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Acer ConceptD 7 Laptop in Review: Top-of-the-line Intel CPU with throttling behavior

Throttling Concept for the library. Acer advertises its brand-new ConceptD series as a premium, white multimedia system for creators. Plenty of features and a sleek design (as well as a high price) aim to impress multimedia creators. In this review, we try to determine whether the Concept(D) is successful in that regard.

The ConceptD series is a completely new product lineup by Acer. Thus, predecessors do not exist. The ConceptD 7 has a premium white design, strong hardware, a brilliant display and aims to appeal to power users such as designers as well as video, music and photo editors. As such, Acer markets the laptop as a mobile multimedia system.

Laptops with similar configurations are usually designed to be gaming machines rather than thin multimedia systems, which is why we will compare our test device with the Lenovo Legion Y540, MSI GL65 9SEK, Asus ROG Strix G GL531GV, Razer Blade Pro (17-inch) and the Razer Blade 15 GTX (GeForce 1660 Ti).

Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N (ConceptD 7 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, GDDR6, 25.21.14.1972 (Geforce 419.72), Intel UHD Graphics 630
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8 GB DDR4-2666
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, AU Optronics AUO31EB, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake HM370
Storage
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, 512 GB 
, 480 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5mm, 1x USB-C 3.1 with DisplayPort 1.4
Networking
Killer E3000 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000/2500MBit/s), Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 359 x 255 ( = 0.7 x 14.13 x 10.04 in)
Battery
84 Wh, 5550 mAh Lithium-Ion, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Primary Camera: 1 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.2 kg ( = 77.6 oz / 4.85 pounds), Power Supply: 593 g ( = 20.92 oz / 1.31 pounds)
Price
2069 Euro
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
87.3 %
11/2019
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.2 kg17.9 mm15.60"3840x2160
85.7 %
08/2019
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.3 kg26 mm15.60"1920x1080
80.8 %
10/2019
MSI GL65 9SEK
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.3 kg27.5 mm15.60"1920x1080
84.4 %
08/2019
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.4 kg25.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
89.4 %
08/2019
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.8 kg19.9 mm17.30"1920x1080
84.2 %
09/2019
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
2.1 kg19.9 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case - Premium Acer ConceptD 7

The ConceptD looks to be of high quality. This is due to the small measurements, the aluminum chassis and the classy white color - a potent daily driver for designers and their peers has to be visually appealing after all. The fan exhausts on the back are decorated with patterns and the keyboard is slightly recessed into the base unit.

Only the slim bezels are made of plastic. Since the remainder of the base unit is a metal construction, the former is robust and does not yield while typing. The hinges hold the display firmly in place, although they could be even firmer still. The construction quality is good overall, even though the base unit can be slightly creaky when trying to twist it.

Among its direct competitors, only the Razer Blade 15 is smaller and lighter, making the ConceptD the second-smallest and second-most lightweight device in our comparison. While the MSI laptop is slightly smaller, it is significantly thicker and slightly heavier as well. The AC adapter weighs an additional 600 grams.

Size Comparison

395 mm / 15.6 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 2.8 kg6.06 lbs365 mm / 14.4 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 274 mm / 10.8 inch 25.9 mm / 1.02 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs357.7 mm / 14.1 inch 248 mm / 9.76 inch 27.5 mm / 1.083 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Thunderbolt, but no SD card reader

The ConceptD 7 does not leave a lot to be desired: There is Thunderbolt 3 and LAN, up to three external monitors can be connected and there are two dedicated audio ports. The only downside: An SD card reader is not available. Since the laptop was supposedly made to be an editing workstation and due to photo as well as video editors finding themselves in need of reading SD cards most often, this is a particularly disappointing omission.

A side effect of the long exhaust vents on the sides is the tightly packed inputs and outputs, which can lead to blocked ports; the USB Type-A ports, HDMI and the DisplayPort are particularly prone to this issue.

Left: AC adapter, LAN, USB Type-A 3.0, HDMI, microphone, headphones
Left: AC adapter, LAN, USB Type-A 3.0, HDMI, microphone, headphones
Right: USB Type-C (3.1, Thunderbolt 3), Mini DisplayPort, 2x USB Type-A 3.0
Right: USB Type-C (3.1, Thunderbolt 3), Mini DisplayPort, 2x USB Type-A 3.0
Front: No ports
Front: No ports
Back: Fan exhausts
Back: Fan exhausts

Communication

The Wi-Fi performance is average at best, rather inconsistent and the data transmission rates are even slightly below average. For near-field communication, Bluetooth 5.0 is also available.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s +38%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
684 MBit/s +20%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
659 MBit/s +15%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
571 (351min - 662max) MBit/s
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
355 MBit/s -38%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s +97%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
677 MBit/s +18%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
649 MBit/s +13%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
637 MBit/s +11%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
572 (477min - 621max) MBit/s
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø571 (477-621)
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø571 (351-662)

Security

 On the right, the port closest to the display is a Kensington lock; there is also TPM 2.0. A fingerprint scanner or other security features are not included.

