Before the nagging starts again: yes, a complete PC is out of the question for many, not only because such devices are usually more expensive than homemade devices, but also because tinkering with the computer somehow has that certain something. But not everyone can or wants to screw everything together at home only to find out that something doesn't work. Many prefer to use the finished computer, which they only have to turn on, even if it costs a few hundred euros more. Gaming PCs like the Predator 7000 are made for people who also have a well-filled wallet if possible.
The Acer Predator 7000 is available in a variety of configurations, none of which remotely sinks into mediocrity. The weakest CPU is the Intel Core i7-12700K in the list, and the weakest graphics card is the RTX 3070. Up? Virtually no limits. Up to the RTX 3090, 64 GB RAM, i9-12900K, and various HDD and SSD sizes, everything your heart desires is available, provided your wallet can handle it.
Acer kindly loaned us a copy of the Predator 7000 and it already costs 3,299 euros, although we don't even have the maximum configuration on board. "Only" 32 GB RAM, "only" an RTX 3080, "only" 1TB M.2 SSD. But well, you don't have to overdo it for a test if you want to get a general impression of the qualities of a desktop PC series.
The Predator 7000 quickly turns out to be a real eye-catcher and doesn't take up as much space as you would think. At 485 x 219 x 504.8 mm, the case is relatively compact, despite the strong interior, but it is elegant. At first glance, the obsidian-colored case appears quite spartan. However, the sides made of dark glass give an idea that there is more hidden behind plastic, metal, and mesh grids.
This quickly becomes clear when you turn on the computer. Thanks to configurable RGB lighting called Pulsar Lightning, the computer quickly becomes a feast for the eyes thanks to the illuminated fans at the front and rear, illuminated AIO pump, and mainboard LEDs, if you like lighting. For the price, you certainly want high-quality optics, and Acer delivers really well in this area.
Of course, the shapely housing also has practical value, and that starts with the connections. On the top front, you will find audio connections for a headset, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, and 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C. There is also an extremely practical 2.5-inch hot-swap slot with USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, so you can swap out a hard drive without opening the computer.
The back accommodates 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2x USB 2.0, 1x TJ-45, audio and also 3x DisplayPort 1.4 and 1x HDMI 2.1 via graphics card. Basically solid equipment, but we would have actually wished for a few more USB ports. If you operate a webcam, microphone, printer, and more in addition to a mouse, keyboard, and maybe a wireless dongle, you will quickly reach your limits. Nothing a USB hub wouldn't fix, but more is always possible. An Intel Killer E3100G 2.5G Ethernet controller, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (Gig+), and BlueTooth 5.1 ensure connectivity - no wishes remain unfulfilled.
If you remove the side panels (without tools), you can admire the tidy interior. Acer has made some improvements in terms of cable management so that there is now even more order in the interior. It is immediately obvious that the graphics card is installed upright. This makes sense for the cooling system and the airflow in the case but has the disadvantage that some PCIe slots are blocked by the card. Should be considered if you want to install additional PCIe add-on cards. It's a pity that the mainboard and RAM bars look a bit sober in contrast to the chic RGB overall look.
Let's get to the inner workings. The beating heart of the model provided to us is the AIO-cooled Intel Core i9-12900K, which alone costs around 700 euros and is currently one of the most powerful desktop eight-core cores, at least until AMD gets its new Ryzen 7000 series up and running (which should happen at the end of September). It is supported by 32 GB of RAM, with which Acer immediately collects points because DDR5-4000 is installed and not DDR4. That alone gives a decent boost in performance.
An NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 does its work as the graphics card, which cannot be shaken at resolutions in the 1440p range and also delivers solid performance under 4K. There is no question that the Predator is really well equipped for most modern games. If that's not enough, you can go for the model with an RTX 3090 - but then it gets really expensive and the 5,000 euros (including more RAM, larger SSD, etc.) are within reach.
As a drive, we find a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD with very decent speeds in the case. It doesn't come close to the blistering pace of a Samsung 980 Pro, but it still delivers good performance. Of course, more is possible here, too, a second M.2 slot is available, and you can also install up to two 3.5" HDDs if you still need a data grab. The whole thing is fueled by a generously dimensioned 800W power supply.
It is pleasing that the tidy interior is very easily accessible and offers plenty of options for upgrading individual components in the coming months and years. With the entire structure, you should be able to make ends meet for the next five or more years without having to throw the entire computer into the bin. Thankfully, gone are the days when complete PCs used endless custom parts and made upgrading almost impossible.
It is also very nice that the Predator 7000 hums quite quietly to itself during operation. The cooling system with the AIO CPU cooling, the FrostBlade 2.0 fans and the arrangement of the components does a good job and does not cause any problems for the CPU or graphics card. During the test, all temperatures remained within tolerable ranges, the graphics card even stayed below 70 degrees under full load.
It can only get a little louder if you push the entire computer to even higher performance via the overclock function in the PredatorSense software. But that is not surprising. Among other things, we ran our full test of the PC version of Marvel's Spider-Man in 4K with RTX for hours at maximum details and the Predator remained whisper-quiet.
During the performance tests, it quickly became clear that the Predator 7000 can't be shaken by almost anything. Sure, because of the RTX 3080 there is still room for improvement with 4K resolution compared to more powerful models such as the RTX 3080 Ti or RTX 3090, but 4K gaming is still possible with almost all titles with maximum settings. Thanks to the fast CPU, the DDR5 RAM, and the graphics card, really good values could be achieved in all benchmarks.
The computer achieved a strong 8,493 points in TimeSpy Extreme, an equally strong 11,011 points in the RayTracing benchmark Port Royale and a whopping 10,712 points in FireStrike Ultra. You don't have to worry about performance with the Predator 7000, at least not for current games. Otherwise, the computer, on which Windows 11 is pre-installed, did not cause any problems in practical use.
CONCLUSION
Chic high-end PC with strong gaming performance
One thing has to be handed to Acer: The manufacturer delivered cleanly and does not show any weaknesses. The new Predator 7000 not only looks chic, but thanks to the current Intel CPU, NVIDIA graphics card, DDR5 RAM, and many other goodies, it has enormous gaming performance. The configuration options of the models are of course clearly designed for the high-end, so prices around and over 3,000 euros are not surprising. But everything fits together wonderfully. The PC works quietly and powerfully and is also relatively future-proof, at least for the next few years.
Except for small things like the somewhat meager USB ports and the graphics card mounted upright, this is a great device that we can recommend with a clear conscience to every complete PC buyer with a well-stocked wallet and a heart for high-end gaming.
Pros
- visually appealing, modern design
- Clever hot-swap slot for 2.5" HDD
- tremendous gaming performance
- PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 memory
- powerful CPU
- powerful graphics card
- effective and mostly very quiet cooling
- improved cable management
Cons
- a few more USB ports on the back would have been nice
- Graphics card installed upright covers further PCIe slots
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