Acer Predator CG437K S Gaming Monitor Review: The Screen is Big, Maybe Too Big

The Acer Predator CG437K S Gaming Monitor is huge. It’s a 43’’ monitor that you could probably use as a TV in your living room just as much as you could a desktop. You won’t even be able to set it up on your own.

If that’s not enough it also comes at a kidney selling price of $1599.99 USD/ RM7040 meaning it’s a costly inclusion to your gaming setup as well.

But could that price be worth it? The S model of the CG437K has a max refresh rate of 144Hz, giving it high-fidelity visuals along with a crystal clear screen. Here’s a look at what it has to offer. 

It’s Thiiiiiiiis Big

As I previously made clear, the Predator CG437K S is pretty hefty. I needed to employ the assistance of at least one co-worker to get it up the stairs and put it on the table. 

The monitor weighs in at 18.65kg meaning that it isn’t stupidly heavy but you’ll need to be careful when getting it set up. Surprisingly and thankfully, you don’t actually need to screw in anything for it. Instead, it comes with a stand that’s able to hold its weight, making it pretty easy to set up once you get it into place.

If it didn’t feel enough like an actual TV, the monitor also comes with a Remote Controller. Now, all it needs is an analog signal. I have to say though, it is much easier to change the setting using the remote control compared to reaching for the joystick and buttons underneath the monitor so it’s good that it’s at least emulating the convenience of a TV as well. 

Of course, it isn’t really a gaming monitor if it doesn’t contain some RGB lights as well. The Predator came with four strips of LED strips, two long for top and bottom, and two short for left and right. You can stick them to the back of the monitor and customize them as you please. There are nine different effects, six different colors, and 10 different levels of brightness. They are double-sided though so be sure where you want to stick them before you actually do.

I joke but the LEDs alongside the LightSense technology that adjusts the monitor brightness to the light in your room, are nice inclusions and they do a good job of illuminating the monitor so you’re not just relying on blue light from the screen.

No Adjustability

Unfortunately, there is one standout problem with the monitor, and it is that you can adjust it. The Predator CG437K S is simply too big and too heavy to put on any adjustable stand.

It’s not the biggest issue considering it’s pretty much meant to be a TV but if you’re looking for a more flexible monitor, this is not the right one for you. It does have 200x100mm VESA mount wall support, but drilling a wall mount to your desktop sounds like a hassle both setting it up and making any changes to it. 

I/O Ports

There are quite a lot of ports on the Predator CG437K S with the monitor featuring:

• Two HDMI 2.1 X 2
• DisplayPort 1.4
• USB Type-C with 30W of power delivery (Yes you can charge it with the monitor powered off)
• Two USB Type-A 2.0
• Three USB Type-A 3.0
• USB Type-B
• 3.5mm audio out
• Four 3-pin connector thingy for the RGB LED strip.

One useful feature of the monitor is the fact that it uses HDMI 2.1 which means that it can support settings beyond 4K120Hz. This means I can connect it with a laptop, and not be stuck at just 4K120Hz for video performance. 

Display Performance

With such a big screen, you’d expect the Predator CG437K S to deliver performance side and after playing several games on it, I can safely say it does great.

The monitor uses a VA panel instead of an IPS panel, but the panel supports up to 4K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate and is VESA Certified DisplayHDR 1000 with 90% DCI-P3 color gamut. Despite the stigma surrounding VA panels, the viewing angle is actually really good and can be comfortably watched from most positions. 

The color displayed on this monitor is also really vibrant. While I was playing Ghostwire: Tokyo the neon lights of the game’s city really shone through the screen. Each shade of purple and blue, really popped and the details were stunning. The monitor also supports Adaptive-Sync with NVIDIA G-sync compatibility which made it fun to explore ghost-infested Tokyo with little to no screen tearing. 

Some other games were more of a mixed bag. I also played Apex Legends with the monitor and to look at the overworld map, I had to turn my head. I have never turned my head so much while gaming as I did while playing Apex on the Predator CG437K S just to see that map. That being said, the larger screen did make enemies easier to spot, so there were good aspects to it as well. 

Audio

To put it simply, it is pretty loud. I forgot to check the volume setting before I opened up a CSGO tournament stream and nearly had a heart attack upon hearing a flash grenade go off at full volume.

In terms of clarity, I would say it’s serviceable but the stereo is not very good though, and I wouldn’t rely on the speaker to provide me information based on audio cues in-game. Overall like with most monitors, you’re better off hooking it up with external speakers. 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

In spite of its size, the Acer Predator CG437K S is still a gaming monitor and it does a good job at being one. The 4K resolution coupling with the color accuracy really brings out the best part of games and videos alike. The high refresh rate makes gaming, especially FPS, more enjoyable, and with 1ms VRB response time and G-sync compatible AdaptiveSync, it performs really well.

With the size, the monitor is likely geared more toward console gamers that want to game using a Switch or Playstation on a couch a few meters away. 

For PC gamers that want a monitor for their desk, I think it’s a little too large and lacks the adjustability and handleability that smaller monitors would afford. As I’ve said many times throughout the review, this thing is basically a TV and should be treated as such.

Finally, there is the issue of the price. At $1599.99 USD/ RM7040 it’s definitely on the expensive side. Even other 43″ monitors like The Dell UltraSharp 43 4K USB-C and The Samsung 43″ AU7700 4K UHD Smart TV don’t cost as much.

That being said, I can’t deny that the quality of the Predator CG437K S Monitor is top-notch and has the specialized tech for gaming that these other monitors may lack. If you’re looking for that perfect couch gaming experience and are willing to pay a little extra for it, the Acer Predator CG437K S is one to look out for. 

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