Today is an important day for Acer, which during the Next@Acer has presented a huge number of devices from all its ranges. The one that concerns us in this text is Predator, which encompasses its gaming desktops and notebooks and has been renewed with no more and no less than four devices: two towers and two laptops.
The new devices are equipped with the latest from Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA. Intel and AMD put the Intel 11th Generation and Ryzen 5000, respectively, while NVIDIA has been responsible for equipping the computers with the new RTX Series 30. What do the new Acer devices for gamers offer us? Well, let’s take it one step at a time.
Acer Predator Orion and Predator Nitro datasheets
| Acer Predator Orio 3000 | Acer Predator Nitro 50 (INTEL) | Acer Predator Nitro 50 (AMD) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 11th Generation i5 / i7 | Intel Core 11th Generation i5 / i7 | AMD B550A Chipset Up to AMD Ryzen 9 5900 Series |
| Graphic Card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 3060 Ti, 3070 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1160 SUPER | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 3060Ti NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 1660 SUPER | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 3060Ti NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 1660 SUPER |
| RAM | 4/8/16 GB DDR4 3200 MHz UDIMM Up to 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz | 4/8/16 GB DDR4 3200 MHz Up to 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz | 4/8/16 GB DDR4 3200 MHz Up to 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz |
| Storage | 1/2/3 TB HDD 7200 RPM 256/512 / 1,024 GB M.2 2280 PCIe SSD | 1/2/3 TB HDD 7200 RPM 256/512 / 1,024 GB M.2 2280 PCIe SSD | 1/2/3 TB HDD 7200 RPM 256/512 / 1,024 GB M.2 2280 PCIe SSD |
| Refrigeration | 2x 92mm Predator FrostBlade RG3 | N / A | N / A |
| Connectivity | Killer E2600 1G Ethernet WiFi 6 MU-MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home |
| Expansions | 1x PCIe x16 2x M.2 for SSD 1x M.2 for WLAN | 1x PCIe x16 1x M.2 for SSD 1x M.2 for WLAN | 1x PCIe x16 1x M.2 for SSD 1x M.2 for WLAN |
This is what the new Acer gaming towers look like
Let’s start with the towers or desktop computers. The first of these is the Acer Predator Orion 3000, which consists of a mid-tower platform. Unsurprisingly, the computer is packed with RGB lighting thanks to the two custom-designed 92-millimeter Predator FrostBlade fans and RGB bars on the front. An aggressive design befitting a device in this segment.
The Acer Predator Orion 3000 is only available with Intel processors which, in this case, can be the latest generation i5 or i7. The graphics card can be an RTX 2060, 3060 Ti, or 3070 (which will allow access to ray tracing and technologies such as DLSS), although it will also be available with a GTX 1660 SUPER.
For RAM, up to 16 GB DDR4 at 3200 MHz expandable up to 64 GB (this is shared by all three models) and for storage, up to 3 TB of the hard disk at 7200 RPM and up to 1 TB of SSD M.E that we can always expand through the available slots.
The pre-installed operating system will be Windows 10 Home 64-bit. For connectivity, Acer has not wanted to fall short and has implemented Gigabit-class Ethernet, WiFi 6 MU-MIMO, and Bluetooth 5.0. The price of this tower starts at $1,199.99 for the most basic version.
Then we have the Nitro 50, which are the same as each other with the difference that one of them mounts 11th Generation Intel processors (i5 or i7) and the other has an AMD B550A chipset that can mount up to a Ryzen 9 5900. Otherwise, the same.
So, the Acer Nitro will be able to be equipped with RTX 2060 or 3060Ti GPUs or, failing that, with GeForce GTX 1650 or 1660 SUPER. It will be accompanied by up to 16 GB of DDR4 3200 MHz RAM expandable up to 64 GB and the same storage configuration as the Acer Predator Orion 3000. Its price starts at $949.
