Gaming

Acer Predator Triton 700 Review

Published

September 29, 2017

Marvin Velasco

If you want the biggest, baddest gaming laptop in existence, you go for the Predator 21 X. But what if you want something that actually fits in your backpack, and doesn’t compromise performance? Well…

There are multiple answers to that, and like the smartphones we recommend (or not) on a daily basis, there’s no solid solution when it comes to gaming notebooks. It takes a short look at the options from Acer alone to see how much variety there is now.

The Predator Helios 300 is such a well-balanced machine and popular among reviewers everywhere; the Nitro 5 is a fun gaming laptop, oblivious to the bling found in every other device mentioned here, but far more affordable; and, it goes without saying that the Predator 17 X is somewhere between practical (like the two aforementioned laptops) and overbearing (Predator 21 X).

And then there’s the Predator Triton 700 — the specialized name simply adds to its “Frost Forged” aura. This is the no-compromise, high-powered, impressively slim gaming device you want. Of course, it’s going to cost you a pretty penny, but there’s good reason for that.

Before we begin, here was our first look at the product back in April:

Not much has changed since then; the Triton 700 is still the same beast we experienced before, but now we’ve had our hands on it much longer, and got a far better idea of where it stands.

See for yourself:

It looks like an ordinary laptop at first…

15.6-inch 1080p IPS LCD, 18.9mm thinness, and 2.6kg in weight

But the RGB keyboard is fully mechanical and customizable…

The key travel is really short, but there’s a solid click to every press

The smooth glass trackpad is found above the keyboard…

The Gorilla Glass window provides a view of the AeroBlade 3D cooling system

There’s a desktop-grade GeForce GTX 1080 found inside…

You just lose the palm rest in exchange for the unusual design

And there’s no shortage of ports

Full-size USB and audio ports on the left

Power button, USB-C (with Thunderbolt 3), another full-size USB, and Ethernet port on the right

And desktop-size DisplayPort, HDMI, and power connector at the back

What does the Triton 700 pack inside?

With a starting price of US$ 3,000 — you read that right — the Triton 700 instantly falls under the elite class of gaming products.

While the Predator 21 X costs thrice as much, this is still as hefty in value as it is in specs. Let me explain why:

Despite the relatively thin (and sort of light) frame, there’s an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor with a legit NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB sitting inside. Combined with 32GB of memory plus two 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD drives in RAID 0 for a total of 1TB of storage in our review unit, the Triton 700 doesn’t hold back in terms of performance.

To maximize the potential of this laptop, a 120Hz panel is used alongside G-Sync technology to prevent tearing and stuttering during gameplay. This is perfect for fast-action games such as first-person shooters, and simply gives the high-powered innards justice.

Making all this possible is NVIDIA’s Max-Q design, which is the magic behind the no-compromise setup. And to ensure everything stays cool, Acer has their own tech called AeroBlade 3D — a set of ultra-thin metal fans that are good enough to prevent the need for any liquid cooling.

Can it run any game on Ultra settings?

There’s clearly no doubt that the Triton 700 can slay the latest games on their highest settings, but the questions are: How fast can it output frames, and at what temperatures?

We got a score of 86.8fps on Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s benchmark test with all settings at maximum on 1080p. That doesn’t hit the 100+ FPS we were hoping for out of a two-year-old game, but there’s virtually no lag during actual gameplay. Newer, lighter games such as PUBG, DOOM, and Overwatch are walks in the park for the Triton 700, just as they should. We also achieved 3,559 points with an average of 26.6fps on Unigine’s Superposition benchmark at 1080p Extreme settings.

As for temperatures, it’s a mixed bag. Maybe we’re spoiled by the more complex cooling systems of desktop builds, but the AeroBlade 3D fans didn’t always impress. During stress tests at maximum load (comprising graphics benchmarks), the processor would hit temperatures exceeding 85 degrees Celsius, while the graphics chip hovered close to 80 degrees.

It’s possible that a standard system temperature of 35 to 40 degrees prevents the fans from cooling the components any further, but they do get quite loud when you push the laptop and they reach 4000rpm. Although Predator Sense software offers overclocking for the graphics chip, the gains of around 3fps to 5fps for games aren’t enough to justify the spikes in temperature of 88 and 82 degrees for the CPU and GPU, respectively.

What are the drawbacks?

After all the gaming laptops we’ve reviewed, it’s safe to say that battery life is never a strong suit of these mobile machines, but I’m still obliged to mention that the Triton 700’s juice gets sucked dry quickly whether you’re playing games on battery power or simply browsing the web. Expect no more than two hours of usage on a single charge with moderate load.

