[CES 2024] Acer Brings Refreshed Predator Laptops, Updates Nitro 17

Acer Brings Refreshed Predator Laptops, Updates Nitro 17

Acer is bringing hardware updates to its gaming laptops, including four Predator models and the budget-centric Nitro 17 laptop.

Starting with the Predator lineup – the higher-end Predator Helios 18 and Helios 16 come with up to Intel Core i9-14900HX processor paired with NVIDIA RTX 4090 (175W TGP) and up to 32GB of DDR5-5200 RAM. Display-wise, both sport a 16:10 QHD+ MiniLED panel with 250Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of peak brightness, coupled with 100% DCI-P3 gamut coverage. Wi-Fi 7 is also standard, along with a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports and a microSD card reader.

One of the unique features on offer is the MagKey 3.0, a set of hot-swappable WASD keys with various designs and tactile feedback available to choose from. They come included with every purchase of either model, which offers two options: MagClick, featuring ultra-short key travel at just 0.3mm for rapid key registers; and the MagSpeed, which uses the same rubber dome design as the rest of the keyboard, albeit with translucent keycaps to make it stand out from other keys.

Moving on to the Predator Helios Neo 18 and Helios Neo 16, which Acer says provides more accessible price points. These laptops also come with up to Intel Core i9-14900HX at disposal, with the GPU configuration maxed out at RTX 4070 (140W TGP). Here, the laptops are equipped with faster DDR5-5600 memory with up to 32GB of capacity, and storage can be configured with 2TB SSDs in RAID 0 configuration.

The laptop displays come courtesy of a QHD+ IPS panel with 165Hz refresh rate and 3 ms response time, as well as 100% DCI-P3 gamut coverage. Intel Killer DoubleShot Pro Wi-Fi will be responsible for wireless connectivity. It’s worth pointing out that all four Predator laptops mentioned so far will feature a dedicated Copilot key replacing the Right Ctrl key – so you might be losing one key for keybinds in games.

Additionally, Acer has announced a hardware update to its Nitro 17 laptop, which also comes with the Copilot key. That aside, you get the Intel Core i7-14700HX + NVIDIA RTX 4060 (with Advanced Optimus) combo for gaming, paired with 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and up to 2TB of SSD. For the display, you get a traditional 16:9 QHD display spanning 17.3 inches, with a 165Hz refresh rate and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Connectivity-wise, you still get the Wi-Fi 6E and Killer DoubleShot Pro E3100G 2.5GbE LAN for network duties.

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In terms of availability, the Nitro 17 is expected to launch sometime in January, with select Predator models to follow in some regions. The remainder of Predator lineup is expected to follow in February and March this year.

Pokdepinion: I suppose those with high APMs might like the MagSpeed switch?