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Acer ConceptD 5 17 inch Review: Creativity in large format

Would you like a little more? Acer's 17-inch notebook is almost a workstation, and it is well-positioned with its i7-9750H and GeForce RTX 2060. The matte display also does not need to hide with its 100% sRGB coverage and a high AdobeRGB percentage.
Acer's ConceptD series for creative professionals: the 17-inch ConceptD 5 CN517
Acer's ConceptD series for creative professionals: the 17-inch ConceptD 5 CN517

Portable, powerful, and precise – this is how Acer presents its ConceptD series for creative professionals. The ConceptD 3 models represent the entry-level with integrated graphics cards. The ConceptD 9 models are the cutting edge with a technically demanding hinge solution and a Core i9-9980HK processor with a free multiplier. The hinge allows using it as a standing tablet. 

The 17-inch ConceptD 5 model is far from such technical wizardry as in the D 9. The hefty standard notebook contains an RTX 2060 graphics card, a Core i7-9750H hexa-core processor, and a 4K panel with 100% AdobeRGB coverage – at least on paper. The colors are Pantone validated, which is supposed to attract image processing professionals who prepare for printing. 

As competitors of the 17-inch ConceptD 5, the market also offers the Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 as well as the Dell XPS 15 7590 (both of them 15 inches) with powerful equipment. 17-inch notebooks are rare in the same price and value range. While the Apple and Dell notebooks are even available with the Core i9 9980HK, they have a weaker graphics card. The MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 with 4K, a Core i9-9880H, and an RTX 2070 Max-Q, which is also a 15-inch notebook, is similarly equipped.

Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA (ConceptD 5 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 960 MHz, Memory: 7001 MHz, GDDR6, Nvidia 442.19, Optimus UHD 630
Memory
32 GB 
, 2x 16 GB module, 2 slots, 32 GB max.
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, AUO B173ZAN03, IPS, Pantone validated, glossy: no, 60 Hz
Storage
WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00, 1024 GB 
, 775 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: audio combo port
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW) (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 24 x 403 x 280 ( = 0.94 x 15.87 x 11.02 in)
Battery
55 Wh, 28490 mAh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 6 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: illuminated, rubber dome, number block, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.842 kg ( = 100.25 oz / 6.27 pounds), Power Supply: 616 g ( = 21.73 oz / 1.36 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
84.7 %
04/2020
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.8 kg24 mm17.30"3840x2160
87.8 %
08/2019
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2 kg17 mm15.60"3840x2160
87.1 %
02/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
1.7 kg18.7 mm15.60"3840x2160
89.4 %
01/2020
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
i9-9980HK, Radeon Pro Vega 20
1.8 kg15.5 mm15.40"2880x1800
85 %
06/2019
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
1.9 kg18 mm15.60"3840x2160

Case and Equipment - A hefty 2.8 kg (~6.2 lb)

With 2.8 kg (~6.2 lb), the heavy device brings a lot of weight to the scale, and the 600-gram (~1.3 lb) power supply does not improve things. The case offers a decent stiffness overall, but it is still some ways from perfection. It is an aluminum unibody case that is closed up by a plate on the bottom. The keyboard and ports stick out from the case. The lid is also made from this metal, and there is a plastic band on top for the WiFi antenna. 

The smooth, metal surface feels comfortably cool, particularly during idle operation. The bottom plate can be removed, giving access to the two RAM slots, the WiFi module, and the SSD.

Acer uses Killer network cards: while the E2500 Gigabit Ethernet and the WiFi 6 AX1650x offer strong connection speeds, the test unit still does not place at the top for WiFi. Here, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is able to achieve more data throughput under equal test conditions, particularly during sending. 

Real HDMI 2.0 and Mini DisplayPort 1.4 confirm the (limited) workstation ambitions of the ConceptD 5. Unfortunately, there is only a single USB Type-C connection (with DisplayPort 1.4), but on the other hand, two of the four USB ports support the Gen-3.2 standard. The lack of Thunderbolt 3 is incomprehensible for this price range, and the XPS 15, the MSI P65, and the Macbook Pro 15 naturally have it on board. 

ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA

Size Comparison

403 mm / 15.9 inch 280 mm / 11 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 2.8 kg6.27 lbs361.8 mm / 14.2 inch 245.7 mm / 9.67 inch 18.7 mm / 0.736 inch 1.7 kg3.77 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 247 mm / 9.72 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs349.3 mm / 13.8 inch 240.7 mm / 9.48 inch 15.5 mm / 0.61 inch 1.8 kg4.03 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connection Equipment

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1431 (566min - 1523max) MBit/s +130%
Average Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
  (554 - 1659, n=25)
1020 MBit/s +64%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
650 (629min - 713max) MBit/s +5%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
644 MBit/s +4%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
621 (418min - 641max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1431 (1279min - 1644max) MBit/s +55%
Average Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
  (630 - 1885, n=25)
1037 MBit/s +12%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
923 (874min - 938max) MBit/s
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
674 MBit/s -27%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
490 (376min - 596max) MBit/s -47%
0501001502002503003504004505005506006507007508008509009501000105011001150120012501300135014001450150015501600Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø923 (874-938)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1431 (1279-1644)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø489 (376-596)
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø621 (418-641)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1411 (566-1523)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q; iperf3 transmit AX12: Ø650 (629-713)
ColorChecker
23.2 ∆E
21 ∆E
26.7 ∆E
21.4 ∆E
25.2 ∆E
16.2 ∆E
15.5 ∆E
31.7 ∆E
21.1 ∆E
28 ∆E
16.2 ∆E
17.3 ∆E
29.6 ∆E
17.6 ∆E
22.7 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
24.1 ∆E
22.9 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
12 ∆E
22.1 ∆E
24.8 ∆E
23 ∆E
10.8 ∆E
ColorChecker Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA: 20.34 ∆E min: 3.32 - max: 31.71 ∆E

Input Devices - The ConceptD has small keys

The smooth keys with the rubber dome base impress with a crisp pressure point and a clear and solid stroke. The keys are easy to type on, and due to the large distances between the keys, typing tasks succeed easily. There is also a number block with smaller keys. Unfortunately, Acer does not make use of the full case width for a keyboard with larger keys. The way it is, the arrow keys seem to be squished between the Ctrl and Shift keys and the number block. Other keys such as the Enter and right Shift and Ctrl keys, could have been larger for more typing comfort. 

While the 13 cm (5.1 in) wide ClickPad offers a smooth surface for sliding, moist fingers might stumble and not slide easily. There is a clear pressure point, but the stroke is very short and there is hardly any at all in the top third of the pad. The pad can be deactivated via function keys. 

Display - A creative PC with 100% sRGB

Pixel grid of the ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA, 17.3 inch, Ultra-HD, IPS
Pixel grid of the ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA, 17.3 inch, Ultra-HD, IPS

The 17.3-inch display is a high-end 4K panel with 3840 x 2160 pixels. Although the frame rate is only 60 Hz, it has a non-reflective surface, its viewing angles are stable (IPS), and it covers 100% of the sRGB color space. 

At 88%, the brightness distribution is fairly even, and we do not detect any halos or lighter spots in a black image. At 707:1, the contrast is not top of the line, but we have to give some credit for its high brightness. The response times of the AUO panel turn out very slow. 

By the way, this is the same panel that is also used for the ConceptD 9, but there it is a touchscreen version that can also be operated with a Wacom pen. 

