Acer Predator Triton 300 SE Review: A Ultra-Slim Gaming Laptop

Credit: TechRadar

Verdict

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE is a powerful and stylish laptop with a small footprint and specifications able to run AAA games. The Predator Triton 300 SE is a good pick if you’re searching for a laptop with RTX graphics that you can take everywhere.

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE aims to pack as much power into a small device as possible while yet keeping gaming credibility. And Acer succeeds because of its high build quality, appealing aesthetics, and enticing price, size, and power combo.

This laptop features a 35-watt Intel Core i7-11375H processor and an RTX 3060 mobile GPU in a 14-inch size factor. It’s so powerful that we had to go up to 15-inch laptops to find decent alternatives. That smaller size doesn’t mean it’s any less powerful than larger laptops, and it gives them plenty of competition while being far simpler to carry about than the beastly machines on our best gaming laptops list. Also, you can see the best 2 in 1 laptops

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Acer Predator Triton 300 SE Review: A Ultra-Slim Gaming Laptop

1. Specifications of Ace Predator 300 SE
2. Price of Acer Predator Triton 300 SE
3. Design
4. Performance
5. Battery Life
6. Software and Features
7. Laptop Ports
8. Keyboard and TouchPad of Acer Laptop
9. Audio Performance
10. Gaming, Graphics, and VR Performance
11. Conclusion

Specifications of Ace Predator 300 SE

Price of Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

The Acer US shop lists the Triton 300 SE in two configurations, each of which differs only in which GPU is installed: one with a 3050 Ti for $1,349.99 (about £1,445, AU$1,916), and the other with a 3050 Ti for $1,499.99 (about AU$2,127). The 3050 Ti model isn’t available in the UK, which is why the costs are approximated, but the 3060 model is available for £1399 and comes with a 1TB SSD. The Triton 300 SE does not appear to be available in Australia. You might be able to get a better deal elsewhere or find alternative options, such as the Acer Predator Helios 300 for AU$2599.

The Triton 300 SE can be upgraded to have up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, according to Acer, but there were no listings or price for these enhanced capacities, so it basically implies you can update your RAM and SSD later, which isn’t assured these days.

Regardless, the value for money on these two models is excellent. While the specifications are enough for most PC gamers, the 300 SE stands out with a premium style and good build quality that you would generally expect to pay more for from other laptop brands.

Design

Credit: Cnet

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE is an attractive laptop. Acer went to efforts to create a product that is both robust and beautiful, as well as lightweight and easy to use. 

The Predator Triton 300 SE is surprisingly compact; in addition to the laptop’s covert spy-style briefcase box, Acer includes a little slip-on case for the device, and it’s strange to believe a laptop this powerful could fit in such a small shell. It’s a little under 13″ broad and approximately 9″ deep when closed, so it should fit in most other bags without a problem. 

The silvery, brushed metal plating on the top shell gleams, and the Predator logo is engraved in the front right corner, adding to the gaming laptop’s luxury vibe. A sleek strip of metal covers the hinge and is colored in such a manner that depends on how you look at it, it varies between holographic pink, blue, and the standard silver hue. 

For a laptop this small, the sides provide a decent amount of connection: one HDMI port, one USB-A 3.2 connector on each side, a USB-C 3.2 port that enables DisplayPort over USB, and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s easy to imagine connecting a full set of connected peripherals, including two monitors, and using it as a desktop PC. Air vents cover the sides above the I/O, although they don’t add much weight to the laptop’s back end. 

When you open it up and switch it on, you’ll see a sleek keyboard with three illumination zones that can be customized with a choice of colors and patterns. It has a similar sensation as the Surface Pro keyboard while typing on it. If you want a more tactile experience, you may connect an external mechanical keyboard of your choosing. With a fingerprint sensor and support for a variety of useful multitouch gestures, the trackpad is both large and easy to use. 

