Looking for a powerful gaming laptop that won’t break the bank? Look no further than the Acer Predator G9-793! This impressive 17-inch laptop takes the Predator series to new heights with its inclusion of Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics, GSync compatibility, and a Thunderbolt 3 connector. The Predator 17 G9-793 is still a beast of a machine, with its large size and weight, not to mention the flashy red lights and accents that might make professionals raise an eyebrow. But here’s the exciting part: it’s noticeably faster and runs cooler under heavy load. This detailed review delves into exploring the features and workability of this laptop.
The Acer Predator G9-793 is available to buy at Amazon for US $1099.00.
Acer Predator G9-793 – An Overview
The Acer Predator G9-793 is a well-known gaming laptop with strong performance and top-notch specs. It can handle hard gaming duties owing to its Intel Core i7 6700HQ processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics. A huge 17.3-inch display on the laptop enhances the immersive gaming experience. Its large 4.2 kg weight highlights the device’s performance-oriented design.
Specifications of Acer Predator G9-793:
| Acer Predator G9-793 | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i7-6700HQ |
| RAM | 8 GB or 32 GB DDR4, 2133 MHz or 2400 MHz |
| Storage | 256 GB or 512 GB NVMe SSD + 1 TB or 2 TB HDD, 7200 rpm |
| Display | 17.3-inch, Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070, 8 GB GDDR5 VRAM |
| Battery | 90 Wh |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| Dimensions | 423 x 321 x 39.7 mm |
| Weight | 4.2 kg |
Features of Acer Predator G9-793:
The Acer Predator G9-793 is a high-performance gaming laptop that was released in 2017. Here are some of the key features of the Predator G9-793:
Design And Surface
Since the Acer Predator G9-793 is visually similar to its predecessor, the coating is pleasant to the touch and durable over time. But it reveals fingerprints and hand oils quite easily, making it difficult to maintain a clean surface, especially on the palm rest.
The laptop’s design emphasizes black with numerous red details. The unit’s rear has undergone a subtle facelift, making it appear more sophisticated. However, whether these alterations are just cosmetic or have a practical purpose remains unclear.
The IO is robust, including all the necessary ports and a Thunderbolt 3 connector as an extra for this newer model. Which will make the laptop more future-proof and a good choice for those planning to keep it for a few years.
Display
Acer Predator G9-793 may have either a regular gamut and Full HD resolution matte IPS display or a wide gamut panel with Ultra HD resolution. The former is on exhibit, and it’s impressive. The G9-793 is unique because its GSync-compatible display can refresh at a whopping 60 hertz.
Those searching for a higher refresh rate screen will have to go elsewhere, but the FHD variant should support GSync and is likely a 60 Hz panel.
The data presented below provides further information about the panel.
- AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B) HardwareID for Panel;
- 100% sRGB, 98% NTSC, and 100% AdobeRGB coverage;
- An observed gamma of 2.3;
- Maximum power-on luminance in the middle of the display: 324 cd/m2
- Maximum contrast ratio of 670:1, a maximum white point of 6800K, a maximum black level of 0.48cd/m2, average DeltaE of 2.19 uncalibrated, 1.06 calibrated.
- Another good reason to employ the calibrated profile is that the gamma is somewhat off by default.
A poorly built bezel that touches the panel in several locations caused noticeable light leakage in the lower corners of my test unit. That may or may not be a problem with the final retail products. It is worth considering, given that it has been brought up in other evaluations.
Keyboard And Optical Mouse
The G9-793 appears to have a keyboard quite comparable to that of the G9-791. However, I could not replicate my positive typing experience with the G9-791 sample. Although the keys are pleasant to press and travel a good 2 mm into the frame, I find their resistance to being too light. I frequently activated the erroneous ones because they were so simple to push and activate in this sample. Which results in a high number of false positives.
However, the low resistance helped me type quickly, and the overall rattling was pleasant. You should be aware that this is not a silent typist. The design is also solid, with a dedicated NumPad area and the arrow keys visually. These are physically isolated from the rest of the keyboard by a red border.
After spending days typing thousands of words on this keyboard, though, I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. The total brightness level is rather low, and there is still only one brightness intensity setting.
The trackpad is sizable and responsive enough for regular use. It has a distinctive red backlit LED frame and mechanical click buttons. You can disable it by turning off the keyboard’s backlight or by turning off the trackpad. But you can’t turn it off separately.
Battery life
However, this laptop has a 90 Wh battery because the display is GSync-capable. There is no Intel HD 530 chip to fall back on in normal use. The Nvidia processor is constantly running, thus decreasing battery life. The power of the Nvidia chip can be overclocked to its maximum potential or run at more manageable speeds.