412
cd/m²
400
cd/m²
381
cd/m²
367
cd/m²
410
cd/m²
363
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
394
cd/m²
362
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO B173ZAN03 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 412 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 383.3 cd/m² Minimum: 18.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 417 cd/m²
Contrast: 707:1 (Black: 0.58 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.91 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.09
ΔE Greyscale 3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
87% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
99.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.18
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
AUO B173ZAN03, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Samsung 156WR04, SDCA029, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NE156QUM-N66, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2018 (2.6 GHz, 560X)
APPA040, IPS, 2880x1800, 15.40
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
AU Optronics AUO41EB, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Display
-2%
-3%
1%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
86.2
88.1
2%
82
-5%
98.7
15%
84.4
-2%
sRGB Coverage
100
99.6
0%
99.1
-1%
99.9
0%
100
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
99.1
91.8
-7%
96.9
-2%
86.6
-13%
98.5
-1%
Response Times
95%
18%
20%
13%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
55 ?(29, 26)
2.3 ?(1.1, 1.2)
96%
46.4 ?(22, 24.4)
16%
43.2 ?(20.4, 22.8)
21%
51 ?(24, 27)
7%
Response Time Black / White *
38 ?(22, 16)
2.4 ?(1.1, 1.3)
94%
30.4 ?(17.2, 13.2)
20%
31.2 ?(16.4, 14.8)
18%
31 ?(18, 13)
18%
PWM Frequency
59.5 ?(100)
117000 ?(75, 150)
Screen
-44%
-21%
40%
-20%
Brightness middle
410
421.2
3%
464
13%
520
27%
445
9%
Brightness
383
417
9%
448
17%
492
28%
462
21%
Brightness Distribution
88
94
7%
90
2%
88
0%
83
-6%
Black Level *
0.58
0.36
38%
0.39
33%
0.5
14%
Contrast
707
1289
82%
1333
89%
890
26%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.91
6.06
-217%
4.2
-120%
1.2
37%
4.75
-149%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.67
11.89
-155%
11.4
-144%
2.3
51%
7.79
-67%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.09
0.8
27%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3
2.8
7%
7.2
-140%
1.3
57%
4.49
-50%
Gamma
2.18 101%
2.15 102%
2.17 101%
2.18 101%
2.49 88%
CCT
6338 103%
6235 104%
6345 102%
6738 96%
7374 88%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
87
81
-7%
85.2
-2%
87
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
99.6
0%
99
-1%
100
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
16% / -13%
-2% / -13%
20% / 28%
-3% / -12%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 95 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
55 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 29 ms rise
↘ 26 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 90 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
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 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Calman Grayscale
Calman Grayscale
Calman Saturation
Calman Saturation
Calman Color Checker
Calman Color Checker
Calman Grayscale calibrated
Calman Grayscale calibrated
Calman Saturation calibrated
Calman Saturation calibrated
Calman Color Checker calibrated
Calman Color Checker calibrated
AdobeRGB color space: 87%
AdobeRGB color space: 87%
sRGB color space: 100%
sRGB color space: 100%

Using the AdobeRGB profile in the state of delivery, the Acer produces a Delta-E of 3 for the Grayscale, and of 1.9 for colors. While this is not a bad result, particularly since there is also no blue tint, it can be further improved via calibration. With this, the Delta-E drops to 1.0 for the colors and Grayscale similarly. This is therefore a panel with a high color accuracy, which corresponds to the Pantone validated (Delta-E <2) manufacturer specification – even though this is only after the calibration.

However, we do not see the advertised 100% AdobeRGB, but "only" 87%. The 17-incher is delivered with a color profile, and users can choose between Normal and AdobeRGB in the ConceptD color palette. We measured the colors under AdobeRGB in the state of delivery before the calibration. 

Outdoors: easily usable thanks to the matte surface and good brightness
Outdoors: easily usable thanks to the matte surface and good brightness
Outdoors: easily usable thanks to the matte surface and good brightness
Outdoors: easily usable thanks to the matte surface and good brightness

Performance - An Acer with a hexa-core Turbo

Specs of the sibling models with a Geforce GTX 1660Ti
Specs of the sibling models with a Geforce GTX 1660Ti
DPC Latency Monitor with YouTube videos
DPC Latency Monitor with YouTube videos

Acer offers two models of its ConceptD 5 17-inch notebook: one with a GTX 1660Ti and one with an RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6). The Intel Core i7-9750H (6x 2.60GHz) hexa-core processor is always included. With 32 GB of DDR4 RAM (2x 16 GB), our test unit has the maximum amount of RAM. There are two differences between the 17-inch and the 15-inch ConceptD: The 15-incher offers only 16 GB RAM and a GTX 1660Ti at most. 

The Acer 17-inch notebook is targeted at creative professionals who want to be productive with powerful software such as Adobe Premiere and Photoshop. For this reason, the manufacturer also offers configurations with an ISV certification (Independent Software Vendors). 

Processor

The Intel Core i7-9750H has a basic clock speed of 2.6 GHz, and all six cores should also be able to run at Turbo speed, which is even up to 4.5 GHz for the single or dual-core Turbo. Under the single-core load in Cinebench, we are seeing up to 4.4 GHz, but the average is around 3.7 GHz. When all the cores are running simultaneously, the clock speed is 6x 2.6 GHz. 

