Acer Predator 21X
High-end gaming laptop by Acer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Acer Predator 21X is a limited-edition enthusiast gaming laptop that was developed, manufactured and marketed by Acer Inc. and released under their gaming brand Acer Predator in 2017 for a list price of $8,999.99 in the United States and €9,999 in Europe. It was first presented at the IFA Berlin in 2016.[1] Depending on the source, only 300[2] or 500[3] units have been produced worldwide. It is the first laptop with a curved screen.[4][5]
| Developer | Acer |
|---|---|
| Type | Gaming laptop / desktop replacement computer |
| Released | 2017 |
Introductory price | $8,999.99 / €9,999 |
| Units shipped | 300 or 500 |
| Windows 10 Home | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-7820HK Quad-core 2.9 GHz unlocked |
| Memory | 64 GB DDR4 SDRAM @ 2400 MHz |
| Storage | 2x 512 GB SSDs in RAID 0 (two slots in NVMe) + 1x 2.5-inch SATA III 7200 RPM HDD |
| Display | 21" 2560 x 1080p 120 Hz curved G-Sync IPS |
| Graphics | Two Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8 GB VRAM each) in SLI |
| Sound | Six speakers (two tweeters, two midrange, two subwoofers) |
| Input | HDMI, DisplayPort, 4 USB 3.0 ports, a USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port, Ethernet RJ-45, 3.5mm audio jack, 3.5mm microphone jack, SD card reader |
| Camera | Yes, with additional cameras for Tobii eye tracking |
| Touchpad | Yes, detachable |
| Power | 8-cell non-removable Li-Ion battery, two separate 330W power bricks |
| Dimensions | 568 mm x 314.5 mm x 68.8 - 83.25 mm |
| Weight | 8.5 kg |
| Website | Official website (archived) |
Hardware
The Acer Predator 21X weighs 8.5 kg and has a 21-inch curved panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a screen format of 21:9 while having a resolution of 2560 x 1080 pixels (Wide Full HD) which supports Nvidia's G-Sync technology.[6] It has an overclocked[7] Intel Core i7-7820HK and two GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs working in Scalable Link Interface (SLI) as well as 64 GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 2400 mHz distributed over 4 memory sticks.[8] It also features a full mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Brown switches positioned at the front edge of the laptop[9] as well as eye tracking technology developed by Tobii.[5][10] Its list price is $8,999,99 in the United States and €9,999 in Europe.[11] Two solid state drives (SSDs) with 512 GB capacity each as well as a 1 TB hard disk drive (HDD) are pre-installed; the storage is expandable.[8][dead link] The laptop has 4 built-in speakers, providing stereo sound, as well as two subwoofers.[12] It has five fans and nine heat pipes and comes with two power supplies.[13]
Reception
The Verge described the 21X in their review as "overkill", stating that "It's a trophy for anyone who buys it, a status symbol of having the biggest and best thing out there".[9]
PCMag stated that: "Though it costs as much as a decent used car, the Acer Predator 21 X shows how much performance and how many features you can get if you cram every possible high-end component into a gaming laptop."[14]
LaptopMag praised the laptop for its "stunning design", performance, curved display, keyboard, and built-in eye-tracking function, though they criticized it for its price, lack of an option with a 4K display, and audio.[15]
Tom's Hardware found the built quality of the device to be "outstanding" and liked its mechanical keyboard as well as its color-accurate display. They stated that the 21X offers "the best performance found on a gaming laptop", but criticized the "outrageous price" and "extremely poor battery life".[16]
The German online magazine Chip described the laptop as a "10,000 euro monster", praising its two GTX 1080 graphics cards, large curved display, and gaming-optimized eye-tracking, but criticizing its high price and weight.[7]
TechRadar called the 21X "the world’s most powerful gaming laptop", stating that, "while the price tag is likely to be far too much for most people, there’s still a lot to admire about this machine."[17] The magazine praised the performance, cooling system, and "easy to use software" of the 21X, while criticizing its cost, weight, short battery life, and "bulky design".[17]
PC Games Hardware referred to the 21X as "the desktop replacement of all desktop replacements", praising its cooling solution and case mod bond options.[18] However, they criticized the lack of a HDR-capable display and the display resolution, which is "a little undersized for our taste".[18]
CNET praised the "immersive" 21-inch curved display, the mechanical keyboard, which is "excellent for gaming", and that "[t]here are a ton of fun features and extras, including a reversible touch/number pad, eye tracking cameras and swappable WASD keys.[19] The battery life and display resolution received criticism, as well as the price–performance ratio as "[e]ven these high-end components don't fully justify the price."[19]