Acer Predator XR341CK/X34 34" Curved Gaming Screens with FreeSync and G-sync

Baddass · 4 Aug 2015 at 07:48

No more Gsync vs Freesync debating please. We've got too many threads which have derailed into that. Back to the monitors please

P.B · 4 Aug 2015 at 08:57

I'm so hoping this is 100hz

Baddass · 4 Aug 2015 at 10:47

P.B said:
I'm so hoping this is 100hz

Acer have confirmed to me that it is, see here: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/news_archive/34.htm#acer_x34_100hz

Joe! · 4 Aug 2015 at 11:15

"The estimated first ETA for the Predator X34 at the moment is the beginning of October for retail availability."

Really? I was hoping it'd be August, as a retailer or two has pre-orders for the 28th of August.

Baddass · 4 Aug 2015 at 11:55

thats what Acer told me, so fully expect that Aug date to move back regularly

Legend · 4 Aug 2015 at 11:57

Baddass said:
Acer have confirmed to me that it is, see here: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/news_archive/34.htm#acer_x34_100hz

So does that mean it runs in 100Hz ALL the time? I was a bit puzzled when they were talking previously about G-Sync overclocking it, but G-Sync isn't always in operation. So is it still 100Hz when you're in Windows etc.?

wunkley · 4 Aug 2015 at 12:30

The Gsync version is confirmed as 100Hz?!!!!?

Wow, that's serioulsy not helped in my conviction to never buy an Acer monitor.

IF this is true, then brand aside, this is my PERFECT spec'd gaming monitor, that I've been banging on for about a year about. Didn't think it would come until DP 1.3.

However....

My major concerns are:

1. How on earth are they able to get 100Hz out of this panel? They are only 'supposed' to do 60Hz.
When 75Hz was announced I was skeptical. How can they nearly double the basic Hz with safety and reliability???

2. It's a ****ing Acer.

And a heavily 'overclocked'(?) Acer at that. How is that going to be good?

varkanoid · 4 Aug 2015 at 13:26

If I were you I wouldnt touch ANY Acer monitor. They need a serious boycot by consumers.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18646996&page=56 read from post 1659 onwards.

Baddass · 4 Aug 2015 at 14:20

Legend said:
So does that mean it runs in 100Hz ALL the time? I was a bit puzzled when they were talking previously about G-Sync overclocking it, but G-Sync isn't always in operation. So is it still 100Hz when you're in Windows etc.?

it's yet to be confirmed by Acer to me, but i have asked. There's rumours that only applies when using G-sync specifically, so it's possible that the normal operating frequency of the panel remains 75Hz maximum - so for non G-sync use, AMD cards etc. it might be a function of the additional G-sync module perhaps, allowing frequencies from x to 100Hz. that would seem viable, given the panel from LG.Display is a 75Hz max panel natively.

andybird123 · 5 Aug 2015 at 09:14

As gsync now works on desktop / windowed apps, possibly you just have to enable both options on the gsync tab in nvcp

johnnystuff · 5 Aug 2015 at 09:59

Baddass said:
it's yet to be confirmed by Acer to me, but i have asked. There's rumours that only applies when using G-sync specifically, so it's possible that the normal operating frequency of the panel remains 75Hz maximum - so for non G-sync use, AMD cards etc. it might be a function of the additional G-sync module perhaps, allowing frequencies from x to 100Hz. that would seem viable, given the panel from LG.Display is a 75Hz max panel natively.

I started a thread to ask for some technical advise about this "100hz with gsync" on a panel that should be born @60 and "possibly" brought to 75 but with known problems with frame skipping. Then I read this:

According to the initial spec sheets we had in April the G-sync model would also support ULMB (Ultra Low Motion Blur). We have yet to confirm that this has not changed, but we hope to see it included. It's feasible that even if the screen can only operate up to 75Hz outside of G-sync mode, the strobing could possibly be double to 150Hz to avoid noticeable flicker on the screen. 85Hz is commonly considered a lower limit for strobing without flicker becoming too distracting, but tricks to double the strobe frequency have been used by other manufacturers before for lower refresh rates. We will see how this pans out. Keep in mind you can't use G-sync and ULMB at the same time.

and I'm even more confused. Strobing? Double the frequency? Tricks? That's what I was asking here. Maybe there's no way to answer that, maybe it's just a stupid question. Surely it sounds strange.

toto42 · 5 Aug 2015 at 10:34

Linus seems to like it too

interesting point: he was able to overclock his sample to 85Hz with his nvidia card, so I guess it didn't have the same issue as Badass' sample.
But he does not say anything about frame skipping...
Also I'm curious as to what happens with the Freesync Hz range in case of an overclock, does it stay at the 75Hz limit or goes up with the max?..

