Acer XR341CK

Responsiveness in games and movies

On BF4 there was a moderate degree of motion blur, particularly noticeable if turning the character quickly or moving in a nimble vehicle. However; this was caused almost entirely by eye movement and linked to the refresh rate of the monitor. There was only the faintest hint of trailing in some cases that could be attributed to slower than optimal pixel responsiveness. Likely imperceptible to most mere mortals even if they’re specifically looking for it. When compared to even the fastest 60Hz monitors, this monitor actually provided a nice reduction in perceived blur with its 75Hz refresh rate and respectable pixel responsiveness. Furthermore the was a greater ‘connected feel’ whilst interacting with the game compared to at 60Hz. The perceived blur and ‘connected feel’ obviously couldn’t match the absolute fluidity of a good monitor with higher refresh rate (for example 144Hz), but was nonetheless a nice step up above 60Hz. Also impressive was that there was no observable overshoot (inverse ghosting) despite clearly effective grey to grey acceleration being used.

The experience was similarly pleasing on Dirt Rally, with the monitor able to perform admirably at 75Hz. There was no noticeable trailing or overshoot from sub-optimal pixel responsiveness and a nice little bonus in terms of perceived blur compared to even the fastest 60Hz LCDs. It was impressive to see that even during the night stages, which can introduce transitions which some IPS models would struggle with, the monitor’s pixel responses were fast enough to keep any additional trailing at bay and make the most of the 75Hz refresh rate. There was the faintest whiff of additional trailing here and there, but it was so faint and short-lived that even those with keen eyes should not find it at all problematic.

Dirt Rally provided a similar experience and certainly benefited from the high refresh rate in terms of the obvious reduction in perceived blur compared to 60Hz. This helped objects in the environment, the track and other cars appear sharper during rapid motion and arguably improved playability. It certainly didn’t improve our driving skills, though, and we don’t feel the very low latency of the screen had as much of an impact as on our FPS titles such as BF4. There were also some imperfections and as with BF4 they occurred where dark shades were involved in the transition. The video below, for example, shows the Montecarlo rally stage on a foggy night. Notice the smeary trailing as the car moves past the trees to the right, particularly when viewed full screen at full quality settings. There is also a section of the video showing very dark shadowy hills and trees with a dark night sky in the background. Here you can see the ‘break-up’ trailing noted earlier with a purple element. Again this trailing did not impede the overall 144Hz feeling or take anything away from the much faster transitions that occur most of the time on the monitor, but we do like to be thorough.

We also tested our Blu-ray movie test title. There was no trailing or overshoot from suboptimal or overly harshly accelerated pixel responses, with the ~24fps at which the title ran being the main barrier to fluidity here.

FreeSync – the technology and activating it

AMD FreeSync is a variable refresh rate technology that can be used in conjunction with compatible AMD GPUs. The goal of this is similar to Nvidia G-SYNC, with the refresh rate adjusted in real time to match the frame rate of the content, where possible. Both of these articles linked to explain the importance of this, so we don’t repeat such details here. In short, though, it prevents frame rate and refresh rate mismatches – which cause stuttering (VSync on) or tearing and juddering (VSync off). Compared to enabled VSync, there is also a reduction in latency in these variable frame rate environments. This isn’t something we have the means to accurately measure, however.

Unlike G-SYNC, FreeSync makes use of ‘VESA Adaptive-Sync’, which is a capability integrated into some DP 1.2a port controllers (sometimes referred to as ‘DP 1.2a+’). This does not require a proprietary ‘G-SYNC board’ (or anything of that nature) and uses the existing scaler and electronics of the monitor. The key advantage of this approach is that it reduces the cost to the monitor manufacturer and also to the end user. It also allows the manufacturer to provide the same OSD functionality and ports that they would have if their product lacked any sort of variable refresh rate technology. The number of FreeSync-compatible monitors currently drawfs the number that support G-SYNC and this gap is set to widen with the introduction of ‘FreeSync over HDMI’.

The Acer XR341CK uses DP 1.2a with Adaptive-Sync support and therefore supports AMD FreeSync. A compatible GPU is required (some models are listed here), such as the Club3D Radeon R9 290 royalAce that we’re using for the purposes of this review. The application must also be running in fullscreen mode, not a window (borderless or otherwise). With recent AMD drivers, which include Radeon Software Crimson, the technology is very easy to activate. It should be enabled automatically, but you can check this by opening ‘AMD Radeon Settings’ and clicking on ‘Display’. You should then ensure that the first slider, ‘AMD FreeSync’, is set to ‘On’. If you hover over this, it will also report the variable refresh rate display supported by the display.

