Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G (7300HQ, GTX 1060, FHD, Eye-Tracking) Laptop Review

For the original German review, see here.
A while ago, we had a pre-production model of Acer's Aspire V17 Nitro BE in our lab. Now, we were finally able to get our hands on a model powered by the Intel Core i5-7300HQ, and we can compare it to similarly equipped rivals. From the outside, the Acer notebook is very inconspicuous with the Acer logo embedded on the lid being the only cry for attention. Connoisseurs of Acer’s line-up will be aware of the fact that in addition to its Predator series the Aspire V Nitro series is also made for gaming.
Our review unit currently sells for around $1,800 (1,599 Euros) in Europe. In addition to the aforementioned processor, it is also equipped with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060, which should make for a smooth gaming experience, a 17-inch display running at a 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution, 16 GB of RAM, and a combination of SSD (256 GB) and HDD (1 TB). As a little extra gimmick, Acer has also included a Tobii eye-tracker.
Additional models are also available, for example a model powered by the Intel Core i7-7700HQ, or units equipped with a different graphics card, such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. A UHD panel is also available, and memory can be upgraded to 32 GB. The competition is comprised of current 17-inch laptops by Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and HP. Most of those are equipped with the Intel Core i7-7700HQ but the GPUs differ, and both faster and slower models are lined up to compare against the Acer. The following table shows the most important technical specs.
Asus ROG Strix | MSI GT72VR 7RE | Gigabyte P57X v7 | HP Pavilion 17 | HP Omen 17 | |
CPU | Intel Core i7-7700HQ | Intel Core i7-7700HQ | Intel Core i7-7700HQ | Intel Core i7-7700HQ | Intel Core i5-6300HQ |
GPU | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 |
Panel | 17,3-inch 1920 x 1080 | 17,3-inch 1920 x 1080 | 17,3-inch 3840 x 2160 | 17,3-inch 1920 x 1080 | 17,3-inch 1920 x 1080 |
RAM | 16 GB DDR4-2400 | 16 GB DDR4-2400 | 32 GB DDR4-2400 | 16 GB DDR4-2400 | 8 GB DDR4-2400 |
Storage | 256 GB + 1 TB | 256 GB + 1 TB | 256 GB + 1 TB | 256 GB + 1 TB | 128 GB + 1 TB |
Case
First things first: the case has been taken directly from the predecessor and has remained unchanged, which wasn’t the worst decision in the first place. Its simplicity and elegance are a big plus, and it refrains from any noticeable bling and light shows. The case is mostly made of plastic and aluminum, although the latter is restricted to the upper side of the base and the lid, which enhances the device’s overall appearance. The polished edge around the touchpad not only separates it visually from the base but also adds a touch of elegance.
The silver bottom rear part that stretches over the hinges has remained unchanged as well. Tobii’s eye-tracking module is located between the two hinges and makes itself noticeable with a small red light. The missing optical drive is not a big deal since the additional space gained by this omission has been fully used by Acer to fit a bigger battery. Also, external DVD burners can be purchased for as little as $20.
Overall, the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE’s case is solid and good. Gaps are consistent and we found no obvious manufacturing deficits. The laptop is very warp-resistant and reacted with minimal creaking to our tests. It flexes a little bit in the middle, albeit only under intense pressure. In terms of rigidity, the lid is on a par with the base, and the corrugated surface further strengthens the lid and prevents the notorious ripple effect that occurs when pressure is applied to the back of the display. Fingerprints can be easily removed with a damp cloth.
Size Comparison
Even though the V17 Nitro BE’s footprint is a staggering 422 x 298 mm (16.6 x 11.7 inches), it feels rather compact thanks to its meager 25 mm (0.98 inches) thickness. All in all, it was one of the more compact units in our test group, and its weight of 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs) is okay given its 17-inch display.
Connectivity
Thanks to the missing optical drive the ports are distributed evenly on both sides. The distribution is well thought-out and the ports, including USB-C, are all located towards the rear. Its 4 USB Ports (2x USB 2.0 on the left side and 2x USB 3.0 on the right side) offer sufficient expandability, although we would have preferred to see 4x USB 3.0. The power port is located on the right-hand side and is very unobtrusive thanks to its angled plug.