Baddass · 5 Aug 2015 at 11:09

i suspect any overclock of the freeSync model will have resulted in frame skipping if fully tested. It seemed to me that it skipped frames even at the boosted 75#Hz rate from an NVIDIA card

Baddass · 5 Aug 2015 at 11:21

johnnystuff said:
I started a thread to ask for some technical advise about this "100hz with gsync" on a panel that should be born @60 and "possibly" brought to 75 but with known problems with frame skipping. Then I read this:

and I'm even more confused. Strobing? Double the frequency? Tricks? That's what I was asking here. Maybe there's no way to answer that, maybe it's just a stupid question. Surely it sounds strange.

ive replied in the other thread about the 100Hz element. in terms of the strobing, that is something different altogether. we're talking about making use of the ULMB feature of the G-sync module which is added. that cannot be used at the same time as G-sync so it can only operate when you're using a set refresh rate. if i'm correct in my asusmptions the screen will probably only supporty 60Hz and 75Hz refresh rates outside of G-sync. ULMB is designed to strobie the backlight off and on in sync with that refresh rate to reduce perceived motion blur. normally that would mean a strobe of 60Hz, or 75Hz. that would be a normal operation of ULMB. for instance on the Asus ROG Swift that model supports up to 144Hz refresh rate normally using G-sync. if you turn G-sync off you are able to use ULMB strobing at set refresh rates of 85, 100 and 120Hz. for each, the strobing is once per frame.

the issue with it on the X34 is that the 60Hz - 75HZ refresh rate range is probably a bit too low for strobing to work nicely. it will help reduce perceived motion blur still like it is designed to, but at such low frequencies it might well produce a visible flicker. normally 85Hz is considered the minimum to avoid noticeable flicker. it has been known in the past for some manufacturers to just double the frequency of the strobing (so 60Hz = 120 times per second instead of 60 for example). that maintains the blur reduciton benefits and elimintates the visible flicker as it's operating at a faster rate. you do sacrifice brightness though.

so if ULMB is used on the X34 as per the original spec i had, it might only work at 60Hz and 75Hz settings, but it's then possible Acer have doubled the strobe frequency to overcome flickering. or maybe they've just stuck with 1 strobe per frame and you have to live with some flicker. or maybe it's been removed altogether. we don't know for sure yet. i don't expect to see 100Hz support outside of G-sync, so i don't expect to see 100Hz ULMB either.

Joe! · 5 Aug 2015 at 11:52

Is the power brick for this monitor on the wire, or in the monitor? The retailer I returned my B276HKs to put the buzzing down to the inbuilt power brick, so I am hoping to avoid that on my next monitor.

johnnystuff · 5 Aug 2015 at 12:36

Baddass said:
...awesome explanation...

Didn't know anything about ULMB strobing the backlight and such. It's all very clear now, thanks.

Baddass · 5 Aug 2015 at 13:41

Rowlii said:
Is the power brick for this monitor on the wire, or in the monitor? The retailer I returned my B276HKs to put the buzzing down to the inbuilt power brick, so I am hoping to avoid that on my next monitor.

external brick on these monitors

Joe! · 5 Aug 2015 at 13:51

Cheers dude.

Ethan62 · 5 Aug 2015 at 20:10

So do you guys think its worth waiting for the Gsync version of this monitor or jump in for LS34E790C?

I've been on the fence for months now and getting impatient.

johnnystuff · 5 Aug 2015 at 20:44

Ethan62 said:
So do you guys think its worth waiting for the Gsync version of this monitor or jump in for LS34E790C?

I've been on the fence for months now and getting impatient.

Wait for the gsync.

Also, I've seen just now the review by Linus of the CKA. Man, boy is drooling so hard all over it that when he'll see the gsync version he'll have to post the review on uporn