Accessories

The package only contains a quick-start guide, a setup guide and no further accessories.

Maintenance

Everything is covered by duct tape
Everything is covered by duct tape

The bottom plate is secured by 10 Torx screws, which are easy to remove. However, there are almost no spots that can be used to pry open the case afterwards, when the bottom plate is still attached fairly firmly to the base unit. The best course of action is to apply force to the palm rests from above, since it makes removing the bottom plate significantly easier.

On the inside, users should have access to all of the components - this is not the case, however. Almost everything is covered by black tape. Due to this, almost nothing except for the Wi-Fi module, the battery and the fans is accessible. We did not feel comfortable with removing the duct tape.

Warranty

According to the official web page, the device comes with two years of bring-in service and one year of international travelers' warranty (one-year product warranty and one-year Acer Advantage warranty extension; the latter does not require any registration formalities).

Input Devices - CN715 with amber backlight

Keyboard

The keyboard
The keyboard

The most obvious eye-candy is the amber keyboard backlight, which is supposed to emit "gentle lighting that is reminiscent of a sunrise in nature" - okay. The backlight has four different intensity settings and can, of course, also be turned off. The lighting is indeed easier on the eyes than the bluish white of many competitors.

The 15-inch laptop does not integrate a numblock into the base unit and instead focuses on the standard keys of the keyboard. The keys are decently sized as a result and there is even some space in-between them. Key travel is decent and the pressure point comfortable, even though it is not quite as crisp as it could be. Fingers fly over the keyboard of the ConceptD for an overall good typing experience. Unfortunately, the power button is integrated into the keyboard (on the top right), which may cause some accidental presses when trying to delete characters (using the DEL key next to it) and activate sleep mode. The construction quality is solid and there is no rattling.

Power button
Power button
Good key height
Good key height
Keyboard backlight
Keyboard backlight

Touchpad


The touchpad
The touchpad

The touchpad is sufficiently large, embedded into the base unit and surrounded by a fancy silver border. It has good gliding properties and gestures are recognized reliably. There are no dedicated mouse keys. The click sounds of the Touchpad are slightly too loud for the advertised use case of working in a library.

Display - Acer 4K workstation

All variants of the Acer model share the same matte 4K IPS panel from AU Optronics. While the display is the brightest one in our comparison (357 cd/m²), the brightness distribution could be slightly better (84%). There is slight backlight bleeding around the (bottom) corners, although it is too weak to be noticeable during daily use.

Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Minimal backlight bleeding
Minimal backlight bleeding
UHD panel
UHD panel
360
cd/m²
388
cd/m²
378
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
365
cd/m²
364
cd/m²
325
cd/m²
332
cd/m²
352
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO31EB tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 388 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 356.6 cd/m² Minimum: 21 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 370 cd/m²
Contrast: 1327:1 (Black: 0.275 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 0.99 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.01
ΔE Greyscale 1.29 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
88% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
99% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
85.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2

Both the black value and the contrast ratio are among the best in this comparison, although the MSI and, in part, the Razer Blade 15 achieve similar results.

According to Acer, the display fully covers the AdobeRGB color space. While we measured only 88% ex-factory, the color-space coverage is still very good when compared to the competition, which achieves 59% at best, and, needless to say, the sRGB color space is covered completely.

