Buyers will have to decide whether that level of brightness is worth the price, and with average results in our HDR video testing (plus some genuinely perplexing RGB lighting options), we’re not entirely sure it is. However, all those features come at a high price. We’ve already seen obscenely expensive attempts at large-format game displays, as well as TVs that appeared to be Deception’s attempting to take over homes. You can try to have the best of both worlds with these hybrid screens. A gaming monitor’s functionality and features, but at living room TV dimensions. These monitors are pricey—to say that—would be an understatement.
Design
If large is beautiful, the 43-inch Acer Predator CG437K is unquestionably a beauty. It’s not very practical or ergonomic, though. The stand is undoubtedly sturdy. There is, however, not even a tilt of adjustment. Of course, that should be fine if you intend to use the CG7 at a distance like a TV. However, as a desktop monitor, the size and lack of adjustability might be problematic. The CG7, however, has plenty of features. The 43-inch VA panel has a complete 4K (3,840 by 2,160 pixels) pixel grid, a maximum frame rate of 144 Hz, HDR1000 with local dimming, a claimed response time of 1 ms, 4,000:1 static contrast, and 90 percent DCI-P3 gamut coverage. That is a really long list. However, it is not all. It has a wide range of connections, including DisplayPort 1.4 for 144Hz 4K PC gaming, HDMI 2.1 for use as a PS5 monitor or Xbox Series X display, and even USB-C, though the latter supports only 60Hz refresh. In order to adjust the settings, Acer also includes an IR remote, which is especially helpful if the screen is being used as a TV and is therefore out of easy reach. Oh, and both consoles and the majority of the best graphics cards are compatible with Nvidia G-Sync and broadly support adaptive refresh.
Acer Predator CG437K review: Display
We anticipated the Acer Predator CG437K to have a much better screen for such an expensive display. We put the gadget to the test on a PS5 and a gaming PC. When HDR was turned on, the color accuracy was considerably better but the display was much too dark elsewhere. When HDR was off, the color was washed out and lifeless. This is one of those rare situations where the benchmarks and our qualitative findings are completely at odds with one another. The Predator CG437K appears incredible on paper, with far better brightness and color spectrums than its smaller competitors. The only significant “problem” is that, while not particularly exceptional in HDR mode, its color accuracy (Delta-E; lower numbers are better) is on par with that of the competition. However, when we used the Predator CG437K for ourselves, we found that the colors were wrong and the image appeared dark and lifeless. We spoke with two other gaming professionals, who concurred that the HDR mode on the PS5 appeared too dark while the Standard mode on the PC appeared washed-out. For better color levels, you can adjust many different settings in Standard mode, but in HDR mode, you’re essentially limited to what the monitor can display. All we can say is that after repeated testing and analysis, they just didn’t match up with one another. We’re not sure if it’s better to take our observations or the benchmarks with a grain of salt.
Software
The Acer Predator GC437K includes a basic menu system that you can use to switch inputs, adjust color settings, and other things, much like other monitors from the same manufacturer. The menus itself are slow to load and difficult to browse, but if you know where everything is, the alternatives are rather simple. With the remote control or built-in buttons, you can also choose from a variety of visual presets or regulate the volume. you will read our article on Acer Predator CG437K review. The menu is so little that there is no option to expand it larger, which is the problem here. You’ll undoubtedly sit at least 10 feet away from the CG437K, but this isn’t a deal-breaker for a monitor that is mounted on a desktop. You’ll need to get off the couch and sit directly in front of the TV if you want to make changes to the options, even with the remote control. It is a strange and unwanted holdover from a more conventional monitor design.
Acer Predator CG437K review: Performance
Without a doubt, this is a powerful presentation. It is fully rated at 1,000 nits, however that is in HDR mode. Even while operating in SDR, this device produces very intense visual heat. Despite assertions to the contrary, this monitor is not particularly accurate despite claims of sub-2 Delta E levels across the board. For instance, the colors in SDR mode are blatantly too saturated. Actually, the color calibration in HDR mode is much superior. However, HDR has its own problems. The CG7 offers between 14 and 16 edge-lit zones, according to our testing, although Acer does not specify this number. This indicates that local dimming is not actually present in the CG7 on a usable level. Just too many zones are present. Having said that, the VA panel Acer selected offers a respectable HDR experience due to its intrinsic contrast. but not one that moves very quickly. Although the response claim is 1ms, the response is actually quite slow, like many VA panels. There is still some obvious smearing and plenty of overshoot and inverse ghosting even with the pixel overdrive set to maximum. The ghosting gets better when the overdrive is turned down, but the smearing gets worse. Making matters worse, the 43-inch panel’s viewing angles are poor, and the pixel density of 4K isn’t all that fantastic, as evidenced by the slightly shabby-looking fonts on the Windows desktop. If that isn’t necessarily a significant problem for gaming, how do the remaining advantages and disadvantages affect the gameplay? There is undoubtedly a lot to enjoy. For strategy games like the Total War series, where you get a truly epic view of the battlefield, the sheer size of this thing is great. Graphics-heavy games like Deathloop do look stunning thanks to the resolution and HDR support, so this is worth mentioning in the discussion of the best 4K gaming monitor. However, those are static terms. The game’s reaction isn’t horrendous. However, the small smearing and blurring is noticeable, which is disappointing on a costly dedicated gaming display. In terms of latency, a high-end graphics card will offer a quick reaction thanks to the 144Hz frame rate. And that is at least a possibility now that GPUs are widely accessible and prices have stabilized. However, we wouldn’t advise attempting to use a mid-range graphics card with this panel. Simply put, there are too many pixels to pump.
Gaming and Hands-on
We have discussed the various gaming experiences offered by regular PC monitors, television-sized Omen X 65 Emperium, and AW5520QF OLED displays, as well as ultra-wide monitors. Compared to all of those, the Predator CG437K is unique. At a distance of three to four feet, it was big enough to completely block our peripheral vision but small enough to fit on a desk. For the Predator CG437K to be appreciated, you need a couch or living room. Think ultra-wide (without the curve) with the desired additional height. This is a really cool form factor for both productivity and gaming. A 32-inch 4K monitor serves as our standard desktop display, making it easy to open multiple windows and keep everything sized for easy reading. That is similar to the CG437K, but better. When Windows HDR was activated, a vibrant desktop with deep contrast and rich saturation appeared. In order to increase contrast without the halo artefacts that occasionally appear on FALD (full-array local dimming) displays, the edge backlight effectively uses selective dimming.
Acer Predator CG437K review: Price
The Acer Predator CG437K is difficult to identify, which is the first thing you should be aware of. Even the Acer website struggles to differentiate between the two different types of the device, which have the same same name. The 43-inch Acer Predator CG437K Pbmiippuzx, which has a 120 Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.0 inputs, was the subject of our review. Cost of this model is $1,500. The Acer Predator CG437K SBMIIPUZX, which has a 42.5-inch screen, a 144 Hz refresh rate, and HDMI 2.1 inputs, is another option that is available. Cost of this model is $1,600.
Conclusion
The Acer Predator CG437K is without a doubt a cutting-edge display. It’s amazing to get 4K, HDR, and 144Hz refresh rate all in one. However, the CG437K is pricey for a 43-inch display, not to mention the cost of the multiple graphics cards required to achieve that 144Hz at a 4K resolution. It will look impressive on your desk if you have money to burn and want to be prepared for the next five years. A conventional TV is a better choice if you’re looking for a console display. also you will learn our article on Acer Predator CG437K review.
