plug and play 4K gaming

Acer’s Predator GD711 is the newest within the firm’s lengthy line of strong gaming projectors. In contrast to a few of its H and X collection siblings (all of that are extra designed for informal filmgoers) the Acer Predator, as its identify suggests, is tuned across the gaming market. It treads a superb line incorporating options you’d usually discover on a top-tier gaming monitor, with the perfect tech the projector market has to supply.

It would sound odd at first, (significantly given the excessive refresh fee OLED screens and TVs which are out there on the market right this moment), however the perfect gaming projectors can sustain and supply a top-tier gaming expertise, throughout consoles and PC. It’s definitely one thing value experiencing, significantly if you happen to’re curious concerning the medium.

In fact, it’s not going to be fairly as potent as these top-tier items, and there are only a few merchandise on the market able to hitting the heady body charges and response occasions of among the finest gaming screens with out breaking into the four-figure worth entrance, however if you happen to’re an off-the-cuff gamer taking part in a little bit of all the pieces, and have the house, and never acting at a aggressive degree, then gaming projector is the place to be.

Now I’ve been testing screens, projectors, and panels from all walks of life for the final eight years or so, and have even labored behind the scenes offering suggestions on explicit items. So I can say surely that Acer’s Predator GD711 is a complicated unit.

Why? Properly merely put, it’s the worth tag and availability of this factor that provides essentially the most pause for thought. With restricted availability within the US and a $1200-1400 price ticket (£1,200 within the UK), it’s a massive funding to place down for the spec. Let me clarify why.

Specs

Design

The general design of the GD711 is a reasonably slimline affair, it’s definitely a much more interesting providing than one thing like Benq’s X3100i, with its boxy type issue and ponderous weight. No, the GD711 is available in at simply 32 x 23 x 10 cm, in a slender rectangular field that you just’re in all probability used to seeing because the daybreak of the projector to be fairly sincere.

And at simply 3.2 KG it’s hardly a heavy unit both, so ceiling mounting it’s a straightforward affair. Acer features a full information within the person guide on simply how to do this, though it does require you to choose up an extra common projector ceiling mount.

In the event you intend to make use of it simply on a desk, or a shelf the GD711 has adjustable toes to get the correct angle you want too. The throw vary is fairly good as effectively. Popping the unit 2.2M again will web you a show equal to round 80 inches or so. Crank it again by 8.1 meters and theoretically you possibly can throw up a picture as giant as 300 inches.

Cooling is dealt with by an inner fan setup, each the rear and one aspect of the unit (closest to the lens) home cool-air intakes, and the other aspect acts as an exhaust. It’s operating a optimistic strain system right here to attenuate mud build-up, however each intakes and exhaust are coated in mesh to assist scale back that regardless.

There are built-in OSD menu buttons, permitting you to actively change supply, re-sync the projector, and cycle by the quite a few menus, situated on the very prime, together with a spotlight ring/dial simply above the lens, and an connected lens cowl as effectively to maintain it secure throughout transportation.

For I/O you get two HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB A 2.0 port (for keyboard and mouse management) a USB A 5V DC service connector, analog audio out, and extra apparently a USB A Wi-fi Dongle. The GD711 additionally comes with its personal distant management, offering the identical collection of buttons as discovered on the projector itself as effectively.

Options

On the floor, the GD711’s top-line stats learn like a want listing for any gaming-enthused monitor junky. 3840×2160 4K decision, large distinction ratio (2,000,000:1) entry to an enormous 1.07 billion colours, 4000 Lumens max brightness, HDR10 assist, 30,000 hours life expectancy, variable refresh fee tech, and a max 240 Hz refresh fee, (though that’s pretty caveated that final one).

The true confusion surrounds latency. There are lots of evaluations on the market suggesting the latency on this unit is extremely good, however most of that appears to be referring to the refresh charges out there as an alternative. When it comes to precise latency, It’s onerous to know for certain, outdoors of subjective really feel (we nonetheless don’t have implausible testing strategies for that simply but), as Acer hasn’t supplied any particulars regarding what the response fee of the GD711 is.

It does nevertheless have a considerably big range of refresh charges depending on what decision you’re gaming at. In the event you’re at 4K you might be restricted to simply 60 Hz, (a pure limitation of HDMI 2.0 anyway), 1080p then you possibly can faucet out at 240 Hz (so long as it’s on PC), and for console 1080p 120 Hz is the max.

The true good trick is how Acer is dealing with the keystone. It’s very spectacular, in brief, to keep away from any type of twisted or trapezoidal distortion as a result of projector itself being angled incorrectly, it’ll auto-adjust the lens to compensate if the gadget just isn’t degree, or tilted incorrectly, eliminating any skew points by any means.

