Acer’s ConceptD line of notebooks targets the creator market, pitched at independent content creators like graphic designers, 3D animators and filmmakers. ConceptD also takes aim at engineers and architects who, like many content creators, use demanding software that requires powerful computers.
We got our hands on the Acer ConceptD 7 Pro to see how it holds up as a mobile workstation for engineers.
The ConceptD 7 Pro
The Acer ConceptD 7 Pro is an eye-catching laptop, unless you happen to be caught in a blizzard. The aluminum chassis is coated in a bone white ceramic layer that brings to mind an iBook from 2004. Personally, I’m not crazy about the white chassis, but at least it’s something different from the black or matte black color of most mobile workstations.
At time of writing, there’s only one model of the ConceptD 7 Pro, the CN715-71P-770L. The specs are among the best we’ve seen in any mobile workstation:
CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H (6 cores, 2.6GHz, 4.5GHz Turbo)
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (16GB VRAM)
Memory: 32GB DDR4
Storage: 2TB (2x 1TB) SSD
Display: 15.6″, 3840x2160 (non-touch)
Weight: 4.63lb
Price: $3,999.99
The specs of the Acer ConceptD 7 Pro are very similar to the BOXX GoBOXX SLM 15, but exceed it in a few areas: the display (Acer: 4K; BOXX: 1080p), storage (Acer: 2x 1TB SSD; BOXX: 1x 1TB SSD), and, for the RTX 5000 version of the GoBOXX, price (Acer: $4,000; BOXX: $4,713). Like the GoBOXX, the ConceptD 7 Pro is limited to 32GB of memory. The one spec where the GoBOXX beats the ConceptD 7 Pro is weight (Acer: 4.63lb; BOXX: 4.25lb).
Speaking of weight, the ConceptD 7 Pro does feel heavy in the hands—it’s one of the first things we noticed when taking it out of the box. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s something to keep in mind if you plan on being particularly mobile with your mobile workstation.
The Performance: No Punches Pulled
The high-end specs in the ConceptD 7 Pro didn’t disappoint, and the computer performed exceptionally well in our standard gamut of benchmarks, including SPECviewperf13, SPECworkstation 3, PassMark Performance Test, and now, 3DMark and PCMark. The results below are presented alongside the comparable BOXX GoBOXX SLM 15 and Dell Precision 7530 mobile workstations.
SPECviewperf 13
This benchmark puts a computer’s graphical capabilities to the test, specifically with regards to professional applications such as SOLIDWORKS, Creo, CATIA and NX. The ConceptD 7 Pro performed well above average in all cases—hardly surprising, considering it’s equipped with the Quadro RTX 5000. Compared to the GoBOXX, which has the Quadro RTX 3000 and the same CPU, the ConceptD 7 Pro outperformed in every viewset except Creo and SOLIDWORKS (and then it was a very close second).
SPECworkstation 3
This is a more comprehensive SPEC benchmark that tests a computer’s holistic workstation performance, with respect to specific industry segments such as Product Development and Media and Entertainment. The ConceptD 7 Pro performed above average in all segments save Financial Services. It performed well above average in the GPU Compute segment, again unsurprising due to its high-end graphics card.
PassMark Performance Test
This is another holistic benchmark that tests a computer across several key categories, including CPU performance, 2D graphics, 3D graphics, disk speed, and so on, aggregating the results in a final PassMark Rating. The ConceptD 7 Pro had a lower than average PassMark Rating, most likely due to an unexpectedly low 2D graphics score. However, the ConceptD had the best Disk Mark score we’ve seen on any computer—laptop or desktop—indicating exceptional read/write speeds. This is almost certainly because the ConceptD has two 1TB SSDs that are preconfigured as a RAID 0 volume.
3DMark and PCMark
We also benched the Acer ConceptD 7 Pro on 3DMark and PCMark, two popular benchmarks that test a computer’s graphical performance and overall performance, respectively. Since the ConceptD 7 Pro is the first computer we’ve put through these two benchmarks, we can’t compare its performance to previous reviews. However, the benchmark’s own comparisons show the ConceptD 7 Pro performs better than most office and gaming laptops (but not desktops).