Tobii Eye-Tracker
Our review unit came equipped with an eye-tracking module by Tobii, which is located between the two hinges and makes itself noticeable with a small red light when activated. After a quick calibration, the basic functionality is explained by playing a game simulating a spacecraft flying through outer space. Your job is it to destroy the approaching asteroids not by clicking on them but instead by looking at them. Once we got used to it this worked surprisingly well. The tracking module is supported by a number of games covering pretty much all genres and not limited to shooters only.
SD-Card Reader
The SD-card reader is located on the left side and supports all common form factors. Unfortunately, SD cards do not sit flush when inserted but protrude noticeably. We would thus recommend removing SD cards from the slot during transport. The reader is connected via USB 2.0 and achieved around 25 MB/s using our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.
SD Card Reader | |
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN |
Communication
The Aspire V17 Nitro BE supports both LAN and Wi-Fi, the former with up to 1 GBit/s. The Wi-Fi module is made by Qualcomm, and it supports all common Wi-Fi standards (802.11 a, b, g, n, ac) and Bluetooth 4.2. In our test, the Nitro BE managed a good 599 MBit/s receiving and a very good 664 MBit/s transmitting data.
Security
Security is not entirely disregarded by Acer, and the Aspire V17 Nitro BE is equipped with a TPM 2.0 module and has a fingerprint reader installed. Its position is rather odd though: it is located in the touchpad’s upper left corner.
A trial version of Norton Security is also included.
Accessories
Included with the laptop is a charger as well as warranty and service booklets. An external DVD burner would have been a nice and welcome addition.
Maintenance
Acer has passed on dedicated maintenance flaps, which complicates upgrades and maintenance since these now require the removal of the bottom cover. Unfortunately, that is rather complicated, too. It’s important to remember the hidden screw near the eye-tracking module; all other screws are visible and trouble-free. We advise you to use a special spudger to remove the cover. Once opened, maintenance is fairly simple and all components are easily accessible. A dedicated maintenance flap would have been very welcome, though, and it would have made upgrading the device a lot easier.
Warranty
Our German review unit came with a two-year limited warranty with pickup & return service. For devices purchased in the United States, Acer offers its default one-year limited warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices
Keyboard
Compared to its predecessor, the VN7-792G, the keyboard layout has been slightly modified, most notably around the now full-sized cursor keys. In return, the right shift key had to be shortened. Overall the chiclet keyboard left a good impression. The keys don’t have any horizontal play and don’t wiggle, and typing felt smooth and natural thanks to the key’s 2 mm travel. The actuation point is well defined and the noise level is decently low. Only the space bar was notably louder than all the other keys. The red keyboard backlight has remained unchanged, and its brightness cannot be adjusted – it is either on or off. Our only gripe is about the labels – they are rather delicate and can be hard to read at times.
Touchpad
Our review unit contained a fingerprint reader in the upper left corner of the touchpad. The area around the fingerprint reader can thus not be used for navigation. At 10.7 x 7.9 cm (4.2 x 3.1 inches), the ClickPad is not the largest but still large enough to not feel cramped. We’ve had no issues using it during our tests. The two buttons are located at the bottom of the pad, and they click softly and quietly when pressed. Travel is shallow but the actuation resistance is pretty high, which prevents accidental clicks. Overall, we liked the touchpad with its smooth surface and good slippage. In addition, the ClickPad is nicely highlighted by the surrounding chamfered chromium edge.
Display
Our review unit’s 1920x1080 IPS panel was made by AU Optronics, and it had a pixel density of 127 ppi. Medial brightness was a good 307 nits, which among its competitors puts it right in the middle. No device was able to compete with the Gigabyte P57X's 408 nits. Unfortunately, brightness distribution is only at 84%, which puts it in last place together with the HP Omen 17. Its low black level (0.26) and high contrast (1,331:1) were very good, and they were better than on most competitors. Our review unit suffered from slight clouding at the edges when displaying all black, which should not matter in real-life scenarios. A big plus is the fact that we found no signs of PWM-flickering.
