Acer Predator Triton 300 initial review: Gaming laptop minus the mega price

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You might not think 'gaming laptop' and 'entry-level' go hand-in-hand. After all, these machines are typically beastly when it comes to specs, meaning a higher asking price is inevitable. But the Acer Predator Triton 300 is here to try and change that, delivering strong specs for a price point not too far north of £1,000.

Sure, it's not _cheap _by any stretch of the imagination, but with a fast-refresh screen, portable 15.6-inch screen size and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics, this gaming laptop delivers the core that many gamers will find sufficient.

## Design

* 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LCD screen
* 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time
* Zoned RGB lighting & Predator Sense keys
* Waves Nx immersive audio
* Aluminium chassis
* Under 20mm thin
* Weight: 2.3kgs

Gaming laptops are all about distinctive style, with Acer's Triton range already well established with [its 500][2] and [700 models][3] (the former now available with a pricey 300Hz screen refresh option, wowzers).

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The new 300 model looks a lot like the 500, albeit a little chunkier (but still sub-20mm), given the 15.6-inch screen size, dark aluminium chassis, and distinctive zoned RGB lighting & Predator Sense keys on the keyboard.

That keyboard is one of the most striking aspects of any gaming laptop, the WASD keys here being concave shaped and transparent to stand-out from the rest of the board (the arrow keys have the same treatment).

The screen delivers a 144Hz refresh rate, which for a so-called 'entry-level' product is a significant feature to ensure smooth playback. Given that just a couple of years ago this was about as high-end as it got, it shows how fast things are moving.

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The resolution is Full HD only, but anything more and you'd struggle to get games to hit the right frame-rates and resolution. It feels like the right choice here.

## Performance

* Ports: 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI, 1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 1x 3.5mm jack, Wi-Fi 6, charging port
* Thermal design: 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D and CoolBoost technology
* Up to 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processor
* Up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU
* Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM (2666Hz)
* Up to 2x 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD

The real part that's going to excite is what's under the hood. Because while the Triton 300 won't cost much more than a grand (it's penned it at €1299 for launch), it packs in 9th Gen Intel Core i chips, heaps of RAM (16GB standard, 32GB upgradable), loads of storage (two 1TB SSD as standard, upgradable to 2TB), and that Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU.

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To keep all that running cool, the chassis is thicker than standard laptops, packing in Acer's fourth-gen AeroBlade 3D metal fans and CoolBoost air intakes and exhausts - the latter which you can see in blue finish to the rear.

There's also Wi-Fi 6 for fast over-the-air connectivity, while an Ethernet port ensures wired connectivity is available too. In terms of other ports, everything you could expect is on hand, from USB-C to full-size USB-A.

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Don't expect battery life to last for an age when not plugged into the wall, but that's a given for a gaming laptop.

[1]: https://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/748x/assets/images/149181-laptops-review-hands-on-acer-predator-triton-300-review-image1-pstkrude9l.jpg?v1
[2]: https://www.pocket-lint.com/laptops/reviews/acer/146839-acer-predator-helios-500-review-gaming-laptop-with-144hz-display
[3]: https://www.pocket-lint.com/laptops/reviews/acer/140900-acer-predator-triton-700-preview-a-gaming-great-is-born
[4]: https://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/660x/assets/images/149181-laptops-review-hands-on-acer-predator-triton-300-review-image5-nc5brzlwoe.jpg
[5]: https://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/660x/assets/images/149181-laptops-review-hands-on-acer-predator-triton-300-review-image9-dzeumoexar.jpg
[6]: https://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/660x/assets/images/149181-laptops-review-hands-on-acer-predator-triton-300-review-image11-fp4najklgj.jpg
[7]: https://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/660x/assets/images/149181-laptops-review-hands-on-acer-predator-triton-300-review-image10-hoirjvxmyt.jpg

URL: https://www.pocket-lint.com/laptops/reviews/acer/149181-acer-predator-triton-300-review