The R15 loop shows the enormous performance difference between the i9-9980HK (Dell XPS, Lenovo TP X1 Extreme, Macbook Pro 15) and our Core i7-9750H. Even though the performance only drops by 3% under constant load, the amount of points are between 20 and 40% below those of the HK processors. However, the reason for this is not any limitation of the CPU (TDPc), and the power limit of our test unit is 45 watts. It never goes below the basic clock speed, so there is no throttling. 

0851702553404255105956807658509351020110511901275136014451530Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1052 (1021.84-1091.58)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650 Intel Core i9-9980HK, Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1314 (1090.6-1600.38)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø982 (967.16-1074.4)
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20 Intel Core i9-9980HK, Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1308 (1257.47-1327.02)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 Intel Core i9-9880H, Intel Core i9-9880H: Ø1439 (1417.84-1545.36)

A glance at the competitors shows that the hexa-core processor is almost at the same level as the i9-9880H and i9-9980HK in the single-core comparison, and the differences are only marginal here. However, the Core i9-9980HK octa-core SoC uses its full advantage in the multi-core comparison, where it moves ahead by 20 to 40%. Eight cores also means sixteen virtual cores who can compute a Cinebench run blazingly fast. 

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +35%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
201 Points +9%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H
196 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H
191 Points +4%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
Intel Core i7-9750H
184.5 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Intel Core i9-9980HK
181 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +109%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1600 (1090.6min, 1367.66P1 - 1369.3max) Points +47%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H
1545 Points +41%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1327 Points +22%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points +8%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
Intel Core i7-9750H
1092 (1021.84min - 1091.58max) Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H
1074 (967.16min - 1074.4max) Points -2%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
184.5 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1092 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
126.6 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PC Mark 10
PC Mark 10

In the PCMark 10 scores, the competitors are 15, 30, or even 60% ahead of the Acer. For example, in the Digital Content Creation test, the MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 moves ahead, which might be due to its combination of two SSDs, and the Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK also does not need to hide with its advantage of 35%. Apparently, the PCMark rewards the multi-core capabilities of the octa-core competitors in all the sub scores. 

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=82, last 2 years)
6552 Points +49%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4395 - 5997, n=16)
5523 Points +26%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5469 Points +24%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
5211 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4535 Points +3%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
4395 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Radeon Pro Vega 20, i9-9980HK, Apple SSD AP1024
4305 Points -2%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=82, last 2 years)
10417 Points +25%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9701 Points +16%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (8361 - 10056, n=16)
9263 Points +11%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
8961 Points +7%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
8361 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Radeon Pro Vega 20, i9-9980HK, Apple SSD AP1024
7972 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7548 Points -10%
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=82, last 2 years)
8685 Points +42%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7494 Points +23%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (6098 - 8106, n=16)
7382 Points +21%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6489 Points +6%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
6098 Points
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
5986 Points -2%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Radeon Pro Vega 20, i9-9980HK, Apple SSD AP1024
5532 Points -9%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=82, last 2 years)
8566 Points +89%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
7161 Points +58%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4344 - 8069, n=16)
6727 Points +49%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6110 Points +35%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5171 Points +14%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Radeon Pro Vega 20, i9-9980HK, Apple SSD AP1024
4911 Points +9%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
4521 Points

Storage Solution

Although the 1-Terrabyte Western Digital storage is by no means slow, its speed is leisurely compared to the competitors. While it is among the top for sequential writes, it places last during 4K read and writes. Overall, the Samsung SSDs from the Lenovo and Dell 15 offer an up to 18% better performance. On the other hand, the Toshiba XG6 in the Dell XPS has to be content with being left behind. 

Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
Average WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
11%
21%
37%
25%
58%
Write 4K
92.3
104.3
13%
148.1
60%
105.6
14%
168.6 ?(92.3 - 238, n=3)
83%
168.8 ?(91.7 - 319, n=63, last 2 years)
83%
Read 4K
40.12
45.23
13%
47.31
18%
46.32
15%
47.6 ?(40.1 - 54.7, n=3)
19%
65.7 ?(30.7 - 96, n=63, last 2 years)
64%
Write Seq
2466
1729
-30%
1414
-43%
2910
18%
2602 ?(2466 - 2736, n=3)
6%
2821 ?(957 - 4443, n=38, last 2 years)
14%
Read Seq
1983
1861
-6%
1320
-33%
2820
42%
2084 ?(1889 - 2381, n=3)
5%
3016 ?(1642 - 4875, n=38, last 2 years)
52%
Write 4K Q32T1
249.9
509
104%
493.6
98%
545
118%
391 ?(250 - 505, n=3)
56%
486 ?(292 - 777, n=63, last 2 years)
94%
Read 4K Q32T1
375.6
388.5
3%
594
58%
632
68%
481 ?(376 - 606, n=3)
28%
552 ?(310 - 972, n=63, last 2 years)
47%
Write Seq Q32T1
2791
2813
1%
2970
6%
3349
20%
2792 ?(2791 - 2795, n=3)
0%
4011 ?(869 - 6779, n=63, last 2 years)
44%
Read Seq Q32T1
3253
2906
-11%
3472
7%
3333
2%
3377 ?(3253 - 3448, n=3)
4%
5323 ?(2108 - 7147, n=63, last 2 years)
64%
AS SSD
-18%
9%
-1%
4%
19%
Seq Read
2827
1723
-39%
2352
-17%
2860
1%
2873 ?(2796 - 2995, n=3)
2%
3944 ?(1192 - 5639, n=81, last 2 years)
40%
Seq Write
2224
1386
-38%
2106
-5%
2604
17%
2463 ?(2224 - 2640, n=3)
11%
2521 ?(388 - 5101, n=81, last 2 years)
13%
4K Read
40.67
43.25
6%
55
35%
45.15
11%
38 ?(22.5 - 50.9, n=3)
-7%
63.2 ?(30 - 98.5, n=81, last 2 years)
55%
4K Write
99.6
98.3
-1%
138.1
39%
100.2
1%
138.2 ?(99.6 - 212, n=3)
39%
188.4 ?(99.8 - 328, n=81, last 2 years)
89%
4K-64 Read
1603
1078
-33%
1265
-21%
1428
-11%
1559 ?(1505 - 1603, n=3)
-3%
1237 ?(413 - 2989, n=81, last 2 years)
-23%
4K-64 Write
1515
1456
-4%
1952
29%
1401
-8%
1335 ?(949 - 1540, n=3)
-12%
2132 ?(281 - 4265, n=81, last 2 years)
41%
Access Time Read *
0.05
0.053
0.049
0.081
0.05886 ?(0.018 - 0.168, n=81, last 2 years)
Access Time Write *
0.037
0.039
-5%
0.027
27%
0.037
-0%
0.03067 ?(0.019 - 0.037, n=3)
17%
0.05873 ?(0.013 - 0.414, n=81, last 2 years)
-59%
Score Read
1926
1294
-33%
1556
-19%
1759
-9%
1884 ?(1835 - 1926, n=3)
-2%
1695 ?(669 - 3501, n=81, last 2 years)
-12%
Score Write
1837
1693
-8%
2301
25%
1762
-4%
1719 ?(1413 - 1907, n=3)
-6%
2572 ?(545 - 4813, n=81, last 2 years)
40%
Score Total
4716
3638
-23%
4650
-1%
4411
-6%
4544 ?(4177 - 4739, n=3)
-4%
5075 ?(2010 - 9972, n=81, last 2 years)
8%
Copy ISO MB/s
3182
2212
2406 ?(165 - 5588, n=70, last 2 years)
Copy Program MB/s
984
537
644 ?(153.4 - 1401, n=70, last 2 years)
Copy Game MB/s
1824
1335
1463 ?(195.4 - 2942, n=70, last 2 years)
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-4% / -5%
15% / 15%
18% / 16%
15% / 13%
39% / 36%

* ... smaller is better

WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3253 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2791 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 375.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 249.9 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1983 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 2466 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 40.12 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 92.3 MB/s

Graphics Card

The GeForce RTX 2060 rocks in the 3DMark. In the Fire Strike Graphics, it almost reaches the RTX 2070 Max-Q of the MSI P65 Creator. However, this should be expected, since the average Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 is still 3% faster. Anyways, the GeForce GTX 1650 competitors are left in the dust, only reaching about half the amount of points.

