Acer Predator Triton 700 review: gaming has never been easier

This gaming notebook was launched in the spring of 2017 and since it was one of the first models with an NVIDIA Max-Q GPU, it was bound to impress us. Even today, it is a solid gaming machine. So let’s see together what this Triton 700 (Check on Amazon.com) is made of, and why you might want one.

Build

In recent months, many gaming notebooks do not look as such and Triton 700 is one of them. It is not very small, it sports a 15.6″ screen with “generous” bezels, but it is thin and relatively light (pity that the power brick weighs 800 grams by itself). Its design is not excessive, there are no bright colors, and the shell is made of metal. In short, you can use it in the office, as long as no one spots the word “Predator” on the back.

The shell is very sturdy and boasts original lines. The touchpad lies just below the monitor and is covered with a layer of Gorilla Glass.

Keyboard

The keyboard of this Acer Predator Triton 700 is a little treat. First of all, its perfect positioning will make you use it as if it was an ordinary keyboard.

It is also mechanical, with RGB backlight, but the keys have a short run. The feeling is reminiscent of the Cherry MX Blue switches, with a firm click (luckily, not too loud). The feedback is really very nice, to the point that I wrote this whole piece on it.

Acer wanted to maximize the keyboard experience, and it succeeded. The downside is that the touchpad was greatly sacrificed.

Not surprisingly, a wired predator mouse is included in the package. This is the SM-9627 model, which apparently is not easily found on the market. The buttons are a bit rigid, which we liked during gaming. The wheel is a little too sensitive and does not offer much feedback. Overall it is comfortable enough and a must-have considering the limitations of the integrated touchpad.

Hardware

Our review unit was as follows:

Screen: 15.6” Full HD IPS 120Hz

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700HQ

GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1080 Max-Q with 8GB GDDR5X

RAM: 16GB

Internal memory: 256 + 256GB SSD (RAID 0)

Webcam: 720p 16:9 at 30 fps

Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi ac dual-band, Bluetooth 4.1

Ports: 3x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x Thunderbolt Type-C, HDMI, Display Port, Gigabit Ethernet, 2x audio jack (microphone and headphones)

Battery: 54Wh

Weight: 2.4Kg

OS: Windows 10 Home

As you can see, this is quite a unique configuration. And not only for the GTX 1080 Max-Q, but also for the two SSDs in RAID 0. Acer did this to increase reading and writing performance. However, we are not entirely convinced that it was necessary, as this is primarily a gaming machine. The absence of a mechanical drive or a larger SSD could instead limit you a bit, given the size of many games.

Too bad for the absence of an SD card reader, which is not a must-have on this type of machine, but that would make it more versatile.

User experience

The Predator Triton 700 is undoubtedly a great machine. First of all, you can take it with you everywhere, and it has the power to run everything.

There were two elements that intrigued me when it was announced: temperature management and the power of the 1080 Max-Q. The fans managed to keep this beast running cool, even for a prolonged period. The downside, of course, is that they are noisy, but that’s the price you will have to pay for an always reliable machine.

The power of the 1080 Max-Q instead was a disappointment. Let me explain: this is a respectable GPU, with a performance that few gaming laptops can match. But, at the same time, it is not enough to guarantee 120 fps with the graphics details set to maximum.

Screen

The screen is a 15.6” full HD IPS at 120Hz. The brightness is good and the matte finish is anti-glare. Blacks are also quite deep (for an IPS) and it has optimal viewing angles.

Autonomy

The autonomy is very poor, there is no other way to describe it. The GTX 1080 is power-hungry and the battery isn’t that big. it is practically impossible to go beyond 2 hours. It is a pity that such a “stylish” laptop makes you carry around its bulky power supply, and in a way, it is almost frustrating for the effort to make it this thin and light.

Price

The Acer Predator Triton 700 costs (Check on Amazon.com). This is huge and way too much for us to recommend it.

Final Verdict

The Predator Triton 700 fascinates me, in many aspects. It fascinates me with its style, design, beautiful 120Hz display, the speed of the NVIDIA GPU, and also with certain original features, such as the mechanical keyboard (the true hidden gem of this device!). It fascinates me so much that I can forgive it for the position of the touchpad, and the laughable autonomy. Sadly the real drawback is its price. If you can digest that, the rest is easy.