sRGB: 100%
sRGB: 100%
AdobeRGB: 88%
AdobeRGB: 88%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
AU Optronics AUO31EB, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
BOE NV156FHM-N4G (BOE084D), IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI GL65 9SEK
AU Optronics B156HAN13.0, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Panda LM156LF-GL02, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
BOE NV156FHM-N4K, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-22%
-55%
-50%
-26%
-22%
Display P3 Coverage
85.7
64.5
-25%
36.63
-57%
40.13
-53%
61.1
-29%
65.3
-24%
sRGB Coverage
100
91.6
-8%
55
-45%
60.3
-40%
89.4
-11%
91.8
-8%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
99
65.9
-33%
37.85
-62%
41.48
-58%
62.5
-37%
66.5
-33%
Response Times
75%
23%
31%
79%
70%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
49 ?(24, 25)
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
82%
26.4 ?(13.2, 13.2)
46%
26 ?(13.6, 12.4)
47%
6.8 ?(3.6, 3.2)
86%
13.6 ?(7.2, 6.4)
72%
Response Time Black / White *
30 ?(17, 13)
10 ?(5.6, 4.4)
67%
30 ?(17.6, 12.4)
-0%
25.6 ?(14.8, 10.8)
15%
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
71%
10 ?(6, 4)
67%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(99)
Screen
-78%
-181%
-195%
-51%
-102%
Brightness middle
365
284
-22%
277.3
-24%
290.1
-21%
300.4
-18%
312.7
-14%
Brightness
357
277
-22%
256
-28%
274
-23%
289
-19%
305
-15%
Brightness Distribution
84
87
4%
86
2%
86
2%
93
11%
90
7%
Black Level *
0.275
0.3
-9%
0.2
27%
0.54
-96%
0.32
-16%
0.27
2%
Contrast
1327
947
-29%
1387
5%
537
-60%
939
-29%
1158
-13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
0.99
3.53
-257%
5.25
-430%
5.16
-421%
2.32
-134%
4.57
-362%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
1.89
6.11
-223%
19.43
-928%
18.09
-857%
3.81
-102%
6.81
-260%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.01
1.81
-79%
4.39
-335%
4.35
-331%
2.95
-192%
2.91
-188%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.29
3.56
-176%
3.5
-171%
4.4
-241%
1.5
-16%
4.3
-233%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.47 89%
2.1 105%
2.1 105%
2.3 96%
2.29 96%
CCT
6548 99%
7257 90%
6895 94%
7362 88%
6764 96%
7098 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
88
59
-33%
35
-60%
38.1
-57%
57.4
-35%
59.4
-32%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
91
-9%
55
-45%
60
-40%
89
-11%
91.3
-9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-8% / -48%
-71% / -132%
-71% / -140%
1% / -30%
-18% / -65%

* ... smaller is better

Lateral sunshine
Lateral sunshine

Thanks to a high brightness as well as a good contrast ratio and black value, nothing stands in the way of outdoor use. Additionally, the matte layer filters out reflections.

Acer still keeps its promises. With an AdobeRGB coverage of 88 %, the premium panel indeed has an average DeltaE of less than 2.0 ex-factory. We recommend against changing the AdobeRGB color profile, since instead of improving the display, trying to calibrate the panel with the help of our spectrophotometer would yield slightly worse results. In this case, the value for gray increaseed from 1.3 to 1.4 and the colors remained at an average of 1.0, while the maximum DeltaE rose from 1.9 to 2.5. Thus, users can expect excellent results with the default settings, which is rare even for high-end screens.

The response times are really poor and the Acer laptop has the slowest panel in the comparison by far.

CalMAN grayscale
CalMAN grayscale
CalMAN color deviation
CalMAN color deviation
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN saturation
Grayscale calibrated
Grayscale calibrated
Colors calibrated
Colors calibrated
Saturation calibrated
Saturation calibrated

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
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 13 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. » 77 % 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
49 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24 ms rise
↘ 25 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. » 82 % 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

As per usual, the viewing angles of the IPS display are excellent and allow for reading the screen content, even when the display is not opened to an ideal angle.

Performance - Throttling ConceptD

The ConceptD was designed to be a multimedia system for digital creative tasks. In the realm of laptops, the CPU is a high-end chip and the graphics card combined with a generous 16 GB of RAM promises excellent performance. By contrast, 512 GB storage space is not a whole lot for creative users. Luckily, the Acer is also available with a 1-TB SSD.

Processor

The Intel Core i7-9750H is a powerful six-core processor that is based on the Coffee Lake refresh architecture. It is able to process up to 12 threads simultaneously with clock rates ranging from 2.6 to 4.5 GHz (4 GHz with all cores active). The integrated GPU UHD Graphics 630 is also included.

In Cinebench, the performance already drops by 9% after the first loop. While other laptops produce similar results, their initial performance level is substantially higher. In the multi-core test, the MSI and the Lenovo achieve a staggering 22% lead! Here, our Acer's scores are 12% below the expected results of a Core i7-9750H. In the multi-core test, the CPU can run at as little as 2.8 GHz, which is only slightly above the base clock, even though the maximum theoretical 4-core Turbo frequency is 4 GHz. In contrast, the single-core performance is excellent.

In battery mode, the performance is reduced further: In Cinebench, the ConceptD's CPU performance drops by 44%.