3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (14768 - 18358, n=43)
16301 Points +4%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9880H
16100 Points +3%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
15651 Points
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points -13%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20, Intel Core i9-9980HK
9108 Points -42%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
8532 Points -45%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
7741 Points -51%
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13933 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The current games pose no problem for the GeForce RTX 2060, as long as you forgo the 4K resolutions. The slightly aged "Witcher 3 (2015)" runs at a steady 28 fps in this maximum setting with HBAO+ and Hairworks activated. The chart below shows "Witcher 3 Ultra" in Full HD resolution. 

The analysis shows stable GPU clock speeds at almost 1300 MHz. At around 40 minutes, they briefly dropped, since we pulled the plug and the game ran in battery operation. However, after several minutes, the clock speed stabilizes at its previous level, offering 28 fps again ("Witcher 3," 4K Ultra settings).

Stable fps during "Witcher 3 Ultra"; GPU temperature rises to a maximum of 72° C (162° F); GPU clock speed at a stable 1300 MHz
Stable fps during "Witcher 3 Ultra"; GPU temperature rises to a maximum of 72° C (162° F); GPU clock speed at a stable 1300 MHz
05101520253035404550556065707580Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00: Ø57.1 (53-59)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ: Ø29.9 (27-32)
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20 Radeon Pro Vega 20, i9-9980HK, Apple SSD AP1024: Ø29.4 (25-33)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0): Ø76.3 (71-83)

Among the competitors, only the MSI P65 Creator with the more powerful RTX 2070 Max-Q is able to keep up here, reaching 40 to 50% higher fps ("Witcher 3"). The GeForce GTX 1650 models remain significantly behind, and their limit of fps that are still playable are at Full HD resolution. 

So while the Acer ConceptD 5 CN517 surely is a notebook that should also make gamers happy, you will only rarely be able to play current games at 4K settings. Which games will run on the GeForce RTX 2060? Our games list will show you the answer.  

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
116.5 fps +57%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (74.4 - 131, n=33)
111.3 fps +50%
Average of class Multimedia
  (11.2 - 290, n=90, last 2 years)
89.6 fps +20%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
74.4 fps
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
64.8 fps -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
55.4 fps -26%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
80.8 fps +41%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (50.6 - 74, n=40)
61.1 fps +7%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
57.3 fps
Average of class Multimedia
  (8 - 143.2, n=95, last 2 years)
49.7 fps -13%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
36 fps -37%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
29.9 (27min, 28P1 - 32max) fps -48%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
Intel Core i9-9980HK, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20
29.4 (25min, 27P1 - 33max) fps -49%
low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 74.4 57.3 30.4
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 145 134 128 109
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 107 87 75.6

Emissions and Power Management

Noise Emissions

Noise characteristics
Noise characteristics

We are experiencing a notebook that is extremely quiet during idle operation, with the fans remaining turned off consistently. But this changes when playing YouTube videos, for example, and the running fans become very noticeable.  

However, while rendering or gaming, this becomes a loud racket, with the double fans revving up to a maximum of 41 dB(A). It will then hardly matter whether you are running 3DMark or playing a current game, since 40 to 41 dB(A) are the standard noise level when running the ConceptD 5. 

