The pandemic required us to work from home for almost two years. At the same time we realize that it causes us to work longer than in the office so it can be categorized as not good for mental health. Therefore the monitor at home has the double function of being connected also to a PlayStation 5 console.
The issue we have is that a monitor for work is not very suitable for use as a monitor for after-hours video game sessions. So we're always looking for a monitor that can meet both of these needs. Acer Predator X28 is a monitor that tries to meet these needs and at the same time is also the most affordable Predator monitor in the Malaysian market right now.
Specifications and Design
Acer Predator X28
28″ IPS LCD screen, 3840 x 2160 pixels, 16:9, 152Hz
Color Support 1.07 Billion colors
170% sRGB
DisplayHDR 400
Contrast Ratio 1000 : 1
Brightness 400 cd/m²
Response Time 0.2 ms
NVIDIA G-Sync Adaptive Display Support
VESA mount
I/O 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x Display Port 1.4
2W Stereo Speaker Audio
USB 3x USB 3.0
1x USB 2.0
Webcam No
Price Recommended price RM 3699
Screen
The screen is only 28″ from the IPS LCD family with a resolution of up to 4K. The screen has a traditional 16:9 ratio with a refresh rate of up to 152Hz if overclocking mode is activated. There is support for NVIDIA G-Sync which will solve any graphics tearing issues when displayed on screen. The panel can also reach a maximum brightness of 400 nits which surpasses the VESA Display HDR 400 standard.
The specifications are quite impressive, especially for those who have high specification PCs. For us the only negative thing is the size of 28″ which we categorize as small for a gaming monitor. Maybe because in the our laboratory, the average gaming monitor used has an average size of 32″. But we realize Acer's target for the X28 is gamers with small rooms. In this situation the 28″ is more than satisfactory.
Although small it displays good colors and with very satisfying viewing angles. This is necessary because the X28, like all Predator monitors, has excellent pan, tilt and swivel angles. If the neck is turned slightly, the content on the monitor can still be seen clearly without the wash-out issue that is often seen on very affordable class monitors on the market today.
Another thing we can put in the negative category is the HDR display. The maximum description of 400 nits in our opinion is still not "bright" enough to display true HDR content. This is a lower specification than the majority of mid-range smartphones that have been tested in our labs. Yes, there is HDR support, but it's just not enough.
The monitor maintains a three-sided thin bezel design and a large bezel at the bottom. The thinness here is by computer monitor standards and not as on smartphones or premium televisions. But at around 12″, we didn't feel that the not-so-thin bezel was distracting. It's the same bezel size as the Prism+ PG320 Ultra and Samsung Smart Monitor M7 that we've reviewed before.
No webcam or Tobii eye tracking system. There is a pair of stereo speakers with only 2W power output. Not amazing at all and this is probably the reason why there is an audio jack on the back to connect headphones or better speakers.
Users are given a choice of four inputs with 2X HDMI 2.0, 1X DisplayPort 1.4, 2X USB-A 3.0 and 1X USB-A 2.0. HDMI is still 2.0 which means the X28 cannot display 4K 120PFS content if consoles such as PS5 and Xbox Series X are installed. Two USBs are located on the back with two more placed on the right side.
There is no USB-C connection support at all which we feel is a bit strange because this feature in our opinion should already be standard as there are many modern laptops equipped with Thunderbolt 3/4 ports.
Visual And Software Quality
The graphics performance is satisfactory if you have a computer that can reach high frame rates. We tested the X28 with a Razer Blade 15 with an RTX 3070 Ti graphics card. There is no screen tearing issue that we can see when G-Sync is activated. At a lower frame rate of 60FPS, the ghosting issue is not visible. At higher frame rates there was still a slight ghosting issue but not to the point where it disrupted our gaming sessions.