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15 battery mode
Cinebench R15 battery mode
0651301952603253904555205856507157808459109751040110511701235Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø957 (950.3-1045.94)
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø831 (291.42-964.09)
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1208 (1186.17-1271.21)
MSI GL65 9SEK Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1185 (1166.86-1278.16)
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060 Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1066 (1058.57-1172.68)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +31%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
190 Points
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
188 Points -1%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
188 Points -1%
MSI GL65 9SEK
Intel Core i7-9750H
188 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points -3%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Intel Core i7-9750H
181 Points -5%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
179 Points -6%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H
170 Points -11%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +118%
MSI GL65 9SEK
Intel Core i7-9750H
1281 Points +22%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
1271 Points +22%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
1226 Points +17%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points +13%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Intel Core i7-9750H
1159 Points +11%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
1046 Points
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
952 (291.42min - 964.09max) Points -9%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H
964 Points -8%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (2.6 - 3.21, n=3, last 2 years)
2.85 Points +31%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
2.17 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (1.96 - 2.19, n=10)
2.1 Points -3%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
2.04 Points -6%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Intel Core i7-9750H
2.02 Points -7%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (19 - 31.6, n=3, last 2 years)
24 Points +113%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
13.57 Points +21%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (11.3 - 14.1, n=10)
13 Points +15%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Intel Core i7-9750H
12.74 Points +13%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
11.26 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (9069 - 9346, n=3)
9165 Points +1%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
9081 Points
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (37188 - 44238, n=3)
40129 Points +3%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
38960 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
6820 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
38960 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
9081 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
78.5 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
11.26 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.17 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
115.3 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1046 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
190 Points
Help

System Performance

In PCMark, our test device comes in at one of the lower ranks as well. In PCMark 8, the difference is particularly apparent. Here, MSI and Lenovo take the top spots again and perform between 10 and 30% better than our Acer. These performance results are a moderate disappointment for the laptop that is marketed as a multimedia system. Not only are many competitors with the same hardware faster, they tend to be cheaper as well.

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=82, last 2 years)
6552 Points +20%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5997 Points +10%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5761 Points +6%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5641 Points +4%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5528 Points +1%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4395 - 5997, n=16)
5523 Points +1%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
5449 Points
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5301 Points -3%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=82, last 2 years)
10417 Points +19%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
9509 Points +9%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
9431 Points +8%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9405 Points +8%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9364 Points +7%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (8361 - 10056, n=16)
9263 Points +6%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
9245 Points +6%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
8729 Points
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=82, last 2 years)
8685 Points +15%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7748 Points +3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
7631 Points +1%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7585 Points +1%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
7544 Points
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7431 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (6098 - 8106, n=16)
7382 Points -2%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7290 Points -3%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=82, last 2 years)
8566 Points +28%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
8069 Points +21%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7104 Points +7%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6860 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4344 - 8069, n=16)
6727 Points +1%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
6673 Points 0%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
6670 Points
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5898 Points -12%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5185 Points +47%
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +44%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4401 Points +25%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (3533 - 5185, n=11)
4396 Points +24%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4251 Points +20%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4136 Points +17%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4074 Points +15%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
3533 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5901 Points +33%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5676 Points +28%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4450 - 5931, n=11)
5532 Points +24%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5480 Points +23%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5419 Points +22%
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5287 Points +19%
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=9, last 2 years)
5278 Points +19%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4450 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3533 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4450 points
PCMark 10 Score
5449 points
Help

Storage Solution

Mass storage, which is provided by a 512-GB Western Digital SSD, does not disappoint. Only the model within the Lenovo Legion performs even better. The storage drive in our test device takes the 78th spot in our laptop HDD and SSD table and achieves good results. Note: The Acer laptop is also available with 1 TB of internal storage.

Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
MSI GL65 9SEK
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Average WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
3%
-12%
-21%
-6%
-6%
-12%
Write 4K
109
131.7
21%
150.2
38%
121.9
12%
124.1
14%
135
24%
110 ?(37.4 - 194.3, n=9)
1%
Read 4K
41.33
48.06
16%
43.46
5%
53.6
30%
44.75
8%
41.1
-1%
36.9 ?(25.2 - 51.2, n=9)
-11%
Write Seq
2535
1234
-51%
1412
-44%
967
-62%
1292
-49%
1427
-44%
1976 ?(1010 - 2540, n=9)
-22%
Read Seq
1538
973
-37%
1340
-13%
1461
-5%
1272
-17%
1494
-3%
1710 ?(1051 - 2512, n=9)
11%
Write 4K Q32T1
396.6
576
45%
482.2
22%
431.4
9%
514
30%
494.9
25%
339 ?(119.1 - 536, n=9)
-15%
Read 4K Q32T1
603
655
9%
535
-11%
337.3
-44%
596
-1%
578
-4%
417 ?(242 - 603, n=9)
-31%
Write Seq Q32T1
2542
3012
18%
1454
-43%
972
-62%
1892
-26%
1417
-44%
2218 ?(1078 - 2553, n=9)
-13%
Read Seq Q32T1
3324
3481
5%
1744
-48%
1727
-48%
3209
-3%
3251
-2%
2940 ?(1421 - 3489, n=9)
-12%
AS SSD
19%
-31%
-24%
2%
-23%
-12%
Seq Read
2785
1954
-30%
1315
-53%
1280
-54%
1810
-35%
1829
-34%
2544 ?(1348 - 2973, n=9)
-9%
Seq Write
2364
2484
5%
1378
-42%
905
-62%
1797
-24%
1315
-44%
2034 ?(1126 - 2429, n=9)
-14%
4K Read
43.39
56.7
31%
25.31
-42%
48.73
12%
48.43
12%
51.3
18%
36.5 ?(21.4 - 47, n=9)
-16%
4K Write
101.8
124.3
22%
118.2
16%
107
5%
106
4%
106
4%
110.8 ?(38.2 - 162.4, n=9)
9%
4K-64 Read
1257
1599
27%
839
-33%
321.1
-74%
1156
-8%
917
-27%
1112 ?(431 - 1286, n=9)
-12%
4K-64 Write
1473
1883
28%
720
-51%
761
-48%
1748
19%
1212
-18%
1222 ?(576 - 1562, n=9)
-17%
Access Time Read *
0.073
0.039
47%
0.116
-59%
0.058
21%
0.057
22%
0.063
14%
0.0965 ?(0.065 - 0.143, n=6)
-32%
Access Time Write *
0.036
0.03
17%
0.091
-153%
0.046
-28%
0.035
3%
0.104
-189%
0.04213 ?(0.023 - 0.096, n=8)
-17%
Score Read
1579
1851
17%
996
-37%
498
-68%
1385
-12%
1152
-27%
1403 ?(588 - 1621, n=9)
-11%
Score Write
1811
2256
25%
976
-46%
958
-47%
2033
12%
1450
-20%
1536 ?(728 - 1942, n=9)
-15%
Score Total
4181
5087
22%
2485
-41%
1711
-59%
4135
-1%
3177
-24%
3633 ?(1610 - 4368, n=9)
-13%
Copy ISO MB/s
1592
1279
-20%
1519
-5%
1984
25%
1539
-3%
1506 ?(955 - 2136, n=6)
-5%
Copy Program MB/s
433.7
889
105%
749
73%
588
36%
513
18%
410 ?(245 - 498, n=6)
-5%
Copy Game MB/s
1026
1218
19%
943
-8%
835
-19%
1150
12%
894 ?(512 - 1163, n=6)
-13%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
11% / 12%
-22% / -24%
-23% / -23%
-2% / -0%
-15% / -17%
-12% / -12%

* ... smaller is better

WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Sequential Read: 1583 MB/s
Sequential Write: 2390 MB/s
512K Read: 1245 MB/s
512K Write: 1178 MB/s
4K Read: 35.43 MB/s
4K Write: 93 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 398.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 257.7 MB/s

GPU Performance

Thanks to Optimus, the Acer can switch between the Intel UHD Graphics 630 and the dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, which reduces the energy consumption and heat development during office tasks and web browsing. The ConceptD is also available with an RTX 2080 Max-Q, although the higher-end configuration is substantially more expensive.

The laptop RTX 2060 performs about as well as we would expect in 3DMark with the exception of the Cloud Gate benchmark: Here, the score is consistently very low. The scores of the competition are very tightly packed, and only the larger chassis of the Razer Blade 17 gives the RTX 2060 more breathing room.

In battery mode, 3D performance is severely limited and the 3DMark 11 score is a full 60% lower.

3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark 11 battery mode
3DMark 11 battery mode
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
22299 Points +12%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (19143 - 24662, n=40)
21459 Points +8%
MSI GL65 9SEK
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
21075 Points +6%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
20723 Points +4%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
19882 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
19537 Points -2%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
19329 Points -3%
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points -8%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
112676 Points +104%
MSI GL65 9SEK
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
107016 Points +93%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
100726 Points +82%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
98452 Points +78%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
95562 Points +73%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (55324 - 116593, n=36)
93235 Points +69%
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=61, last 2 years)
57744 Points +4%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
55324 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
16647 Points +7%
MSI GL65 9SEK
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
16331 Points +5%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (14768 - 18358, n=43)
16301 Points +5%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
15913 Points +2%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
15552 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
14970 Points -4%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
14753 Points -5%
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points -13%
3DMark 11 Performance
16394 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
25480 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13724 points
Help

Gaming Performance

At resolutions up to Full HD, the laptop barely has any issues when it comes to gaming. Playing demanding titles in the native 4K resolution does bring the laptop to its limits, however. 39 FPS in Rise of the Tomb Raider (or The Witcher 3) is not a lot and the game was released three years ago. Thus, modern games in 4K may be too much for the ConceptD, whereas Full HD gaming is no problem.