As shown in the image above, the variable refresh rate range supported by the Acer is 30 – 75Hz. Because the upper value is 2.5x the lower value, LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) is also used. This essentially means that the monitor will use a multiple of the frame rate for its refresh rate once the frame rate dips below 30fps (e.g. 25fps = 50Hz), to help keep tearing and stuttering in check. Above 75fps the GPU will respect your selection of ‘VSync on’ or ‘VSync off’ in the graphics driver. If you’ve got ‘VSync on’ then you will get the usual VSync latency penalty if it tries to rise above 75fps. With ‘VSync off’ you get tearing or juddering above 75fps. VSync is configured in the ‘Gaming’ section of ‘Radeon Settings’, where it is referred to as ‘Wait for Vertical Refresh’. You can either configure this globally under ‘Global Settings’ or for each game individually. The default is ‘Off, unless application specifies’ which means that VSync will only be active if you enable it within the game itself, if there is such an option (there usually is – it may be called ‘sync every frame’ or something along those lines, too). Most users will probably wish to enable VSync when using FreeSync to ensure that they don’t get any tearing. You’d therefore select either the third or final option in the list, shown in the image below.

FreeSync – the experience

When considering our two test titles used for responsiveness assessment above (BF4 and Dirt Rally), the frame rate fluctuated quite readily with the graphics settings we liked to use. It did sometimes stay at 75fps, which would match the 75Hz static refresh rate of the monitor, but it also dipped below this at times. It generally stayed above 60fps, although sometimes dipped a bit below this to around 55fps. With FreeSync disabled these dips were jarring – with VSync enabled, there was obvious stuttering as the frame rate dropped below the static refresh rate of the monitor. With VSync enabled there was obvious tearing and a ‘juddering’ effect instead, also present if the frame rate happened to rise above 75fps. With FreeSync enabled these fluctuations were far less of an issue. It was still the case that ‘higher is better’ – indeed, we’ve just explained how we found 75fps @ 75Hz superior to 60fps @ 60Hz. But the experience remained very playable and enjoyable, something that could only be achieved if FreeSync is disabled by also lowering graphics settings to prevent the frame rate dropping (if possible).

We also tested some more demanding titles, most notably Rise of the Tomb Raider. Even if fairly modest settings were used there were significant frame rate fluctuations. Rarely did this stay at 75fps for long, even in fairly closed off inside areas. In the open valleys and suchlike the frame rate could actually dip to as low as 35fps, even dropping below this if graphics settings were raised a bit. This really did highlight the fact that FreeSync is not a magic bullet and that low frame rates are still low frame rates. At the more extreme lower end, especially as the frame rate dipped below 45fps or so, the motion blur became rather more pronounced and the ‘connected feel’ was lost. Things started feeling rather more sluggish and visually far less fluid – objects actually appeared to judder purely due to the low frame rates, which is different and less jarring than what occurs without FreeSync. There was also a bit of overshoot introduced in places at these lower refresh rates, with some trails that were darker or brighter than either the object or background colour. This was fairly faint, though, and was really the last thing that would impede our enjoyment at such low frame rates.

Despite these low frame rates and FreeSync not being a magic bullet, it still did its thing and provided as much improvement as you could expect. Without the technology active the stuttering and tearing became painfully obvious at these lower frame rates and it essentially made the game unplayable for us. Whilst not optimal even with FreeSync, the game was much more playable and the experience more enjoyable. We also tested a number of other game titles including GTA V, ESO and Battlefront. We certainly got the most out of this monitor and enjoyed the experience most where frame rates were high, but found the little dips in frame rate that were pretty much inevitable to be much more palatable with FreeSync active.

The 34” 3440 x 1440 curved ‘UltraWide’ experience

In this article we’ve looked at the 21:9 aspect ratio and the benefits that this can bring when gaming and watching certain movies. More recently, we took a look at the 34” screen size and the 3440 x 1440 resolution. We’ve also discussed the effect that the gentle curve has on the experience in our review of the Dell U3415W. Given that this model uses exactly the same panel and that we’ve discussed the experience in some detail already, we won’t be repeating too much of that here. This section will instead be mainly driven by images of the monitor in action. When using the monitor ‘on the desktop’, the resolution and screen space provides a good amount of real-estate whilst ensuring text and other elements remain clear and readable. The curve, meanwhile, is really rather subtle and does not make the desktop experience feel ‘alien’ or unnatural – in fact we found the monitor very comfortable for these purposes.

