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Acer Predator 17 (7700HQ, GTX 1070, UHD) Laptop Review

4K Gaming. The Acer Predator series stands for classical gaming notebooks, which – in contrast to some of their slim siblings – are purely trimmed for performance. After we tested the Skylake version of the Predator 17 in September of 2016, now the Kaby-Lake model, which is similarly built on the outside, must prove itself.

Anyone looking for a powerful high-end notebook that offers more power than a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (Aspire VX5-591G) or GeForce GTX 1060 (Aspire VN7-593G) will find it in the Predator series. Starting at 2000 Euros (~$2238), the massive gaming giants are either equipped with a GeForce GTX 1070 (Predator 17) or the front-runner from Nvidia's Pascal-generation, the GeForce GTX 1080 (Predator 17 X), which promises sufficient performance for demanding games. Depending on the model, there is 16 to 64 GB DDR4-RAM and a 256 GB to 512 GB SSD plus up to 1 TB HDD.

Either a Core i7-7700HQ with a 2.8 to 3.8 GHz clock speed or a Core i7-7820HK with a 2.9 to 3.9 GHz clock speed and free multiplier serves as the processor. The display is either a conventional FHD display (1920x1080 pixels) or a razor-sharp UHD panel (3840x2160 pixels). Our test unit, which is labeled as G9-793-70PJ and was provided by notebooksbilliger.de, currently costs around 2800 Euros (~$3133). Even though you can also get notebooks with a GTX 1080 for this price, the 4K display and the 512-GB SSD are what make it so expensive. In the US, an Acer Predator 17, which doesn't have the 4K display but is otherwise similar, is available for around $1750.

Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ (Predator 17 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 4 x 2.8 - 3.8 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1443 MHz, Memory: 4000 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 381.78
Memory
32 GB 
, 2x 16 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2133, dual channel, 2 of 4 slots occupied, max. 64 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), IPS, UHD, G-Sync, 60 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM175
Storage
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7, 512 GB 
, m.2-SSD type 2280 + Toshiba MQ01ABD100, 1000 GB HDD @ 5400 rpm
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphone, microphone, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC
Networking
Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 40 x 423 x 322 ( = 1.57 x 16.65 x 12.68 in)
Battery
88 Wh, 6000 mAh Lithium-Ion, 8 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 4 speakers + subwoofer, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, power supply: 230 watts, additional fan, setup guide, quick start instructions, warranty, MS Office 365 trial, Killer Network Manager, XSplit Gamecaster Trial, PredatorSense, Dolby Audio, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
4.34 kg ( = 153.09 oz / 9.57 pounds), Power Supply: 930 g ( = 32.8 oz / 2.05 pounds)
Price
2800 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Updates

As mentioned above, Acer trusts the existing Predator-17 basis and delivers a product that is identical to a far extent. Thus for the categories of the case, features, and input devices, we refer to our review of the G9-793-77LG, which aside from a few details is identical to the newer generation. The most important change is the processor, although that does not make too much of a difference in practice. To remain up to date, Acer replaces Intel's Skylake architecture with Kaby Lake, which is around 10% faster. 

Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793
Acer Predator 17 G9-793

In terms of weight and size, nothing has changed. At almost 4.3 kg (~9.48 lb) and a height of 4.0 cm (1.57 in), the Predator 17 is still very heavy and unwieldy.

Size Comparison

428 mm / 16.9 inch 333 mm / 13.1 inch 51 mm / 2.01 inch 4.5 kg9.94 lbs428 mm / 16.9 inch 294 mm / 11.6 inch 48 mm / 1.89 inch 3.8 kg8.44 lbs428 mm / 16.9 inch 308 mm / 12.1 inch 47 mm / 1.85 inch 5 kg11 lbs423 mm / 16.7 inch 322 mm / 12.7 inch 45 mm / 1.772 inch 4.3 kg9.58 lbs423 mm / 16.7 inch 322 mm / 12.7 inch 40 mm / 1.575 inch 4.3 kg9.57 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
 