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
118.5 fps +11%
MSI GL65 9SEK
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
117.5 fps +10%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
117.4 fps +10%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (74.4 - 131, n=33)
111.3 fps +4%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
107 fps
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
97.5 fps -9%
Average of class Multimedia
  (11.2 - 290, n=89, last 2 years)
90.1 fps -16%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
65 fps +14%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
63.3 fps +11%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (50.6 - 74, n=40)
61.1 fps +7%
MSI GL65 9SEK
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
58.7 fps +3%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
57 fps
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
56.7 fps -1%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
51.6 fps -9%
Average of class Multimedia
  (8 - 143.2, n=94, last 2 years)
50 fps -12%
3840x2160 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Multimedia
  (10 - 117, n=11, last 2 years)
46.4 fps +22%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
38 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (30.4 - 41.3, n=4)
37.6 fps -1%
3840x2160 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 48.4, n=4, last 2 years)
28.6 fps +10%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
26 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
 
26 fps 0%
Rise of the Tomb Raider
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
160 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (124 - 160, n=2)
142 fps -11%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
107 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
 
107 fps 0%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
88 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (83.9 - 88, n=3)
85.7 fps -3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
83.9 fps -5%
3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
39 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
 
39 fps 0%
Doom
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
127 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
 
127 fps 0%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (125 - 159, n=2)
142 fps +14%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
125 fps
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:SM
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (117 - 151, n=2)
134 fps +15%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
117 fps
3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (50 - 55.7, n=2)
52.9 fps +6%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
50 fps

In our The Witcher 3 loop test the frame rate remains rather consistent. The laptop outputs 55 FPS on average at Full HD and ultra settings.

051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G: Ø55.5 (48-63)
low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 251 182 107 57 38
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 144 131 123 117
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 202 160 107 88 39
Doom (2016) 138 134 125 117 50
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 89.4 83.4 67.2

Emissions - Acer laptop is quiet & cool

System Noise

The nominal measurements indicate that our Acer is the quietest device in our test and even the larger Razer Blade 17 is louder under load, although it also offers more performance in return. Subjectively, the irregular whirring sounds of the mass storage can become annoying. However, they are only audible occasionally and during office use in a quiet environment. When the fans are slightly louder, the SSD noise is no longer noticeable.

Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Noise
-6%
-10%
-5%
0%
-2%
off / environment *
30.4
30
1%
28.1
8%
28.2
7%
28.2
7%
28.5
6%
Idle Minimum *
30.6
30
2%
31.4
-3%
28.8
6%
28.2
8%
30.3
1%
Idle Average *
30.6
32
-5%
31.5
-3%
31.4
-3%
28.2
8%
30.5
-0%
Idle Maximum *
30.6
34
-11%
33.5
-9%
33.3
-9%
28.2
8%
30.5
-0%
Load Average *
44
44
-0%
49.3
-12%
46.2
-5%
43
2%
41
7%
Witcher 3 ultra *
43.9
48
-9%
51.3
-17%
50.5
-15%
48.4
-10%
48
-9%
Load Maximum *
44.2
52
-18%
58
-31%
51.3
-16%
53.4
-21%
51.9
-17%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
30.6 / 30.6 / 30.6 dB(A)
Load
44 / 44.2 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: 30.4 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.834.834.734.438.82544.734.537.637.444.7314435.642.940.1444040.13234.532.340.1503529.629.731.3356334.928.929.428.434.9803128.527.926.83110029.8262727.329.812531.127.125.925.831.116026.927.124.423.726.920026.626.523.322.626.625027.526.922.222.227.531529.929.921.320.929.940027.528.221.120.227.550028.928.819.919.528.96302727.119.519.22780028.228.218.418.228.2100031.531.418.21831.5125031.231.417.91831.2160033.633.51817.533.6200034.434.717.817.534.4250036.936.91817.736.9315033.734.418.217.833.7400031.83218.21831.8500029.829.6181829.8630026.626.818.318.226.6800024.424.618.418.424.41000022.121.718.318.422.11250020.720.318.218.120.7160002119.718.418.221SPL4444.230.730.444N4.44.41.51.44.4median 28.9median 28.2median 18.4median 18.2median 28.9Delta3.23.41.81.23.2hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N

Temperature

On the top, the surface temperatures are moderate, even under load. The bottom of the laptop, on the other hand, can reach up to 57 °C under high load. That said, only the Razer Blade Pro 17, which comes with a significantly larger chassis, remains slightly cooler and all of the other competitors reach similar temperatures. The surface temperatures of the ConceptD are even some of the lowest overall. The hot spots are located predominantly in the center and on the right, whereas the palm rests remain relatively cool.

