- Kyle Chua
CES 2023: Acer's New Aspire, Swift, Nitro and Predator Laptops
Updated: Jan 6
Acer is welcoming the New Year by refreshing its line of gaming- and productivity-focused laptops with faster and more powerful hardware. The Taiwanese electronics giant unveiled some of the products that are hitting the market this year ahead of the opening of CES 2023.
Here are the top announcements:
eKinekt BD 3
Usually, it's hard to find the time to get in shape when you're swamped with work, but Acer might have a solution for you. The eKinekt BD 3 is a desk with a stationary bike that allows you to exercise and work at the same time.
What's cool about it is that the kinetic energy you produce from pedaling is what's used to charge your devices, with an hour of constant cycling at 60 RPM being able to generate up to 75 watts of power. You'll know you're generating power through an LED indicator on the bike.
The bike desk also comes with two modes: Working Mode and Sports Mode. In Working mode, the desk surface moves closer to the chair to let you sit in an upright position while you type and pedal. In Sports Mode, on the other hand, the desk sits further forward, giving you more room to lean in, the same way you would on regular stationary bike.
Other features include two USB Type-A ports and a USB Type-C ports and a hook on the side to hang your bags or belongings.
You can also download the eKinekt companion app to track stats like duration, distance and speed, which also indicate the number of calories burned and the watts generated when pedaling. The app also tracks your workout history, allowing you to see your progress over time.
The eKinekt BD 3 launched in the U.S. sometime in June for US$999.
Aspire Desktops and Notebooks
The new Aspire S series, as Acer touts, are designed to support your everyday computing and entertainment needs. The 32-inch option of the all-in-one desktop can house up to 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700 processors with Intel Arc A-Series graphics, while the 27-inch model can house up to the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. They also come in a sleek aluminum chassis with a near borderless WQHD display, not to mention include a number of ports and support Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
Both the 27-inch and 32-inch Aspire S are slated to launch in the U.S. in Q1. The former starts at US$1,199.99, while the latter starts US$1,699.99.
Meanwhile, the new Aspire 5 models feature 13th Gen Intel Core processors and are paired with up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 graphics. They also come with up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory and up to a 1 TB M.2 SSD, combining performance with versatility. The 15-inch option sports a QHD display and a 16:9 aspect ratio, while the 14-inch version
features an FHD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Other key features include a 1080p FHD webcam, a full-function USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 4 port and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, to name a few.
The 14-inch Aspire 5 launches in the U.S. in March for the starting price of US$549.99, while the 15-inch and 17-inch options launch in April for the starting prices of US$599.99 and US$699.99, respectively.
For more budget-friendly Aspire options, there's the new Aspire 3 models, which pack new Intel Core i3-N series processors. They are ultra-portable, weighing at only 1.6kg with a slick 18.9 mm metal casing, and sport a 1080 HD display. All models also come with a USB Type-C port, HDMI 2.1 ports and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
The Aspire 3 launches in the U.S. in March, with the 14-inch option starting at US$499, the 15-inch option starting at US$349 and the 17-inch option starting at US$379.99.
New Nitro Laptops
Acer's Nitro lineup is similarly getting some notable upgrades this year. The new Nitro 16 and Nitro 17 ship with the latest with the latest 13th Ge Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics. Both include up to 2 TB of storage and up to 32 GB of DDR5 4800 memory. They come in thinner and lighter form factors with higher screen-to-body ratios. The 16-inch option sports a WUXGA/WQXGA display, while the 17.3-inch option sports a FHD/QHD display. Both also have dual fans, four fan outlets located at their sides, upper air intake and liquid metal cooling solutions to support extended gaming sessions.
The two models are scheduled to hit the market in May for the starting price of US$1,199.99.
New Predator Laptops and Monitors
Sticking to gaming hardware, Acer also unveiled some new Predator laptops and monitors.
The Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 are the brand's most powerful laptops to date, being powered by the latest 13th Gen Intel Core mobile processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs. They also come with up to 32 GB DDR5-
4800 MHz RAM and up to 2 TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD in RAID 0.
For display, the 16-inch Helios 16 lets you choose between a WQXGA (2560x1600) display at 165 Hz or 240 Hz
or a Mini LED panel at 250 Hz, powered by AUO AmLED technology, which supports over 1000 nits
peak brightness with 1,000,000:1 high contrast ratio and 100% coverage of DCI-P3 colour gamut. The 18-inch Helios 18, meanwhile, lets you pick between a WUXGA (1920x1200) at 165 Hz, WQXGA (2560×1600) at 165 Hz or 240 Hz,
or AUO’s superfast 250 Hz Mini LED display that boasts three times more ambient contrast ratio than conventional displays.