Noise Level

Idle
29.7 / 29.7 / 29.7 dB(A)
Load
39.9 / 41 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.8 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs20333332.531.134.52530.832.83331.335.53133.532.731.430.235.14030.228.629.72930.15029.729.428.328.7316328.727.426.927.131.98026.125.925.325.526.810025.32624.324.226.612524.226.123.82430.216024.524.723.42325.220023.824.421.822.424.525024.62520.821.425.431526.627.120.620.126.940030.432.21919.330.650028.427.618.718.827.763026.625.41818.526.180027.926.517.417.627.7100029.728.416.916.930.2125030.429.216.817.130.6160031.3301716.531.5200032.931.916.716.733.2250028.928.816.716.929.2315030.728.917.117.230.7400028.325.817.417.328.3500023.922.417.617.724.3630022.621.317.917.723800020.11917.917.920.51000019.118.617.817.819.41250018.318.217.817.818.61600018.118.218.11818.3SPL4139.929.729.741.1N3.53.21.31.33.6median 26.6median 26median 17.9median 17.8median 26.9Delta3.43.81.81.84.227.528.931.624.926.625.327.12928.325.527.527.332.832.331.924.723.825.22623.625.524.824.425.523.823.223.724.122.225.6242224.724.721.224.822.819.923.523.81924.623.819.324.723.717.823.723.317.223.223.317.723.725.516.525.826.415.826.328.515.52827.115.327.423.315.123.322.115.121.821.515.221.317.215.117.116.215.216.215.51515.515.215.115.114.814.814.836.328.536.42.31.12.3median 23.7median 16.5median 23.72.71.93.530.533.432.629.130.531.830.328.729.731.829.931.332.829.729.928.428.830.225.928.427.327.929.725.627.32728.529.424.12727.226.727.622.927.226.226.525.323.526.226.126.325.623.426.126.626.325.723.226.625.52623.922.325.524.526.323.52224.526.43021.92126.425.928.521.720.825.92527.921.519.92524.629.320.920.424.624.527.220.12024.527.330.520.819.427.327.53020.618.727.528.530.320.31828.529.631.820.517.829.630.832.520.517.430.832.433.820.91732.430.532.120.616.830.529.630.920.916.729.626.928.820.516.426.924.726.520.316.224.724.125.320.216.224.121.422.22016.121.419.720.319.91619.740.942.732.830.240.93.33.91.71.23.3median 26.2median 28.5median 20.8median 18.7median 26.21.520.72.41.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YALenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGEMSI P65 Creator 9SF-657

Temperature

In the meantime, the case is cooled adequately, and there is no place where it gets warmer than 50 °C (122 °F). During the "Witcher 3" test, the temperature increases slightly on the bottom. The device runs through the stress test with Prime95 and Furmark with the same numbers as during maximum load. The palm rest succeeds in remaining constantly cool, never getting warmer than 30 °C (86 °F)

Max. Load
 34.8 °C
95 F
45 °C
113 F
44.4 °C
112 F
 
 33.2 °C
92 F
46.4 °C
116 F
43 °C
109 F
 
 26 °C
79 F
25.4 °C
78 F
31.1 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 46.4 °C = 116 F
Average: 36.6 °C = 98 F
39.1 °C
102 F
46.3 °C
115 F
40.1 °C
104 F
36.4 °C
98 F
44.9 °C
113 F
32 °C
90 F
25.8 °C
78 F
24.5 °C
76 F
23.6 °C
74 F
Maximum: 46.3 °C = 115 F
Average: 34.7 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  46.2 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.6 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46.4 °C / 116 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 46.3 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.1 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 36.9 °C / 98 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.3 °C / 88.3 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 (-2.5 °C / -4.5 F).
Witcher 3 Ultra - top
Witcher 3 Ultra - top
Witcher 3 Ultra - bottom
Witcher 3 Ultra - bottom
Idle - top
Idle - top
Idle - bottom
Idle - bottom
Stress test - top
Stress test - top
Stress test - bottom
Stress test - bottom

Speaker

The two speakers are not positioned above the keyboard, as you might think because of the perforations, but at the bottom in front, below the palm rests. The sound spectrum could use a little more bass, and the maximum volume also seems a bit weak for a 17-inch notebook. But at least there are no distortions or speaker noises with maximum volume. While the Pink Noise diagram shows the XPS 15 as having a wider sound spectrum, the bass of the XPS is weaker. 

Pink Noise
Pink Noise
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2030.831.130.8253031.3303129.430.229.44028.72928.75028.428.728.46327.827.127.88026.225.526.210025.724.225.712531.22431.216036233620036.422.436.425041.921.441.931551.220.151.24005819.35850053.218.853.263060.518.560.580064.417.664.4100061.416.961.4125057.317.157.3160054.716.554.7200058.716.758.7250059.616.959.631505517.255400050.517.350.5500051.217.751.2630053.817.753.8800052.517.952.51000056.817.856.81250057.117.857.11600052.41852.4SPL69.929.769.9N25.51.325.5median 53.8median 17.8median 53.8Delta71.8743.54338.839.440.338.137.337.736.538.136.638.536.334.835.335.634.443.134.249.432.846.432.359.531.568.63169.930.268.329.97529.879.229.575.429.173.929.279.528.775.428.477.428.477.928.377.928.370.92876.12874.62875.727.975.327.778.141.188.54.279.6median 29.2median 75.317.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YADell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (64 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 78% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 16% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 63% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 31% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

