Have you ever got the feeling that getting the latest hardware isn't enough and you want to experience something new in front of the display? Acer has a trick up in its sleeve - a powerful gaming laptop with a stereoscopic 3D display. You don't need to wear glasses to enjoy the 3D content. This sounds cool on paper but in reality, it's a bit tricky to find the right sitting position in order to play a game without seeing blurry images. The name of the device is extraordinary and longer than usual. Let's take a deep breath - it's called the Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71)! Like it or not, you can't choose among many CPU, GPU, and display options. However, you get only top-of-the-line parts here including a 24-core Intel Core i9-13900HX and the 175W version of the mobile RTX 4080. That's why the end price is high. The fancy 3D display boasts a 4K resolution and the manufacturer is mentioning a 100% sRGB coverage. As always, we will test that to see if it's true or not. Keep in mind that you can view 3D content in 1920 x 2160p. Since it's a gaming device, it features a per-key RGB keyboard with individual mini LEDs below each keycap, Wi-Fi 6E, and up-to-date I/O with two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Acer's Predator Sense app is the fastest way to turn on or off the NVIDIA GPU-only mode (yep, there is a MUX switch). With the dedicated software, you gain access to performance presets, hardware monitoring, backlight control, etc. You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-predator-helios-3d-15-spartiallabs-edition-ph3d15-71/ Specs, Drivers, What's in the box Drivers All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/product-support/Predator_PH3D15-71/downloads?suggest=PH3D15-71;1 What's in the box? Inside the package, you'll see that the laptop is well-secured because it's placed in a smaller box. When you open it, the back of the device is already raised high enough so you can take out the gadget safely. You'll also find a bit of paperwork and a big 330W barrel plug adapter. Design and construction The design is very similar to the Acer Predator Helios 16 (PH16-71). The edges are slightly rounded, and we can spot SpatialLabs branding and the typical Predator logo on the top of the lid. The latter is made of metal and you can slightly bend it in the middle if you apply more force and there is a bit of wobble while changing the angle. Aside from that, it can be considered stable and you can open the device with one hand. Thanks to the black color the laptop looks clean and not too gamer-ish. However, the finish attracts smudges easily. The base is built like a tank and it is solid. The upper part is made of metal while the bottom plate is plastic. The notebook is a bit bulky for a 15.6" machine but that's kind of okay considering the powerful internals, the big cooling, and the 4K panel. The weight is 2.985 kg and the profile is 26.9 - 27.9 mm. Around the display, we can spot thin bezels if you don't count the bottom one. The top bezel houses a dual-mic 720p Web camera with Temporal Noise Reduction. The unit is surrounded by two SpatialLabs Eye-Tracking sensors (with 1280 x 480 resolution). The top side of the base is occupied by a long grill and it provides fresh air to the cooling fans. Below the left hinge is placed the dedicated Predator Sense button. You can use it for power preset cycling or for ramping the fans at max speed (this can be tuned via the Predator Sense app). The keyboard offers a Per-key RGB backlight and the keycaps illumination is provided by Mini LEDs which shine brighter but are battery-friendly at the same time. You can set different RGB effects or you can set a custom color in the Acer's software. While typing, you'll notice that the board sounds like a mechanical unit but it's not. At least it sounds like one (ergo, it's noisy during usage). However, the long key travel and the clicky feedback make the board comfortable for gaming or typing. There is a full-sized NumPad section and big Arrow keys which is always appreciated. The touchpad is smooth and fast but it's too small for our linkings. On the bottom plate, we can see two big ventilation grills and a pair of smaller ones below them, four rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts. The heat is guided through four vents - one on either side of the laptop and two on the back. Ports On the left, you get a 2.5Gbps LAN port, followed by a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, a MicroSD card reader, and an Audio combo jack. On the back, you can see the power plug, an HDMI 2.1, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that support DisplayPort and charging functions. Lastly, on the right, you can spot a Kensington lock slot and a pair of USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) ports (the latter comes with power-off charging). Display quality, Health impact (PWM), Sound Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) is equipped with an Ultra HD IPS panel, model number AUO B156ZAN03.R (AUO39A4). It comes with a 60Hz refresh rate. Its diagonal is 15.6" (39.6 cm), and the resolution - 3840 x 2160p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:9, the pixel density – 282 ppi, and their pitch – 0.09 x 0.09 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 30 cm which is excellent for a laptop (from this distance, the average human eye can’t see the individual pixels). Viewing angles are good. We offer images at different angles to evaluate the quality. Also, a video with locked focus and exposure. The maximum measured brightness is 451 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 449 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 5%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6670K. In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective. The illustration below shows how matters are for operational brightness levels (approximately 140 nits) – in this particular case at 26% Brightness (White level = 140 cd/m2, Black level = 0.1 cd/m2). Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0). We measured a very good contrast ratio - 1470:1. To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy. Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook. Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day. The yellow dotted line shows Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71)'s color gamut coverage. Its display covers 100% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976, and 90% of DCI-P3. We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc. Below you can compare the default scores (HDR Off) of the Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) with the “Gaming and Web design” profile in the DCI-P3 (Display) color space (right). The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light. The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions. Response time (Gaming capabilities) We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa. We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 27.8 ms. After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude. Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering) Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the display is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM. Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71)'s display doesn't use PWM for brightness adjustment. Health Impact: Blue light emissions Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light. Health Impact: Gloss-level measurement Glossy-coated displays are sometimes inconvenient in high ambient light conditions. We show the level of reflection on the screen for the respective laptop when the display is turned off and the measurement angle is 60° (in this case, the result is 87.2 GU). Sound Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71)'s speakers produce a sound of a very good quality. Its low, mid, and high tones are clear of deviations. Buy our profiles Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) configuration with 15.6" AUO B156ZAN03.R (AUO39A4) (3840x2160) IPS. *Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at bg.laptopmedia@gmail.com. Read more about the profiles HERE. Performance: CPU, GPU, Gaming Tests All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Turbo” preset activated in the Predator Sense app. Also, the “NVIDIA GPU only” option is turned on and the “High Performance” mode is applied in the Control Panel - Power Options. CPU options There is just one CPU variant and that's the Intel Core i9-13900HX. Since the CPU has 24 cores, it's hard to ask for more. GPU options The situation is the same in the GPU department - the 175W GeForce RTX 4080 is the only variant. In short, you're "stuck" with high-end hardware. Gaming tests Assassin's Creed Valhalla Full HD, Low (Check settings) Full HD, Medium (Check settings) Full HD, High (Check settings) Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) Average FPS 244 fps 218 fps 181 fps 160 fps Borderlands 3 Full HD, V.Low (Check settings) Full HD, Medium (Check settings) Full HD, High (Check settings) Full HD, Badass (Check settings) Average FPS 251 fps 215 fps 187 fps 157 fps Far Cry 6 Full HD, Low (Check settings) Full HD, High (Check settings) Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) Average FPS 209 fps 167 fps 155 fps Gears 5 Full HD, Low (Check settings) Full HD, Medium (Check settings) Full HD, High (Check settings) Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) Average FPS 340 fps 255 fps 225 fps 206 fps The gaming performance is excellent because the mobile GeForce RTX 4080 can take full advantage of its 175W TGP thanks to the good cooling. [eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT your Laptop Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life Max CPU load In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering. Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power Intel Core i9-13900HX (55W TDP) 0:02 - 0:10 sec 0:15 - 0:30 sec 10:00 - 15:00 min Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpartialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) "Turbo" preset 3.55 GHz @ 2.99 GHz @ 69°C @ 150W 3.54 GHz @ 2.99 GHz @ 81°C @ 147W 3.31 GHz @ 2.75 GHz @ 92°C @ 131W Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpartialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) "Performance" preset 3.53 GHz @ 2.97 GHz @ 73°C @ 148W 3.52 GHz @ 2.98 GHz @ 83°C @ 147W 2.98 GHz @ 2.47 GHz @ 87°C @ 95W Acer Predator Triton 17X (PTX17-71) 1.31 GHz @ 3.53 GHz @ 81°C @ 157W 1.55 GHz @ 3.48 GHz @ 90°C @ 157W 2.55 GHz @ 3.12 GHz @ 96°C @ 140W Lenovo Legion Pro 7 (16", 2023) 3.61 GHz @ 3.05 GHz @ 84°C @ 171W 3.42 GHz @ 2.88 GHz @ 86°C @ 148W 3.29 GHz @ 2.81 GHz @ 87°C @ 137W This device definitely can keep up with the "big guys" when it comes to clocks under heavy stress. The Core i9-13900HX can maintain almost the same high frequencies and power limits in short and medium stress in "Turbo" or "Performance" mode. The former has the upper hand in long periods of stress while the latter offers a lower noise while the P cores are boosting close to the 3.00 GHz mark. Real-life gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min) GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min) Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpartialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) "Turbo" preset 2227 MHz @ 79°C @ 173W 2208 MHz @ 83°C @ 174W Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpartialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) "Performance" preset 1886 MHz @ 73°C @ 139W 1868 MHz @ 77°C @ 140W The 175W GeForce RTX 4080 can sustain 174W and ~2200MHz clock after half an hour of gaming with the "Turbo" preset turned on. The "Performance" mode isn't a bad choice either - 1868 MHz and 140W TGP. Gaming comfort So, if you want to see a 3.30 GHz P core clock and a maxed-out TGP during heavy CPU workloads or long gaming sessions, you have to use the "Turbo" preset. Get ready to hear a lot of noise. At least the keyboard and the whole base are staying comfortably cool for usage. During heavy processor stress, the CPU and GPU fans are spinning at around 3750 - 3500 RPM in "Performance" mode (which is comfortable enough for work), and at ~6250 - 5660 RPM in "Turbo". That's super noisy and the rotation speed is close to the maximum possible one of 6520 - 6250 RPM. The situation is almost the same during gaming. We got a bit above 4000 RPM for both fans in "Performance" and 6250 - 5660 RPM in "Turbo". The former is the right choice for gaming (if you don't mind the 140W GPU TGP) because the fan noise isn't too intrusive. Battery Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Better performance setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 120 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. This laptop features a 90.61Wh battery pack. It lasts for 3 hours and 8 minutes of Web browsing or 2 hours and 56 minutes of video playback. Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance To gain access to the internals, you have to undo 11 Torx-head screws. Then, you can carefully raise the bottom panel by holding firmly the two exhaust vents on the back and lift away the plate from the chassis. There are two cooling pads on the inside of the bottom panel for cooling the SSDs' controllers. Clever idea! The battery is 90.61 Wh unit. Before taking it out, unplug the connector from the mainboard. The capacity is enough for 3 hours and 8 minutes of Web browsing or 2 hours and 56 minutes of video playback. The battery isn't fixed to the base with screws because there is a dedicated socket for it on the inside of the bottom plate that is securing the unit in place. The memory is protected by a metal shroud. To remove it, you have to undo one screw and then you can lift up the plate with a plastic tool. There are two thin thermal pads on the inside of the metal cap for cooling the memory. Speaking of which, you get two SODIMMs for up to 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM in dual-channel. Two additional cooling pads are placed below the RAM sticks - good job Acer! For storage, you can rely on two M.2 slots compatible with Gen 4 SSDs. In our case, the NVMes are working in RAID 0 mode. The SSD below the GPU chip and the chipset are additionally cooled by a thermal pad. The cooling is massive. It comprises two fans and two heat pipes shared between the CPU and the GPU. There is one additional pipe for the processor and two more for to the video card. We can also spot four heat sinks and a duo of big heat spreaders, The larger one is on the side of the GPU. Acer has applied liquid metal on the CPU die. Storage performance Our laptop has two 1TB Micron 3400 Gen 4 SSDs working in a RAID 0 Mode. Below you can see some benchmarks of the NVMes. Their temperatures under load are in check. Verdict The Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) is a powerhouse meant for gaming. The Intel Core i9-13900HX and the 175W GeForce RTX 4080 are a great choice even for 4K gaming. The cooling is potent, the CPU can maintain high P and E core frequencies under heavy stress and the GPU can sustain 174W in gaming. This only applies while the "Turbo" mode is active and it comes with a bonus - a very high and intrusive fan noise. The fans are clearly audible even in idle. In "Performance" mode, the CPU and the GPU power limits are a bit lower in the long run, but the noise is absolutely acceptable. Of course, you can try to undervolt and overclock the GPU and set a custom fan curve in order to extract more performance and even less noise. On the flip side, when it comes to pure power, this is a 15.6" laptop that can compete with the top dogs with 17.3" and 18" displays - not bad at all. This reminds us that the price of this machine is as high as some other gaming devices with heftier screens. One of the main reasons for that is the 4K 3D display (AUO B156ZAN03.R (AUO39A4)). It reaches a maximum brightness of 451 nits and a 1470:1 contrast ratio which is good. We were also impressed by the 100% sRGB and the 90% DCI-P3 coverage. Thanks to our "Design and Gaming" profile, the color accuracy is enhanced from a 3.4 score to an average dE value of 2.1 which is better. Now, let's talk about the stereoscopic 3D. You can see the compatible games with this effect on the SpatialLabs site. You have to use their "True Game" software if you want to see games in 3D. We tried God Of War and Shadow of the Tomb Raider and yeah, these titles look cool in this mode but we started to feel a bit of eye strain after an hours of gaming. We also spot some crosstalk here and there and some scenes were too dark while the FPS of the game was hindered. The big problem here is that you have to sit perfectly straight in front of the eye-tracking sensors. If you move your head a bit on the left or on the right, the image becomes a blurry. This isn't very comfortable for long hours of gaming or watching movies. Yep, the sweet spot position for enjoying 3D content without distortion isn't the perfect comfortable sitting position, at least in most cases. This also means that other people around you can't see the stereoscopic "magic" in its full glory. Also, standard 2D content in fullscreen can be converted to 3D (by pressing "Alt" + "G") but the end result is kind of meh. Note that the resolution in 3D mode drops to 1920x2160p. The Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition (PH3D15-71) is an interesting gadget for wealthy gamers or enthusiasts. Its display can show crisp and sharp images in 2D while the overall quality of the 3D effect is questionable. Actually, it was very interesting to play games without wearing glasses but the technology definitely needs improvement. If money isn't a problem and you want to experience something fresh and new, buying this laptop can give you a bit more fun than usual. On the other hand, for that kind of price tag, you can find gaming devices with bigger 2D displays and GeForce RTX 4090 under the hood. The short battery life and the noise levels in "Turbo" mode can be a real no-go for some people. Still, the build quality is very good, the cooling can successfully tame the powerful internals, and the port selection includes five USB ports and even an SD Card reader. You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-predator-helios-3d-15-spartiallabs-edition-ph3d15-71/