Max. Load
 35.4 °C
96 F
44.6 °C
112 F
42.9 °C
109 F
 
 35.1 °C
95 F
43.5 °C
110 F
43 °C
109 F
 
 30.5 °C
87 F
32 °C
90 F
33 °C
91 F
 
Maximum: 44.6 °C = 112 F
Average: 37.8 °C = 100 F
51.6 °C
125 F
57.2 °C
135 F
37 °C
99 F
44.7 °C
112 F
55.5 °C
132 F
37.5 °C
100 F
37 °C
99 F
38.1 °C
101 F
34.6 °C
94 F
Maximum: 57.2 °C = 135 F
Average: 43.7 °C = 111 F
Power Supply (max.)  56.3 °C = 133 F | Room Temperature 23.1 °C = 74 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.8 °C / 100 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 44.6 °C / 112 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 57.2 °C / 135 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.5 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 38.5 °C / 101 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 41 °C / 105.8 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-12.2 °C / -22 F).
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
MSI GL65 9SEK
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Heat
-24%
-24%
-5%
2%
-23%
Maximum Upper Side *
44.6
47
-5%
49
-10%
43.4
3%
40.6
9%
52
-17%
Maximum Bottom *
57.2
60
-5%
54.2
5%
49.2
14%
45.4
21%
52.2
9%
Idle Upper Side *
27.4
37
-35%
40.4
-47%
30.8
-12%
30
-9%
38
-39%
Idle Bottom *
27.6
41
-49%
40
-45%
34
-23%
31
-12%
40.4
-46%

* ... smaller is better

Immediately after starting our stress test, the CPU already reduces its clock rate to 2.9 GHz. This value decreases even further and stabilizes in the 2.4- to 2.6-GHz range after 10 minutes, meaning it sometimes falls below the base clock rate. The clock frequency may drop even further and we measured around 1.8 GHz at the end of the test.

Stress test start
Stress test start
Stress test after 10 min
Stress test after 10 min
Stress test after 1 h
Stress test after 1 h

Due to the thin chassis, the core temperatures reach their respective limits fairly quickly, causing reduced clock speeds and temperatures that stabilize at just above 80 °C.

The GPU performance remains fairly consistent, on the other hand and it is defined by clock rates of between 1.3 and 1.5 GHz.

When running 3DMark 11 again after the stress test, a performance deficit of about 26% can be observed.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark 11 after our stress test
3DMark 11 after our stress test
Idle top
Idle top
Load top
Load top
The Witcher 3 top
The Witcher 3 top
Idle bottom
Idle bottom
Load bottom
Load bottom
The Witcher 3 bottom
The Witcher 3 bottom

Speakers

Due to the compact form factor, there is little room for great sound reproduction. The speakers are slightly too quiet and, of course, lack bass. However, the mid and the high tones have a clear sound signature.

Acer promises 360-degree surround sound with any pair of headphones. While this feature highlights the details of mid and high tones, it unfortunately also creates a mushy and indistinct bass. At least the included software offers a lot of customization.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.934.435.9253637.4363142.140.142.14035.732.335.75032.731.332.76331.728.431.78028.226.828.210037.327.337.312544.425.844.416045.523.745.520040.122.640.125052.922.252.93156020.96040062.420.262.45005819.55863060.919.260.980065.618.265.6100063.91863.9125062.81862.8160065.117.565.1200068.517.568.5250066.417.766.4315063.417.863.4400059.71859.7500056.91856.9630059.818.259.8800065.218.465.21000064.218.464.21250058.618.158.61600052.818.252.8SPL7630.476N37.71.437.7median 60median 18.2median 60Delta5.91.25.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743NApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.3% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (17% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 42% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 50% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 27% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - CN715 is energy-efficient and long-lasting

Energy Consumption

The Acer ConceptD is the most economical laptop in our comparison, regardless of the system load. Even the Razer Blade 15, which is equipped with a nominally weaker GeForce 1660 Ti, can consume more power, although it is slightly more economical on average. Particularly during idle, our Acer consumes a surprisingly low amount of power, which is even more impressive in light of the 4K display that is likely to be fairly demanding.

In our stress test, the ConceptD consumes up to 183 watts. While this more than exhausts the capabilities of the 180-W AC adapter, this scenario is an exception. While playing The Witcher 3 on ultra settings, 144 watts was consumed, which means that the AC adapter should be well-suited to almost any situation.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.03 / 0.26 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 7.6 / 13.6 / 18.2 Watt
Load midlight 102 / 183 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.
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
MSI GL65 9SEK
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
Power Consumption
-141%
-27%
-42%
-61%
-36%
-23%
19%
Idle Minimum *
7.6
41
-439%
10.9
-43%
16
-111%
18.7
-146%
15
-97%
11.5 ?(2.9 - 41, n=36)
-51%
7.28 ?(2.2 - 34.6, n=93, last 2 years)
4%
Idle Average *
13.6
45.3
-233%
14.7
-8%
21.7
-60%
30.7
-126%
20
-47%
16.5 ?(5.9 - 45.3, n=36)
-21%
11.8 ?(4.6 - 43, n=93, last 2 years)
13%
Idle Maximum *
18.2
47.1
-159%
32.4
-78%
26.1
-43%
33.9
-86%
33
-81%
23.7 ?(8.5 - 47.1, n=36)
-30%
14.6 ?(5.6 - 44.9, n=93, last 2 years)
20%
Load Average *
102
94.9
7%
121.9
-20%
105.6
-4%
93.4
8%
88
14%
107.5 ?(82 - 147, n=37)
-5%
77.3 ?(14.3 - 147, n=92, last 2 years)
24%
Witcher 3 ultra *
144
149.4
-4%
143.5
-0%
161.8
-12%
158.9
-10%
128
11%
Load Maximum *
183
214.2
-17%
209.6
-15%
225.3
-23%
195.3
-7%
213
-16%
199.7 ?(145 - 243, n=37)
-9%
119.3 ?(44 - 247, n=92, last 2 years)
35%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

