Acer’s Predator gaming laptop computer lineup for CES 2024 boasts 5 new laptops, with sharp distinctions between premium, midrange, and price range fashions based mostly upon the GPU and display refresh charge. GPU choices now push up into the GeForce RTX 4090 vary, with 250Hz show choices amongst its Predator Helios lineup.
Acer’s additions additionally embrace a brand new 18-inch Predator Helios Neo possibility. All are constructed round Intel’s new cellular model of the 14th-gen Raptor Lake Refresh processors. Although they’re gaming laptops, they’ll additionally embrace Microsoft’s new Copilot key. Right here’s a quick abstract of what’s new, damaged down by worth vary.
Premium: 18-inch Predator Helios 18 ($1,999 and up, transport March 2024), 16-inch Predator Helios 16 ($1,899 and up, transport January 2024). What’s new: The Helios 18 drops the RTX 4070/4060 GPU for an RTX 4080/4090; the Helios 16 drops the RTX 4060 for the RTX 4070/4080. SSD choices enhance to 4TB, versus 2TB; Wi-Fi 7 and Killer 3100G have been added.
Midrange: 18-inch Predator Helios Neo 18 ($1,549, transport March) and 16-inch Predator Helios Neo 16 ($1,499.99, transport March). They’re each unique to Finest Purchase. What’s new: The 18-inch mannequin, proven within the picture on the prime of this web page, is solely new. In any other case, the 2 laptops have been upgraded with an RTX 4050 possibility, a 240Hz show possibility, and DDR5 5600 reminiscence. Wi-Fi is now Wi-Fi 6e, with Killer3100G Ethernet.
Price range: Acer Nitro 17 ($1,249.99, transport in January). What’s new: Upgrades embrace the brand new Core i7-14700HX processor.
The total specs
Our evaluation of the 2022 Predator Helios 300 sums up the enchantment of Acer’s gaming laptops: sturdy sport efficiency at an affordable worth. Acer has by no means charged an arm and a leg for its gaming laptops, however a few of PCWorld’s critiques have criticized them as being a bit poor on construct high quality.
We’re undecided whether or not Acer’s 2024 fashions will immediate the identical response, however we already know that they’ll be reasonably priced gaming choices.
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Each of the brand new Predator Helios laptops supply the Core i9-14900HX, although the smaller Predator provides the Core i7-14700HX as effectively, located behind 2560×1600 250Hz shows in each laptops. The shows in each laptops use Mini LED backlights, which create areas of the panel that activate and off as wanted. This may create an ideal darkish or good black impact in areas the place the Mini LEDs are off, although there might be a “halo” impact on components of the panel the place the Mini LED backlight is on. It’s typically thought-about to be a compromise between a traditionally-lit LCD panel, the place there’ll all the time be a little bit of backlight bleed, and an OLED, which turns off pixels on a per-pixel foundation however hasn’t historically supplied excessive refresh charges.
Likewise, the Predator Helios 16 affords as much as an RTX 4080 GPU possibility, whereas the 4090 seems within the bigger mannequin. Reminiscence choices tout 32GB of DDR5 reminiscence in each laptops, whereas storage is elevated to 4TB, although that’s executed with a pair of two SSDs in a RAID 0 configuration.
Wi-Fi 7 is included, too. Inside each laptops are 90Wh batteries.
The Predator Helios laptops function Acer’s Fifth-generation AeroBlade 3D fan know-how, that, with liquid metallic grease, is used to switch warmth away from the elements. Different options embrace vector warmth pipes, per-key RGB lighting, and MagKey 3.0 with swappable mechanical keyboard switches. All of it provides up, although, by way of weight: The 17-inch mannequin weighs a whopping 7.17 kilos, whereas the smaller possibility is available in at a extra modest 5.95 kilos. Each are barely greater than an inch thick.
The brand new Predator Helios Neo 18 encompasses a 2560×1600 240Hz show, with processor choices inside each the Neo 18 and Neo 16 starting from the Core i5-14450HX on as much as the Core i9-14900HX. Reminiscence choices as much as 32GB of DDR5 can be found, with as much as 2TB of SSD storage in RAID 0. GPUs as much as the RTX 4070 can be found in each.
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Acer’s cooling options carry over from the dearer Predator Helios fashions, as do the batteries. Right here, the Neo lineup makes use of Wi-Fi 6e wi-fi. All instructed, the Neo 18 weighs in at 7.5 kilos, whereas the Neo 16 is available in at 6.17 kilos.
In the meantime, the Acer Nitro is Acer’s price range providing, and it’s constructed round a 17-inch 1440p show with a 165Hz refresh charge. Inside is both a Core i7-14700HX, Core i7-14650HX, or a Core i5-14450HX processor. Customers can go for as much as 32GB of DDR5 reminiscence, 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage, and as much as an RTX 4060, all in a 14-inch thick chassis that weighs 7.05 kilos.
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