Gaming and professional laptops seem to have finally converged, and the Acer Predator Triton 14 PT14-51-7979 is one example of this new trend. It’s a 14-inch laptop with a 16:10 aspect ratio screen, Intel Core i7-13700H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics, 16GB RAM, and 1TB PCIe SSD storage. All this hardware is packed into a relatively slim, elegantly designed case that makes it a portable powerhouse.
Beyond the hardware and design, the display on the Triton 14 is what sets it apart from other 14-inch gaming laptops. The screen here is a 14-inch Mini LED 250Hz G-Sync display, with a dynamically switchable 125/250Hz refresh rate and DisplayHDR certified.
Older backlit LCDs use just a handful of LED lights, usually arranged around the edge of the display; Mini-LED replaces that with a grid of LEDs set directly behind the LCD panel, and each zone is a section of the display that can adjust its brightness independently of those next to it. With an increase in the number of zones, there’s a significant improvement in detail and nuance in. high-contrast scenes.
With the newer screen tech solid hardware and a smooth trackpad, the result is a powerful, portable laptop that does it all, and it does it well.
About the Acer Predator Triton 14
Here are the specs of the Triton 14 PT14-51-7979 in this review:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
- Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
- Display: 14-inch 2,560×1,600 250/125Hz DisplayHDR 600
- Ports: 1 x HDMI, 2 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C/Thunderbolt 4
- Networking: Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i, Bluetooth 5.3
- Weight: 3.75 pounds
- Size: 12.34 x 0.78 x 8.94 inches
The Acer Predator Triton 14 comes in multiple configurations, with CPU options from Intel Core i9-12900H to Intel Core i7-13700H, GPU options from Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080Ti to RTX 4070, SSD storage options from 512GB to 2TB, and 16GB or 32GB. Our review model is the Core i7 and RTX 4070 with a Mini LED display.
What We Like
Incredible gaming performance
A 250GHz G-Sync display powered by a 13th generation Intel Core i7-13700H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 is more than you need to drive most modern AAA titles at steady frame rates. That’s the kind of hardware Acer packs into the PT14-51-7979 thin gaming laptop, and it’s no surprise to see the frames fly by on the screen. It doesn’t dethrone the Alienware m18 R2 as the best gaming laptop in 2024, but it trounces the rest of the competition in real-world performance.
On its highest 1080p graphics settings, the RTX 4070 GPU runs Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 161 frames per second. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 85 fps on the 1080p Ultra preset and at 68 fps with ray tracing enabled. Just a handful of midrange laptops can match this performance on older games like The Shadow of the Tomb Raider, but the Triton 14 has much better ray tracing performance than the competition.
If you’re more into esports, first-person shooters, or other games where high refresh rates are necessary, you’ll be able to take advantage of the Predator Triton 14’s 240GHz Mini-Led display. In Overwatch, the game runs at 167 fps on 1080p ultra graphics, while in Final Fantasy XIV, the game runs at 135 fps on 1080p max graphics.
A portable, productivity workhorse
In addition to incredible gaming performance, the Acer Predator Triton 14 PT14-51-7979 is a very capable productivity laptop, designed for professional creators who need the most accurate colors on a display, a processor that delivers a punch, and a dedicated graphics card for projects. With the Intel Core i7-13700H processor and a capable RTX 4070 graphics card backed by 16GB RAM, this is one of the best laptops for pro-creatives out there.
The beefy hardware in the Triton 14 carries over to the real world, too. You can render a 3D car scene in Blender, and the processor only takes about two minutes and 28 seconds. That’s almost a minute faster than the Razer Blade 14’s processor, despite costing hundreds of dollars more. The Triton 14’s processor beats high-end desktop CPUs like the CyberpowerPC GMA2700A’s AMD Ryzen 5 7600, which is almost 40 seconds slower at two minutes 44 seconds.
Having such a processor is great for CPU-intensive games like Total War: Warhammer III and other strategy games, but it’s also essential for professional creative work that relies on this power.
While some laptops struggle to find a perfect balance between a thin chassis and delivering raw power to run professional creative apps, Acer managed to find a balance with its Predator Triton 14 PT14-51-7979. The gunmetal silver coating on its case is gorgeous and fingerprint-resistant. Its thin profile makes it easy to toss into your bag, too. The trackpad is fantastic, too. It’s as smooth as what you’d find on a MacBook’s trackpad, and it feels flawless.
