In the dynamic world of gaming laptops, Acer’s Predator Triton 17 X has arrived, flaunting impressive power that could put many desktop rigs to shame. Sure, the $7,999 price will certainly raise an eyebrow or hundred, but there’s a lot of parts that justify that hefty figure.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 24-core i9-13900HX processor, a muscular Nvidia Geforce RTX 4090 with 16GB of dedicated memory, 32GB of swift DDR5 SDRAM, a blazing 4TB NVMe M.2 SSD in RAID 0 configuration, and a glorious 17.3-inch, 250Hz QHD Mini-LED display with VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. This laptop effortlessly outpaces my trusty RTX 3080 desktop, and that display? It’s a true sight to behold.
Design and Build
Now, for a machine packing so much firepower, Acer has managed to house it within a sleek and business-like chassis. Measuring a mere 21.9mm at its thickest point and weighing in at just 3kg, it’s a marvel of engineering. While it might not be feather-light for all-day backpacking, rest assured, you won’t want to risk your back for reasons I’ll explain shortly.
The metallic finish does have a knack for collecting fingerprints, but the Abyssal Black colorway does a decent job at concealing them. The laptop’s size is on par with many 16-inch models, providing ample room for an impressive array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, a Micro SD 7.0 Card Reader, and an HDMI 2.1 for 4K 120Hz video output. On the other side, you’ll find another Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2, RJ45 Ethernet, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and a DC power port. The six-speaker system, featuring steel mesh speaker grills, ensures a robust audio experience.
The back of the laptop is reserved for exhaust vents, flanked by more on the sides, keeping those high-performance components cool. Acer’s new triple fan cooling system, combined with vapor chamber and liquid metal thermal paste, ensures that the Triton 17 X can handle the heat without breaking a sweat.
Keyboard and Touchpad
Opening the laptop reveals a spacious keyboard deck. Acer opted for a traditional laptop keyboard layout, avoiding the often-troublesome full keyboard with a number pad. While the keys are serviceable, I would have appreciated some mechanical switches for a more satisfying typing experience. The keys do, however, feature individual backlighting for those eye-catching RGB lightshows. Notably, there’s a performance mode switcher and a column of keys for media playback and launching the Acer PredatorSense app, all neatly situated for quick access.
The touchpad is another highlight, featuring a generous size and a nifty fingerprint scanner embedded in the top left corner. This snappy biometric feature makes signing into your accounts a breeze. The touchpad’s spacious glass surface makes it great for swiping and gestures. To top it off, there’s a delightful RGB, micro-etched Predator logo at the bottom right of the keyboard deck, which you can customize using the PredatorSense app.
Mini-LED Display – A Visual Delight
The 17.3-inch display is a standout feature, utilizing Mini-LED technology to deliver an exceptional visual experience. Sporting a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS panel with thousands of mini LEDs arranged in 1000 local dimming zones, this display reaches a dazzling 1000 nits of brightness (and sometimes more in HDR). This luminosity makes outdoor use a possibility, but for indoor settings, you might find yourself toning down the brightness.
What truly shines here, aside from the brightness, is the display’s rich contrast. Thanks to those 1000 dimming zones, the Triton 17 X achieves nearly OLED-level blacks, offering immersive visual depth. It’s not without its quirks, as Mini LED can sometimes lead to blooming in bright areas, but Acer has handled it impressively. In comparison, the Triton 17 X outperforms the Nebula HDR display on the ROG Zephyrus M16 in this department.
The display boasts a gamer-friendly WQXA resolution of 2560 x 1600 with a 16:10 aspect ratio, making it an ideal choice for running AAA games at over 60fps on the RTX 4090. The 250Hz refresh rate, combined with Nvidia G-Sync, ensures smooth gaming without tearing or stutter. It’s a display that truly elevates the gaming experience, with only OLED screens providing better visuals, albeit with less brightness.
Performance – A Powerhouse
With the hardware might of an i9-13900HX CPU, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 16GB RTX 4090, and a lightning-fast 4TB SSD in RAID 0, the Triton 17 X is a performance beast. Benchmark results speak volumes.
Geekbench Multi-core scores top the charts at 17,725, surpassing even full-size i5-13600K desktops. Cinebench scores at 26,980, again demonstrating this laptop’s remarkable power. The 3DMark suite confirms its dominance, outperforming full-size desktop RTX 3080s. The real proof lies in gaming benchmarks, where the Triton 17 X handles ultra settings and RTX features with ease, consistently delivering over 100fps at the native 1600p resolution. Lower the resolution to 1080p, and you’ll comfortably hit that 250Hz refresh ceiling.
Thanks to its capacious 4TB storage, you can install a plethora of games without worrying about space or loading times. The laptop remains impressively cool, maintaining steady temperatures in the mid to high 60s, even under the most demanding loads. Surprisingly, this slim laptop rivals the cooling performance of bulkier systems.
The Battery Conundrum
However, every rose has its thorn, and for the Triton 17 X, it’s the battery life. Regrettably, it’s not a strong suit. In standard battery drain tests, the laptop struggled to reach an hour and a half, even on the battery-saving power profile while engaging in light web browsing and video playback. It’s a perplexing drawback, especially given the laptop’s efficient Intel CPU and Nvidia Advanced Optimus. The Triton 17 X lags significantly behind similarly spec’d models like the Zephyrus M16.
Verdict
The Acer Predator Triton 17 X is undeniably a technical marvel and one of the most formidable gaming laptops in the market. Its performance, quality of life features, and Mini-LED display are nothing short of amazing. However, with an $8,000 price tag, it’s a niche product. It’s a perfect fit for eSports pros who need a potent rig on the go, but for content creators and home gamers, it’s a hefty investment. You might consider redirecting that budget towards an RTX 4080-powered PC and a budget gaming laptop for your mobile needs.
The Triton 17 X sets the bar high and paves the way for future innovations. It’s a laptop to aspire to, and I can’t wait to see more budget-friendly laptops adopting its exceptional Mini-LED display. Acer has showcased what laptops can achieve, and it’s a tantalizing glimpse into the future of portable gaming.
Acer Australia kindly loaned the Predator Triton 17 X to PowerUp for the purpose of this review
