The Acer Predator X45 offers an expansive and aggressively immersive OLED screen for a unique gaming experience. It goes up to 240Hz like most OLEDs, but it comes with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, unlike the narrower Lenovo R45w-30 with a DQHD output. This model isn’t cheap by any means, so let’s take a closer look to know if it’s worth it.
Acer Predator X45 Specifications
- Screen Size: 45 Inches
- Resolution: 3440 x 1440 UWQHD
- Aspect Ratio: 21:9
- Panel Technology: OLED
- Refresh Rate: 240Hz
- Response Time: 0.01ms
- Contrast Ratio: 150000:1
- Brightness: 150 cd/m2 (1000 cd/m2 Peak)
- Built-in Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot– No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 200)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB-C PD90W x 1, USB 3.2 x 3, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions: 39.06” x 20.17” x 13.75”
- Weight: 28.88 lbs
Design and Features
The Acer Predator X45 looks more mature than the Corsair or LG representatives in this segment with its clearer aesthetic. The monitor has a matte black chassis with gunmetal accents on the stand, and it is easy to mistake it for a prosumer variant if it weren’t for the Predator logo. The screen barely has any bezels, but they are there if you look closely enough.
One instant thing that will hit you when you see this monitor is its sheer size. 49-inch models are quite common now, but it’s rare to see an extra wide and, at the same time, taller panel on display shelves. It monstrously needs more than 13 inches of depth and almost 40 inches of width, plus it is quite heavy at 28.88 pounds.
Its build quality has not wavered and is directly comparable with the best and most recent Predator monitors we have seen. The plastic panels are thick and molded perfectly, so there are no defects or signs of weakness like flexing. The stand is capable of holding the giant screen upright, although it can still wobble if you nudge the screen accidentally.
The Acer Predator X45 has an OSD joystick at the center of the bottom bezel for easy access. You don’t have to lean in too much to access it, so it is easier to use it on the fly. Other monitors include crazy-designed remotes, but all that is mostly unnecessary in our opinion.
The included stand offers tilt, swivel, and height adjustments for your convenience, even if their ranges are quite limited by the screen’s design. The upright doesn’t have a carry handle like the other Predator models, but it has a ¼ screw hole for camera mounting. You can also use VESA mounts with this model, but it needs a not-so-common 100 x 200 adapter.
The Acer Predator X45’s connectivity includes DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 slots, and a 90-watt USB-C port for laptops. We’re glad to have the latter, but it would have been fantastic if Acer included HDMI 2.1 and all of its benefits like ALLM. You also get a USB 3.2 hub for accessories and a 3.5mm jack for headphones, just like most monitors.
The X45 also includes a pair of 5-watt speakers, which can get quite loud as far as built-ins usually go. It doesn’t have a woofer for that extra oomph, but we feel that it is usable for media consumption, at least. However, the monitor’s focus on immersive visuals deserves an equally enthralling pair of headsets that would complete the premium gaming experience.
Display and Performance
The Acer Predator X45 sports a 45-inch curved OLED panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 0.1ms response time. The backlight has a 150 cd/m2 typical output and a 1000 cd/m2 peak, while the contrast is listed at 1500000:1. This model doesn’t have HDR certification, but its OLED screen guarantees substantially better performance in that regard versus the mini-LED variants out there.
3440 x 1440 is perfect when it is on a smaller screen, but it is less than ideal here since the diagonal has increased to 45 inches. It is about as sharp as a 1080p display, so it will not win the ultra-sharp award from any reviewer or user. Images can appear pixelated, but at least you still get more room to work with or to enjoy your game’s visuals from.
The Acer Predator X45 covers more than 100% of sRGB and 99% of the DCI-P3 color space for fantastic colors in games and movies. Its default accuracy had a deltaE average of 1.66 (DCI-P3), so it’s decently accurate out of the box. Most users won’t need to calibrate it, so it is ready for gaming right away.
Using a colorimeter reduced the dE average to 0.88, making the monitor more suitable for editing work and content creation. The downside is that you will need a colorimeter to achieve it, and those gadgets are not cheap or readily accessible. We can only recommend them if you use the monitor for color-critical work and long-term fidelity maintenance.
The Acer Predator X45’s brightness is held back a bit. It’s an extra aggressive ABL that limits it to 119 cd/m2 all the time when it shows white or lighter backgrounds. That zooms all the way up to 1077 cd/m2 for tiny hotspots on the screen, working smoothly with the infinite contrast ratio. This works well for HDR imagery or for nighttime use, but it won’t be bright enough for well-lit areas.
Panel uniformity for the test sample wasn’t perfect, but the deviances were only visible to a colorimeter’s sensor. This monitor doesn’t have a backlight, so there are no backlight bleeding or leaks of any sort. This can still vary depending on every unit, plus there’s a chance to get burn-in issues if you are careless with the monitor.
The best part about the Acer Predator X45 is its fantastic pixel response time which results in immaculate motion clarity. It doesn’t have a backlight to deal with, so transitions are free from delays. It also helps that the screen has a 240Hz refresh rate, so it’s highly suitable for fast-paced or competitive gaming, even if it isn’t in the standard 16:9 format.
The Acer Predator X45 is compatible with both FreeSync and G-Sync for stutter-free gaming. Dual compatibility is essential now, so you won’t have to buy another monitor if you switch to another GPU brand. Its input lag sits at 3ms at 240Hz, so it’s just as fast as the other 45-inch OLEDs on the market.
Thoughts on the Acer Predator X45
The Acer Predator X45 is a fine example of what a premium gaming monitor should be. Its OLED panel offers fantastic contrast and color quality, which many high-end IPS and VA monitors cannot match. It is designed like a true high-end offering, and we can’t help but gush about how we like its more mature design versus the older black and red Predator monitors.
However, it is far from perfect like its 45-inch siblings in this very exclusive panel-type club. Its ABL needs fine-tuning, and we wish it included HDMI 2.1 for its newer characteristics that would suit the product better. It’s a great upgrade overall, but it needs tweaking or a possible refresh like many of the OLED models out there.
Pros:
- Excellent Gaming and Imaging Performance
- Blur-Free
- Infinite Contrast
- FreeSync and G-Sync
Cons:
- Too Much ABL
- No HDMI 2.1
About the Author: 
Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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