|
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 346 cd/m²
Contrast: 1331:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.32 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9
ΔE Greyscale 5.76 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
90% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN a-Si TFT-LCD, WLED, 1920x1080, 17.3" | Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T LED IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3" | MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.3" | Gigabyte P57X v7 IPS, 3840x2160, 17.3" | HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3" | HP Omen 17-w100ng IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3" | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | -2% | 0% | 33% | -1% | -1% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 64 | 67.1 5% | 68.3 7% | 87.8 37% | 65.2 2% | 67.2 5% |
sRGB Coverage | 90.2 | 84.8 -6% | 86.7 -4% | 100 11% | 87.6 -3% | 86.6 -4% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 65.4 | 62 -5% | 63.4 -3% | 98.9 51% | 64.1 -2% | 63.3 -3% |
Response Times | -2% | 46% | -67% | -5% | 4% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 36 ? | 33.2 ? 8% | 29 ? 19% | 55.6 ? -54% | 36.8 -2% | 35 ? 3% |
Response Time Black / White * | 26 ? | 28.8 ? -11% | 7 ? 73% | 46.8 ? -80% | 28 -8% | 25 ? 4% |
PWM Frequency | 1000 ? | |||||
Screen | -17% | -29% | 1% | -17% | -2% | |
Brightness middle | 346 | 349 1% | 299 -14% | 441.3 28% | 278.8 -19% | 342 -1% |
Brightness | 307 | 337 10% | 277 -10% | 408 33% | 265 -14% | 331 8% |
Brightness Distribution | 84 | 91 8% | 87 4% | 86 2% | 91 8% | 84 0% |
Black Level * | 0.26 | 0.58 -123% | 0.27 -4% | 0.44 -69% | 0.28 -8% | 0.32 -23% |
Contrast | 1331 | 602 -55% | 1107 -17% | 1003 -25% | 996 -25% | 1069 -20% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.32 | 4.5 -4% | 9.65 -123% | 5.1 -18% | 5.8 -34% | 4.35 -1% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 8.05 | 10.2 -27% | 15.43 -92% | 9.8 -22% | 10.6 -32% | 9.24 -15% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.76 | 3.3 43% | 9.68 -68% | 4.3 25% | 8.3 -44% | 3.73 35% |
Gamma | 2.35 94% | 2.15 102% | 1.89 116% | 2.08 106% | 2.1 105% | 2.23 99% |
CCT | 6447 101% | 6103 107% | 11652 56% | 7345 88% | 5723 114% | 6801 96% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 59 | 55.7 -6% | 75 27% | 87 47% | 57 -3% | 57 -3% |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 90 | 75.7 -16% | 100 11% | 100 11% | 87 -3% | 86 -4% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -7% /
-12% | 6% /
-13% | -11% /
-2% | -8% /
-12% | 0% /
-1% |
* ... smaller is better
Our tests showed that Acer does not calibrate the display, and DeltaE-2000 deviations of 5.7 and 4.3 for colors and grayscales were too high. We were able to improve on this massively through calibration. Overall, display quality can be considered decent. The combination of low black levels (0.26) and high contrast (1,331:1) makes for a nice color representation.
Color-space coverage was fairly good, at 90% sRGB and 59% AdobeRGB. This renders the panel suitable for moderate non-professional photo-editing.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 15 ms rise | |
↘ 11 ms fall | ||
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 59 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 20 ms rise | |
↘ 16 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 47 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8627 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
Against our expectations, the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE surprised us with good viewing angles. When viewed at acute angles from the corners our reference image was covered by a slight bloom, which is not uncommon for IPS displays. In real-world scenarios, you will barely ever notice this effect since it only occurs at extreme angles.
Performance
While it is not the fastest model available the Intel Core i5-7300HQ is a full-fledged quad-core processor. 3D acceleration is handed over to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 with 6 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. 16 GB of RAM and a combination of SSD (256 GB) and HDD (1 TB) are on board as well. However, the Nitro is also available in other configurations, with the cheapest entry-level model selling for around $1,250 (1,100 Euros). Our review unit will leave a $1,800 (1,599 Euros) hole in your pocket.
Processor

Intel’s Core i5-7300HQ is a full-fledged quad-core processor from Intel’s current Kaby Lake series. Unfortunately, it lacks Hyper-Threading, which is limited to the more expensive i7 processors. With its base frequency of 2.5 GHz it is capable of a 3.5 GHz turbo boost on one core, or up to 3.1 GHz on all four cores. In our tests, the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE was able to outperform the HP Omen 17, although we have to note that the latter was equipped with the i5-7300HQ’s Skylake predecessor, the Intel Core i5-6300HQ. The largest gap between the two was in multi-core performance; single-core performance was comparable for both. All other competitors were powered by Intel’s much faster Core i7-7700HQ processor.
