During Nvidia’s keynote at the start of Computex 2017, Acer said that its upcoming ultra-thin gaming laptop, the Predator Triton 700, will offer an overclockable GeForce GTX 1080 graphics chip. This is in part thanks to Nvidia’s new optimization of its “Pascal” graphics chip architecture dubbed as Max-Q, which simultaneously maximizes the power efficiency of the GTX 1080 chip while providing better performance than what was previously experienced with GTX 1080-based notebooks. Max-Q enables laptop designs that are three times thinner than before.
In the case of Acer’s upcoming Predator Triton 700, it will measure just 0.74 inches thick (18.9mm). For a GTX 1080-based laptop, that previously wasn’t possible given the space required to cool the graphics chip, along with its hefty power requirement. For example, the Alienware 17 R4 configuration packing Nvidia’s non-Max-Q GTX 1080 graphics chip measures around 1.18 inches thick, and weighs at least 9.74 pounds. The Predator Triton 700? A mere 5.7 pounds.
As for the other hardware specifications, we won’t have specifics until we get closer to the laptop’s launch later this summer. However, here’s what we know so far:
| Screen size: | 15.6 inches |
| Screen resolution: | 1920 x 1080 Nvidia G-Sync support |
| Panel type: | IPS |
| Processor: | Seventh-generation Intel Core |
| Graphics: | Up to GeForce GTX 1080 |
| Cooling system: | Dual Acer AeroBlade 3D fans Five heat pipes |
| Memory: | Up to 32GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz |
| Storage: | 2x NVMe PCI Express SSDs |
| Audio: | Acer TrueHarmony Dolby Atoms Surround Sound |
| Connectivity: | Killer DoubleShot Pro |
| Ports: | 1x Thunderbolt 3 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A (one charges) 1x USB 2.0 Type-A 1x HDMI 1x DisplayPort 1x Gigabit Ethernet |
| Keyboard: | Mechanical Per-key RGB illumination |
| Touchpad: | Smoked Corning Gorilla Glass plate Shows the cooling system underneath |
| Size: | 18.9 mm-thin (0.74 inches) |
| Weight: | 5.7 pounds |
| Body: | Black aluminum Angular front corners and straight contours |
| Starting price: | $2,999 |
As the above list shows, the laptop will still rely on two fans to keep the processor and graphics chip cool in addition to the five heatpipes that carry heat away from these chips. But given the efficiency of Nvidia’s new Max-Q chip enhancement, the fans presumably won’t be as large as those used in bulkier PC gaming laptops prior to Max-Q-based laptops. That means the notebook won’t be a growling beast in your lap, either, due to what Nvidia calls WhisperMode. It reduces sound pressure levels by up to 50 percent.
As we reported in April when Acer first revealed the laptop, the touchpad actually resides above the keyboard instead of below. It sports a smoked Corning Gorilla Glass plate so that owners can see the two Acer AeroBlade 3D fans cooling the innards underneath. That’s a nice touch, and not something we’ve seen in the past on high-dollar PC gaming laptops.
Acer’s upcoming Predator Triton 700 will hit store shelves in various configurations this August starting at $2,999.
