- Kyle Chua
CES 2022: Acer Announces New Gaming and Productivity Laptops and Desktops
Taiwanese computer maker Acer today pulled the wrappings back on its new range of productivity and gaming offerings, including new Chromebooks, Predator desktops and Swift X laptops, among others. Let’s take a look at what each of the announcements brings to the table.
Chromebook Spin 513
Flaunting a sleek yet durable design, the Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H) is what Acer describes as the ideal Chromebook for students to take on the go. The laptop boasts a 13.5-inch panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 2256x1504 resolution, which offers 18% more vertical screen space thanks to the VertiView display feature and the slim bezels.
The Spin 513 is powered by the new, high-end MediaTek Kompanio 1380 processor with eight cores and promises up to 10 hours of battery life. Acer adds that the Chromebook features four different usage modes to make it convenient to use in different types of situations such as in space-constrained spaces like trains.
Other features include Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, backlit keyboard, USB Type-C port and upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio support.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H) will release in North America sometime this June at a starting price of US$599.99. No word yet on local pricing and availability.
Chromebook 315
Meanwhile, for those who need a larger screen, the Chromebook 315 (CB315-4H/T) comes with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS panel with an anti-glare coating, making it good for outdoor use. You even have the option to get a touchscreen display, allowing for quicker and easier navigation.
Furthermore, the laptop features an HDR webcam with a wide field of view, flare-reducing technology and integrated microphones, which Acer says should help students and professionals be properly seen and heard during video calls. It’ll be powered by the latest Intel processors and has a battery life of 10 hours. And like the Spin 513, this Chromebook also includes Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, USB-C ports and DTS Audio support. You additionally get a MicroSD card reader.
The 315 also features a unique OceanGlass touchpad, which Acer claims is made entirely of recycled materials. The keyboard is also larger and has a dedicated numeric keypad.
The Acer Chromebook 315 (CB315-4H/T) will be available in North America sometime this January for a starting price of US$299.99. Local pricing and availability have yet to be announced.
Acer Chromebook 314
The Chromebook 314 (CB314-3H/T) is what Acer describes as a budget-friendly option for those who need a laptop for remote learning. The 314 comes equipped with a 14-inch FHD IPS touchscreen display with an anti-glare coating and narrow side bezels.
Under the hood, it’s powered by Intel’s latest processors, has Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and can last up to 10 hours before needing to be recharged. It also has the same OceanGlass touchpad as the Chromebook 315.
What’s more, the 314 comes with two built-in microphones and a flare-reducing webcam with temporal noise reduction (TNR) technology for improved video in low-light environments. It’ll similarly include USB Type-C ports and DTS Audio support.
The Acer Chromebook 314 (CB314-3H/T) will release in North America sometime this June 2022 for the starting price of US$299.99.
Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition
On top of the three Chromebooks, Acer also unveiled a National Geographic Edition of the Aspire Vero laptop. This special edition release will retain the specs of the original while incorporating new, eco-friendly design elements that are evocative of planet Earth.
The most notable of which is a topographic map that’s plastered on the laptop’s surface. Meanwhile, opening the laptop reveals the iconic yellow National Geographic logo printed onto the bottom right corner. The space bar also has the message “For Planet Earth”.
Acer says the Aspire National Geographic Edition uses 30% PCR plastic throughout its chassis and the screen’s bezels as well as 50% in its keycaps. The bottom cover also easily comes off, allowing you to upgrade the internals in the future.
The laptop is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Iris Xe graphics. It’ll also include Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, a USB Type-C port and two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports as well as Windows 11 out of the box.
The Acer Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition (AV15-51R) will be available in China sometime this January, starting at RMB 5,499. Local pricing and availability have yet to be revealed.
Aspire C27 and C24
Dubbed as all-in-one workstations, the 27-inch Aspire C27 (C27-1751) and 24-inch C24 (C24-1750) are refreshed productivity desktops powered by 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, the latest Nvidia GeForce MX550 graphics cards, 64GB of DDR4 memory and 1TB of SSD and 2TB of HDD storage. The machine supports Wi-Fi 6E, Thunderbolt 4 and Bluetooth 5.2 connection. The C27 even includes a 5MP webcam and two stereo microphones for video calling.
The monitor, meanwhile, is an FHD touchscreen with a 91.14% screen-to-body ratio. It features Acer’s BlueLightShield display technology to ease the strain on your eyes.
Both the C24 and the C27 include a cable management system that will allow you to keep your workspace nice and tidy.
No local pricing and availability as of yet.
Swift X
For gaming, Acer brought two new ultra-portable laptops to CES 2022: the 14-inch and 16-inch Swift X models.
The 14-inch option (SFX14-51G) is powered by up to a 12th Gen Intel Core processor coupled with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 350 Ti graphics card. These internal components are housed in a 3.09lbs chassis together with a fan, an air inlet keyboard and dual heat pipes for controlling the laptop’s temperature.
The 16-inch model (SFX16-52G), on the other hand, is powered by 12th Gen Intel Core processors with Intel Arc graphics. It’ll also house dual fans, dual copper heat pipes, an air inlet keyboard and a side exhaust port.
