Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel shows wasted potential in our test

The best laptops receive scores of 90% or more in our reviews. These high scores don't happen often. One laptop that would have had the potential for this is the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel CC314.

In our extensive test, it achieved a score of 87%. That is a good result, but it could definitely have been better.

At the heart of it all is the main processor: The ConceptD series moves between the workstation and multimedia segments, which is why Acer uses powerful H CPUs with a TDP of 45 watts. The problem: The currently used Intel Comet Lake H CPUs are technically outdated and inefficient. The i7-10750H is only half as fast as the Ryzen 9 in the Asus ROG Flow X13 gaming convertible.

Even a power-saving Tiger Lake UP3 chip isn't far away. In our opinion, Acer simply chose the wrong processor with the Comet Lake H chip; not only does it disappoint in terms of performance, but it also drives up consumption and requires a space-hogging cooling system.

The CPU is certainly the most important factor, but more would have been possible in other areas as well: For instance, 16:10 or 3:2 displays are particularly useful in convertibles, because they can be used better in tablet portrait mode. Instead, Asus opts for a narrow 16:9 panel, although there would have been enough space in the lid. Acer could have easily added about 100 cd/m² to the display's brightness as well.

Last but not least, the ports can be mentioned too: Acer installs a Mini DisplayPort instead of a second USB-C/Thunderbolt port. This also falls under the category of "wasted potential"; after all, the Mini DisplayPort is much less useful.

This is all a shame, because the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel could be a true hidden gem with its high-quality, sturdy case, its interesting Ezel hinge, the matte touchscreen, its fast GPU, and an otherwise good selection of ports.