166 MB/s +110%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
 
125 MB/s +58%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
 
79 MB/s 0%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
 
79 MB/s
Asus G752VS-XB78K
 
76 MB/s -4%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
 
207 MB/s +133%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
 
205 MB/s +130%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
 
89 MB/s 0%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
 
89 MB/s
Asus G752VS-XB78K
 
86 MB/s -3%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
628 MBit/s +1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
624 MBit/s
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
618 MBit/s -1%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
584 MBit/s -6%
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
694 MBit/s
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
683 MBit/s -2%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
681 MBit/s -2%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
672 MBit/s -3%

Display

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

In regard to the G-Sync capable 4K display, there is no news. This is good, because the AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 panel already delighted us with its ample color space in the predecessor. Only very few competitors manage 100% sRGB and 88% AdobeRGB. The brightness of around 328 cd/m² and a 0.29 cd/m² black value are not bad for this notebook segment either. The test unit can achieve a contrast of 1100:1, which is a very good value.

336
cd/m²
343
cd/m²
336
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
343
cd/m²
348
cd/m²
306
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
306
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 348 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 328.3 cd/m² Minimum: 23 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 343 cd/m²
Contrast: 1183:1 (Black: 0.29 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.01 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
88% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
99.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.4
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), 3840x2160
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Chi Mei N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747), 1920x1080
Asus G752VS-XB78K
LG Philips LP173WF4-SPF3 (LGD04E8), 1920x1080
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
LP173WF4-SPF5 (LGD056D), 1920x1080
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), 3840x2160
Display
-23%
-25%
-26%
0%
Display P3 Coverage
86.4
68.3
-21%
66.9
-23%
66
-24%
86.6
0%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
86.7
-13%
85.2
-15%
83.7
-16%
99.9
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
99.1
63.4
-36%
62.3
-37%
61.2
-38%
99.5
0%
Response Times
58%
19%
1%
2%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
50 ?(24.4, 25.6)
29 ?(13, 16)
42%
38 ?(14, 24)
24%
45 ?(18, 27)
10%
44 ?(14, 30)
12%
Response Time Black / White *
25.6 ?(11.2, 14.4)
7 ?(4, 3)
73%
22 ?(4, 18)
14%
28 ?(6, 22)
-9%
28 ?(6, 22)
-9%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-44%
-6%
-9%
8%
Brightness middle
343
299
-13%
328
-4%
380
11%
362
6%
Brightness
328
277
-16%
317
-3%
362
10%
344
5%
Brightness Distribution
84
87
4%
88
5%
91
8%
85
1%
Black Level *
0.29
0.27
7%
0.3
-3%
0.37
-28%
0.35
-21%
Contrast
1183
1107
-6%
1093
-8%
1027
-13%
1034
-13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.01
9.65
-141%
3.74
7%
4.12
-3%
2.46
39%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.03
15.43
-156%
8.97
-49%
8.19
-36%
4.26
29%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.7
9.68
-106%
2.67
43%
3.95
16%
2.9
38%
Gamma
2.4 92%
1.89 116%
2.41 91%
2.47 89%
2.31 95%
CCT
6451 101%
11652 56%
6861 95%
6539 99%
6120 106%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
88
75
-15%
56
-36%
55
-37%
88
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
100
0%
85
-15%
84
-16%
100
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-3% / -26%
-4% / -7%
-11% / -11%
3% / 6%

* ... smaller is better

The color accuracy turns out only mediocre, however. Our measurements using the CalMAN software show DeltaE-2000 deviations of almost 4.7 (Grayscale) and 4.0 (ColorChecker). Professional users who want to use the Predator 17 for photo and video projects can breathe easy, however: via calibration, these values can be pushed down to below 1 and so remain within the ideal limit. The corresponding ICC-file is linked above, next to the Distribution of Brightness image above the illumination chart. 

CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation sweeps
CalMAN: saturation sweeps
CalMAN: saturation sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
Acer Predator 17 vs. sRGB (100%)
Acer Predator 17 vs. sRGB (100%)
Acer Predator 17 vs. AdobeRGB (88%)
Acer Predator 17 vs. AdobeRGB (88%)

Speaking of illumination, halos can be seen in the test unit "only" at the bottom edge. Whether you are bothered by this, depends on a personal impression. Thanks to the matte display surface and the brightness which is quite high, the Predator 17 can be used outside, although the battery life, size, and weight will set some limits to that. 

In the sun
In the sun
In the shade
In the shade
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Finally, some words about the viewing-angle stability: as typical for IPS displays, this is rather good, as our picture also shows. 

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
25.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11.2 ms rise
↘ 14.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 56 % 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
50 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24.4 ms rise
↘ 25.6 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. » 84 % 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.

Performance

With its high-end components, the tested Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ is comfortable at the top end of the food chain. A quad-core processor with Hyper-Threading, a DirectX-12 GPU with 8 GB of VRAM, and 32 GB of working memory (2x 16 GB DDR4-2133) should provide enough reserves for the next gaming hits – at least if you lower the resolution from Ultra HD to Full HD in an emergency.

Processor

Like the rest of the gaming-laptop manufacturers, upon the launch of Intel's Kaby-Lake generation, Acer takes advantage of the current favorable situation and provides the Predator series with a fresh CPU.

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
CPU & GPU load
CPU & GPU load

The "standard model," the Core i7-7700HQ, offers a very good performance, which the Predator 17 can also maintain for longer periods of time. After half-an-hour of Cinebench R15 (see chart), the results still remained on a high level. No wonder, since the CPU achieves between 3.4 and 3.8 GHz, which corresponds to the maximum Turbo levels for multi and single-core load.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730740Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.81 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.09 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
157 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
732 Points
Help

As expected, other notebooks with the Core i7-7700HQ (such as the MSI GT72VR 7RE) perform similarly. More power is offered by the Core i7-7820HK of the Acer Predator 17 X and the Core i7-7700K of the Schenker XMG U727, which are between 15% and 31% faster in the benchmarks.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Intel Core i7-7700K
193 Points +23%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Intel Core i7-7820HK
184 Points +17%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
Intel Core i7-6820HK
160 Points +2%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
159 Points +1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
157 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Intel Core i7-7700K
958 Points +31%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Intel Core i7-7820HK
874 Points +19%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
Intel Core i7-6820HK
789 Points +8%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
736 Points +1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
732 Points
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Intel Core i7-7700K
2.18 Points +20%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Intel Core i7-7820HK
2.08 Points +15%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.81 Points 0%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.81 Points
Asus G752VS-XB78K
Intel Core i7-6820HK
1.77 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Intel Core i7-7700K
10.59 Points +31%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Intel Core i7-7820HK
9.55 Points +18%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
Intel Core i7-6820HK
8.63 Points +7%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.17 Points +1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.09 Points

System Performance

Probably because of the higher computing demands of the 4K display, the Predator 17 and the Schenker XMG U727 cannot quite achieve the performance of the competition in PCMark 8. Subjectively, there is no reason for complaint. Thanks to the NVMe SSD and the high-end hardware, the system runs comfortably smooth and reacts exceptionally fast in any situation. 

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
5975 Points +36%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
5575 Points +27%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
5009 Points +14%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
4902 Points +12%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
4395 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
6123 Points +35%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
5778 Points +27%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
5404 Points +19%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
4972 Points +9%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
4541 Points
PCMark 7 - Score
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
7864 Points +18%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
7667 Points +15%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
6803 Points +2%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
6692 Points
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
6618 Points -1%
PCMark 7 Score
6692 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4395 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4541 points
Help

Storage Solution

Even if most users will not notice any difference between a SATA-III SSD and a PCIe SSD, in most of the more expensive notebooks the latter is almost exclusively used. The 512-GB model of the Predator 17 comes from Toshiba and in the AS SSD benchmark it settles between the weaker Kingston drive of the MSI GT72VR and the faster Samsung drive of the Schenker XMG U727.