For usage that requires absolute precision with straight lines (design work) the curve, although subtle, could be less than ideal and a flat screen might be preferred. We certainly didn’t find the curve sufficient enough to distort things noticeably, although if you focus on the task bar (for example) it does appear to follow the curve and therefore appear to go up a little in the middle (an optical illusion of sorts). For gaming, as we discuss in this article, the 3440 x 1440 resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio on a 34” screen provides a very engrossing and richly detailed experience. The subtle curve actually adds just a little more depth to the experience as well and overall compliments the screen nicely. The following images in no way represent what it is like to sit in front of the screen and are just for illustrative purposes.

Interpolation and upscaling

This monitor has a native resolution of 3440 x 1440, with a 21:9 aspect ratio. There are three options in the OSD which change how non-native resolutions are displayed. These are; ‘Full’, ‘Aspect’ and ‘1:1’. The following section of our OSD video runs through these settings and includes some discussion on how the Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution is handled using the different settings.

As noted in the video, it is possible to view content at 2560 x 1440 on this monitor in a way that preserves all of the clarity of viewing the resolution natively (i.e. only 2560 x 1440 pixels are used rather than 3840 x 1440). Essentially the content is displayed in a 27” space with black borders either side. The monitor doesn’t include 2560 x 1440 as a standard resolution, so you need to create a custom resolution if you wish to use this.

Conclusion

Having already experienced a number of 34” 3440 x 1440 monitors, including some with a subtle curve, we were expecting some quite enjoyable things from the Acer XR341CK. And it certainly didn’t disappoint. Using the same panel as the Dell U3415W, amongst others, the monitor provided a rich and engaging experience. Out of the box things where very bright, slightly cool and a little undersaturated in places. Fortunately, Acer provided a flexible and functional OSD system (with a garish colour scheme we’d rather not discuss), which allowed this to be easily corrected. Following this you were greeted with a variety of rich and vibrant-looking shades, with the sort of consistency and accurate representation you’d hope for from a well-tuned AH-IPS panel. The 3440 x 1440 resolution and subtle curve also worked nicely to make the gaming experience immersive, whilst providing benefits to certain movies and providing a good amount of useful space for the desktop.

The contrast performance was much as we’d expect from the panel type, too. Static contrast was good and the screen surface was nice and light, keeping the image free from obtrusive graininess. There was the usual ‘IPS glow’, which given the size of the screen was difficult to escape towards the edges. The curve did seem to subdue this a little, but it was certainly still there. Where the Acer stands out from other models is with its responsiveness. Not only will it happily run at 75Hz out of the box (on AMD GPUs, at least), it also supports AMD FreeSync with a variable refresh rate range of 30 – 75Hz. The pixel responsiveness was very well tuned to make the most of that 75Hz refresh rate, with no obvious weaknesses that would cause trailing or excessive acceleration that would cause inverse ghosting. Input lag was also very low, even without the mysterious ‘Low latency mode’ enabled which seemed to do very little and perhaps increase latency slightly if anything.

FreeSync also did its thing, eliminating tearing and stuttering where the frame rate departed from what would be the static refresh rate of the monitor. This is a common occurrence on modern game titles, so the dynamic refresh rate really enhanced playability in many respects. With this, we were able to use higher graphics settings than we would otherwise have to if we wanted to keep the experience free from pesky tearing or stuttering. Regardless of this low frame rates remained low frame rates, so the best experience was gained when frame rates remained relatively high. There was also a little overshoot at lower frame rates, but this was not really bothersome. Although you can of course use the monitor with an Nvidia GPU, it behaves quite differently if you do. There is a fair degree of overshoot even using the ‘Normal’ OD setting and you can’t raise the refresh rate much above 60Hz without frame-skipping being induced.

So there was definitely plenty to like about this monitor on the inside and the overall experience it gave. But we were actually quite surprised by design – in a good way. We found the bottom bezel to be more subdued than on most of the press shots, as it blended in very nicely. The stand was also remarkably solid and had a nice metal finish, complementing the metal elements on the bottom bezel nicely. We also approve of the ‘Ambient Light’ feature built into the monitor, which was more effective than what we saw on the Z35 owing to the fact 9 LEDs were used rather than just 3. We feel that the asking price for this monitor is absolutely fair for what’s on offer. Acer really did do a good job at making the most out of the panel without negative consequences.

The bottom line; a solid FreeSync performer providing a gaming experience that’s rich, immersive and thoroughly enjoyable.

 

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