Acer just announced a dizzying number of new systems, including a big refresh to its gaming portfolio.
Here’s a look at all the new gaming laptops, desktops, and accessories from Acer headed our way real soon.
New Helios and Triton Notebooks on Deck
Acer’s biggest and most expensive new gaming laptop, the 17.3-inch Predator Helios 500 (starting at $US2,500 ($3,207)) boasts some of the most impressive specs you can get on a big desktop replacement today. Not only can it be equipped with up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i9 H-series CPU, up to 64GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, it also comes with two high-end display options: a super fast full HD panel with a 360Hz refresh rate, or a 2560 x 1600 miniLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate and peak brightness upwards of 1000 nits.
While it doesn’t have an official VESA certification, Acer says the Helios 500’s screen is so bright it’s equivalent to a VESA HDR 1000 rating, which should deliver rich and accurate colours, while the 360Hz display option also comes with a quick 3ms response rate. On top of that, the Helios 500 comes with room for two PCIe NVMe SSDs (available in RAID 0) and a standard SATA HDD, so you should have plenty of room for even the biggest games (I’m looking at you, COD).
The Helios 500 also comes with a Acer’s PowerGem cooling tech and redesigned fans to help keep heat from impacting performance, while Acer even provides optional Racing and MagForce WASD keys with mechanical switches to help improve responsiveness while gaming.
Meanwhile, for people looking for a slightly more portable gaming notebook, there’s the 16-inch Predator Triton 500 SE (starting at $US1,750 ($2,245)), which supports a number of the same config options as its bigger sibling, including a Core i9 CPU, Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, and even a similar WQXGA miniLED display (though the Triton 500 SE’s other display option tops out at just 240Hz).
However, the Triton 500 SE sports a slimmer chassis that measures 0.75 inches thick, so you don’t get quite as much flexibility in terms of storage options. But Acer claims the Triton 500 SE can deliver up to 12 hours of battery life, so it should be a much better choice for anyone needs a powerful notebook they can take on the go.
Don’t Forget About the Gaming Desktops
If you’re looking for something to power a home gaming setup, meet the new Predator Orion 3000 and Nitro 50 gaming desktops.
Starting at $US1,200 ($1,539), the Orion 3000 is based around a relatively compact mid-tower and includes support for up to 11th-gen Intel Core i7 CPUs and RTX 3070 GPUs, up to 64GB of RAM, and four built-in customisable RGB fans.
Moving down slightly to the Nitro 50 — starting at just $US950 ($1,218) and topping out with an Nvidia RTX 3060Ti — which it isn’t quite as powerful as the Orion 3000, though you do at least get a choice between 11th-gen Intel Core i7 and AMD Ryzen 9 5900 CPUs. And as a small bonus for general usability, the Nitro 50 can also be equipped with an optional Qi wireless charging pad built into its case — very handy, if you ask me.
Accessories Galore
Aside from new laptops and desktops, Acer is also releasing its new Predator Cestus 335 gaming mouse, which features a 2,000Hz polling rate that goes up to 19,000 DPI, and 10 programmable buttons that should be more than enough for all but the most hardcore MMORPG fans.
As one of the leading makers of gaming monitors, Acer is adding the $US1,300 ($1,667) Predator x28, $US2,000 ($2,565) Predator X38 S, and the massive $US1,800 ($2,309) Predator CG437K S to its roster, which range from 28 inches to a whopping 42.5 inches in size.
Featuring Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, a 144Hz refresh rate, 4K resolution, VESA Display HDR 1000 certification, and support for HDMI 2.1, the Predator CG437K S is equally adept at PC or console gaming, while the 28-inch Predator X28 and 37.5-inch Predator x38 S are geared more toward the PC crowd, thanks to their slightly higher refresh rates of 155Hz and 175HZ, respectively.
Finally, there’s the Predator Connect D5 dongle, which is a bit of an oddball accessory that adds support for 5G (including 5G hotspot functionality) to your gaming rig via USB-C, for the handful of gamers who live in areas with fast mobile networks and bad fixed broadbrand.
So while this isn’t a top to bottom refresh of Acer’s entire gaming lineup, there’s still a ton of new gaming hardware coming out from Acer over the next few months.
The Triton 500 SE is slated to be available in June, with the Helios 500 arriving later in August. Meanwhile, the Orion 3000 and Nitro 50 desktops will be available even sooner in July, with the new gaming monitor arriving later in the fall between August and November.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.