Monitor, PC, Review

Acer Predator GD711 Review: Is This 240Hz VRR Gaming Projector Worth RM4,999?

While a high resolution, fast gaming monitor or TV is nice to have, they are also bulky and hard to move around. If you want a more portable display, then the Acer Predator GD711 gaming projector could just be for you. Not only does it offer up to 240Hz refresh rate, it’s also a pretty darn capable projector.

Of course, that also means the GD711 carries a premium price tag. It’s a costly product, but for folks that need the portability of a fast, 4K projector for gaming, it could just be worth the money.

What It Is

The Acer Predator GD711 is a 4K-capable LED projector that offers up to 4,000 LED lumens. It can also hit a blazing fast 240Hz refresh rate, though the resolution would be dropped down to 1080p. The projector can only be set to this refresh rate when it’s connected to a PC too; consoles are limited to 120Hz.

It’s also worth noting that the GD711 supports variable refresh rate, which is not a feature that’s typically found on a projector. Basically, you won’t have to worry about screen tearing with variable refresh rate, which will definitely improve the gaming experience.

Oh, the GD711 can project a 200-inch display as well, though Acer recommends a 74-inch projection from 2m away.

How much does all of these features cost? A cool RM4,999, but it’s worth noting that you can get the GD711 from certain retailers for only RM4,699 right now – that’s a respectable RM300 discount.

The Good Stuff

Without a doubt the Predator GD711 is very enjoyable to game on. The fact that it can offer a 240Hz refresh rate makes for an incredibly smooth gaming experience. This extends to consoles too, even though it can “only” deliver a 120Hz refresh rate – still impressive, in my opinion.

Thanks to the variable refresh rate support, I didn’t notice any screen tearing at all while gaming with the GD711. The bright and vibrant image quality further enhances the gaming experience. It’s really quite surreal how good the image quality is, despite this being a projection.

In my usage, the brightness level of the GD711 is more than serviceable. The brightness does noticeably go down the further away I place the projector – when I’m trying to increase the projection size, basically – so I stuck with Acer’s recommended projection of 74-inch (2m from a wall) as you see in these images.

The remote that comes with the GD711 is quite pleasant to use as well. Navigating through the on-screen display (OSD) is quite easy with the remote, and it definitely came in handy when I needed to change the settings of the projector.

When comparing a projector to a monitor or TV, longevity comes to mind. Well, Acer promises up to 30,000-hour lifetime with the GD711, so it should last considerably long. Perhaps even longer than a typical gaming monitor or TV.

And then there’s the portability of the GD711. After all, I can just carry it to wherever I want it to and project it to an empty wall. Compared to a TV that offers a similar display size, the GD711 is far more portable.

The Bad Stuff

But as portable as it is, setting up the Predator GD711 can be tricky at times. I have to fiddle with the keystone setting quite a bit to get the display…well, properly squared off. Yes, there is an auto keystone feature, and it does work fine on most occasions. But there were also a couple of times where I had to manually adjust it.

The built-in 10W speaker of the GD711 is not great either. It does work in a pinch, but it also sounds tinny and soft. If you’re planning to get this projector, definitely consider getting a proper sound system as well. it’s just not good enough.

Last but not least is the GD711’s asking price. Retailing at RM4,999, it is a costly projector. You do get a lot of features for that kind of money, of course, but a comparable TV or gaming monitor – even if they can’t match the projection size of the GD711 – will be able to offer even more features.

Is It Worth It?

As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, the Acer Predator GD711 can still be worth it to folks who need the portability of a projector without sacrificing on image quality and high refresh rate. Yes, RM4,999 (or RM4,699 if you’re fast) is a lot of money, but you are getting a capable projector for that kind of money.

The Predator GD711 does have its fair share of shortcomings, but it comes with the territory of a projector. For what it’s worth, I enjoyed gaming with the GD711, even if the setup process isn’t particularly seamless.

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