One of the minor flaws in the Triton 300 SE’s design is the screen. It’s a nice-looking IPS screen with lots of brightness, vibrant colors, and a 144Hz refresh rate, but it’s just 14 inches long. To see the text in games, you’ll probably need to sit near to the screen, and it’s not something you’d want to use to watch YouTube videos with a friend. Not to mention that, despite the 144Hz refresh rate, games that use it have a slight ghosting issue that adds an inbuilt motion blur effect. 

The IPS panel that makes up the Triton 300 SE display appears to be the source of the problem. It looks fantastic in games like Control, with vibrant colors, breathtaking setpieces, and superb viewing angles, but it falls short in games that are more concerned with speed and seamless camera movement than with aesthetics. 

A definite reaction time for the screen is not specified anywhere on the spec sheet for the Triton 300 SE. This is unfortunate because it tarnishes the idea of a 144Hz screen, but thankfully it doesn’t have a significant impact on the experience unless you know what to look for. You might potentially solve the problem by connecting the laptop to an external monitor, but having a monitor on hand is difficult while you’re on the go. 

A speaker bar is built into the area above the keyboard on the 300 SE. Acer claims that this laptop includes DTS:X Ultra, a rival audio codec similar to Dolby Atmos that seeks to create a soundscape in which audio “moves” around you. Isn’t it fantastic? The device’s speakers, on the other hand, do not. To be fair, the website claims that you can “convert any set of headphones or speakers into a high-end 360° sound system,” but it doesn’t mention the machine’s speakers. 

The DTS software is especially beneficial with gaming headsets and computer speakers since it includes simple options for adjusting bass, treble, and speech clarity for individuals who don’t already have customized EQ software. Even with the DTS enhanced bass setup, the speakers on the laptop are rather treble-heavy. Not only that, but they’re also unable of producing a level loud enough to drown out the fans in Turbo mode. 

This isn’t the laptop that will persuade you to forgo your headphones during gaming sessions. Outside of Turbo mode, though, the speakers have a surprising amount of depth and nuance when watching videos. For example, you can hear all the little sounds and differences between a screw being turned and a PCB being scraped down with isopropyl alcohol while watching electronics restoration videos on YouTube.

Performance

Credit: Cnet

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE is more than just a pretty face. With the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB of RAM, and an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, you should be able to play some of the most graphically demanding AAA games at 60 frames per second on High or higher settings. Unfortunately, playing these games on a laptop will still make the device sound like a jet taking off due to the cooling fans. Fortunately, this noise can be turned off by pressing the Turbo button above the keyboard, which controls the fan speed. 

While it is possible to play graphically demanding games without overclocking or loud fans, the cooling and clock boost will almost certainly outweigh the discomfort of increased noise. This is also a good moment to highlight that the 300 SE may grow hot under heavy load, which is predictable. The Turbo mode helps to reduce the heat, and the interior of the chassis has a plastic coating to keep your hands from getting too hot, although it does get a touch warm in the center of the keyboard at times. However, having control over this function is useful, particularly for less demanding games or tasks that don’t need such a boost. Not only that, but the gadget has a dedicated button that launches the PredatorSense program, which you can use to adjust the Turbo button’s behavior, as well as modify fan speed, control overclocking, and observe performance monitoring.

Regardless of how much of a boost Turbo mode and other PredatorSense software features offer the Triton 300 SE, it is still capable of delivering exceptional performance even without them. It managed to maintain an average of 51 FPS at 1080p on Ultra in Metro Exodus. It’s more than playable if you want to push the machine and don’t mind your hands being a little heated. Textures are sharp, lighting is beautiful, particles are captivating, and it’s more than playable if you want to push the machine and don’t mind your hands becoming a little toasty. It also manages to keep an average FPS of 55 on Ultra in Total War: Three Kingdoms. So, if the Triton 300 SE becomes too noisy for your preferences, don’t be afraid to leave it in its default mode or even manually modify the fan speeds. It will continue to outperform the competition hand over fist.