Additional Core i5-7300HQ benchmarks can be found here.
The Nitro passed our 30-minute Cinebench R15 loop with flying colors. Performance was consistent throughout the entire loop, and thermal throttling did not occur during these tests. Detailed information in regard to temperatures can be found in the emissions section.
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng |
Octane V2 - Total Score | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
Subjectively, the Nitro made a good impression in overall system performance, and Intel's Core i5-7300HQ and the rest of the hardware work well together. Thanks to its SSD, the system feels smooth without suffering from any unnecessary delays, and the single-channel 16 GB of RAM is adequate. Performance can thus be improved slightly by adding a second memory module. In PCMark 8, the Nitro ranks in the middle of our test group dominated by the MSI GT72VR.
PCMark 8 | |
Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
Work Score Accelerated v2 | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
Creative Score Accelerated v2 | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN |
PCMark 7 | |
Productivity | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Score | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN |
PCMark 7 Score | 5565 points | |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3899 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 4777 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4940 points | |
Help |
Storage Devices
Our review unit was equipped with a combination of fast SSD and large HDD storage, with the operating system installed on the Samsung M.2 2280 SSD. It is connected via SATA and scored 502 MB/s and 252 MB/s reading and writing, respectively. The SSD can be upgraded for a faster PCIe model.
Ample storage is provided by the 1 TB hard drive, which according to HD Tune was able to transfer up to 106 MB/s. Considering the hard drive’s speed of only 5400 rpm it performed as expected.
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A | Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN) | MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5 | Gigabyte P57X v7 Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800) | HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 Samsung CM871a MZNTY128HDHP | HP Omen 17-w100ng SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | 4% | 18% | 3% | -2% | -25% | |
Read Seq | 493.1 | 475.7 -4% | 521 6% | 517 5% | 520 5% | 495 0% |
Write Seq | 270.2 | 419.1 55% | 311.8 15% | 305.7 13% | 353.6 31% | 180.2 -33% |
Read 512 | 325.8 | 336.1 3% | 403.1 24% | 315 -3% | 376.2 15% | 315.5 -3% |
Write 512 | 267.8 | 346.6 29% | 332.3 24% | 306.1 14% | 118.5 -56% | 172.4 -36% |
Read 4k | 28.4 | 24.7 -13% | 33.35 17% | 26.04 -8% | 32.7 15% | 20.25 -29% |
Write 4k | 76.2 | 76.8 1% | 111.1 46% | 82.3 8% | 85.3 12% | 76.1 0% |
Read 4k QD32 | 344.6 | 247.6 -28% | 331.1 -4% | 281.3 -18% | 399 16% | 141.6 -59% |
Write 4k QD32 | 267 | 234.9 -12% | 318.3 19% | 296 11% | 132.5 -50% | 170.8 -36% |
Graphics Card

2D graphics and videos are rendered by the Intel HD Graphics 630; 3D graphics are handed over to the dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060. GPU-switching (Optimus) worked flawlessly and imperceptibly. In synthetic benchmarks, the devices in our test group arranged themselves according to their respective GPUs. The benchmarks were led by devices equipped with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1070, followed by the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 devices bringing up the rear despite their faster processors. Thus, the Core i5 can easily keep up with potentially faster devices, at least in synthetic 3DMark benchmarks.
Additional GeForce GTX 1060 benchmarks can be found here.
3DMark | |
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T | |
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T |
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T |
3DMark 11 Performance | 10386 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 64333 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 16238 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 8563 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score | 4687 points | |
3DMark Time Spy Score | 3375 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
Real-world gaming benchmark results were similar to our synthetic benchmark results. Dominated by the MSI GT72VR and the Gigabyte P57X with a lead of roughly 40%, the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE was also bested by the HP Omen 17. Despite the exact same GPU, the latter consistently produced higher frame rates than the Nitro. Still, the Nitro’s performance was certainly sufficient enough to run current games at acceptable frame rates. We expect the laptop to be fast enough for the next two to three years on FHD resolution and, occasionally, high details. However, 4k gaming clearly requires a GeForce GTX 1070.
