Ahead of the Computex trade show, Acer is unleashing a pack of refreshed gaming laptops and desktops in its Predator line.
Predator Triton 500 SE
For the laptops, one of the main changes is the new silicon—Intel's latest 11th generation “Tiger Lake” Core H-Series processors alongside Nvidia's RTX 3000 series mobile GPUs.
The Predator Triton 500 SE is a 16-inch all-metal notebook designed for both gaming and work. It can max out with an Intel Core i9-11900H processor, an Nvidia RTX 3080 laptop-focused GPU, 64GB of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, and 4TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage.
Despite packing so much power, the hardware still remains relatively thin at 0.75 inches, while the machine itself weighs in at 5.2 pounds. The notebook can also run up to 12 hours on a single battery charge, but that’s purely for video playback, not gaming.
For visuals, the 16-inch screen can be configured with an LCD panel running at a 165Hz refresh rate. But you can also upgrade to a 165Hz mini LED for better brightness and color contrasts, or opt for an IPS display running at 240Hz for an ever higher refresh rate.
Other features include dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD card 7.0 reader, a Wi-Fi 6 modem, and a 2.5Gbps Ethernet controller. The Triton 500 SE is slated to go on sale next month in North America starting at $1,749 with the model number PT516-51s.
Predator Helios 500
If you’re looking for more power, Acer has the Predator Helios 500, a 17.3-inch laptop with the option to run Intel's faster Core i9-11980HK processor.
It can also now be configured with a 1080p screen featuring a refresh rate of up to 360Hz.
The other standout feature is the option for a 4K screen running at 120Hz. The same panel uses Mini LED technology for higher brightness and color contrasts; Acer says it's comparable to an HDR 1000 display. Buyers can also max out the Helios 500 with an Nvidia RTX 3080 mobile GPU, and two PCIe Gen 4 SSDs. However, the hardware also contains enough room for up to 64GB of RAM and a single SATA HDD.
Another nice addition is the 1080p 60fps web camera. But on the downside, the laptop is pretty heavy. With the battery pack included, the system weighs in at 8.6 pounds.
Look for the Predator Helios 500 in August in North America starting at $2,499 (model number PH517-52). Acer plans on releasing more information to consumers via Acer.com.
Predator Orion 3000 and Nitro 50
On the prebuilt desktop front, Acer is refreshing the Predator Orion 3000 with 11th generation Intel Core processors and Nvidia’s RTX 3070 and 3060 Ti graphics cards.
Expect the new model, dubbed P03-630, to go on sale in North America in July starting at $1,199. However, the base model will use the older Nvidia GTX 1660 Super card. So to get the latest GPUs from Nvidia, you'll have to pay up.
The Nitro 50, on the other hand, will contain options for both Intel and AMD Ryzen 5000 CPUs. The system can also be ordered with a built-in wireless charging pad.
It's slated to arrive in July starting at $949. The desktops can be configured with an Nvidia GTX 1650 card up to an RTX 3060 Ti.