As much as I love the inclusion of a mechanical keyboard and its clicky feel, the low travel on the Triton 700’s keyboard almost negates the advtanges. You see, the keys used on dedicated keyboards are tall and provide consistent feedback for each actuation; the Triton 700’s keyboard still feels close to the membrane type found on regular laptops, so don’t expect too much. (Being able to customize the colors and how they pulse is glorious, though.)

Above the keyboard, we have that awkwardly placed glass trackpad. The positioning is questionable, but that’s what enables the Triton 700 to have a full-length keyboard and enough room to house the high-end components underneath. Because it’s so smooth and far away from your hands, you’ll miss inputs like crazy in the beginning, and even once you get used to it, you’ll still swear to bring a separate mouse with you wherever you go. And before you ask: No, this should not be used for gaming!

Finally, the strength and placement of the stereo speakers don’t match the quality you get out of the display. There’s a glaring lack of bass, and you’re prone to covering the speakers accidentally while gaming. Like the need for a mouse to ignore using the trackpad, you’re better off ditching the top-mounted speakers completely for a pair of decent headphones.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

We’ve been hearing the words “no compromise” thrown around more times than we can count when it comes to gaming laptops. The Predator Triton 700 has, no doubt, packed so much power into such a sexy design, but there are a few trade-offs — like with any other gaming product.

For one, the audio and input experience had to take a step back in order to accommodate all the internal muscle. And unfortunately, the Max-Q design still needs some work before technologies like the AeroBlade 3D metal fans can reach their full potential. I wouldn’t overclock a laptop like this just yet.

in the end, the Triton 700 is still that gaming notebook you really, really want, but have to think twice before purchasing. At US$ 3,000 for the lowest configuration, this isn’t an easy buy, though we can’t blame you for wanting one of the best.

We love the super-smooth performance, incredibly slim and light profile, and design that resonates with elite gaming products. The Triton 700 sets the standard for how all gaming laptops should look and feel like in the future.

[irp posts=”19307″ name=”Acer Predator Orion 9000 First Look”]

Gaming

Nintendo will make it cheaper to buy digital games than physical

Physical releases will have the same price.

Published

March 26, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The days of lining up for a newly released game are well and truly over. Though some games still experience shortages in brick-and-mortar stores, such as the widely successful Pokémon Pokopia, gamers can get their titles digitally. Now, Nintendo is making digital releases more enticing by offering a tempting discount on the eShop.

Starting in May, Nintendo will start charging different prices for the physical and digital releases of first-party games. While physical releases will still have the same prices going forward, digital releases via the eShop will enjoy a discount.

The discount, of course, will likely depend on the title itself. Nintendo has already given the upcoming Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as the first example. The new platformer will cost US$ 70 from retailers. However, it will cost only US$ 60 on the digital eShop.

The company says that the new pricing scheme “simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format.” With the prices of chips skyrocketing, it’s no surprise that the physical release is more expensive than the digital one.

To be more technical about it, Nintendo has started skipping a physical game card for a while now. The physical release of Pokémon Pokopia, for example, has only a game-key card or a code to download the game. In this format, physical releases are just pretty cases you can display on your shelf.

Also, digital releases do carry the added risk of getting delisted on the whims of the developers, the publishers, or Nintendo itself. It is, however, still a cheaper option, especially in a world where getting any discount is a welcome thought.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo sues the United States

Gaming

Razer Blade 16 (2026) packs more cores, faster memory

Razer’s thinnest gaming laptop yet

Published

March 26, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Razer has officially unveiled the 2026 version of its Blade 16, doubling down on what it does best: squeezing high-end performance into an ultra-slim chassis.

This year’s refresh focuses on meaningful internal upgrades. That includes a new Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, faster LPDDR5X memory, and NVIDIA’s latest RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs — all while keeping the Blade 16 as the thinnest gaming laptop in Razer’s lineup.

Performance gets a serious bump

At the core of the new Blade 16 is the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, featuring 16 cores and up to 4.9GHz boost clock. Razer claims a 33% increase in core count versus the previous generation, translating to stronger performance across gaming, content creation, and AI workloads.

There’s also an integrated NPU capable of up to 50 TOPS, enabling faster on-device AI tasks like image generation and live translation.

Memory gets a notable upgrade too. The Blade 16 now supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM, which Razer positions as the fastest available in a laptop today. The result: quicker responsiveness for heavy multitasking, creative apps, and AI-assisted workflows.

