I’ve examined quite a lot of gaming laptops over time, however the newly refreshed Acer Predator Triton 500 is the perfect one I’ve ever had the pleasure of taking part in on.
For a few years, you can solely coax enthusiast-class efficiency out of mammoth gaming laptops that threatened to throw out your again whilst you carried them round in your bag. The introduction of Nvidia’s energy-efficient Max-Q expertise resulted in additional transportable play-worthy notebooks, however the really totable ones often topped out with graphics choices beneath the higher echelon of efficiency. Gaming on the go at all times required some form of compromise.
No extra. The Acer Predator Triton 500 brings all of it, pairing a 6-core, 12-thread Intel Core i7-10750H processor with Nvidia’s potent new GeForce RTX 2080 Super graphics chip. All that energy one way or the other squeezes right into a elegant 4.6-pound aluminum chassis with a lightning-fast 300Hz G-Sync show that provides drop-dead attractive distinction ratios. Is it good? Not fairly. But sizzling rattling, I like it.
Acer Predator Triton 500 specs and options
Acer despatched us the highest-end Triton 500 on provide, loaded with each function you can ask for. Acer’s site ostensibly lists it for $2,600, however at press time we might solely discover it accessible for $2,800 at B&H Photo. You get quite a lot of {hardware} for all these pennies.
- CPU: Intel 10th-gen Core i7-10750H
- Memory: 32GB DDR4/3200 in dual-channel mode
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q
- Display: 15.6-inch, 300Hz, 1920×1080 IPS display with Nvidia G-Sync
- Storage: 1TB Samsung NVMe SSD
- Dimensions: 14.1 x 10 x 0.75 inches (with out the ft)
- Weight: 4.6 kilos
There’s not way more you can ask for. The included Samsung NVMe SSD blazes alongside, however if you need even sooner speeds, there’s one other M.2 slot for growth, and Acer loaded the laptop computer with Intel software program able to get a dual-SSD setup buzzing in RAID 0.
The storage and RAM are tough to entry, nevertheless. The Triton 500 makes use of an inverted motherboard design, which suggests you’ll must yank out ribbon cables and the whole motherboard to entry the growth slots. Fortunately, the inventory configuration comes with loads of firepower.
Even the Internet is quick on this beast. The Acer Predator Triton 500 contains Killer’s AX1650 Wi-Fi 6 module and Killer DoubleShot Pro expertise. DoubleShot Pro lets the gaming-optimized 2.5 Gigabit ethernet port work along with the pocket book’s 802.11ac Wi-Fi, shifting extra necessary duties to the wired connection and fewer pressing duties to the wi-fi community. The Triton 500 additionally helps Bluetooth 5.
Brad Chacos/IDGLeft-edge ports.
Acer included an ample port choice regardless of this gaming laptop computer’s comparatively small dimension. The Triton 500 comes with a trio of USB 3.0 ports, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0, Mini DisplayPort, headset and mic jacks, and the aforementioned ethernet port. It additionally features a Kensington lock slot for extra security-conscious varieties.
Brad Chacos/IDGRight-edge ports. Not pictured is a Kensington lock slot on the rear of this aspect.
Acer Predator Triton 500 design
Most elements of the Acer Predator Triton 500’s design carry over from last year’s model, and that’s completely fantastic, as this can be a splendidly crafted, fantastically compact laptop computer. The mere 4.6-pound weight firmly crops the Triton 500 within the thin-and-light gaming territory. Laptops with related heft have a tendency to supply slower graphics choices and different parts, driving dwelling simply how particular this pocket book is. This powerhouse feels nice tucked underneath your arm and received’t crush your backpack like different monster gaming laptops.
Brad Chacos/IDGThe Acer Predator Triton 500 received’t weigh you down regardless of the monster {hardware} inside.
Aesthetics are at all times subjective, however I am keen on the glossy, black, aluminum design. There’s no mistaking this for a ho-hum workstation, because of the silver Predator emblem emblazoned in the midst of the lid (and augmented by a blue backlight). But like Razer’s Blade lineup, the Triton 500 wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb in an workplace assembly both. It’s tasteful.
This laptop computer makes video games look nice, too. While final 12 months’s mannequin went with a reasonably customary 144Hz show, the brand new Predator Triton 500 delivers an amped-up display to match the ferocious GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q inside. The 1920×1080 panel—the right decision for a gaming laptop computer this dimension, 4K be damned—runs at a daft 300Hz with a fast 1 millisecond grey-to-grey response time, and higher but, it helps Nvidia’s buttery-smooth G-Sync expertise. Playing on this rig is an absolute pleasure. Hell, simply mousing across the desktop feels nice. Everything seems to be super-crisp.