More than 1200 MB/s in the sequential writes and more than 2200 MB/s in the sequential reads show what the PCIe models can do. To avoid running out of space when having a larger collection of videos and games, besides the M.2 SSD there is also a 2.5-inch HDD with a 1 TB capacity (5400 rpm). 

Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
Asus G752VS-XB78K
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
AS SSD
-45%
5%
38%
Seq Read
2237
509
-77%
2261
1%
2746
23%
Seq Write
1230
282.1
-77%
1338
9%
1445
17%
4K Read
37.51
40.04
7%
39.52
5%
56.8
51%
4K Write
120.8
95.8
-21%
133.8
11%
175.9
46%
Score Total
2547
1142
-55%
2581
1%
3938
55%
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
Sequential Read: 2237MB/s
Sequential Write: 1230MB/s
4K Read: 37.51MB/s
4K Write: 120.8MB/s
4K-64 Read: 851MB/s
4K-64 Write: 646MB/s
Access Time Read: 0.052ms
Access Time Write: 0.033ms
Score Read: 1112Points
Score Write: 890Points
Score Total: 2547Points

Graphics Card

While the GeForce GTX 1060 is meant more for the Full HD resolution, the GeForce GTX 1070 is absolutely qualified for 4K gaming. Nvidia's currently second most powerful notebook chip offers an ample 8 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and normally runs at between 1443 and 1645 MHz.

Anyone who wants to tease slightly more performance out of the Predator 17 has the option to adjust the clock speed with the preinstalled PredatorSense tool. In the "Faster" mode between 1513 and 1715 MHz is reached, and "Turbo" even accelerates the GeForce GTX 1070 core to between 1583 and 1785 MHz. All the measurements in the test report were taken in the "Normal" mode, which corresponds to the standard clock speeds. 

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
22566 Points +34%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
21534 Points +28%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
17625 Points +5%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
16847 Points
Asus G752VS-XB78K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
16757 Points -1%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
7140 Points +36%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
6927 Points +32%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
5389 Points +3%
Asus G752VS-XB78K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
5303 Points +1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
5238 Points
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
29426 Points +31%
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
28595 Points +27%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
23170 Points +3%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
22510 Points
Asus G752VS-XB78K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
22282 Points -1%

There are no surprises in the synthetic graphics tests. The Predator 17 comes out at the same level as the GTX-1070 competition, the MSI GT72VR and the Asus G752VS. Notebooks with the GeForce 1080 such as the Predator 17 X and the Schenker XMG U727 are 30% faster.

3DMark 11 Performance
16430 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
27050 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13353 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5059 points
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Gaming Performance

As long as you forego maximum details when needed and don't expect butter-smooth frame-rates (>60 FPS), the GeForce GTX 1070 is also armed for 3840x2160 pixels. With the exception of Dawn of War 3, all the titles tested are playable more or less smoothly in our UHD setting.

low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 104 59.4 38.7
For Honor (2017) 142 106 43.6
Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) 84.6 49.5 32.3
Mass Effect Andromeda (2017) 77.7 68.9 31.6
Warhammer 40.000: Dawn of War III (2017) 57.8 51.4 18.2
Prey (2017) 134 129 46.7

As before in the CPU section, we also evaluated whether the performance of the GPU remains stable during longer sessions. In the 60-minute test with The Witcher 3 role-playing game, there was nothing remarkable. The FPS values remained constant to a large degree (54 to 61 at FHD/Ultra). Due to the drop off in the Turbo, the performance slows down a little with time.

012345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758596061Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

Emissions

To improve the cooling of the Predator 17, Acer adds an extra fan called FrostCore, which can be inserted instead of the optical drive (DVD burner) and was also integrated during our measurements.

Noise Emissions

The noise development of the Predator is not very remarkable. Almost 32 to 35 dB in the idle mode (with a slight revving up to 38 dB, for example during the booting sequence) and 42 to 50 dB during load (44 dB with The Witcher 3) are neither very good nor very bad for a gaming notebook.