Some games are more demanding than others, so I experienced limited frame rate data to 45 frames per second. This means that even the newest releases will only keep you occupied for a maximum of an hour. While even the simplest and oldest games can take up to two hours.
In any case, the Predator 17 G9-793 has a 230 Wh power brick. That is an increase above the 180 Wh found in its predecessor. It contributes about 900 grams to the entire 4.25 kg travel weight of the laptop.
Hardware, Functionality, And Potential Enhancements
Here, we got to try out the Predator 17’s top-tier configuration, which included a Core i7-6700HQ CPU, 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, and the Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics card. It was with 8 GB of virtual memory and dual storage. In the form of an NVMe drive for the operating system and a 2.5′′ drive for media files and other large files.
Faster gaming laptops are now available, some with desktop-class Core K and overclockable Core HK processors. I think this configuration will be sufficient for most buyers, as Acer aimed for a middle ground. Which provides adequate performance for both basic and demanding tasks (photo/video editing, programming, etc.) and games without breaking the bank.
You should know that the memory and storage can be upgraded if you choose a cheaper model. The laptop’s bottom service bay provides access to the two M.2 slots, the 2.5′′ bay, and two of the RAM DIMMs. The remaining two are hidden under the motherboard and necessitate extensive disassembly before replacement. The same is true for the battery.
My test unit has not experienced GPU throttling in my gaming or other usage scenarios. However, the central processing unit typically operated at lower than its designed rates. Although I don’t believe this to be a performance bottleneck.
Games like Tomb Raider, Bioshock, and Shadow of Mordor ran smoothly at 45 fps in 1080p with high settings. After I checked the battery life and performance on the Nvidia GeForce Experience app.
Sound, Temperature, Bluetooth Connectivity, And More Features
The Acer Predator G9-793 has two fans, both perpetually spinning. Though usually hardly detectable, even in extremely quiet settings, they occasionally increase in volume to announce their presence.
Under pressure, the fans’ speeds might increase dramatically. At full throttle, I measured 52 dB of noise at the user’s head. Normal operation is expected to be between 48 and 50 DB. Which is still loud enough to encourage the use of headphones.
Even when doing stress tests and playing games, I seldom saw the case temperature rise beyond 40 degrees Celsius. I make it comfortable enough to use while sitting on your lap.
This laptop’s connectivity options include Wireless AC, Bluetooth 4.1, and Gigabit LAN. I have no issues with the wired connection. The Killer DoubleShot Pro solution installed by Acer allows me to access both the wired and wireless networks at the same time. A preloaded app allows you to control when and how your apps can access the web.
The wireless connection functions normally so long as you’re in close vicinity to the router. But, once you move away from the router by even a short distance—in my instance, 30 feet with 2 walls between—the signal strength and speeds drop dramatically.
Even though the two subwoofers don’t blast a lot of basses, the sound coming out of the Predator is noticeably nicer than that of most other laptops.
Acer opted for a 4.2 system here and a total output of 12W for the audio. The remaining four speakers are organized into two sets. Each speaker projects sound downward and forward through red grilles on the unit’s side.
Pros and Cons of Acer Predator G9-793:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Powerful performance | Old device |
| Smooth display | Expensive |
| Backlit keyboard | Bulky and heavy |
| Plenty of storage | Not as portable as some other gaming laptops |
| Durable design |
Conclusion
The Acer Predator G9-793, like its forerunner, is not the most stylish, speedy, or feature-packed 17-inch gaming laptop. But its reasonable pricing usually compensates for the areas in which it falls short.
While Acer’s original 17-inch gaming laptop, the G9-791, allowed for some leniency in certain respects. I had hoped that they would be addressed in this newer model. Our overall score for the G9-793 was 3.75 out of 5. It reflects my disappointment with a modern gaming laptop’s weak Wi-Fi signal and subpar keyboard.
FAQs:
How smooth is the gaming experience?
G-Sync technology ensures wonderfully smooth and tear-free graphics on a Full HD IPS display. This makes fast-paced games much more enjoyable by eliminating the irritating screen tearing.
Is Acer Predator G9-793 built to last?
The G9-793 is built to last and handle intense gaming sessions without compromising on performance or reliability.
Is the Acer Predator G9-793 keyboard comfortable for gaming sessions?
The comfort of a keyboard is subjective, but the Acer Predator G9-793 has been generally praised for its comfortable and gamer-friendly keyboard for a long time.
What are the potential downsides of the G9-793?
Its age, bulkiness, and potentially outdated hardware are its drawbacks.
