Acer vs. Asus Top Gaming Monitor
For wrapping up this review, I wanted to answer a simple question first: is the Acer Predator X27, or the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ the better of the two G-Sync HDR monitors?
In my testing, it's pretty much a slam dunk victory to the Acer Predator X27.
Both panels have equivalent HDR performance, but it's the Acer model that comes with better factory calibration and a more uniform panel, delivering a professional grade experience that the Asus variant doesn't quite reach. When you're spending $2,000, you should be getting professional-level accuracy, and of the two variants, only the Acer model is truly providing that out of the box.
The Acer model is slightly slower in terms of response times, but it's faster in terms of input lag, creating a fairly even battle there overall. I also think the X27 has a much nicer design, even if it still requires an active cooling fan.
Then the question becomes, should you spend $2,000 on the Acer Predator X27 at all? And that's a tricker one to answer, but I think what I said in my review of the PG27UQ also applies here. The X27 is no doubt a very impressive piece of hardware with excellent performance and great HDR support, but the $2,000 price is still ludicrous when you can get a great 1440p, 144Hz G-Sync monitor for about $500. It won't be as high resolution and won't provide HDR, but I don't think the bump to 4K HDR is worth $1,500.
I also think there are still a few too many early adopter issues, like the active cooling fan, expensive G-Sync HDR module, and chroma subsampling. The panel does work well, but I think a lot of these issues will be ironed out in a potentially more affordable next-gen product. And let's be honest, the issues are compounded by a lack of decent HDR games; you're not only spending a lot of money to get HDR today, but you're also limited to a small handful of titles that make the most of this monitor's top-end features.
With any sort of technology you can always fall into the trap of saying to wait for the next greatest thing. But in the case of this HDR monitor, by the time there is a larger range of decent HDR games to play, it's likely this panel will be replaced by a cheaper, better version. And it's at that point I'd recommend jumping in to the world of high-end HDR gaming, whereas today I think it's still a bit too early to be investing $2,000.
I don't think Predator X27 buyers will be at all disappointed as it's a great, flagship display with excellent technology inside. But personally I'd be waiting until the ecosystem is a bit more mature and there are more HDR monitors on the market to choose from.
Shopping Shortcuts:
score
Pros: Outstanding performance, including excellent HDR, elite factory SDR calibration, decent overall latency, and a high refresh rate at a very high resolution. Better performance than the Asus PG27UQ.
Cons: Very expensive. Early adopter issues like active fan and chroma subsampling