On the graphics side, NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 Series (Blackwell architecture) brings DLSS 4 and enhanced AI capabilities for both gaming and creator use cases.

Display and design stay premium

Razer isn’t fixing what isn’t broken. The Blade 16 retains its signature CNC-milled aluminum chassis, measuring just 14.9mm thick and weighing around 2.14kg.

The display remains a highlight. You get a 16-inch QHD+ OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, now brighter and certified for VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000. It supports full DCI-P3 coverage, Calman calibration, and NVIDIA G-SYNC, making it just as suited for creators as it is for competitive gaming.

Battery life and efficiency improve

Despite the performance gains, Razer is also pushing efficiency. Thanks to Intel’s newer architecture and system-level optimizations, the Blade 16 can hit up to 13 hours of productivity use and up to 15 hours of video playback under ideal conditions.

That’s a notable improvement for a machine in this class, especially given its slim form factor.

Connectivity and audio step up

The 2026 Blade 16 gets a future-ready connectivity suite, including Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0. There’s also a full set of ports, from USB-A to HDMI 2.1 and an SD card reader.

Audio gets an upgrade too. The six-speaker system now supports THX Spatial Audio+ with virtual 7.1.4 surround, aiming to deliver more immersive sound both on speakers and headphones.

Price and availability

The Razer Blade 16 configured with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB VRAM) and 32GB LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM is priced at US$3,499.99 / €3,599.99 MSRP.

It is available now, exclusively via Razer.com and select RazerStores worldwide.

Still the Blade, just sharper

At a glance, the 2026 Blade 16 doesn’t reinvent the formula. But under the hood, it pushes performance, memory speed, and efficiency forward in ways that matter.

It’s still the same idea: a no-compromise gaming laptop that looks like it belongs in a minimalist workspace — just faster, smarter, and a bit more future-proof this time around.

Accessories

Razer sharpens its competitive edge with Viper V4 Pro and Gigantus V2 Pro

Ultra-light. Ultra-tuned.

Published

March 26, 2026

GadgetMatch

Razer expands its pro-grade lineup with a lightweight mouse and a highly customizable mouse mat built for different playstyles. The Razer Viper V4 Pro focuses on speed, precision, and responsiveness, while the Razer Gigantus V2 Pro brings tailored surface options that adapt to how players move.

Lighter, faster, and built for control

The Viper V4 Pro weighs approximately 49g in Black and 50g in White, making it around nine percent lighter than its predecessor. Razer achieves this through mechanical refinements like a thinner shell and a more compact PCB, without compromising durability. The structure still feels solid in hand, even with the aggressive weight reduction.

This balance matters in competitive play. A lighter mouse reduces fatigue and allows quicker adjustments, but stability keeps movements consistent. The Viper V4 Pro aims to deliver both.

Plug in, tweak, and play instantly

Razer also streamlines setup and tuning. The optimized hemispherical dongle maintains stable connectivity while providing quick status updates through LED indicators.

Players can adjust settings without installing software using Razer Synapse Web, enabling browser-based customization. Onboard controls allow quick DPI and polling rate changes mid-match, so adjustments happen without breaking focus.

A mouse mat that adapts to your play style

The Gigantus V2 Pro evolves Razer’s mouse mat lineup by introducing five distinct speed ratings paired with corresponding foam firmness. Instead of a one-size-fits-all surface, players can now choose based on how they aim and move.

Developed with esports pros like Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, Faker, and Zellsis, each variant reflects real competitive needs across different roles and playstyles.

The five surface options include:

Max Control for ultra-high friction and precise flicks
Control for consistent micro-adjustments
Balance for a mix of speed and stopping power
Speed for quicker swipes
Max Speed for the fastest possible movements

Each surface is paired with Razer’s GlideCore foam, tuned to match the friction profile. Softer variants provide more stopping power, while firmer ones prioritize speed and responsiveness.

Built for consistency across every match

Razer ensures the Gigantus V2 Pro works seamlessly with modern optical sensors. Lab testing guarantees consistent tracking, whether for fine adjustments or wide flicks.

The mat is also designed for competitive environments. It features stitched edges to prevent fraying, an anti-slip base for stability, and a rollable build that makes it easy to bring to tournaments.

A complete competitive setup

Together, the Viper V4 Pro and Gigantus V2 Pro form a cohesive setup that covers both input and surface. The mouse emphasizes low latency, precision tracking, and a shape validated by pros. The mouse mat complements it with clear, playstyle-based options.

Rather than focusing on a single standout feature, Razer builds a system. One that supports consistent performance, adapts to player preference, and helps turn practice into results when it matters most.