By It appears that technology has promised this for at least 20 years. When I was younger, I first encountered visual puzzles that didn’t require glasses. The Nintendo 3DS then gave it a serious chance to become popular, and since then, a few start-ups have attempted—and failed—to make it popular in home theater.
In 2022, Acer introduced the Acer ConceptD 7 SpatialLabs computers, joining the movement to eliminate the need for spectacles for 3D. The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 (PSV27-2) display on the table today is one of its many available versions. This 27-inch 4K display has a refresh rate of up to 160 Hz and 3D without the need for glasses. Since it offers the most realistic and captivating glasses-free 3D I’ve seen so far, it is undoubtedly seductive at first glance.
Specs and Features
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 is essentially a good 4K gaming display. Its LCD is bright and sharp, with a refresh rate of up to 160 Hz. It does not support HDR, however, it does support AMD FreeSync Premium.
- 27-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio
- Resolution in native: 3840 x 2160
- Type of panel: VA LCD
- Maximum refresh rate: 160 Hz
- Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium has adaptive sync.
- HDR: Not present
- Ports: 2 USB-A downstream, 1 USB Type-C upstream with DisplayPort, 1 HDMI 2.1, and 1 DisplayPort 1.4
- Two 5-watt speakers for audio
- Extra features: 3D without glasses using a lenticular lens
- The MSRP is $1,999.99.
Naturally, though, the monitor’s glasses-free 3D is the true star. A lenticular lens and a camera system that modifies the lens according to the user’s eye location enable the feature. There are presently only two gaming monitors with this capability; the other being Samsung’s Odyssey 3D G90XF.
Design
When the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 is first opened, it leaves a strange impression. With thick bezels on all sides of the display panel, a broad stand, and a substantial housing on the back that houses the ports and other important components, it is large for a 27-inch screen.
As a result, the monitor appears outdated. I would have believed you if you had told me that the SpatialLabs View 27 was launched in 2015. Though it more closely resembles the appearance of Samsung’s other contemporary screens, the sleeker and more futuristic Odyssey 3D G90XF also has issues with thickness.
But it’s not all terrible news. The thick shape of the SpatialLabs View 27 gives it a sense of durability. Since all monitors are brittle, I doubt that has any real relevance. It does, however, make the monitor feel more upscale when held in the hand.
The SpatialLabs View 27 features a broad stand, as was previously described. It also requires a significant amount of desk space because it is not flat. The Samsung Odyssey 3D G90XF, on the other hand, has a flat, smaller stand that makes the area it takes up more manageable. The stand supports height, tilt, and swivel, and it offers a considerable range of ergonomic adjustability. Since the 3D effect wouldn’t function in that direction, it’s okay that the screen doesn’t rotate 90 degrees into portrait mode.
Connectivity
Three visual inputs are available on the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27: USB-C with DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 1.4. To utilize the monitor’s glasses-free 3D capability, the SpatialLabs software necessitates a USB-A to USB-C connection. Therefore, depending on the devices you intend to connect, the USB-C video input might not be an option.
In addition, the display features a 3.5mm audio connector and two downstream USB-A ports. That’s a respectable range of connection, but nothing exceptional for a $1,999.99 monitor.
Menus and Features
The menu mechanism on the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 feels antiquated, much like the monitor’s general style. Although there is a joystick for menu navigation, there are some buttons on the right side that enable instant access to particular settings, such as brightness.
Because the buttons are hidden, they are challenging to use. Even though the on-screen menu shows the buttons’ locations visually, I still frequently press the wrong button. Additionally, the menu’s structure and font size are a little small, making it difficult to understand.
The menu system does, however, offer a respectable selection of choices. A gamma adjustment that aims for exact values is part of it. Although it merely offers ambiguous descriptions (like “warm”), color temperature can also be changed. Additionally, the RGB Gains and Bias of the monitor can be adjusted.
Additionally, there are some game elements. Advanced Black Boost is a dark stabilizer on the monitor that can brighten gloomy scenes to make enemies more visible. Additionally, the display features sniper mode, ultra-low latency mode, and an on-screen crosshair.
Performance
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27’s support for AMD FreeSync Premium and its maximum refresh rate of 160 Hz satisfied me. The improved refresh rate and compatibility with adaptive sync make for a lag-free, fluid gaming experience. At 165 Hz, Acer’s refresh rate is essentially on par with Samsung’s Odyssey 3D G90XF.
High-end gaming monitors that cost between $1,000 and $2,000 often have refresh rates of 240 Hz to 500 Hz. Furthermore, a low pixel-to-pixel reaction time of 5 milliseconds is quoted by the SpatialLabs View 27. Pixel response times on contemporary OLED monitors, on the other hand, are as low as 0.03 milliseconds. Motion blur is reduced when response times are shortened.
Once more, the SpatialLabs View 27’s poor performance in traditional 2D content is not the issue. Its inability to compete with similarly priced monitors that do not feature glasses-free 3D is the issue instead.
Glasses-free 3D
Now, let’s move on to the review’s main points. The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 depends on how well the 3D experience works without glasses. Is it any good, then?
Yes, occasionally. Generally speaking, though, no.
I’ll begin with the game that gave me the best experience, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, developed by Bethesda. I was excited to see this game in 3D because I still play it for at least 20 to 30 hours every year. And it looked beautiful for the most part. The depth seemed appropriate, immersive, and seductive, and the glasses-free 3D effect was incredibly realistic.
Another classic, Alan Wake: Remastered, first seemed promising. The game’s interface is workable despite rendering at an odd level and frequently being hidden from view. Additionally, the game’s gloomy, fantastical backdrop was perfectly complemented by the 3D effect. A flaw, however, ruined the experience: the 3D depth data used for gameplay right before a sequence was kept in the cutscene, distorting the visuals.
In varied degrees, the other games I tested all had issues and visual distractions. Although Borderlands 2 was largely passable, a similar warping effect surrounded numerous figures, and interface graphics were distorted when 3D items were superimposed. This kind of issue persisted in many of the games I examined.
I also had several difficult setbacks. Despite being on the list of approved games, Palworld freaked up during my testing, displaying ragged, unfinished triangles all over the screen. Another officially supported game, No Man’s Sky, had menus that were not shown correctly, resulting in an uncomfortable double-image impression.
With the limited selection of supported titles, failures such as these are frustrating. I have my doubts about the game’s support list because of my experience. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 functional? The Witcher 3—what about it? I can’t guarantee with certainty that any of the games on this list will be fun or even playable because over half of the games I tested had an obvious problem.
Conclusion
An admirable attempt to provide PC gamers with glasses-free 3D is the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27. Regretfully, it falls short. Not that the 3D effect is ineffective. It looks fantastic, and it does. Although I anticipate that everyone would experience things differently, I thought the result was both enjoyable and believable.
However, there is sporadic support for the technology. There aren’t many games on the list of supported games, and to make things worse, some of them couldn’t be played because of clear problems. Others had obvious faults but were playable.
Additionally, the glasses-free 3D on the monitor is not inexpensive. The MSRP of the monitor is $1,999.99 at retail. Its image quality, however, is about on par with a $400 4K gaming monitor when not using 3D material. In other words, you’re spending $1,600 to watch 3D without glasses.
Customers who are thinking about purchasing a 3D monitor without glasses can contrast the Samsung Odyssey 3D G90XF with the SpatialLabs View 27. Samsung’s alternate monitor has not yet been thoroughly reviewed by PCWorld, but we did test it out. HDR support and a more appealing design are two advantages of the G90XF (however, to the best of my knowledge, HDR is incompatible with glasses-free 3D).
