Acer Predator 15 - G9-592 Owner's manual

- 1

Predator 15

User’s Manual

2 -

Predator 15

Covers: G9-591

This revision: October 2015

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Model number: ___________________________________________

Serial number: ___________________________________________

Date of purchase: _______________________________________

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Important

This manual contains proprietary information that is protected by

copyright laws. The information contained in this manual is

subject to change without notice. Images provided herein are for

reference only and may contain information or features that do

not apply to your computer. Acer Group shall not be liable for

technical or editorial errors or omissions contained in this

manual.

Table of contents - 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

First things first 5

Your guides .................................................... 5

Basic care and tips for using your

computer.......................................................... 6

Turning your computer off....................... 6

Taking care of your computer................ 6

Taking care of your AC adapter............ 7

Cleaning and servicing ................................ 7

Your Predator notebook tour 8

Screen view.................................................... 8

Keyboard view.............................................. 9

Left view ....................................................... 10

Information on USB 3.0.......................... 11

Right view ..................................................... 11

Base view ...................................................... 13

Using the keyboard 15

Lock keys ...................................................... 15

Hotkeys ............................................................. 15

Windows keys............................................. 17

Touchpad 18

Touchpad basics........................................ 18

Touchpad gestures.................................. 18

Recovery 20

Creating a factory default backup 20

Backing up your wireless and LAN

drivers ............................................................ 23

Restoring your computer................... 23

Reset this PC and keep my files ........ 23

Reset this PC and remove everything 24

Using a Bluetooth connection 27

Enabling and disabling Bluetooth .. 27

Enable Bluetooth and add a device . 27

Connecting to the Internet 30

Connecting to a wireless network. 30

Connecting to a wireless LAN ............ 30

Connecting with a cable....................... 33

Built-in network feature ......................... 33

Connecting to a cellular network... 34

Acer Bluelight Shield 35

PredatorSense 36

The PredatorSense main screen ... 36

Assign an action to a hotkey................ 37

Create a new profile ................................. 38

Record a macro ........................................... 39

Adjust the keyboard backlight ............ 41

PredatorSense settings ...................... 42

Securing your computer 43

Using a computer security lock...... 43

Using passwords ..................................... 43

Entering passwords .................................. 44

BIOS utility 45

Boot sequence .......................................... 45

Setting passwords.................................. 45

Power management 46

Saving power.............................................. 46

Battery pack 48

Battery characteristics........................ 48

Charging the battery................................ 48

Optimizing battery life............................. 49

Checking the battery level.................... 50

Battery-low warning ................................ 50

Traveling with your computer 51

Disconnecting from the desktop..... 51

Moving around ........................................... 51

Preparing the computer.......................... 51

What to bring to meetings..................... 52

Taking the computer home................ 52

Preparing the computer.......................... 52

What to take with you.............................. 53

Special considerations ............................. 53

Setting up a home office......................... 53

Traveling with the computer ............ 54

Preparing the computer......................... 54

What to take with you............................. 54

Special considerations ............................ 54

Traveling internationally..................... 55

Preparing the computer.......................... 55

What to bring with you............................ 55

Special considerations ............................. 55

Memory card reader 57

Connectivity options............................... 57

Video and audio connectors 59

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 61

Thunderbolt 3 port 63

Displays......................................................... 63

HDMI 65

Frequently asked questions 66

Requesting service ................................. 68

Tips and hints for using Windows

10 ...................................................................... 70

How do I get to Start?............................ 70

How do I turn off my computer? ..... 70

How do I unlock my computer? .......... 71

4 - Table of contents

How do I set the alarm? ......................... 72

Where are my apps?................................. 73

What is a Microsoft ID (account)? ... 74

How do I check for Windows

updates? ........................................................... 74

Where can I get more information? 75

Troubleshooting....................................... 76

Troubleshooting tips ................................. 76

Error messages ............................................ 76

Internet and online security 78

First steps on the net ........................... 78

Protecting your computer ..................... 78

Choose an Internet Service Provider 78

Network connections ............................... 80

Surf the Net! ................................................. 82

Security ............................................................ 82

Playing Blu-Ray or DVD movies 90

First things first - 5

FIRST THINGS FIRST

We would like to thank you for making this Acer notebook

your choice for meeting your mobile computing needs.

