monitor, otherwise it does not go into effect, which could be why some people don't think it works - because the first time I tried I didn't realize I had to reboot...just closed the OSD and didn't notice a difference. But after redoing it and rebooting, it did indeed up it. And while it's hard to discern 60 vs 100 by the naked eye, I can confirm it did increase it by the FPS readings I was getting with v-sync on and with my g-sync testing.

 

The real question for me is why not just have it 100Hz by default, but I think that may be because of HDMI support, which does not support the overclocking. I personally find the inclusion of HDMI a waste, as anyone who buys a G-Sync monitor is going to be an NVIDIA GPU user and thus have DisplayPort available to them. Otherwise, why spend the premium for a feature you couldn't use?

But does the 75hz go away and replaced with "80, 85, 90, 95, 100" or whatever you switch it to? Thats' why i'm thinking it has nothing to do overclocking but the monitor does not have enough profiles for all the settings. They call it overclocking when really its not. I haven't found a firm answer. besides that overclocking sounds like its pushing something above specs. wouldn't that cause damage?

[ClayMeow]

 

 

So i've been trying to figure out that Overclocked hz monitor thing and it seems just a marketing stance. Everything I've read so far tells me that the monitor isn't being "overclocked" but supported out of the box.

 

I'm trying to find out if my theory is true since I cannot find any official information.

From what I can tell, the issue is that the monitors do not have enough profiles for all the choices. Therefore the top setting, which in this case is 75hz is replaced hen the next overclock is selected. In this example the 75hz would be replaced with the next one.

 

Any truth to this?

The "overclocking" is not just a marketing gimmick based on my testing. By default, it's set at 60Hz. Overclocking allows you to set it at 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100; as long as you're using DisplayPort. After upping the Hz, you need to reboot the monitor, otherwise it does not go into effect, which could be why some people don't think it works - because the first time I tried I didn't realize I had to reboot...just closed the OSD and didn't notice a difference. But after redoing it and rebooting, it did indeed up it. And while it's hard to discern 60 vs 100 by the naked eye, I can confirm it did increase it by the FPS readings I was getting with v-sync on and with my g-sync testing.

 

The real question for me is why not just have it 100Hz by default, but I think that may be because of HDMI support, which does not support the overclocking. I personally find the inclusion of HDMI a waste, as anyone who buys a G-Sync monitor is going to be an NVIDIA GPU user and thus have DisplayPort available to them. Otherwise, why spend the premium for a feature you couldn't use?

But does the 75hz go away and replaced with "80, 85, 90, 95, 100" or whatever you switch it to? Thats' why i'm thinking it has nothing to do overclocking but the monitor does not have enough profiles for all the settings. They call it overclocking when really its not. I haven't found a firm answer. besides that overclocking sounds like its pushing something above specs. wouldn't that cause damage?

 

I'm not really sure what you're asking. You can't have two refresh rates running at once, so of course it replaces it....... You overclock it to 100Hz and then you're able to select 100Hz in the Windows display settings. You are increasing the default refresh rate of the monitor...if that's not "overclocking" what would you like to call it? I'm not sure what "firm answer" you're looking for. I tried to answer to the best of my ability, but your question(s) don't make sense.

 

Acer has said that overclocking will not void the warranty, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't say that if it actually caused damage.

[bp9801]

You're forcing the monitor to change from the default 60Hz refresh rate to whatever you want. Windows and the monitor see it as 60Hz initially, but then you change the monitor to a higher setting, which is the new recognized one. Overclocking it is something you can do, something Acer says you can do, and is covered by the warranty.

[ir_cow]

Hmm well i'll think of a better why of asking my original question.

 

though now I'm wondering how is it overclocking if its supported out of the box. is it not guaranteed 100hz?

[bp9801]

Hmm well i'll think of a better why of asking my original question.

 

though now I'm wondering how is it overclocking if its supported out of the box. is it not guaranteed 100hz?

 

It's overclocking because out of the box it's 60Hz. The monitor comes to you as 60Hz, Windows sees it as 60Hz, and it's a 60Hz monitor if you don't bother with overclocking it. If you do overclock it, then you can take it up to 100Hz. Or not and just leave it at 60Hz.

[ir_cow]

Thats what I'm getting at. Its 60 and 75hz out of the box but yet it supports 80, 85, 90, 95, 100 when you switch it in the menu. That doesn't sound like overclocking at all if it is supported in the specs.

[ClayMeow]

I don't know where you're getting this "60 and 75hz out of the box" information.

 

By default, it is 60Hz, not 75Hz. 60Hz is what it ships as and what Windows will recognize as its native refresh rate.

 

If you are using DisplayPort - and only if you're using DisplayPort, not HDMI - you are able to go into the settings to boost the refresh rate, reboot the monitor with the new settings, and then Windows will recognize up to that new refresh rate. For me, Windows shows: 50, 60, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100.

 

It sounds like you're arguing the use of the word "overclock" because you can change it in the settings. Last time I check, motherboards allow you to "increase" numbers in their BIOS (or through other apps) and we call that overclocking, do we not?