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE and Predator Helios 500 Datasheet
| Predator Triton 500 SE | Predator Helios 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions and Weight | 358.5 x 262.4 x 19.9 mm 2.4 kilos | 400 x 319.2 x 35.3 mm 3.98 kg |
| Screen | 16-inch IPS Resolution WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) 165 Hz, 3 ms Format 16:10 100% sRGB 500 nits | 17.3-inch IPS MiniLED UHD 4K 120Hz, QHD 165Hz, FHD 360Hz |
| Processor | Intel Core 11th Gen i9-11900H Intel Core 11th Gen i7-11800H | Intel Core 11th Gen i9-11980HK Intel Core 11th Gen i7-11800H |
| RAM | Up to 32GB DDR4 | Up to 32GB DDR4 |
| Graphic Card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 3070, 3080 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 3070 |
| Storage | 1/2 TB NVMe, RAID 0 SSD 512 GB / 1 TB PCIe Gen4, 16 Gb / s, NVMe | SSD: 512GB / 1 / 2TB NVMe, RAID 0 SSD 512GB / 1TB PCIe Gen4, 17Gb / s, NVMe HDD: 1/2TB 2.5 “5400 RPM 1TB 2.5″ 7200 RPM |
| Sound | DTS X: Windows Ultra Spatial Sound Acer Purified Acer TrueHarmony | DTS X: Ultra Windows Spatial Sound Acer Purified Acer TrueHarmony True 5.1 Channel Surround Sound |
| Connectivity | Killer WiFi 6 AX1650i Killer Ethernet E3100G | Killer WiFi 6 AX1650i Killer Ethernet E3100G 5G optional |
| Battery | N / A | N / A |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 1x HDMI 2.1 with HDCP Combo 3.5 mm SD Ethernet Reader | N / A |
| Others | – | FullHD Webcam HD Video @ 60 FPS |
MiniLED screens are coming to gaming laptops
Although the towers do not look bad, the truth is that Acer’s new gaming laptops have attracted a great deal of interest. The most powerful model in the range is the Acer Predator Helios 500, a laptop weighing almost four kilos, 35.3 millimeters thick, and available with a 17.3-inch MiniLED 4K display at 120 Hz or an AUO FullHD panel at 360 Hz. For hertz, it will not be, of course.
Engine-wise, Acer gives the option of getting Intel’s flagship Core 11th Gen i9-11980HK (overclock-ready) or i7-11800H, complete with up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory and different dual storage configurations (HDD and NVMe SSD).
All this will cause the temperature to rise, but Acer has implemented a cooling system based on a metal alloy polymer located on top of the processor (Acer PowerGem, it’s called) and three fans including a fifth-generation AeroBlade.
Also eye-catching is the keyboard. In addition to having RGB lighting, the WASD keys feature MagTek mechanical switches that are pressure-sensitive, so for all practical purposes they will function like joysticks on a console controller, ergo they will offer more precision in driving games.
Going over connectivity, Acer has fitted its WiFi 6 and Ethernet systems and, interestingly, 5G as an option. We’ll have to see how it works on a day-to-day basis (especially now that 5G is starting to roll out), but Acer’s idea is that the gamer will be able to play online anywhere without latency. Just a matter of waiting to find out for sure.
What Acer has not revealed about this device is neither its battery (which we know is four cells, but nothing else) nor the number of ports. What we can say is that its price will start at $2,499.
The other model that Acer offers is the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE. This is a more affordable model, but equally powerful. It weighs 2.4 kilograms, has a thickness of 19.9 inches, and mounts a 16-inch IPS display with WQXGA resolution (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) in 16:10 format, with a 165 Hz refresh rate, three milliseconds of response, and a brightness of 500 nits with peaks of 1,250 nits.
This device will be available with Intel Core 11th Gen i9-11900H or i7-11800H, up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 3070, or 3080 GPU. For internal storage, SSD in all cases up to 1 TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe.
Like the previous model, the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE mounts a Vortex Flow cooling system consisting of three fans (including a fifth-generation AeroBlade), five dedicated heat pipes for the CPU, and GPU, and air intake and exhaust fans.
Finally, it is worth noting that this laptop has WiFi 6, Ethernet, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and all kinds of connections needed for day-to-day use. The operating system is Windows 10 Home, its autonomy claims to be 12 hours and its price starts at $1,749.99.
Pricing and Availability
The new Acer computers will soon be available for purchase in different configurations. The price, therefore, will depend on them. The Acer Predator Triton 500 SE will be available from July, the Predator Helios 500 from June, and the two towers from October. Starting prices are as follows:
- Acer Predator Orion 3000: from $1,199
- Acer Predator Nitro 50: from $949
- Acer Predator Triton 500 SE: from $1,749.99
- Acer Predator Helios 500: from $2,499.
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