Your guides

To help you use your Acer notebook, we have designed a set

of guides:

First off, the Setup Guide (or Setup Poster) helps you get

started with setting up your computer.

The Quick Guide introduces you to the basic features and

functions of your new computer. For more on how your

computer can help you to be more productive, please refer

to the User’s Manual. This guide contains detailed

information on such subjects as system utilities, data

recovery, expansion options and troubleshooting.

There are two ways to download the User’s Manual. You

must first be connected to the internet.

1. Open Acer Care Center from the desktop and select My

System > Summary and click User’s Manual to download

the User’s Manual.

2.Click on the link under Support.

1. The link will open the Acer Service & Support webpage.

2.From this page you can download and install the Acer

identification tool that will automatically detect your

computer’s serial number and SNID and allow you to

copy it to the clipboard.

3.Scroll down to Drivers and Manuals and search for your

model by pasting in or manually entering the serial

number, SNID, or product model.

4.Once you have found your product model, select

Documents and select your language to download the

User’s Manual.

6 - First things first

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Turning your computer off

To turn the power off, do any of the following:

• Use the Windows shutdown command: Press the Windows

key or select the Windows Start button, select Power >

Shut down.

•Right-click the Windows Start button > Shut down or sign

out > Shut down.

If you need to power down the computer for a short while,

but don’t want to completely shut it down, you can put it to

Sleep by doing any of the following:

• Press the power button.

• Press the sleep hotkey <cross-ref to keyboard section>.

•Press the Windows key or select the Windows Start

button, select Power > Sleep.

•Right-click the Windows Start button > Shut down or sign

out > Sleep.

Taking care of your computer

Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it.

• Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not

place it near sources of heat, such as a radiator.

• Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0º C

(32º F) or above 50º C (122º F).

• Do not subject the computer to magnetic fields.

• Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture.

• Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer.

Note

If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the

power button for more than four seconds to shut down the

computer. If you turn off the computer and want to turn it on

again, wait at least two seconds before powering up.

First things first - 7

• Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration.

• Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.

• Never place objects on top of the computer.

• Do not slam the computer display when you close it.

• Never place the computer on uneven surfaces.

Taking care of your AC adapter

Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter:

• Do not connect the adapter to any other device.

• Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on

top of it. Route the power cord and any cables away from

where people walk.

• When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord

itself but pull on the plug.

• The total ampere ratings of the equipment plugged in

should not exceed the ampere rating of the cord if you are

using an extension cord. Also, the total current rating of all

equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not

exceed the fuse rating.

Cleaning and servicing

When cleaning the computer, follow these steps:

1. Turn off the computer.

2.Disconnect the AC adapter.

3.Use a soft, moist cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol

cleaners.

If your computer is dropped or visibly damaged, or does not

work normally, please contact your nearest authorized Acer

service center. For more information, please See Frequently

asked questions on page 66.

8 - Your Predator notebook tour

YOUR PREDATOR NOTEBOOK

TOUR

After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Setup

Guide, let us show you around your new Predator computer.

Screen view

#Icon Item Description

1Webcam

Web camera for video

communication.

A light next to the webcam

indicates that the webcam is

active.

2Microphones

Internal stereo digital

microphones for sound

recording.

3Screen Displays computer output.

4 Speakers Deliver stereo audio output.

2

1

3

4

Your Predator notebook tour - 9

Keyboard view

#Icon Item Description

1

Battery

indicator

Indicates the computer’s

battery status.

Charging: The light shows

amber when the battery is

charging.

Fully charged: The light shows

red when plugged in.

Power

indicator

Indicates the computer’s power

status.

Hard drive

indicator

Indicates when the computer’s

hard drive is active.

2Programmable

keys

Keys that allow you to change

computer settings to suit your

current game.

You can define settings for each

key from PredatorSense; please

refer to PredatorSense on

page 36.