Great display for gaming and productivity
This is a display that puts gaming and productivity first. The Mini-LED display lacks the incredible contrast of an OLED display, but it’s the best in its class with a 2,560×1,600 resolution and is DisplayHDR 600 certified. It does hit the common 6500K white point, which can sometimes be a hit or miss with mini-LED backlights, which is impressive. It gets as bright as required by the DHDR 600 spec; HDR has the same too-bright shadow areas, which means the video doesn’t look as great as you’d expect, but it’s still very good.
The screen has a high refresh rate of 250Hz – you can set it to 125Hz, 250Hz or dynamically switch between the two, in addition to a 60Hz setting in SDR. In HDR, you don’t have the 125Hz option, it’s not variable refresh, but you can use G-Sync to control it if you need it. As with all mini LED, there’s some flicker at both refresh rates, so if you’re sensitive to that, better avoid mini LED displays.
What We Don’t Like
Middling battery life and audio
Gaming laptops never used to be great when it comes to battery life, but recently we’ve seen some excellent exceptions. However, the Acer Predator Triton 14 isn’t one of the best when it comes to lasting an entire day at work or college. With the laptop set to 200 nits of brightness on a well-lit office and the fully charged battery allowed to drain out completely over a variety of popular web pages, it fails to hold charge as, let’s say the MacBook Pro M3 or the Razer Blade 14.
The Triton 14 PT14-51-7979’s 4-cell 76Wh battery lasts seven hours 43 minutes, not abhorrent, but it certainly isn’t the best when we’ve seen competing gaming laptops last eight or nine hours recently. However, we’re glad it’s an improvement over the Acer Predator Triton 300’s dismal two-and-a-half-hour battery life.
Meanwhile, the Triton 14 isn’t the worst sounding laptop you’ll hear in your life, but it’s not the best for the laptop’s stature. The sound is lean even at max volume, and is devoid of lows, giving it an empty-feeling quality. On the plus side, the mids and highs are clear, and voices are elevated in the sound. Gamers should stick to headphones or gaming headsets for better audio clarity, but the audio is fine for casual movie viewing when you’re relaxing.
Should you buy it?
Yes, it packs in plenty of strong gaming specs and an impressive 250Hz Mini LED panel.
The Acer Predator Triton 14 PT14-51-7979 may not be the most powerful gaming laptop right now, or the ultimate creators’ machine, but you don’t always buy a laptop like this to get the best numbers. Size, aesthetics, and screen are also key decision factors.
As for size, this laptop is as thin as they get nowadays. A thickness of just 0.78 inches for an RTX 4070 is impressive. The closest competitor would be the Alienware m17 R4, at 0.87 inches thick. The Predator Triton 14 also has a sleek, silvery look and weighs only 3.75 pounds making it portable enough for daily commute.
The screen, interestingly, is arguably one of the best we’ve seen in a 14-inch laptop at this price. It uses Mini LED technology to deliver accurate pictures and the 250Hz refresh and DisplayHDR 600 certification make for crisp gameplay and clear content creation. Also, it has a wide 16:10 aspect ratio. A14-inch display gives it slightly more real estate than its competition which mostly uses 15-inch, 16:9 screens.
So, is this laptop worth it? Yes, this is a laptop made with the best performance per dollar in mind – it delivers the best performance possible in a small body, and the reasonable MSRP is worth it if you need the best laptop money can buy. The Acer Predator Triton 14 PT14-51-7979 doesn’t sacrifice beauty or a good laptop experience for raw framerates, meaning you can enjoy incredible gaming and productivity on the go without having your pack weighed down by a bulky laptop. It’s a solid pick for gamers and pro-creators.
Recommended Configuration
Acer Predator Triton 14 Gaming/Creator Laptop | 13th Gen Intel i7-13700H | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 | 14" Mini LED 250Hz G-SYNC Display | 16GB LPDDR5 | 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |WiFi 6E | PT14-51-7979, Silver
$1,499.99 in stock
4 used from $1,149.99
The Review
Acer Predator Triton 14 Review (PT14-51-7979)
The Acer Predator Triton 14 PT14-51-7979 is a fine laptop that strikes a nice balance between its lightweight form alongside incredible gaming and productivity performance. It’s easily one of the best laptops for gamers and professional creatives looking for something to use on the go.
PROS
- Respectable gaming performance
- Bright, 250Hz display
- Great for professional creatives
- Price is reasonable
CONS
- Meh battery life
- Quiet audio
Review Breakdown
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ARS SCORE
