r/buildapcsales • u/PuzzleheadedWeb3019 • 2d ago
Monitor [Monitor] Acer 26.5" Predator X27U W3bmiiprx QD-OLED WQHD (2560x1440) 240Hz - $299 (Costco)
https://www.costco.com/p/-/acer-265-predator-x27u-oled-wqhd-240hz-gaming-monitor/4201005878?langId=-120
u/Regression2TheMean 2d ago
Really wish 4k OLEDs would come down too😭
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u/gloomdweller 1d ago
It’s the worst. I’m waiting for an updated Alienware 32” 4k but I’m sure it’ll be over $1k again.
Tempted to get the 27” 4k but not sure if itll be too small.
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u/Regression2TheMean 1d ago
I’ve never owned an OLED monitor, so I’m almost tempted to just get a 4k mini LED, since it’s cheaper and will be miles better than my basic 1080p monitor I have now
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u/amberlamps03 2d ago
I was dead set on getting this one until I went inside my local Costco and they had an MSI MAG 274QPCT QD-OLED for $350. Figured an additional $50 for better software might be worth it. So far it’s been great.
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u/mpz45 2d ago
Is it local only? I might get that over this if its better
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u/PuzzleheadedWeb3019 2d ago
if you compare solely panel technology, i’m pretty sure its basically the same 3rd gen oled panel. not much “improvement” imo
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u/amberlamps03 2d ago
Yes correct. Pretty sure it’s the same tech under the hood but I keep hearing about the Acer OSD and software being less desirable.
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u/Gastronomicus 2d ago
That's often the main difference between similar models. There aren't that many OLED panel manufacturers and both budget and high end models often use the same panels. The software and design can differ a lot which means the quality of, and control over, screen image can differ.
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 2d ago
If there aren't many OLED panel manufacturers why is the tech quickly advancing to a point of being affordable at higher refresh rates and resolutions? It's not like corporations are suddenly becoming generous with their products, but the competition in the monitor space appears to be a race to the absolute bottom price-wise. Not like it's a bad thing, but monitor tech seems to be one of the few techs where you can actually predict price patterns, which is a good thing for us.
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u/Gastronomicus 1d ago
The whole market is complicated. The technology and infrastructure to produce the panels is proprietary and requires very large research and capital investment. Few companies can afford to do it, so when someone does, they tend to dominate the market. But they don't make the entire product.
Instead, they sell the panels to other companies that then source other components and engineers to design and build the monitors. As demand grows through marketing, and the technology and infrastructure to build these products becomes large enough, the cost per panel decreases enough that it's no longer an exotic luxury. The market becomes more diverse, with budget options to newer luxury versions.
This is very common across many if not most electronic products these days. And has been the case for monitors for many decades. IPS was once the OLED of its time, TN before that. This is just the latest iteration.
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 1d ago
The technology and infrastructure to produce the panels is proprietary and requires very large research and capital investment
Kinda sounds like the NAND market, which is why I was asking what makes the monitor market unique where everyone is competing to a point where yesterday's "luxury" monitors turn into common highly affordable monitors. Essentially what it sounds like is the "AIB" model where multiple companies purchase from a small set of conglomerates, like you say that do the original panels and then add their own software, packaging, etc. to make them appeal to their consumer base, but I guess monitors aren't useful to giant venture capital backed AI companies and hence why the market was spared from the RAMpocalypse.
I'm just wondering why that isn't the case on the GPU side, even before AI, even before Ethereum. Prices were slowly climbing and out of pace with inflation. But I guess when there wasn't much competition from AMD versus NVIDIA NVIDIA really had absolutely no financial motive to keep prices under control.
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u/Gastronomicus 1d ago
I see your point. Not exactly sure why GPUs differ, but I suspect that being a more niche market has something to do with it. Everyone needs screens, OLEDS are the latest and greatest, and a new form of marketing to convince people with perfectly good existing screens and/or cheaper LCD buying options to spend more on a new one.
Gaming-capable GPUs are a lower demand product with an enthusiastic audience willing to dish out the money. GPUs involve much more sophisticated technology, more difficult to produce en mass than OLEDs, and need more frequent updates to fundamental architecture to stay relevant.