Noise level idle
Noise level idle
Noise level load
Noise level load
Sound level speaker
Sound level speaker

With these values, the Predator ranges at about the same level as the competition that has a similar thickness. The 17-incher is never completely silent and the fans are always active even during longer idling periods.

Noise Level

Idle
32 / 35 / 38 dB(A)
HDD
35 dB(A)
Load
42 / 50 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: 31 dB(A)
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Asus G752VS-XB78K
6820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Noise
4%
7%
1%
-2%
off / environment *
31
31
-0%
30
3%
30
3%
30
3%
Idle Minimum *
32
34
-6%
31
3%
33
-3%
31
3%
Idle Average *
35
35
-0%
32
9%
35
-0%
34
3%
Idle Maximum *
38
37
3%
33
13%
37
3%
37
3%
Load Average *
42
37
12%
40
5%
40
5%
44
-5%
Witcher 3 ultra *
44
51
-16%
Load Maximum *
50
44
12%
47
6%
50
-0%
52
-4%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Thanks to the FrostCore if nothing else, the case remains comfortably cool, even during 3D operation. Here the palm rest stands out, which still feels comfortable at a maximum of 31 °C (88 °F) even in stress situations. The Predator 17 completed the idle test with an average of 25 °C (top, 77 °F) and 23 °C (bottom, 73 °F), which is also an excellent result.

Stress test
Stress test
Full load top (Optris PI 640)
Full load top (Optris PI 640)
Full load bottom (Optris PI 640)
Full load bottom (Optris PI 640)

Underneath the hood, it is mainly the processor that heats up. While the GeForce GTX 1070 (which was slightly throttled) reached only a maximum of 70 °C (158 °F) after an hour of full load with the Furmark and Prime95 tools, the Core i7-7700HQ (which is not throttled) reached up to 94 °C (201 °F).

Max. Load
 36.5 °C
98 F
39.1 °C
102 F
38.1 °C
101 F
 
 30.9 °C
88 F
39 °C
102 F
36.8 °C
98 F
 
 26 °C
79 F
31 °C
88 F
27.6 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 39.1 °C = 102 F
Average: 33.9 °C = 93 F
37 °C
99 F
42.1 °C
108 F
41 °C
106 F
37.3 °C
99 F
37 °C
99 F
24.1 °C
75 F
23.2 °C
74 F
24.8 °C
77 F
22.6 °C
73 F
Maximum: 42.1 °C = 108 F
Average: 32.1 °C = 90 F
Power Supply (max.)  44.3 °C = 112 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.9 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.1 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.1 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.3 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 33.3 °C / 92 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.8 °C / 89.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-2.9 °C / -5.2 F).
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Asus G752VS-XB78K
6820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Heat
-5%
-9%
-14%
-27%
Maximum Upper Side *
39.1
41.5
-6%
42.9
-10%
44.2
-13%
47.5
-21%
Maximum Bottom *
42.1
50.6
-20%
41.5
1%
43
-2%
56
-33%
Idle Upper Side *
27.9
26.4
5%
31.6
-13%
32.4
-16%
34.5
-24%
Idle Bottom *
26.1
25.4
3%
29.5
-13%
32.8
-26%
33.6
-29%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.343.62534.840.73132.934.44033.943.35028.639.86330.1448028.554.410027.963.312525.560.216023.466.620023.672.125024.273.831523.574.340022.37750021.278.463020.675.880019.677.5100020.378125018.975.6160018.673.4200018.971.6250018.678.5315018.377.5400018.270.4500018.369.8630018.270.4800018.166.21000018.362.91250018.460.81600017.955.2SPL31.487N1.676.3median 18.9median 73.4Delta1.85.435.432.73637.735.540.629.133.427.232.427.542.124.146.624.656.325.563.424.167.222.168.720.364.120.872.119.573.919.975.619.672.118.471.618.87618.675.418.875.418.979.618.980.419.174.119.168.61967.71965.71963.5196618.963.518.849.131.2871.570median 19median 701.15.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJMSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 5.2% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.3% 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 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
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%

MSI GT72VR 7RE-433 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 87% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be checked/unchecked!)