Overclocking and better cooling, on the other hand, aren’t unimportant here and can help you take advantage of the RTX 3060’s ray-tracing capabilities. When set to recommended settings and Turbo mode is selected, Control: Ultimate Edition runs at a steady 60 frames per second. The game’s design is perfectly suited as a showcase for what this laptop has to offer in terms of graphics capabilities, thanks to the IPS panel’s vibrant colors. The FPS reduces to around 50-55 if you disable DLSS and render the game at full 1920×1080 resolution. Turning off Turbo mode raises the temperature of the laptop and reduces the FPS to 40-45. The 300 SE also performs admirably in competitive multiplayer games, averaging 120 fps on Split Gate. 

The 300 SE is enjoyable and straightforward to use in terms of productivity, and it easily passes the PCMark Modern Office assessment. The device’s NVMe SSD means it starts up and is ready to use in seconds, and 16GB of RAM is more than enough for most tasks. Even if you did need extra memory, 24GB is still a lot for a laptop, but the Triton 300 SE allows up to that quantity of memory extension.

Battery Life

The Triton 300 SE has a long battery life, which Acer proudly advertises on its website and a label beneath the keyboard. Even though it isn’t mentioned in detail on the device’s page on the Acer US website, there is a logo that appears to imply that the 300 SE can run for up to 10 hours. That’s a big boast, and although the tablet does last a solid 7 hours in the PCMark Modern Office battery life test, it falls short of expectations. 

It’s possible that you could get 10 hours of battery life by utilizing the energy saver mode and working minimally, but that would be far too impractical and unrealistic for how most people would use this laptop. Despite this, the battery is still considered “good,” especially for what it is. While Acer’s marketing may have been a little overly generous, it’s clear that at least some thought went into the battery life.

If you plan to use the Triton 300 SE as your primary device rather than simply for gaming, you’ll be able to take it to work, school, or a coffee shop with plenty of battery life. If you only need to be busy for a few hours, you could even treat yourself to a little light gaming on the move. It can also be used to view movies and videos for an extended period of time: in our TechRadar movie test, it lasted just over 6.5 hours of 1080p video at 50% brightness and volume, with Bluetooth switched off. Don’t be afraid to bring the Triton 300 SE on plane trips where there aren’t any power outlets; it’ll keep you engaged for all but the longest flights. 

When it comes to more heavy gaming, you’ll probably want to keep the 300 SE plugged in for optimal performance; when it switches to battery power, the Turbo mode is automatically disabled. Furthermore, if the battery level drops below 40%, you are unable to change PredatorSense modes, putting you at the mercy of the automated fan adjustment.

Software and Features

Bloatware is another drawback that, while only bothersome for a short time, detracts from the laptop’s premium feel. The Triton 300 SE has enough of it, to the extent that the default desktop background is advertising for PLANET9, an “esports social network.” While the PredatorSense program may be excused because it provides immediate, real overclocking, the inclusion of all the numerous items and free trials that come pre-installed on the machine is utterly superfluous. ExpressVPN, Norton Antivirus, Killer Control Center Wi-Fi management software, a User Experience Improvement Program and the list continues on and on. 

While you’ll probably forget about the bloatware once it’s gone, it’s still a bummer that a laptop this nice comes out of the box as walking advertising for weird software that no one needs. The bright side is that the 300 SE comes with a free month of Xbox Game Pass, which is a nice bonus. It’s a nice little extra that might aid those who are given this laptop as a gift and don’t already have a library of AAA PC games to play with. 

Wi-Fi 6 is another key feature. This is a significant benefit for a gaming laptop of this class since it makes downloading bigger games easier and faster than ever before. For comparison, it took roughly 4 minutes to download a 14 GB game over a Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 network. Because the Triton 300 SE lacks an Ethernet connector for a wired connection, this is a critical feature. Downloads are lightning quick on the Predator Triton 300 SE, and multiplayer games have no noticeable latency or connection issues.

Laptop Ports

Credit: PCWorld

The Predator Triton 300 has a limited number of ports. A additional USB Type-A connector, as well as a Mini DisplayPort, would have been great additions.

A Kensington lock slot, the power jack, one USB Type-A port, and a Thunderbolt 4 connector are on the left, while an HDMI port, one USB Type-A port, and a headphone jack are on the right.

