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The star of the show is the U507’s Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics chip, which is more powerful than the entry-level GTX 1060 but not quite as muscular as the GTX 1080 above it.
Still, this is a GPU that's based on Nvidia's latest Pascal architecture, which means that it's on a par with its desktop-based equivalent on terms of its frame-crunching abilities.
Elsewhere, the U507 is highly configurable, allowing you to choose from a range of components to suit your budget. Upgrading the Full HD display to a 4K panel will set you back another £323 ($400, about AU$548), and RAM can be upgraded all the way up to a beefy 64GB for a similar cost.
On the storage front, it goes all the way up to 2TB of SSD storage – just pre-warn your wallet beforehand.
If you do have the money, opting for a 4K display on the U507 would make sense, as it features a graphics chip capable of powering games at Ultra HD resolution with decent frame rates. However, the 1080p display boasts impressive colors and good color saturation that makes both gaming and working on the desktop enjoyable enough.
Sticking to Full HD also guarantees that you'll be able to hit high frame rates in all modern titles for at least the next couple of years.
Here’s how the Acer Predator 17 X performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Cloud Gate: 29,581; Sky Diver: 31,197 ; Fire Strike: 14,137
Cinebench CPU: 880 points; Graphics: 149.35 fps
GeekBench 3: 4,449 (single-core); 17,137 (multi-core)
PCMark 8 (Home Test): 5,370 points
PCMark 8 (Battery): 1 hour and 48 minutes
Battery Life (techradar movie test): 3 hours and 10 minutes
The Division: (1080p, Ultra): 78.1 ; (1080p, Low): 186.5 fps
GTA V: (1080p, Ultra): 60.34 fps; (1080p, Low): 182.3 fps
Performance
The XMG U507 delivers excellent gaming performance, thanks to the GTX 1070 inside. Its Fire Strike score of 14,137 is consistent with the performance of other laptops, including the Gigabyte P57X (13,063), and the MSI GT62VR Dominator Pro (12,744).
It means that titles such as The Division can be played at frame rates exceeding the golden 60fps mark while played on Ultra settings and at 1080p resolution.
Even GTA V, a notoriously demanding title that taxes modern graphics cards and demands a good amount of video memory, runs at 60 fps with every graphical setting on maximum.
Battery life
Predictably, one area where the U507 doesn't deliver is battery life. Even gaming laptops that take advantage of Nvidia's power-friendly Pascal architecture aren't going to run for too long away from the power socket.
At just short of two hours on PC Mark 8's battery life test, don't expect to get to the end of any of the Lord of The Rings films in a single sitting away from the plug socket.
So, the U507 can game without too many issues. When it comes to other uses, it's not so hot. Its keyboard is actually fairly usable despite featuring and old-school keyboard layout.
Its keys have sufficient travel and are soft-cushioned to touch. But, for some reason, the backspace key became increasingly squeaky over time to the point where it sounds like a small mouse is trapped under it.
The trackpad isn't particularly impressive either. While typing up this review in Google Docs, it tended to get over-excited and make the cursor fly across the screen.
Lowering its sensitivity didn't help much – it's just a poor trackpad.
We liked
The U507's GTX 1070 means you won't have to worry about whether the laptop can chrew through the latest titles. As a 1080p gaming machine, it's future-proof.
Plus, you could hook it up to a 4K monitor to game in higher resolutions and max out that GTX 1070's potential. Games look great on the U507's fairly bright display, and the machine has all of the ports that you would need – including USB-C.
We disliked
There's no getting around it – the U507 is massive, and heavy to boot. If you're looking for a Pascal laptop to slip into a bag and take round to your friend's house on the regular, then there are much more portable options out there.
And, while its keyboard is comfortable enough to bash out long documents, it's scuppered by a less-than-stellar trackpad which is overly sensitive. And don't get us started on that squeaking backspace key.
Final verdict
If you're seeking a desktop replacement with a graphics card that will do the job for some time to come, then the XMG UX507 is an unattractive yet highly capable offering.
Instead of an alluring chassis, you're getting one that's thick enough to house top-tier components, and its extensive customization options might be enough to sway you if you're looking for a specific configuration.
It won't come cheap, however, and you'll want to add a decent gaming keyboard and mouse the setup due to the U507's poor built-in inputs.
Ultimately, unless you need 2TB of SSD storage and 64GB of RAM, or some other unusually high-end configuration, there are many other laptops out there that are more portable, practical, and simply do the same job for less.
