Acer Predator Notebook Gaming Utility Backpack – Accessory Review
After taking a look at the two main peripherals of Acer’s Predator lineup, we also had the chance to take a look at one of their accessories, to keep your notebooks and other valuable safe. This brought us to the Predator Notebook Gaming Utility Backpack, also simply named the Predator Gaming Backpack, which is still a mouthful, but surely not a guarantee that it would actually live up to the same standards as other brands, such as Booq, which we have talked about a lot in the past. Will Acer truly prove itself on the accessory market, or should they stick to their own trade?
Compared to the simple, elegant but sleek design of the peripherals, the backpack itself was a bit disappointing, as it was quite reminiscent of the trash bins that are posted all around bus stops. This is mainly due to the fact there is no transition in thickness of the bag, and the lid on top feels completely out of place. That being said, the lid itself is actually beautifully designed when it comes to print of the logo and Predator name, and the leathery finish. All of this combined makes the top of the bag the pièce de résistance. It’s also fun to see the small touches of red scattered on the backpack, making everything go hand in hand with the rest of Acer’s lineup.
With the bulky size of the backpack, it’s only natural there is ample storage space for all your valuables:
- The front of the Predator Gaming Backpack has two small zipper closed pockets, which can store a few small items, roughly the size of a smartphone.
- Behind the two small pockets comes a bigger, also zipper closed, storage area, which has four small pockets in it, slightly bigger than those in the front, with two of them having a soft velvet-like back. There are also a few penholders to be found here, and an extra netted pocket in the front of the lid of the entire compartment.
- Still on the front of the bag, but near the bottom, there is another zipper enclosed compartment, which is also tucked underneath the main storage area, and which tends to serve to store cables or a power supply, making sure things stay neatly organized and easily accessible.
- After opening the top lid of the bag with its respective zipper, you’ll find the main storage space with a big pocket for your laptop which can be closed with a Velcro strap, a pocket for a tablet, an area for your peripherals, paperwork and other items (roughly one thick binder and a few other items) and two netted small pockets in the front. The latter can hold small items, again roughly the size of a smartphone.
- Lastly there are two zipper closed pockets on each side of the bag, useful to store beverage or other trinkets that might serve best somewhere they can’t harm the hardware you wish to secure.
While most of the pockets are properly accessible, the lid and the big front pocket’s zippers have issues when they pass the middle, namely the small space between both pockets. You’ll feel that there is no smooth way of opening the bag, and that the lid always drops down again when you’re trying to store items in the bag. Both items can easily be blamed on poor testing of the end product or simply not caring enough about actual comfort.
Another issue the bag has is the lack of actual padding for your notebook or tablet as there is simply hardly any padding to be found in the main compartment (actually virtually none). There is also a lack of soft material which could prevent making scratch marks on your valuable items, as the insides of the main area are made in a substance that is often used for the outside of the bag, rather than the actual inside.
Even though the previous mentions weren’t all that positive, the padding in the straps of the bag itself are thick enough to ensure a comfortable trip when getting your hardware from point A to point B, but with the stiffness of the bag, the back itself might feel a bit hard when you first start using the bag.
Those who wish to use this bag on a daily basis, but don’t have to bring that many other items outside of their laptop with them, will also not like the bulkiness of this item. Seeing the shape is quite stiff, you’ll have to make do with a very thick backpack.
Conclusion
Even though the rest of Acer’s Predator lineup won us over, their gaming backpack has left us with mixed feelings, especially when it comes to the protective value it can offer for your hardware. While the design is a love it or hate it kind of thing, it still feels like most of the company’s effort went to making the bag looks ‘badass’ and assorted with the rest of the Predator products. If you’re looking for a backpack for your hardware, it’s certainly best to check out several different options first.
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