The power consumption is moderate and on a level that is typical for a 17-inch notebook with a 45-watt processor. The dedicated GPU can be turned off via Optimus, so the minimum power consumption lies between 6 and 15 watts, depending on the brightness, keyboard illumination, and WiFi activity. The 15-inch competitors cannot serve as a comparison in this discipline. Under load, the power consumption increases up to 145 watts, so the 180-watt power supply is sufficiently large. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.25 / 1.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.2 / 15.2 / 17.4 Watt
Load midlight 95 / 145 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

A long battery life is surely not a priority for heavy 17-inch notebooks. With its 55-Wh capacity, Acer's 17-incher manages 333 minutes in the WiFi test at a brightness of 150 cd/m². The more powerful Dell XPS 15 does better here, but it also has to carry 97 Wh around to achieve its 467 minutes. Compared to that, the ConceptD 5 17-inch notebook is not so bad with its 5:30 hours.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2019 i9 Vega 20
i9-9980HK, Radeon Pro Vega 20, 83 Wh
687 min +106%
Average of class Multimedia
  (262 - 1204, n=93, last 2 years)
562 min +69%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 97 Wh
467 min +40%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 82 Wh
357 min +7%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 55 Wh
333 min
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 80 Wh
285 min -14%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
5h 33min

Pros

+ 4K panel with 100% sRGB
+ accurate colors
+ silent during idle operation
+ keyboard feedback
+ graphics performance
+ stable Turbo performance
+ aluminum unibody

Cons

- noisy under load
- no Thunderbolt 3
- small keys
- low contrast

Verdict

Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA, test unit provided by Acer Germany
Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA, test unit provided by Acer Germany

As a 17-inch notebook, Acer's ConceptD 5 takes a different path than the 15-inch model. Indications of this are the stronger graphics and more working memory (up to 32 GB, two storage slots). The 4K panel with 100% sRGB was also available for the 15-inch model. The accurate color reproduction in form of a very low Delta-E is a characteristic of both the 15 and the 17-inch model. 

Within its hefty and heavy aluminum case, the 17-inch notebook holds a powerful cooling solution for the 45-watt hexa-core processor. This probably contains a lot of copper, since the double fans do not even turn on during idle operation

While the processor is powerful, it does not come near the power of the Core i9 octa-core processors during multi-core computing tasks. The system performance turns out correspondingly lower in the comparison. 

The graphics performance of the GeForce RTX 2060 is impressive, easily surpassing that of the GTX 1660. For gamers this means that playing in 4K resolution will only work in a few games, but any current game will run beautifully in Full HD resolution. 

The ConceptD 5 CN517 is also some kind of small workstation for creative professionals. We then wonder, why neither a card reader, nor Thunderbolt have found their way into the case, as the price range beyond 2000 Euros (~$2229) would demand. 

All the competitors have Thunderbolt on board, so why not the ConceptD 5 17-incher?  

Each of the competitors offer such a port, whether the Lenovo, Dell, MSI, or Apple. Does this mean that this is a deal breaker for Acer's 17-inch notebook? Perhaps, but let's take a look at the display: The AUO 4K is no match for Dell's 4K UHD OLED in the XPS 15. And neither for Apple's 3K panel, which is brighter, offers more contrast and also 100% sRGB. The panels in the MSI P65 Creator and in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 with their strong colors and 100% sRGB are at the same level. 

This means that the competitors in the same price class also offer very good panels that are even better in some criteria. This leaves the fact that this is a 17-inch notebook as the only thing speaking for Acer's ConceptD 5. Our top list of multimedia notebooks currently includes no other 17-inch model with an overall rating that is similarly high.

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Acer ConceptD 5 CN517-71-74YA - 05/14/2020 v7
Sebastian Jentsch

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
55 / 80 → 69%
Weight
58 / 20-72 → 72%
Battery
66 / 95 → 70%
Display
91%
Games Performance
90 / 90 → 99%
Application Performance
90 / 90 → 100%
Temperature
88%
Noise
90 / 95 → 95%
Audio
49%
Camera
20 / 85 → 24%
Average
73%
85%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer ConceptD 5 17 inch Review: Creativity in large format
Sebastian Jentsch, 2020-04- 4 (Update: 2020-05-11)