3

2

4

5

7

6

1

10 - Your Predator notebook tour

Left view

234 75

16 8

3Keyboard

For entering data into your

computer.

See Using the keyboard on

page 15.

4Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device.

5Click buttons

(left and right)

The left and right buttons

function like the left and right

mouse buttons.

6

Touchpad /

Windows key

toggle button

Turns the built-in touchpad and

Windows key on and off.

To turn both the touchpad and

Windows key on again, you need

to press this button. The <Fn> +

<F7> hotkey does not work for

the Windows key.

7Power button Turns the computer on and off.

#Icon Item Description

1DC-in jack Connects to an AC adapter.

2USB ports Connect to USB devices.

3Mic-in jack Connects to an external

microphone for recording audio.

4Headset/

speaker jack

Connects to audio devices (e.g.,

speakers, headphones)

5SD card

reader

Accepts one Secure Digital (SD

or SDHC) card.

Only one card can operate at a

time.

#Icon Item Description

Your Predator notebook tour - 11

Information on USB 3.0

• USB 3.0 compatible ports are blue.

• Compatible with USB 3.0 and earlier devices.

• For optimal performance, use USB 3.0-certified devices.

• Defined by the USB 3.0 specification (SuperSpeed USB).

Right view

12 456 73

6Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts

CDs or DVDs.

7Optical drive

eject button

Ejects the optical disk from the

drive.

8Emergency

eject hole

Ejects the optical drive tray

when the computer is turned off.

Carefully insert a straightened

paper clip to eject the optical

drive tray.

#Icon Item Description

1

USB Type-C /

Thunderbolt 3

port

Connects to USB devices that

adopt the USB Type-C

connector.

Supports Thunderbolt 3,

displays, and USB 3.1 Type-C,

Gen 2 with transfer speeds up

to 10 Gb/s.

2

USB port with

power-off

charging

Connects to USB devices.

3USB port Connects to USB devices.

12 - Your Predator notebook tour

4HDMI port Supports high-definition digital

video connections.

5

External

display

(DisplayPort)

port

Connects to a display device

using the high-definition

DisplayPort interface.

6Ethernet (RJ-

45) port

Connects to an Ethernet 10/

100/1000-based network.

7

Kensington

lock slot

Connects to a Kensington-

compatible computer security

lock.

Wrap the computer security

lock cable around an immovable

object such as a table or handle

of a locked drawer.

Insert the lock into the notch

and turn the key to secure the

lock.

Keyless models are also

available.

#Icon Item Description

Your Predator notebook tour - 13

Base view

Subwoofer

2

1

34

5

#Icon Item Description

1

Ventilation

and cooling

fan

Allows the computer to stay

cool.

Do not cover or obstruct the

openings.

2Battery reset

pinhole

Simulates removing and

reinstalling the battery.

Insert a paperclip into the hole

and press for four seconds.

3

Main drive

compartment

Houses the computer’s main

storage drive.

Memory

compartment

Houses the computer’s main

memory.

To ensure maximum reliability

and performance, only use

memory modules purchased

from an authorized Predator

reseller.

14 - Your Predator notebook tour

4

Optical drive /

cooling

module fan

lock

Locks the optical drive or

cooling fan module in position.

Turn the computer off before

swapping between the optical

drive and fan.

5Subwoofer Delivers enhanced bass audio.

#Icon Item Description

Using the keyboard - 15

USING THE KEYBOARD

The keyboard has full-sized keys and a separate numeric

keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows, function and special

keys.

Lock keys

The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on

and off.

Hotkeys

The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to

access most of the computer's controls like screen

brightness and volume output.

To activate hotkeys, press and hold the <Fn> key before

pressing the other key in the hotkey combination.

Lock key Description

Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic

characters typed are in uppercase.

Num Lock

When Num Lock is on, the keypad is in

numeric mode. The keys function as a

calculator (complete with the arithmetic

operators +, -, *, and /). Use this mode when

you need to do a lot of numeric data entry.

Scroll Lock

When Scroll Lock is on, the screen moves one

line up or down when you press the up or

down arrow keys respectively. Scroll Lock

does not work with some applications.