We tested the X28 with Cyberpunk 2077 and the neon colors in Night City looked vivid and in dark situations the blacks were rendered in the correct color instead of grey. Switching to Call of Duty Warzone, the action on the screen is always sharp even when we are doing aggressive movement action. This helps for us to shoot enemies on the screen. In games like Until Dawn, on the other hand, the screen can display the cinematic visuals of action games that are similar to denga
We tested the X28 with Cyberpunk 2077 and the neon colors in Night City looked vivid and in dark situations the blacks were rendered in the correct color instead of grey. Switching to Call of Duty Warzone, the action on the screen is always sharp even when we are doing aggressive movement action. This helps for us to shoot enemies on the screen. In games like Until Dawn, the screen can display the cinematic visuals of an action game similar to a horror movie.
The screen is bright all the time with what is displayed on the screen still being clearly visible even when the surrounding area is bright. The Lightsense software when activated will change the screen description according to the surrounding conditions. During the day it is increased and at night it is reduced to avoid glare on the user's eyes. But this feature is not perfect all the time and sometimes the screen dims even when we are in daylight. Lightsense can be turned off and the user can set the desired brightness with readings displayed in the Nits scale.
Praise goes not only to the X28's OSD software but also to the control buttons Acer has provided. The software is easy to understand with various options and what happens if parameters are changed is clearly explained.
There are 3 visual settings for the game type (Action, Racing, Sports) and for the graphics mode for those using the X28 as a work computer. We activate this graphic mode all the time in the office when editing photos in Lightroom and Photoshop. For those who prefer to do their own graphics settings, these settings can be saved to one of the 8 X28 monitor preset slots.
The control buttons on the back are analog knobs that speed up the process of going to the screen settings and then changing them. Control buttons like this should be standard on all modern monitors.
Audio
The included speaker shoots down and is only 2W powerful. Low power and shooting down is a combination that does not give any confidence to gamers. This is a lower-powered speaker than some of the entry-level bluetooth speakers that have entered the our labs. If you want good audio performance on the X28 you will be disappointed. There is a 3.5mm audio jack on the back for headphones or speakers.
Design
The design of the monitor is the same as other Predator monitors on the market. The aggressive-looking tripod legs are attached to the monitor's neck stem with screws that can be turned by hand. We don't need a screwdriver at all to tighten it.
Next, the neck is connected to the back panel of the monitor through a square-shaped lock mechanism. A clicking sound can be heard when the monitor is connected correctly. When locked the connection is strong enough that we had no issue lifting the monitor from the neck. A small switch on the side of this connection can be pressed to quickly disconnect it. The process of installing the monitor will only take a few minutes without the need for special tools.
For those who do not want to use the base and neck, a 100x100mm VESA pole is placed on the back. With this VESA mount, users can connect to a table clamp or hang directly on the wall of a room.
The triangular base is stable and not too sharp. The monitor's weight is well distributed and we could see that it was balanced even after doing a table shaking test. On the neck there are holes to pass the power, HDMI and DP cables for those who want to do neat cable management.
The neck of the monitor allows it to be rotated left and right, looked up, changed in height and rotated to a vertical position. The X28's degree of freedom to change the viewing angle and height is excellent. The ease of changing the angle of this monitor is necessary because it is a little difficult to access all the ports on the back if the neck is stiff.
Conclusion
The Acer Predator X28 is an excellent monitor for those looking for a compact monitor that is not only suitable for video gaming sessions and as a home video viewing screen. The size is small for us but it meets the needs of users who do not have a large room.
Video game performance at a high frame rate is very satisfying, matched with a vivid color display and a smart mode that automatically changes the screen description. A monitor neck that allows for viewing angle, elevation, height and orientation is a bonus that puts the X28 on par with other Predator monitors that sell for more.
The absence of HDMI 2.1 and USB-C is a bit disappointing. Audio of only 2W is also unreasonable for a monitor that is sold at a price of up to RM3000 apiece. But in our opinion the positives of the X28 outweigh the negatives.
Acer Predator X28 was launched last April at a price of RM3699 but can now be purchased for as low as RM2999 through Acer Malaysia's official store.
Pro
Beautiful 28″ 4K screen, bright and 152 Hz support
NVIDIA G-Sync support.
The monitor is easy to adjust its angle, rotation and height.
Easy to use monitor software.
A USB-A 3.0 port for accessory connection is even better.
Cons
A 2W speaker that is not impressive.
No USB-C input connection.
No HDMI 2.1.a