The two also have new thermal solutions, housed inside an all-new design, featuring a simplified matte
black chassis with clean edges and thinner bezels. They include USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, an HDMI
2.1 port, two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
The Predator Helios 16 launches in the U.S. in March for the starting price of US$1,649.99, while the Predator Helios 18 launches in April for the starting price of US$1,699.
As for monitors, Acer unveiled the Predator X45 & X27U, two OLED panels that prioritise performance.
The 45-inch UWQHD (3440x1440) Predator X45 is an 800R curved monitor with an ultra-wide frame. It supports 98.5% DCI-P3 colour gamut and includes DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports. The 27-inch WQHD (2560x1440) X27U, meanwhile, is an HDR10-capable panel with 98.5% DCI-P3 coverage and a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. Both monitors feature 240 Hz refresh rates and 0.01ms pixel response time with support for AMD FreeSync.
The Predator X45 & X27U release in Q2 of this year. The former starts at US$1,699, while the latter starts at US$1,099.
Acer Chromebox CX15 and Add-In-One 24
Acer also expanded its ChromeOS releases this year, with the announcement of the Chromebox CX15 and the Add-In-One 24.
The Chromebox CX15 and the Chromebox Enterprise CXI5 are outfitted with up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, which is touted to deliver up to 20% better performance than previous generations. It also includes the Intel vPro platform for additional hardware-based security needed by enterprise employees, especially IT professionals. If you choose the Enterprise CX15 option, you get the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade out of the box, which enables fast deployment and simple management tools, built-in proactive security features and access to productivity apps, among others. Both models also feature four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and two USB 4 Gen 3 Type-C ports as well as Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
The Acer Chromebox CXI5 hits the U.S. in Q1 for the starting price of US$289.99.
The Add-In-One 24, meanwhile is a modular, all-in-one desktop solution that incorporates the Chromebox CX15 in the dock on the back of the 24-inch FHD 1080p monitor. Acer said it was designed in such a way to make it easy to swap Chromeboxes in case of repairs. The desktop also includes a 115-degree wide-angle 5 MP webcam, dual microphones and dual speakers.
It is scheduled to launch in the U.S. in Q1 for the starting price of US$609.99.
New Swift Laptops
Lastly, Acer grew the Swift family, with the debut of the Swift Go line, which is being geared towards professionals and students. The Swift Go, Swift X 14 and Swift 14 models all flaunt ultraportable designs while maintaining relatively strong performance to handle everyday tasks.
The all-new Swift Go 16 and Swift Go 14 are powered by 13th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and support up to 2 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and up to 16 GB LPDDR5 memory. They also both sport an OLED panel with fast refresh rates and have a battery life of more than 9.5 hours. Other features include Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1 and a MicroSD card reader.
The Swift Go 14 releases in the U.S. in May for the starting price of US$849.99, while the Swift Go 16 releases in June for the starting price of US$799.99.
The Swift 14 similarly houses up to 13th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and packs more than 9.5 hours of battery life. Apart from the design, the difference with the Swift Go line here is the choice in display options: either WQXGA
(2560x1600) or WUXGA (1920x1200).
The Swift 14 hits the U.S. market in March, starting at US$1,399.99.
For more performance power, you might want to look to the Swift X 14, which house 13th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and the option for up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics. To compensate for any heat that the configuration might generate, Acer claims it has a more advanced thermals and cooling systems than its siblings. It also sports a 14-inch 2.8K OLED panel with 120 Hz frame refresh rate.
The Swift X 14 releases in the U.S. in April for the starting price of US$1,099.99.
Acer is welcoming the New Year by refreshing its line of gaming- and productivity-focused laptops with faster and more powerful hardware.
Some of the announcements include new Aspire-, Swift-, Nitro- and Predator-branded laptops.
The Taiwanese electronics giant also unveiled a bike desk that lets you work on your laptop and exercise at the same time.