If you require additional ports, see our sections on the best laptop docking stations and the best USB Type-C hubs.

Keyboard and TouchPad of Acer Laptop

Credit: Ubergizmo

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE features a nice keyboard, however it may take some getting used to. The keyboard is small, yet it is quite comfortable to type on.

On the 10fastfingers.com typing test, I averaged 73 words per minute, which is somewhat lower than my 78-wpm average. The keys come close to being punchy and clicky, but they don’t quite make it.

The keyboard has three-zone RGB lighting that can be controlled using the PredatorSense app’s Lighting menu. Wave, Breathing, and Twinkling are some of the lighting effects available, however there is no method to customise the dynamic lighting.

The 4.1 x 2.5-inch touchpad is rather responsive, although it could certainly be better. The fingerprint reader takes up a lot of space, which is inconvenient. Windows 10 gestures like two-finger scrolling and three-finger tabbing, on the other hand, functioned perfectly.

Audio Performance

Credit: Pocket-Lint

The bottom-firing speakers on the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE aren’t particularly loud and don’t have enough bass to support heavy music or gaming. The audio, on the other hand, is well-balanced.

Without the necessary bass to back them up, Au/”Panic Ra’s Room” comes out as scratchy and hollow. The vocals, on the other hand, were clean and clear. The chorus wasn’t muddy or aggressive, but it lacked a warm tone to balance it out.

Two characters were speaking in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and their voices sounded clear and energetic, but the subdued soundtrack made it impossible to appreciate the situation. The meaty impact of the battering ram was unexpectedly enjoyable, but the speakers were still too low to catch the entire sound. When striking adversaries with my ax, though, it made a harsh cutting sound that would have been painfully sharp if the audio had been any louder, which may have been helped by some extra bass.

The laptop features the DTS:X Ultra software, which contains audio settings for music, voice, movies, strategy, role-playing games, and shooters. Automatic is another option, which improves your audio based on what you’re listening to. Then there’s Custom, which allows you to tweak the spatial model, treble, bass, dialogue clarity, and volume smoothing, among other things. The app really helped with the sound, but it’ll be difficult to get things sounding right unless you know what you’re doing.

Gaming, Graphics, and VR Performance

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM is hidden behind the casing of the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE. As I ran across a field and slammed my weapon into the first unlucky human being I saw, it was more than capable of running Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at 54 frames per second on Ultra, 1080p settings.

The Triton 300 scored 61 frames per second on the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark (Highest, 1080p), just beating out the popular gaming laptop average (58 fps). The RTX 2060 GPU in the Zephyrus G14 achieved a lesser 49 frames per second, whereas the RTX 3070 in the TUF Dash F15 achieved a higher 69 fps.

On the Metro: Exodus benchmark (Ultra, 1080p), the Triton 300 scored 50 frames per second, beating the category average (49 fps), but falling short of the TUF Dash F15 (57 fps) and the Zephyrus G14 (57 fps) (41 fps).

Surprisingly, the Triton 300 averaged 73 fps on the Far Cry New Dawn test (Ultra, 1080p), falling short of the typical popular gaming laptop (74 fps). The Triton 300, on the other hand, outperformed the TUF Dash F15 (70 fps) and equaled the Zephyrus G14 (73 fps).

The Triton 300 achieved 51 frames per second on the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey benchmark (Ultra, 1080p), which is barely over the 49-frames-per-second average and matches the TUF Dash F15 (51 fps).

Conclusion

When something like the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE costs only $1,398, it’s difficult to beat. This Acer combines a strong CPU and GPU with long battery life and a brilliant display in a small 0.7-inch chassis. The quiet speakers and keyboard feel, on the other hand, maybe a deal-breaker for some.

If that’s the case, I recommend the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which offers superior performance, a brighter display, and a much better keyboard, though the touchpad is a mixed bag.

Overall, if you’re on a budget, the Triton 300 is certainly one of the best gaming laptops available.