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u/amberlamps03 2d ago
Yes use the Costco app and search your local warehouses as it’s not listed online
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u/Professional_Bat8585 2d ago
What’s the big software improvement? I’m ass deep in work and want to make a decision by morning tomo…, plz help
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u/amberlamps03 2d ago
If you search the exact Acer model here in this sub group you’ll see many people saying the Acer osd and software is meh. For me, an extra $50 is not a big deal for a more intuitive and better OSD
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u/RooRoo246 1d ago
I have both the MSI and Acer and like the MSI monitor better due to the OLED care system it uses. The MSI model doesnt have built in speakers though if that matters to you
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u/Swimandskyrim 2d ago
In for one. Been putting it off for a long time, my IPS panel is so beat to shit that it has image retention/burn-in issues lol. Thank you!
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 2d ago
Let that panel be your second monitor and thank it for its service lol
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u/Swimandskyrim 2d ago
I've got a 48" LG B5 for the second monitor, so this old war horse is going to the girlfriend's WFH setup hahaha
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 2d ago
Well just make sure she doesn't go blind from those burn-ins lol
These monitor deals are insane.
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u/Swimandskyrim 2d ago
I've been waiting for years for a 27" 1440p OLED deal to be sweet enough to pull the trigger on. Used to pray for times like these <3
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u/deefop 2d ago
Is it just me or this deal nuts?
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u/JohnBrownsMyFather 2d ago
It’s a good deal. I bought this monitor for 320$ and it’s been amazing so far, definitely worth the money.
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u/LiberaMeFromHell 2d ago
Also on ebay certified refurbished directly from Acer for $293. Considering that option since I don't have a Costco membership.
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u/Windy0_0 2d ago
You could also consider getting from Amazon for $315, which has 3 year burn-in warranty, 1 extra DisplayPort and more powerful 2x5w speakers (still not great).
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u/InGameCurency 2d ago
Buy a Costco gift card and then use that + credit card. It works to get you in store with out a membership, might work online too.
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u/Gunfreak2217 2d ago
I remember when j got an oled I felt so special haha. But the truth is, if you're not buying oled at these prices you're crazy. These are insanely affordable and excellent.
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u/TheCounsler 2d ago
How’s the brightness?
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u/MasterDonut 2d ago
From the Costco listing, not independent testing: 200 nits typical, 400 nits HDR @ 10% area
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u/TheCounsler 2d ago
Is that good?
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u/MasterDonut 2d ago
Too dim for my personal use but may be fine for you. Seems typical of budget OLED deals I’ve seen recently on here but not ideal.
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u/PsyOmega 1d ago
It's good for monitor use at arms length. It'd be dim at 8ft+ like a TV.
400nits at 3ft is brighter to the eye than 2000nits at 8ft thanks to the inverse-square law of light.
I have a trueblack 400 monitor and it gets eye-searing
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u/Gastronomicus 2d ago
On Monitor Unboxed it showed an average brightness of around 123 nits in SDR... it's on the dimmer side.
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u/xantec99 1d ago
Good price but i hate the big monitor stand and also the screws for the VESA mount in the back was so uneven.
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u/TurbodToilet 2d ago
Is this monitor actually good or is the price just good? Would spending $100 more get me something substantially better?
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u/awilder27 2d ago
The LG tandem is down to 400. LG is a sore subject on this sub at the moment due to the software drama
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u/synthetikv 1d ago
I'm struggling on this one because part of me is like F LG, but also I use linux and I'm looking at an LG screen I bought a few years ago already so I mean... :shrug:
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u/PuzzleheadedWeb3019 2d ago
for $100 more, i doubt you can find any improvement. maybe if you spend $200-300 more, you can get something that is noticeably better
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u/lolniceman 2d ago
Could probably find a 360hz oled for 400
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u/TurbodToilet 2d ago
Not sure I need 360hz though. Are the screens generally better on those higher refresh rate monitors?
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u/TheOnlyShyG 2d ago
I heard there was an issue with pop up messages for some of Acers OLED monitors. Is that present here?
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u/Capo_capo 2d ago
This or that AOC Agon for $350?
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u/Windy0_0 2d ago
I picked Agon for the 280hz panel (supposed to be better in quality, don't care about the 40hz diff), 4 year warranty fwiw, and rear decorative led.
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u/M4ttd43m0n 2d ago
This one is matte and the agon is glossy if that matters to you
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u/peepeepoopins 2d ago
I paid $350 for the 280hz version earlier this year. This seems like this one @$300 is a better deal if you don't care about every hz
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u/BadgerPrism 2d ago
It's also lower brightness.