You after all get your typical guide 2D Keystone changes as effectively alongside the horizontal and vertical axis, however having this additional step automated is a critically clever design alternative.

Efficiency

I spent few days testing the GD711 throughout a number of completely different media varieties from movie and leisure to gaming and YouTube. I’ve bought to say it’s fairly spectacular, significantly at 4K 60 fps. The readability of the picture is excellent. Though I’m testing with a comparatively brief throw distance, making a 50-inch display, your mileage could fluctuate at greater throw distances. 

What’s much less nice was the colour copy. It doesn’t matter what I attempted, total colour accuracy with out HDR enabled in Home windows or on the PS5 felt considerably washed out in comparison with related opponents at this worth level and barely greater. Don’t get me improper, it’s not an terrible expertise by any means, however if you happen to’re used to the crisp colour readability of one thing like a 55-inch OLED LG TV or perhaps a fashionable IPS or VA monitor, the GD711 leaves quite a bit to be desired.

You’ll be able to after all tweak the settings closely, switching between mode varieties, and color-correcting each factor to attempt to get to that good copy, however that may be extremely difficult, and even my finest dialed-in settings didn’t really feel fairly as competent as one thing like (admittedly rather more costly) BenQ’s X3100i.

General the responsiveness felt strong, nevertheless, and if there weren’t any main latency points between me and my less-than-competitive RPG and RTS mind, it was onerous to note. Whole Battle Warhammer III and Star Wars: Jedi Survivor have been an absolute blast to play, and I noticed no discernable distinction in my dying fee in comparison with on a full-size show.

The issue I’ve is the worth. In the event you’re seeking to recreation on this at 4K, you’re going to be utilizing a PC. For half the fee you might decide up one thing like an AOC AGON Professional AG324UX, a full IPS, 144 Hz, 31.5-inch panel, with FreeSync Premium, 1ms G2G. In order for you one thing a bit extra sizeable, the perfect 4K gaming screens embrace LG’s 48GQ900-B is a 48” 120 Hz 4K OLED show, for simply over $1000, and Gigabyte will even promote you a 54.6-inch 4K VA show for simply $700.

This places the Acer Predator GD711 in a little bit of a sticky place to be in. We knew that going into this after all, however it’s essential to a) have the house to benefit from its bigger display measurement, and b) be in that place, and in addition money restricted to the purpose of not having the ability to make investments an additional $600-700 into one thing with a bit extra punch. It’s nonetheless nice for gaming, and as an entry-point gaming projector, the function set is wealthy sufficient to maintain any passionate gamer pleased, however if you would like a bit extra versatility, you may wish to look elsewhere.

Ought to You Purchase It?

Sure: In order for you a strong entry-level gaming projector
Sure: If in case you have the house to assist an even bigger show measurement
Sure: In the event you’re an off-the-cuff gamer, and don’t thoughts colours not being tremendous vibrant
No: In the event you’re on the lookout for the perfect worth per $ show
No: In order for you the perfect colour accuracy

So far as gaming projectors go Acer’s Predator GD711 is an attention-grabbing proposition. On the one hand, its huge function set and pretty low-level worth level for a 4K projector make it a strong decide for these seeking to get into the scene or are after an enormous occasion piece show to recreation with their pals. On the opposite, its colour accuracy leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Alternate options

In the event you’re after the perfect gaming projector you should buy, one thing like BenQ’s X3100i is a implausible decide. Though considerably chunky by comparability, and extra suited to a desk or a shelf attachment, there’s no denying simply how unimaginable its colour accuracy is, significantly because it matches the GD711 in each gaming factor.

The issue, nevertheless, lies not on the planet of projectors, however extra so within the type of devoted TVs and screens as effectively. The previous, you possibly can usually discover at related costs with OLED panels and better refresh charges at 50 inches and above and comes with higher audio system, and the latter contains even richer gaming specs (equivalent to 0.01 ms g2g, G-Sync premium), sooner refresh charges, and simply as many bells and whistles, for even much less funding.

If 4K gaming at excessive refresh charges is what you’re after, AOC’s AGON Professional AG324UX ticks all of the bins, at lower than half the worth of the GD711, or if you happen to’re after one thing with a bit extra diagonal heft, then Gigabyte’s 54.6-inch S55U 4K 120 Hz VA show will match the invoice even higher than that. 

Verdict

Acer’s Predator GD711 Gaming Projector comes with some spectacular software program tech, and, on the worth level supplies a critically tempting proposition in comparison with a few of its competitors. Nonetheless, the dearth of colour accuracy hurts it long-term, significantly in comparison with among the competitors from each OLED TVs and screens at across the similar RRP. It’s a strong unit, however a distinct segment projector for 4K gaming.