Acer Predator 17X GX-792-77BL

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Reviews for the Acer Predator 17X GX-792-77BL

80% Acer Predator 17 X Review Editor's Choice
Source: Laptop Mag Archive.org version
The Acer Predator 17 X packs an inordinate amount of speed and power into an imposing gaming system that stays remarkably cool.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 04/05/2017
Rating: Total score: 80%

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Model: The Acer Predator 17X GX-792-77BL is a gaming laptop that offers an overclockable CPU, which is the brand new Intel Core i7-7820HK from the Kaby Lake generation paired with up to 64 GB of DDR4-2133 RAM and Nvidia’s top-shelf GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. This means considerably more horsepower under the hood and less heat from the Pascal-based graphics card. The dual 256 GB SSDs (with a 1 TB 7,200 RPM hard drive) should come in handy when launching games. The Predator 17 X's GTX 1080 GPU (and CPU) is already powerful, but thanks to Acer's Predator Sense software, a user can squeeze out even more power via overclocking. The software has three settings which are Normal, Faster and Turbo that will automatically adjust clock speed at the touch of a button. The Predator 17X still weighs quite a lot tipping the scale at 4.5 kg while the side profile measures at 50 mm, but it’s probably necessary in order to support the most powerful configuration a notebook can have. Acer still boasts about its super-stiff fibreglass/plastic construction, which turns out to be true. Even the lid isn’t susceptible to excessive bending and the keyboard area remains rock-solid. The single hinge design provides smooth and secure movements once more while the matte black finish doesn’t attract fingerprints and smudges that much.

Opening the lid reveals a flashy RGB keyboard backlight and customizable LED around the edge of the touchpad making it impossible to lose it in the dark. In short, it has an identical keyboard, touchpad and macro keys design, layout and overall feel. The touchpad is responsive and accurate with clicky mouse buttons, although a bit smaller than they should be. The new Predator 17X sports a familiar AUO B173ZAN01.0 IPS panel with 4K UHD resolution (3840×2160). That’s great news because the panel is practically perfect for gaming, multimedia and even color-sensitive work. The panel offers 255 PPI in a 17.3-inch diagonal and 0.1 x 0.1 mm pixel pitch. The screen can be considered as “Retina” when viewed from a distance equal or greater than 33 cm. The Predator 17 X's display has Nvidia's G-Sync technology, which allows the screen to sync directly with the graphics card for the smoothest performance possible. For a gaming laptop, the Predator 17 X has quite a bit of pre-installed software. Fortunately, most of it is centered on keeping the system in tip-top shape. For instance, the Acer Care Center displays system diagnostics, and there's a helpful Recovery Management service. As for connectivity, the Predator 17X is loaded with ports, featuring a pair of USB 3.0 ports on the right with a Thunderbolt 3 port, HDMI 2.0, a DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet and a Kensington lock slot. Along the laptop's left are another two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader and jacks for a microphone, a pair of headphones and the DC adapter. The Predator 17X GX-792-77BL is an example of a gaming laptop that breaks the gap between gaming laptops and desktops. It is definitely worth the price it sells for.

Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile: Pascal based laptop graphics card using GDDR5 graphics memory. Should offer a similar performance to the deskto GTX 1080. However, there is also a more power efficient "Max-Q" version that performs worse than the normal GTX1080 and is used in thin and light laptops.

With these GPUs you are able to play modern and demanding games fluently at medium detail settings and HD resolution.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

i7-7820HK: Quad-core notebook processor based on the Kaby Lake architecture running at 2.9 - 3.9 GHz. It is the second fastest model of the consumer H-series in the beginning of 2017. The chip also integrates the HD Graphics 630 GPU clocked at 350 - 1100 MHz and is manufactured in a 14 nm process (improved compared to Skylake). Compared to the Core i7-7820HQ, the 7820HK lacks business features like vPro or TXT support.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

17.30": This display size is a standard format for desktop replacements (DTR). The DTR laptops are heavier to carry, need more power, but texts are easy to read and high resolutions are no problem. DTR are mainly intended for stationary desk use, where weight and energy hunger don't matter. In return, you enjoy the advantages of high resolutions (more details, better legibility).» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.

4.4 kg:

A laptop in this weight range is a heavyweight that you rarely carry around. This is meant for desktops and the devices tend to score with a large display and high performance and replace desktop devices.

Acer: In 1976, the company was founded in Taiwan under the name Multitech and was renamed Acer or Acer Group in 1987. The product range includes, for example, laptops, tablets, smartphones, desktops, monitors, TVs and computer peripherals. Since 2007, the group has merged with Gateway Inc. and Packard Bell, which also market their own laptop product lines.

Acer computers are designed for a variety of purposes, including ultrabooks for mobile use, gaming laptops for gamers, affordable options for everyday tasks, and 2-in-1 convertible laptops for versatility. Acer's product portfolio also includes tablets that offer portable computing and multimedia capabilities.

80%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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