Hotkey Icon Function Description

<Fn> + <F3>Airplane

mode

Turns on / off the

computer's network

devices.

<Fn> + <F4> Sleep Puts the computer in

Sleep mode.

16 - Using the keyboard

<Fn> + <F5>Display

toggle

Switches display output

between the display

screen, external monitor

(if connected) and both.

<Fn> + <F6> Display off

Turns the display screen

backlight off to save

power. Press any key to

return.

<Fn> + <F7>Touchpad

toggle

Turns the built-in

touchpad on and off.

<Fn> + <F8>Speaker

toggle

Turns the speakers on

and off.

<Fn> + <F9>Keyboard

backlight

Turns the keyboard

backlight on and off.

<Fn> + <F12>Scr Lk Turns the scroll lock

feature on or off.

<Fn> + < > Brightness

up

Increases the screen

brightness.

<Fn> + < > Brightness

down

Decreases the screen

brightness.

<Fn> + < > Volume up Increases the sound

volume.

<Fn> + < > Volume down Decreases the sound

volume.

<Fn> +

<Home>Play/Pause Play or pause a selected

media file.

<Fn> +

<Pg Up>Stop Stop playing the selected

media file.

<Fn> +

<Pg Dn>Previous Return to the previous

media file.

<Fn> + <End>Next Jump to the next media

file.

Hotkey Icon Function Description

Using the keyboard - 17

Windows keys

The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific

functions.

Key Description

Windows

key

Pressed alone it returns to the Start screen

or to return to the last open app.

It can also be used with other keys for

special functions, please check Windows

Help.

Application

key

This key has the same effect as clicking the

right mouse button; it opens the

application's context menu.

18 - Touchpad

TOUCHPAD

Touchpad basics

The touchpad controls the arrow (or 'cursor') on the

screen. As you slide your finger across the touchpad, the

cursor will follow this movement.

Press the left or right side of the button located beneath the

touchpad to perform selection and execution functions, or

tap the surface of the touchpad. These two areas are similar

to the left and right buttons on a mouse.

The cursor is controlled by some basic gestures:

•Single-finger slide: Slide a finger across the

touchpad to move the cursor.

•Single-finger tap: Lightly tap the touchpad with

your finger, to perform a 'click', which will select or

start an item. Quickly repeat the tap to perform a double

tap or 'double click'.

•Drag: Press and hold the left side of the selection button,

or tap twice anywhere on the touchpad, then slide a second

finger across the touchpad to select all items in an area.

Touchpad gestures

Windows 10 and many applications support touchpad

gestures that use one or more fingers.

These allow you to control applications with a few simple

gestures, such as:

Note

The touchpad is sensitive to finger movement; the lighter the

touch, the better the response. Please keep the touchpad and your

fingers dry and clean.

Note

Support for touchpad gestures depends on the active application.

Touchpad - 19

•Swipe in from edge: Access Windows

tools by swiping into the center of the

touchpad from the right or left edge.

•Swipe in from right: Toggle the

charms.

•Swipe in from left: Switch to the previous app.

•Two-finger slide: Swiftly scroll through web pages,

documents and playlists by placing two fingers on

the touchpad and moving both in any direction.

•Two-finger pinch: Zoom in and out of photos, maps

and documents with a simple finger-and-thumb

gesture.

20 - Recovery

RECOVERY

If you are having trouble with your computer, and the

frequently asked questions (see Frequently asked

questions on page 66) do not help, you can recover your

computer.

This section describes the recovery tools available on your

computer. Acer provides Acer Care Center, which allows you

to reset your PC, refresh your PC, or create a factory

default backup.

Creating a factory default backup

1. Backup allows you to quickly and easily back up your

operating system, installed apps and data.From Start, type

Note

Acer Care Center is only available with a pre-installed Windows

operating system.

Important

We recommend that you create a Factory Default Backup as

soon as possible. In certain situations a full recovery will require

a USB recovery backup.

Note

Since the recovery backup requires at least 8

GB of storage after

formatting, it is recommended to use a USB drive with a capacity

of 16

GB or larger.

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