With a capacity of 84 Wh, our test model contains the largest battery of the devices in our comparison. On the flipside, the 4K display is decidedly more demanding than the screens of most Full HD competitors. While the ConceptD 7 lasts for a surprisingly long time, it at least partially owes this result to its lower performance.

In our Wi-Fi test, the Razer Blade Pro 15 is closest to our test device in terms of runtime, although it, too, runs out of steam three hours before our Acer laptop. Compared to the Lenovo model, which is considered weak in this discipline, the difference is more than five hours!

Overall, the competition's battery life is around 30 to 60% shorter. Thus, the ConceptD is fairly mobile for its device class.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
13h 42min
WiFi Websurfing
8h 38min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 28min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 36min
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 84 Wh
MSI GL65 9SEK
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 51 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 57 Wh
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 66 Wh
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2060
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 70 Wh
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 65 Wh
Average of class Multimedia
 
Battery Runtime
-54%
-55%
-78%
-47%
-36%
25%
Reader / Idle
822
262
-68%
233
-72%
933 ?(506 - 1571, n=25, last 2 years)
14%
H.264
388
680 ?(319 - 1481, n=49, last 2 years)
75%
WiFi v1.3
518
230
-56%
192
-63%
112
-78%
272
-47%
330
-36%
560 ?(262 - 1204, n=92, last 2 years)
8%
Load
96
60
-37%
67
-30%
96.9 ?(39 - 215, n=73, last 2 years)
1%

Pros

+ sleek design
+ aluminum chassis
+ relatively small and lightweight
+ Thunderbolt 3
+ visually pleasing backlight
+ bright display with a high contrast ratio
+ good color space coverage
+ good SSD
+ relatively quiet, cool and economical
+ large battery, good runtimes

Cons

- no card reader
- tightly spaced ports
- loud touchpad keys
- display with slow response times
- CPU throttles significantly
- large performance deficit in battery mode
- disappointing system performance

Verdict - Great display, poor performance

The Acer ConceptD 7, courtesy of
The Acer ConceptD 7, courtesy of

Acer's ConceptD is advertised as a high-performance multimedia system for creators. The results of our review only partially back up this claim, since Acer cuts some corners. For more than 2,000 Euros (~$2,204), less price-sensitive buyers receive a sleek multimedia laptop with premium looks that, in light of its strong features, is fairly compact and lightweight. Furthermore, it mostly remains cool, quiet and the energy consumption is more than reasonable as well.

However, the latter stems from fairly poor-performing components. The CPU in particular throttles heavily, the heat development further reduces the performance due to the small chassis and in battery mode, and the computing power takes another large hit.

Those who choose their multimedia system purely based on the hardware's prowess are better served by less-expensive competitors. With its bright 4K display, which offers a good contrast ratio and very good color-space coverage as well as a low color deviation, the ConceptD still has one ace up its sleeve, since most other multimedia laptops cannot compete in this regard. Here, tradeoffs have to be made.

The ConceptD7 is sleek, quiet, cool, economical and it offers a premium look and feel. The 4K display, which offers accurate colors and a high color-space coverage, may be a deciding factor in the purchase decision of creators. However, the performance of the Acer is disappointing with heavy CPU throttling leading to a significantly slower system compared to competitors.

Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N - 05/21/2020 v7
Christian Hintze

Chassis
85 / 98 → 87%
Keyboard
91%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
64 / 80 → 80%
Weight
62 / 20-72 → 80%
Battery
75 / 95 → 79%
Display
93%
Games Performance
90 / 90 → 100%
Application Performance
87 / 90 → 96%
Temperature
85%
Noise
83 / 95 → 87%
Audio
62%
Camera
35 / 85 → 41%
Average
77%
87%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer ConceptD 7 Laptop in Review: Top-of-the-line Intel CPU with throttling behavior
Christian Hintze, 2019-11- 8 (Update: 2022-10- 6)