Acer unveiled several new features at its Next@Acer conference. Three products particularly impressed us: the Swift X and the Predator Triton 500 SE, and Helios 500. It’s time for presentations.
Each year, Acer holds a spring conference to launch a range of new products. The 2021 edition of this keynote is no exception, with new features announced in accessories, Chromebooks, and innovative products. However, our attention has focused on three new laptops attached to the Swift and Predator ranges. The first is a 14-inch ultraportable with surprisingly powerful components. The other two are dedicated to wealthy gamers.
Acer Swift X: the ultraportable that hides its game well!
Let’s start with the Acer Swift X. The device reminds us of hybridization between the HP Envy 14 and the ASUS Zephyrus G14. In a compact 14-inch format for 17.9 mm thick and only 1.39 kg, the device manages to combine an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U processor, 16GB of RAM, and an RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti (optional). This is the first time Acer has attempted such an ambitious configuration on its Swift range, usually marked by interesting but much more “traditional” ultraportables such as the Swift 5.
With this configuration, the device targets students who want a machine that can launch a few games in good conditions while being easy to take away in class and punctual creatives who need a compact computer. The Swift X features a 14-inch Full HD IPS display with a maximum luminance of 300 nits on the display side. It will be able to cover 100% of the sRGB spectrum. We finally enjoy a maximum of 2TB of SSD
The Swift X will arrive in Europe in September, concerning the arrival in Africa we aren’t sure about that, It will cost KES 324,829.
Predator Helios 500: a colossus (neon-bared) with a Mini-LED 4K screen
The Predator Helios 500 will be one of the stars of the summer. The craft is a 17.3-inch monster capable of combining an 11th-generation (overclockable) Intel Core i9 and RTX 3080, a maximum of 64GB of DDR4 at 3,200 MHz, and two RAID0-mounted SSDs.
But it is especially in terms of display that the Helios 500 stands out. Its most upscale version carries an AU Optronics MiniLED Ultra HD slab capable of going up to 120 Hz. This exceptional slab (rare are the laptops to bet on MiniLED display technology, only the Creator 17 of MSI comes immediately to the top) is certified Vesa DisplayHDR 1000, which should display high brightness and deep blacks.
Predator Triton 500 SE: the fearsome PC… but compact
More compact, the Triton 500 SE uses a similar technical sheet, which can combine up to a Core i9, 64GB of DDR4 at 3,200 MHz, and an RTX 3080, but this time in a chassis is not exceeding 19.9 mm thick.
Acer promises up to 12 hours of battery life on this product, thanks to NVIDIA Advanced Optimus technology, and indicates that you can opt for up to 4TB of STORAGE in PCIe Gen4.
Here, too, the brand relies on a high-flying screen with a 16-inch AUO Mini-LED slab 165 Hz QHD (2,560 × 1,600 pixels) at the 16:10 ratio. This screen will display a maximum luminance of 1,250 nits and cover 100% of the sRGB spectrum. Alternatively, it will be possible to opt instead for a 240 Hz QHD IPS screen covering the DCI-P3 gamut in its entirety.
The Triton 500 SE is expected on the Old Continent from 1,999 euros(KES 261,192), starting next July. A Full HD 360 Hz (3 ms) display will be available on the basic version of the device, expected by us in June, starting at 2,499 euros( KES 324,811).