The display isn’t particularly vibrant, topping out at 275 nits in our check. You’ll wish to discover a shaded space in case you’re utilizing the Triton 500 exterior on a sunny day. That mentioned, the picture itself seems to be nice for gaming and normal use, with spectacular distinction and help for 100 % of the sRGB spectrum.
Brad Chacos/IDGGames look nice on the Triton 500
The Triton 500 sounds fairly respectable for a laptop computer too. Acer’s TrueHarmony audio system ship strong quantity and readability, although like all pocket book audio system, they received’t blow away audiophiles. Bass could possibly be deeper, there’s a bent in direction of tinnier tones, and the quantity received’t impress whereas the followers are whirring underneath load. Chuck some gaming headphones into your bag in case you can. The laptop computer comes with DTS:X Ultra encompass sound software program to make headphone audio extra practical.
We have been proud of the Triton 500’s keyboard and touchpad setup final 12 months, and it stays the identical this 12 months. Once once more, the subtly concave keys really feel nice underneath your fingers, and we’re pleased that Acer opted for full-size cursor keys slightly than the compact monstrosities discovered on some laptops. Our greatest gripe from the 2019 mannequin has been mounted, too, with Acer now providing customizable backlighting on a per-key foundation within the PredatorSense app. Last 12 months, you can solely configure the lighting in three massive zones.
Brad Chacos/IDGThe {smooth}, comfy touchpad works like a allure and comes correctly centered underneath the Y key. Too many laptops put their touchpads in weird locations as of late, so it’s nice to see Acer keep on with the traditional placement. While clicks registered simply fantastic, I’d have most popular the addition of discrete mouse buttons on the backside. Yes, fantastic, most cell players deploy gaming mice for higher management. As a techniques lover, nevertheless, I was playing XCOM: Chimera Squad whereas testing out the Triton, and the one factor conserving it from being an ideal expertise sans a discrete mouse was the touchpad’s lack of a proper mouse button. Double-pressing the touchpad to proper click on simply doesn’t provide the identical accuracy within the warmth of the second and fatigues your fingers throughout an prolonged session.
You’ll discover (delicate) air flow ports galore on the sides and backside of the laptop computer to exhaust the warmth generated by its potent inside {hardware}. Acer dietary supplements these with Vortex Flow, “a new design involving three custom-engineered fans strategically placed in the chassis, working in tandem to increase additional airflow while also reducing noise.” The firm additionally added 5 new warmth pipes to the Triton 500’s design, together with redesigned fourth-generation AeroBlade3D followers inside that obtain as much as 45 % better airflow than their predecessors, bolstered by Acer’s CoolBoost expertise for growing fan speeds underneath load. All advised, Acer’s reviewers information claims the brand new Triton 500 “gets 33 percent better thermal performance than its 2019 counterpart.”
AcerAn Acer illustration of the triple-fan cooling contained in the Predator Triton 500.
The mixture does a fairly good job of dissipating the warmth spewing from such high-end {hardware}. The Triton 500 holds up fantastic in your lap for on a regular basis duties like e-mail and YouTube movies. If you determine to sport from a comfortable chair for the hour or in order that this laptop computer can play for while you’re away from a wall socket, the chassis will get heat, however not uncomfortably sizzling. Likewise, the case followers kick as much as a noticeable quantity when the laptop computer’s underneath load, however it’s not an disagreeable noise. We’re way more bothered when laptop computer followers sound tinny or high-pitched or oscillating; the Triton 500 will get loud, but it additionally fades nearly into white noise, particularly in case you’re utilizing headphones.
Considering that this tiny laptop computer’s cooling system is taming a six-core Core i7 chip and Nvidia’s strongest graphics chip, there’s nothing to complain about.
Preinstalled software program
The PredatorSense software program Acer preinstalls on the Triton 500 serves as your gaming command heart, providing you with management over RGB lighting, GPU overclocking presets, fan controls, system monitoring, and extra. The icons within the upper-right nook provide much more customization choices, letting you fine-tune Acer’s TrueHarmony audio for the kind of sound you’re listening to and activate options like LCD overdrive and the flexibility to disable Nvidia’s discrete GPU for higher energy effectivity while you aren’t gaming. You can solely overclock the GPU when plugged in with better than 40 % battery life remaining, however it’s worthwhile in case you meet these calls for. More on that later. (You may also overclock the GPU utilizing a nifty Turbo button over the keyboard.)
Brad Chacos/IDGAcer’s PredatorSense app.
DTS and Killer apps assist handle your audio and networking, respectively, whereas Nvidia software program and XSplit Gamecaster serve players. Acer additionally masses up the Triton 500 with Netflix, Dropbox, Norton Security Ultra, Firefox, ExpressVPN, CyberLink PhotoDirector, Office, Spotify, and an “Acer Collection S” app with much more. Those are all arguably helpful and simply eliminated, however value noting while you’re spending $2,600 on a laptop computer.
Next web page: Performance benchmarks and conclusion