3DMark: Port Royal
3DMark: Time Spy
3DMark: NVIDIA DLSS Feature Test
3DMark: VRS Feature Test
Tier 1
Tier 2
PCMark 10
PCMark 10 Extended
Using the ConceptD 7 Pro: Good Ports, Poor Battery
Apart from its higher-than-average weight, there wasn’t much else to dislike about the ConceptD 7 Pro. The keyboard is satisfyingly tactile, with a top row that defaults to function keys F1 – F12 (a nice touch for professional users) with system hotkeys accessible through the Fn key. The keys are backlit with a warm orange glow, an interesting choice that adds to the uniqueness of the ConceptD 7 Pro’s design. The trackpad is adequately smooth, though we’ve seen better.
The Acer ConceptD 7 Pro has a good selection of connectivity ports, including 3 USB 3.1 ports, 1 USB-C port with Thunderbolt, 1 mini DisplayPort, one HDMI port, 1 RJ-45 Ethernet port, 1 mic-in jack, 1 headphone/speaker jack, and a Kensington lock slot. The ConceptD 7 Pro does not have an SD card reader, which seems like an oversight given the laptop’s focus on content creators. It also would have been nice to see options for a smart card reader and fingerprint scanner.
The ConceptD 7’s battery life isn’t terrible, but it’s subpar compared to the other mobile workstations we’ve reviewed. The computer packs a 4-cell 5550mAh battery. In our high-performance tests, running the SPECviewperf 13 benchmark at maximum brightness, the Acer lasted 95 minutes (1.6 hours) unplugged. In our high-efficiency tests, looping a video in airplane mode with power settings at highest efficiency, the Acer managed to last 396 minutes (6.6 hours) before sputtering out. Finally, our typical use tests paired default power settings with standard office applications and some light design work to push the Acer for 209 minutes (3.5 hours).
The Display: Great Color Accuracy in 4K
The ConceptD 7 Pro’s 4K display is beautiful and sharp and, like all 4K displays, will spoil you for lesser resolutions. It’s nice to have a 4K option in a mobile workstation of this caliber—the comparable GoBOXX SLM 15 offers only a 1080p display, and at a higher price for otherwise nearly identical specs.
With its focus on professional content creators, Acer has made a point of ensuring the ConceptD 7 Pro’s display is top notch, advertising 100% AdobeRGB color coverage and “PANTONE Validated” color accuracy of Delta-E <2 (the lower this value, the better). Of course, we put both of those claims to the test with our Spyder5ELITE colorimeter. The actual color coverage came in at 100% sRGB and 99% Adobe RGB, but we’ll call it close enough. The actual color accuracy came in at an average Delta-E of 1.02, so we’ll call it better than advertised.
Acer claims that the ConceptD 7 Pro’s display is as bright as 400 nits, but our tests showed a 100% brightness level of 267.8 nits with a 930:1 contrast ratio. Nonetheless, to my eye, the screen is quite bright (outshined only by the blindingly white chassis).
The screen uniformity is fairly typical, with brightness varying by as much as 12% and color accuracy by as much as Delta-E 3.6 as you move around the screen.
Overall, the ConceptD 7 Pro scored a 4.5/5 on the Spyder5ELITE display analysis.
Final Thoughts
The Acer ConceptD 7 Pro is one of the most powerful mobile workstations we’ve reviewed yet. If you’re looking for a machine that can crunch through intensive graphical applications on the go, the ConceptD is a good option at a relatively good price. While it’s more expensive than the entry-level GoBOXX SLM 15 (which performed similarly on our benchmarks despite lower specs), the ConceptD 7 Pro comes with twice as much storage and a better, 4K display. Here’s how the ConceptD compares on our price/performance curve for past reviews:
Click here for engineering.com's video review of the Acer ConceptD 7 Pro.