Acer announced a bevy of PC products today, among them three interesting additions to its Predator line. They include the Predator 17 X notebook, Predator G1 desktop, and a new Predator Z1 series of monitors.
The new hardware is built to handle VR gaming, whether at home or away. For those who need a portable system, the Predator 17 X answers the call with a 17.3-inch G-Sync IPS panel available in Full HD (1920x1080) or 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160). If the 4K display is actually G-Sync, this is a new panel, as previously we've only seen 1080p G-Sync displays in laptops.
Powering either panel is a sixth generation Intel Core i7-6820HK processor paired with a GeForce GTX 980 GPU for desktop-class graphics. You'll also find DDR4-2133 memory, NVMe PCIe solid state drive options configurable in a three-way RAID 0 array, Killer DoubleShot Pro Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity, and USB Type-C ports.
Acer says you can overclock the Predator 17 X. Even without all that high-end hardware, overclocking a laptop is a quick way to make you and your system sweat, though Acer employs a triple-fan system to help keep thermals in check. One of the fans sits near the GPU and uses the world's thinnest metallic blades at just 0.1 mm, which Acer says simulates aircraft wing flight behavior by enhancing fan speed and reducing noise and drag.
On the desktop side, Acer's Predator G1 packs a fair bit of power into a compact 16-liter body. It's also portable in the sense that it's small enough to carry under your arm. Acer offers an optional suitcase-like carrying case to go with it.
Though it's small, the Predator G1 supports some big time hardware, such as full size graphics cards up to a Titan X, Intel Skylake processors, and up to 64GB of DDR4 memory. On the storage front, the Predator G1 comes with up to 4TB of HDD storage or a 512GB SSD, and users can always upgrade storage on their own.
The last of the Predator expansion includes the new Predator Z1 monitor line. These are high-performance curved panels available in 31.5 inches, 30 inches, and 27 inches. They all support G-Sync, and while Acer didn't provide specs on all three, it did say the 30-inch model features a 2560x1080 resolution, 100 percent coverage of the sRGB color space, a 4ms response time, and up to a 200Hz refresh rate.
Look for the Predator 17 X to be available in June starting at $2,799 (€2,499), the Predator G1 in July starting at $2,299 (June in Europe starting at €1,199), and the Predator Z1 series in June starting at $599 (€599).
