plug and play 4K gaming

Acer’s Predator GD711 is the newest within the firm’s lengthy line of stable gaming projectors. Not like a few of its H and X sequence 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 nice line incorporating options you’d usually discover on a top-tier gaming monitor, with the very best tech the projector market has to supply.

It’d sound odd at first, (significantly given the excessive refresh charge OLED screens and TVs which can be obtainable on the market in the present day), however the very best gaming projectors can sustain and supply a top-tier gaming expertise, throughout consoles and PC. It’s actually one thing value experiencing, significantly in the event you’re curious in regards to the medium.

After all, 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 a number of the greatest gaming screens with out breaking into the four-figure value entrance, however in the event you’re an informal gamer enjoying a little bit of every thing, 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 specific items. So I can say indisputably 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 actually a much more interesting providing than one thing like Benq’s X3100i, with its boxy kind issue and hulking weight. No, the GD711 is available in at simply 32 x 23 x 10 cm, in a slender rectangular field that you simply’re most likely used to seeing because the daybreak of the projector to be fairly trustworthy.

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

For those who intend to make use of it simply on a desk, or a shelf the GD711 has adjustable ft to get the correct angle you want too. The throw vary is fairly good as properly. 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’ll be able to throw up a picture as massive as 300 inches.

Cooling is dealt with by an inner fan setup, each the rear and one facet of the unit (closest to the lens) home cool-air intakes, and the alternative facet acts as an exhaust. It’s working a constructive stress system right here to reduce 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, positioned on the very high, together with a spotlight ring/dial simply above the lens, and an hooked up lens cowl as properly to maintain it protected 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 curiously a USB A Wi-fi Dongle. The GD711 additionally comes with its personal distant management, offering the identical number of buttons as discovered on the projector itself as properly.

Options

On the floor, the GD711’s top-line stats learn like a want checklist 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 charge tech, and a max 240 Hz refresh charge, (though that’s pretty caveated that final one).

The true confusion surrounds latency. There are quite a lot 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 obtainable as an alternative. When it comes to precise latency, It’s onerous to know for positive, 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 charge of the GD711 is.

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

The true sensible 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 because of the projector itself being angled incorrectly, it’ll auto-adjust the lens to compensate if the gadget will not be degree, or tilted incorrectly, eliminating any skew points in any way.

You after all get your typical guide 2D Keystone changes as properly alongside the horizontal and vertical axis, however having this further step automated is a significantly clever design selection.

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 obtained 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 quick throw distance, making a 50-inch display, your mileage might fluctuate at larger throw distances. 

What’s much less nice was the colour copy. It doesn’t matter what I attempted, general coloration accuracy with out HDR enabled in Home windows or on the PS5 felt considerably washed out in comparison with comparable rivals at this value level and barely larger. Don’t get me fallacious, it’s not an terrible expertise by any means, however in the event you’re used to the crisp coloration readability of one thing like a 55-inch OLED LG TV or perhaps a trendy IPS or VA monitor, the GD711 leaves lots 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 excellent copy, however that may be extremely difficult, and even my greatest dialed-in settings didn’t really feel fairly as competent as one thing like (admittedly way more costly) BenQ’s X3100i.

General the responsiveness felt stable, 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 charge in comparison with on a full-size show.

The issue I’ve is the worth. For those who’re trying to sport 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. If you need one thing a bit extra sizeable, the very best 4K gaming screens embody 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 is advisable to a) have the house to benefit from its bigger display measurement, and b) be in that place, and likewise 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 characteristic set is wealthy sufficient to maintain any passionate gamer glad, however if you would like a little bit extra versatility, you may need to look elsewhere.

Ought to You Purchase It?

• Sure: If you need a stable entry-level gaming projector
• Sure: If in case you have the house to assist a much bigger show measurement
• Sure: For those who’re an informal gamer, and don’t thoughts colours not being tremendous vibrant
• No: For those who’re searching for the very best worth per $ show
• No: If you need the very best coloration accuracy

So far as gaming projectors go Acer’s Predator GD711 is an fascinating proposition. On the one hand, its huge characteristic set and pretty low-level value level for a 4K projector make it a stable decide for these trying to get into the scene or are after an enormous celebration piece show to sport with their pals. On the opposite, its coloration accuracy leaves lots to be desired.

Options

For those who’re after the very best gaming projector you should purchase, 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 coloration accuracy is, significantly because it matches the GD711 in each gaming factor.

The issue, nevertheless, lies not on this planet of projectors, however extra so within the type of devoted TVs and screens as properly. The previous, you’ll be able to usually discover at comparable 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 (resembling 0.01 ms g2g, G-Sync premium), quicker 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 containers, at lower than half the worth of the GD711, or in the event you’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 value level gives a significantly tempting proposition in comparison with a few of its competitors. Nonetheless, the shortage of coloration accuracy hurts it long-term, significantly in comparison with a number of the competitors from each OLED TVs and screens at across the similar RRP. It’s a stable unit, however a distinct segment projector for 4K gaming.