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The Predator Tribe Rises — Acer Predator Gaming Series Launch
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The Predator Tribe Rises — Acer Predator Gaming Series Launch

by Vyncent ChanDecember 15, 2015
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MSI’s Dragon Army and ASUS’s Republic of Gamers may have to prepare to face a new enemy in their battle for superiority now. Acer has officially launched their Predator series in Malaysia, catering to serious gamers who Acer calls the Predator Tribe. An official launch of their portfolio of gaming devices was sometime back in IFA Berlin in September, and today members of the press are officially introduced to the members of the Acer Predator family.

 

Acer Predator 15 and 17 laptops

Acer Predator 15 and 17

The Acer Predator 15 and 17 are Acer’s much anticipated entry into the high-end gaming laptop arena, and they do not disappoint. The laptops sport an aggressive design with the performance to boot. The Predator laptops are ready to dominate the gaming laptop market equipped with various proprietary technologies like Killer DoubleShot which promises less network issues and more pwnage, PredatorSense gaming control panel offering full control over the performance level, fan speeds and other features, Predator ProZone customizable backlit keyboard featuring four customizable lighting zones and programmable macro profiles, Predator SoundPound which features FOUR built-in speakers, TWO subwoofers and Dolby Audio surround sound enhancement for great sound, and the most interesting of them all, the Predator FrostCore, developed in partnership with Cooler Master. The FrostCore is a cooling module which replaces the optical drive. In one easy move you will have enhanced cooling for your notebook.

Intel’s 6th generation Core i7-6700HQ Skylake, DDR4 memory, NVIDIA Maxwell GeForce GTX graphics are all crammed into these beasts to ensures that the latest games will run on these laptops without breaking a sweat.

All Acer Predator laptops come with a complementary Predator Gaming Backpack and the Predator FrostCore module. Pricing starts from RM 6999 onwards.

 

Acer Predator G6 desktop

Acer Predator G6

For those who desire more gaming performance than any laptop can offer, there is no other path to take other than a proper gaming desktop. The Acer Predator G6 is fully capable of serious gaming with the Intel Core i7 6700K overclockable processor, 16GB DDR4 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics card. It also features “One-Punch Overclocking” giggle that is essentially a one-button overclocking mechanism. Overclocking means higher heat output, and Acer’s proprietary IceTunnel cooling system is an enhanced thermal system which optimizes air flow to remove the heat from the internal components.

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Another unique feature is the Acer Easy-swap expansion bay for easy storage upgrades. Oh and it features a built in headset stand on the front too. Nifty.

The Acer Predator is priced at RM 8999.

 

Acer Predator Monitors

Acer Predator X34

Acer also brought in a total of four Predator monitors, the Acer Predator X34, Z35, XB271HU and XB281HK. Let’s start with the priciest first. The Predator X34 is a curved 34″ 3440×1440 IPS display supporting 100% of the sRGB colour gamut. It’s zero-frame design allows you to easily set up a seamless multi-monitor display for an even more immersive gaming experience. The refresh rate is overclockable from 60 Hz to 100 Hz. NVIDIA G-SYNC technology ensures no annoying screen tearing will occur when gaming. Stereo speakers supporting DTS Sound reduce desk clutter by replacing conventional standalone speaker systems. The X34 monitors cost RM 4599 each.

04 Acer_Predator_Z35

Next up, the Predator Z35. The Z35 is a curved 35″ 2560×1080 VA display, also supporting 100% of the sRGB color gamut. The refresh rate of the Z35 is even higher than the X34’s, running at 144 Hz on normal mode and 200 Hz on overclocked mode. NVIDIA’s proprietary G-SYNC and Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB) technologies are incorporated into this monitor for the best gaming experience. The curvature of this monitor is actually greater than the X34, coming in at 2000R versus the 3800R of the X34. Stereo speakers with support for DTS Sound are also built in to this monitor. The price? RM 3999.

01 Acer_Predator_XB1

The XB271HU and XB281HK actually share the same zero-frame design, so let’s start with the details of the former. The XB271HU is a conventional 27″ 16:9 1440p IPS display with support for 100% of the sRGB colour gamut. The refresh rate of the XB271HU is 144 Hz in normal mode and when overclocked goes up to 165 Hz. NVIDIA G-SYNC and ULMB technologies are also supported by this monitor. It costs RM 3299. The XB281HK is a 28″ 16:9 4K (3840×2160) TN display, with support of 72% of the NTSC color gamut. Refresh rate for this monitor is rather dismal as it runs at 30 Hz on normal mode and 60 Hz when overclocked. It supports NVIDIA G-SYNC technology and costs RM 2599. Both monitors come with stereo speakers.

Also worth noting is all the Acer Predator monitors also double as USB 3.0 hubs, with 4 ports available.

 

Acer Predator 8

Acer Predator 8

Last but not least, the Acer Predator 8 tablet. The Acer Predator 8 is hands down the most aggressive looking tablet I have ever seen. The Acer Predator 8 is a dedicated gaming tablet that will do justice to its fierce outlook. First off, you have the Zero Air Gap 8″ 1920×1200 IPS screen which is capable of displaying 100% of the NTSC color gamut.

Acer Predator 8 Quadio speakers

Acer has thrown in Predator Quadio — quad audio, geddit? — which is a four front-facing speaker system to deliver enhanced audio quality and virtual surround sound. It also comes with Predator TacSense which is supposed to improve the gaming experience with tactile feedback in the form of vibrations. While designed primarily for gaming, the Acer Predator 8 is a fully capable device for media consumption. Predator Media Master is a unique Acer application that allows customization of audio and video settings for various usage scenarios.

Now let’s get down to the specifications. At the heart of the Predator 8 is a Intel Atom x7 processor, running at up to 2.4 GHz, mated to 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM. The graphics department is handled by Intel HD Graphics with 16 execution units. Storage wise, it comes with 32GB of built in memory, expandable with microSD cards up to 128GB. The cameras on this tablet are a little disappointing, with a 2 MP front camera and a 4 MP rear camera. A 4550 mAh battery is claimed to offer up to 7.5 hours of video playback. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. All that is crammed into a sleek 8.7 mm brushed aluminium body with grippy edges and everything weighs a lightweight 340 g.

The Acer Predator 8 doesn’t come cheap at RM 1499 but it is most possibly one of the highest performance Android tablets in the market right now.

 

Pokdepinion: I did take the opportunity to play around with these beasts and I can’t wait till I get my hands on them to do a full in-depth review. The Predator laptops with their slew of Predator technologies are really interesting and I would definitely get one to review ASAP.

About The Author
Vyncent Chan
Technology enthusiast, casual gamer, pharmacy graduate. Strongly opposes proprietary standards and always on the look out for incredible bang-for-buck.

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