Power Management

Power Consumption

The sacrifice of graphics-switching (Nvidia Optimus) expresses itself especially in the power consumption and battery life. During idle operation, we got between 23 and 40 watts for the high-end gamer, and during load we measured almost 94 watts (3DMark 06), 177 watts (The Witcher 3), and 228 watts (stress test). With a nominal capacity of 230 watts, the power supply is sized sufficiently.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.8 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 23 / 33 / 40 Watt
Load midlight 94 / 228 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 Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Asus G752VS-XB78K
6820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Power Consumption
16%
5%
-7%
-43%
Idle Minimum *
23
20
13%
24
-4%
27
-17%
32
-39%
Idle Average *
33
27
18%
31
6%
32
3%
43
-30%
Idle Maximum *
40
31
22%
36
10%
41
-3%
51
-28%
Load Average *
94
86
9%
94
-0%
102
-9%
138
-47%
Witcher 3 ultra *
177
279
-58%
Load Maximum *
228
184
19%
204
11%
248
-9%
350
-54%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Depending on the display brightness and system demands, the runtime is between 1.5 hours (high load, maximum brightness) and 5.5 hours (idle, minimum brightness). During Windows everyday-life operation (video, web, etc.), you can last for 3 to 4 hours without a power supply with medium brightness. Even though all the competitors have a battery with at least 80 Wh, the results of none of the devices can really convince. But these notebooks are primarily designed as desktop replacements. During The Witcher 3 (FHD & Ultra), the performance slows down by 20% in battery mode.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
5h 23min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 38min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 31min
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 88 Wh
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 83 Wh
Asus G752VS-XB78K
6820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 90 Wh
Acer Predator 17 X GX-792-76DL
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 88.8 Wh
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 89 Wh
Battery Runtime
1%
-5%
4%
-16%
Reader / Idle
323
316
-2%
311
-4%
313
-3%
222
-31%
WiFi v1.3
218
230
6%
210
-4%
251
15%
168
-23%
Load
91
91
0%
84
-8%
90
-1%
97
7%
H.264
228
186
204

Verdict

Pros

+ future-proof features (amount of RAM, etc.)
+ optical drive or additional fan
+ illuminated keyboard with macro keys
+ optional GPU overclocking
+ excellent UHD display
+ very high performance
+ Thunderbolt 3
+ NVMe-SSD
+ G-Sync

Cons

- touchpad is set into the case very deep
- design is a matter of taste
- limited maintenance
- poor battery life
- high weight
- thick case
Acer Predator 17 G9-793, test unit provided by notebooksbilliger.de.
Acer Predator 17 G9-793, test unit provided by notebooksbilliger.de.

Since our Skylake test, our verdict on the visually extravagant Predator remains almost unchanged.

With the featured equipment, the Kaby-Lake version also scores with an excellent UHD panel, which plays at the top in most disciplines (such as viewing angle, contrast, and color space).

Added to that is a first-class performance which can be even further increased via PredatorSense (optional GPU over-clocking). The future-proofing is taken care of as well, be it in form of the 32 GB of RAM, the high capacity of the drives (SSD-HDD combination), or the Thunderbolt-3 port.

We see the disadvantages in the size and weight. Anyone who often transports their notebook should rather buy a more compact device that supports Optimus (since it tends to have better battery life). However, core gamers who primarily play stationary should hardly be bothered by this.

Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ - 05/20/2017 v6(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
76 / 98 → 78%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
70 / 81 → 87%
Weight
46 / 10-66 → 64%
Battery
73%
Display
89%
Games Performance
96%
Application Performance
93%
Temperature
90 / 95 → 95%
Noise
70 / 90 → 77%
Audio
80%
Average
79%
87%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Predator 17 (7700HQ, GTX 1070, UHD) Laptop Review
Florian Glaser, 2017-05-21 (Update: 2020-05-19)