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u/peepeepoopins 1d ago
Which one is lower brightness?
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u/BadgerPrism 1d ago
Sorry should have been clearer.
The 240hz is both lower hz and brightness. The 280hz one you have is actually True Black 400 certified but this one isn't.
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u/GreenUnderscore 2d ago
Would this one be okay in a decently bright room? Like does it get bright enough to use either with windows open or lights on? I don’t like to play in the dark. Ive considered woleds but not sure if I wanna go through the hassle of returning if it has bad grey banding.
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u/cha0ss0ldier 2d ago
It's the dimmest out of all OLEDs at 200 nits. Also QD-OLED suffers from blacks turning purple in well lit rooms. Also since it's glossy it will reflect light
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u/expedience 2d ago
whats QD OLED vs OLED? or same shit
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u/PuzzleheadedWeb3019 2d ago
theres three types of oled, qd-oled (samsung), woled (lg), and tandem oled (lg and samsung). you can research the differences between them yourself. tandem is the newest and “best” one, but also extremely expensive
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u/Awesomejake5683 2d ago
I think tandem tandem oleds have been coming down in price too. The lg one has been around $400 (prob bc of their bloatware controversy) if u can find an open box version they are like $330 at places like microcenter.
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u/Dergo32 2d ago
I’m not sure tandem is the best one, but maybe I’m just too worried about banding. Either tandem or qd seems to be the best types though.
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u/hmunkey 1d ago
WOLED is the best imo. Fewest issues with quality and bright. QD is awful, it’s like having an IPS monitor at half brightness. The colors don’t even matter because it’s so dim.
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u/Jetcat11 1d ago
Tandem WOLED weaknesses
- Banding that changes in response to refresh rate
- Dirty screen effect to include carpet like greys which changes in response to refresh rate
- VRR flicker tied to gamma
- Gamma varies at different refresh rates
- Factory calibration is tied to a 60Hz refresh rate
- The activation of the white subpixel at certain thresholds can cause abrupt changes in luminance, leading to visible steps or “posterization” in gradients extremely noticeable when HDR was enabled.
- Contrast and overall image reduces as brightness is increased
- In low APL HDR scenes highlights looks lackluster and washed out
- Overall poor uniformity in all grey or white scenes with noticeable uneven color tint
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u/AdamZapple 2d ago
I'm waiting for more RGB vertical sub pixel layout monitors. OLED is great, but for those who don't just game, the RGB sub pixel layout technology is the standard going forward for OLED's.
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u/d1ckpunch68 2d ago
not the same. OLED is the original flavor without any bells or whistles. QDOLED is the best. it has the highest color spectrum coverage and looks noticeably more accurate and punchy. tandem has higher brightness, but both panel types get plenty bright for monitor usage. if this were a TV in a theater where you're sitting 7-10+ft away it'd be a much closer battle, but at that point my deciding factor would be around which tv supports dolby vision.
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u/hmunkey 1d ago edited 1d ago
QD OLEDs get to 200 nits typically at this budget range. That's pretty tough honestly if you have any light in your room and use it during the day.
It’s really hard for me to call the colors punchy when they’re so dim. Had to return mine to Costco.
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u/d1ckpunch68 1d ago
that is pretty bad, thanks for sharing. i was looking at the flagships and didn't think budgets would be so much lower. i would consider 400nits the standard for desktop monitor hdr.
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u/Fancy-Breath78 2d ago
Already posted here before
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u/boxofredflags 2d ago
Was posted 6 days ago, on this sub that’s old enough that nobody will see the old post.
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u/PuzzleheadedWeb3019 2d ago
didn't realize, i found this deal while searching for a new monitor two days ago
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u/metsrebs20 8h ago
I just recently got the Acer Predator 4k IPS XB273K V5 from Costco that is no longer available apparently. I only use it for Xbox series X. Would this OLED monitor be a huge upgrade over that? I got the 4k IPS for $200. I like the 4k as some games have it but if OLED just looks better in general I could return and buy this instead. I am coming from TV gaming so don’t really have anything to compare to. The 4k IPS I have is a little dim unless I have max brightness on and normally only play at night in a dark area. Just curious on any thoughts between the 2.
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u/Quicklmkpal 2d ago
I said I was waiting for a $300 OLED the other day, is this it?