Acer Predator Triton 14 Review: Fast Gaming and a Bright HDR Screen

Execs

• Shiny, high-performance HDR display screen
• Performs properly for the worth

Cons

• Huge, heavy brick for a 14-inch laptop computer
• Meh battery life and efficiency on battery
• Display screen often glints

The introduction of newer processors like Intel’s 14th-gen H collection does not preclude laptops with the older Thirteenth-gen chips from being value shopping for, particularly as their costs drop. The Acer Predator Triton 14 is an effective instance of this and can in all probability turn into deal as replacements trickle out and because it continues to get cheaper.

There are two fashions of the Triton 14, each of which incorporate an Intel Core i7-13700H CPU and 16GB RAM. The entry mannequin (PT14-51-78B4) is nominally $1,500 however discounted to simply below $1,200 in the intervening time and comes geared up with a 512GB SSD, GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and 1,900×1,200 165Hz show. I’ve seen it as little as $850, although, which is a superb value for it. The upper-end mannequin I examined bumps that as much as a 1TB SSD, RTX 4070 GPU and a pair of,560×1,6000 mini LED display screen with a dynamically switchable 125Hz/250Hz refresh charge and DisplayHDR 600 certification. It lists for about $2,000 however is at present going for to $1,600. That is value for what you get.

The laptop computer’s design does not stand out from the group as particularly good or dangerous. It is obtained a comparatively chunky profile for a 14-inch, however the lid opens out to virtually flat; the complete vary of obtuse angles offers you quite a lot of leeway when looking for angle in your lap, as an illustration. The keyboard journey feels somewhat shallow however responsive, and the brilliant, per-key RGB lighting generally is a little bit of a ache to configure — Acer’s PredatorSense software program has important monitoring, energy configuration and lighting controls, however it may use a facelift.   

There aren’t any devoted macro keys, unsurprising given the dimensions of the laptop computer, however it could be good if the software program gave you the flexibility to rebind at the very least a few of the commonplace keys, just like the media playback controls down the best facet. And in the event you’re an enormous person of the arrow keys, it’s possible you’ll need to search for one thing that does not have embedded ones. However there is a devoted button to cycle amongst energy profiles (Quiet, Balanced, Efficiency and Turbo) or toggle Turbo. The Triton can get loud and a bit sizzling in locations, just like the wrist relaxation space. 

The touchpad is a bit small however serviceable, with an old school embedded fingerprint reader. Although it has a 1080p webcam, it is fairly mediocre.

I’ve by no means been a fan of the kind of port and energy connection format the laptop computer makes use of; the vents on the perimeters push the connectors to the center of the perimeters — I hate it when the ability connector is in the course of the facet, as a result of it will get in my manner, and I would have appreciated a second USB-C port, even when it wasn’t Thunderbolt.

It helps Nvidia’s Superior Optimus, which implies you’ll be able to pressure it to completely use the discrete GPU with out rebooting by way of the Nvidia driver.   

Efficiency and display screen

Acer does not provide any color- or game-specific shade profiles for the show, and it is not terribly correct, however it fares properly sufficient for gaming and general-purpose use. The gamma measures 2.0 somewhat than 2.2, however that brings out the element in darkish areas, which works for gaming. Distinction measures excessive as a result of black is great, however these too-bright shadow areas might make it appear decrease distinction since you’re served up much more darkish areas by video games, the net and functions than zero blacks.

It does hit the widespread 6500K white level, which I discover might be hit or miss with mini LED backlights, which is good. It will get as vivid as required by the DHDR 600 spec. HDR has the identical too-bright shadow areas, which implies video does not look as nice as you’d count on, however it’s nonetheless superb. 

The display screen has a excessive refresh charge of 250Hz — you’ll be able to really set it to 125Hz, 250Hz or to dynamically swap between the 2 (along with a 60Hz setting) in SDR; in HDR you do not have the 125Hz choice It is not variable refresh, however you should use G-Sync to manage it if you would like that. I did see some flicker at each refresh charges, so in the event you’re delicate to that, I recommend you keep away from mini LED.

Laptops with newer-generation CPUs might ship higher efficiency however not considerably since Intel’s H collection processors have no main know-how adjustments from Thirteenth to 14th generations. It fares properly, outperforming some bigger fashions; it helps that the GPU can run at as a lot as 105 watts, on the increased finish of the RTX 4070’s scale.

There is a huge efficiency drop when working on battery, which is not unusual however one thing to be ready for. And its battery life is not nice.

The 2023 Predator Triton 14 is not the glitziest gaming laptop computer, but when you’ll find it at value because the 14th-gen fashions come to market, it may be a terrific deal.