low | med. | high | ultra | |
---|---|---|---|---|
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 187 | 164.6 | 154.7 | 92.5 |
Battlefield 4 (2013) | 182.6 | 169.5 | 153.1 | 98 |
The Witcher 3 (2015) | 130.2 | 118.1 | 65.9 | 37.5 |
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 115.4 | 111.4 | 68.7 | 58.4 |
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
Gigabyte P57X v7 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 |
Battlefield 4 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS | |
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 | |
HP Omen 17-w100ng | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN |
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T | |
HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 |
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN | |
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (42.8 dB)
Analysis not possible as maximum curve is missing or too high
Emissions
System Noise
Noise levels of 50 dB(A) and more are not uncommon for gaming notebooks, yet Acer is out to prove that black is white: compared to all other devices in our test group the Nitro was the quietest. When idle the fans are not completely off but so slow that the device is practically inaudible. Even the hard drive can only be heard with one’s ear placed directly on top of the device. Medium load resulted in a slight increase to 32 dB(A), and the maximum at high load was 42.8 dB(A). This renders the device audible yet far from annoying. The fans work very well and only produce a slight hum lacking high frequencies altogether. We found no evidence of pulsating fans during our tests.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 30.7 / 30.7 / 31.4 dB(A) |
HDD |
| 30.7 dB(A) |
Load |
| 32.1 / 42.8 dB(A) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile | Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile | MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile | Gigabyte P57X v7 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile | HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile | HP Omen 17-w100ng 6300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noise | -13% | -10% | -10% | -18% | -19% | |
off / environment * | 30.7 | 28.8 6% | 31 -1% | 29 6% | 30.8 -0% | 31 -1% |
Idle Minimum * | 30.7 | 33.9 -10% | 34 -11% | 30.4 1% | 35.3 -15% | 35 -14% |
Idle Average * | 30.7 | 33.9 -10% | 35 -14% | 32.1 -5% | 35.4 -15% | 36 -17% |
Idle Maximum * | 31.4 | 37.8 -20% | 37 -18% | 32.1 -2% | 35.4 -13% | 37 -18% |
Load Average * | 32.1 | 42.7 -33% | 37 -15% | 45.6 -42% | 48.6 -51% | 44 -37% |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 42.8 | |||||
Load Maximum * | 42.8 | 47.4 -11% | 44 -3% | 51.5 -20% | 49.8 -16% | 54 -26% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
When idle, temperatures of less than 30 °C (86 °F) are a very good result. Under intense load we were able to locate a hot spot of 48 °C (104 °F) above the keyboard. Surface temperatures of 35 °C (95 °F) on average are okay overall.
The CPU and GPU reached a maximum of 99 °C (210 °F) and 89 °C (192 °F) during our stress test (Prime95 + Furmark), respectively. Thus, the CPU reached its specified thermal limit and, accordingly, throttled down to 2.5 GHz. Running only one of those two programs the CPU stayed at a maximum of 94 °C (201 °F) and was able to retain its full turbo boost speed of 3.1 GHz throughout the entire test.
We ran 3DMark 11 immediately after performing the aforementioned stress test in order to find out whether or not high temperatures have a negative effect on real-world performance, and we can report that this is not the case: the scores coincided with the ones noted beforehand.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 48.4 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.2 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.2 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 36.3 °C / 97 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.7 °C / 83.7 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+0.1 °C / 0.1 F).
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile | Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile | MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile | Gigabyte P57X v7 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile | HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile | HP Omen 17-w100ng 6300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heat | 11% | -1% | -16% | 10% | -7% | |
Maximum Upper Side * | 48.4 | 37.7 22% | 41.5 14% | 51.2 -6% | 45.8 5% | 41.5 14% |
Maximum Bottom * | 44.2 | 36.3 18% | 50.6 -14% | 56.8 -29% | 37 16% | 45.5 -3% |
Idle Upper Side * | 25.8 | 25.7 -0% | 26.4 -2% | 29.2 -13% | 24 7% | 31.8 -23% |
Idle Bottom * | 25.5 | 24.4 4% | 25.4 -0% | 29.2 -15% | 23 10% | 29.6 -16% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
The two double speakers are located on the sides in the front and offered ample performance. Far from perfect but at 79 dB(A) certainly loud enough without producing any distortions. A hint of bass can be detected but mids and highs clearly dominate the soundscape. Overall, sound quality benefits from hard surfaces. External speakers can be connected either via a 3.5 mm headphone jack or an optical output (SPDIF).
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.7% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 19% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 9% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 29% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 63% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Frequency comparison (checkboxes selectable/deselectable!)