Both models feature a 16:10 aspect-ratio IPS panel with up to a 92.22% screen-to-body ratio and 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut. The 14-inch model has a resolution of 2240x1400 while the 16-inch model has up to 2560x1600. The panel additionally boasts the company’s proprietary BluelightShield, ExtraColour and Colour Intelligence display technologies.
The two also ship with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 2TB of PCIe SSD storage and Windows 11 pre-installed. For ports, you get two Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and HDMI 2.0. You also get a fingerprint scanner, an FHD webcam with Acer’s Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) technology and DTS audio support.
Acer has yet to announce local pricing and availability.
Predator Triton 500 SE
Another gaming laptop, this year’s Predator Triton 500 SE (PT516-52s) comes equipped with up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU, 32GB of LPDDR5 memory and up to 2TB of high-speed PCIe Gen4 storage.
To accommodate the new hardware, Acer has packed a triple-fan system, including two 5th Gen AeroBlade and 3D fans with 89 metal blades each, inside the laptop. The brand’s Vortex Flow technology then redirects air generated by the fans to critical components. Meanwhile, the thermal foam, liquid-metal thermal grease on the CPU and the four heat pipes improve cooling.
The Triton 500 SE touts a 16-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 2560x1600 resolution. It has a refresh rate of 240Hz with a response time of 3ms. On top of this, it supports frame syncing using Nvidia G-Sync technology.
Other key features include USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, E3100G 2.5G Ethernet Controller and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, among others. It’ll run Windows 11 out of the box and has a 99.98Wh battery pack.
Acer has yet to reveal local pricing and availability.
Predator Helios 300
The Predator Helios 300 (PH315-55), meanwhile, can host up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with 32GB of DDR5 memory and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 SSD RAID 0 storage. For graphics, you can choose from either an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 or RTX 3070 Ti GPU.
Acer has, of course, packed in a cooling solution to go alongside the performance-heavy hardware, consisting of a dual-fan layout that is supported by liquid metal thermal grease and Acer’s CoolBoost technology. And you can use the built-in PredatorSense button on the laptop to control the fan speed via four preset options. There’s also a Turbo key that, when pressed, maxes out the fans’ settings, improving gaming performance further.
The laptop has a 15.6-inch IPS display with a 2560x1440 resolution and a refresh rate of 165Hz. Two 17.3-inch variants (PH317-56) with IPS panels (QHD at 165Hz or FHD at 165Hz/144 Hz) are also available.
The Helios 300 also features a per-key RGB keyboard, Killer DoubleShot Pro (E2600+1675i) and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. For ports, it has HDMI 2.1, a Thunderbolt Type-C port and two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports.
No word yet on local pricing and availability.
Nitro 5
The Acer Nitro 5 offers a lot more configurations than its Predator stablemates.
You can have up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU with a pair of M.2 SSD slots and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. This option comes with a 15.6-inch QHD, 165Hz display, which has a 3ms response time. Intel’s processor also gives you access to its Killer Ethernet E2600 and Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 connectivity options.
At the same time, you can also power the Nitro 5 with an AMD Ryzen 6000 series processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combined with two M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. This configuration also comes with two options for the display: an FHD 144Hz panel or a 165Hz QHD Panel.
This new Nitro 5 flaunts a redesigned chassis with dual-fan cooling and four exhaust ports. You can control the fan speeds or overclock your internal hardware for even more performance power using the NitroSense utility software.
You also get DTS:X Ultra audio support, an HDMI 2.1 port and both USB 3.2 Gen 1 and Gen 2 ports. The Intel model Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port while the AMD model has a USB 4 port.
Two 17.3-inch variants (AN517-55, AN517-42) with IPS panels (QHD/FHD at 165Hz or FHD at 144Hz) are also available.
The same with the other gaming laptops, Acer has yet to announce local pricing and availability.
Predator Orion 5000
For gaming desktops, Acer unveiled the Orion 5000, which combines up to the new 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card. It also packs 64GB of DDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD storage.
To back up the powerful hardware, the system has Predator FrostBlade 2.0 fans to keep itself cool. Acer says this new cooling technology uses static pressure design to optimize airflow while rifle bearings at the fan’s fins reduce noise and vibration
All of these components are housed inside an obsidian-hued chassis made of darkened glass and metal mesh, complete with ARGB flair that is seen through a transparent side panel. Acer touts the body’s tool-less design makes it easy for anyone who wants to eventually upgrade the Orion 5000’s internals.
This gaming desktop has an audio jack and four USB ports: three Type-A ports and one Type-C port. It additionally supports DTS:X Ultra audio for more immersive sound and Killer E3100G 2.5G Ethernet Controller and Intel Wi-Fi 6E connectivity for latency reduction. Windows 11 also comes pre-installed out of the box.
No local price or availability as of yet.
Predator Orion 3000
A mid-tower gaming desktop, the Predator Orion 3000 is powered by up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card. You also get up to 64GB of DDR4 memory and 2TB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage as well as 6TB of SATA3 HDD. The Orion 3000 similarly includes Predator FrostBlade 2.0 fans for cooling. And like the Orion 5000, all the internals are housed in a dark-coloured, mesh-bearing chassis with an optional transparent side panel.
It also features Intel Killer E2600 Ethernet controller and Wi-Fi 6E AX211 connectivity, Control Center 2.0, plus DTS:X Ultra audio support. Windows 11 comes pre-installed out of the box.
No word yet on local pricing and availability.