Energy Management
Power Consumption
"Outstanding" is the word that describes the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE’s power consumption best. While the Asus Strix and the HP Pavilion 17 were even more efficient this can be attributed to their significantly less-powerful GeForce GTX 1050 GPUs. When idle, the Nitro only draws between 7.8 and 16.6 W and distances itself from its competition. An average of only 73 W under medium load was even more impressive given that it bested the GeForce GTX 1050-equipped competition, and a maximum of 140 W is on a par with the similarly equipped HP Omen 17.
The comparatively compact 180 W charger is amply dimensioned, and the battery does not discharge even during prolonged periods of high load.
Off / Standby | ![]() ![]() |
Idle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Load |
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Key:
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Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, a-Si TFT-LCD, WLED, 1920x1080, 17.3" | Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN), LED IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3" | MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5, TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.3" | Gigabyte P57X v7 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800), IPS, 3840x2160, 17.3" | HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Samsung CM871a MZNTY128HDHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3" | HP Omen 17-w100ng 6300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3" | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | 8% | -79% | -88% | 11% | -52% | |
Idle Minimum * | 7.8 | 6.2 21% | 20 -156% | 15.7 -101% | 8.2 -5% | 17 -118% |
Idle Average * | 13.3 | 12.2 8% | 27 -103% | 23.4 -76% | 11 17% | 22 -65% |
Idle Maximum * | 16.6 | 14.8 11% | 31 -87% | 23.5 -42% | 11.1 33% | 29 -75% |
Load Average * | 73 | 84.9 -16% | 86 -18% | 184.6 -153% | 77 -5% | 72 1% |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 118 | |||||
Load Maximum * | 140 | 120.7 14% | 184 -31% | 233.1 -67% | 116.9 16% | 141 -1% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
Battery life is decent thanks to the laptop’s superb efficiency. The non-replaceable 69 Wh battery lasted for a decent 10:18 hours in our idle test, and an impressive 130 minutes under load. While the HP Omen 17 managed to outperform the Nitro by 15 minutes in this scenario it was also equipped with the largest battery in our test group: a whopping 95.8 Wh. In our real-world Wi-Fi test - during which various websites are opened by a script every 30 seconds, the energy profile is set to “Balanced”, and display brightness is normalized to 150 nits (66% in this case) - the Nitro ran out of power after 6:14 hours. Video playback ran for five hours, and thus two full-length feature films. Charging took around two hours, which is decent.
However, we also have to add that the Nitro performed significantly worse on battery. In 3DMark 11 it scored 4000 points less than before, which means that while gaming on battery is possible, it might necessitate reduced details.
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 69 Wh | Asus Strix GL753VD-GC045T i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 48 Wh | MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 83 Wh | Gigabyte P57X v7 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 75.81 Wh | HP Pavilion 17t-ab200 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 62 Wh | HP Omen 17-w100ng 6300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 95.8 Wh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | -37% | -37% | -48% | -0% | -1% | |
Reader / Idle | 618 | 515 -17% | 316 -49% | 256 -59% | 691 12% | 543 -12% |
H.264 | 315 | 228 -28% | 313 -1% | |||
WiFi v1.3 | 374 | 261 -30% | 230 -39% | 155 -59% | 409 9% | 363 -3% |
Load | 130 | 45 -65% | 91 -30% | 98 -25% | 102 -22% | 145 12% |
Verdict
Pros
Cons
All things considered the Nitro - when viewed from a gaming perspective - performed very well. Acer effectively refutes the bias that Core i5 processors are not suitable for gaming and proves that the graphics card is much more important. The Intel Core i5-7300HQ is a 45 W quad-core processor and thus not the most efficient of its kind. However, when combined with a generous amount of RAM and a reasonably dimensioned storage (SSD + HDD) it offers ample performance.
The Acer Aspire Nitro convinces with a good overall performance and is fast enough even for demanding games. Tobii’s eye-tracking module is a welcome addition, and it contributes to an entirely new gaming experience.
We liked the device’s inconspicuous design concealing its powerful hardware. The high-quality case is rigid, and the lack of an optical drive is acceptable given that the space gained was used to fit a larger battery. All things considered, the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE fits its intended use and its price of currently around $1,800 (in Europe) is justified.
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
- 06/30/2017 v6 (old)
Sebastian Bade