At CES 2023, Acer presented its all-new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 gaming laptops. New screens for gamers also appeared.
At CES 2023 in Las Vegas, the announcements follow one another and the players are in the spotlight. Like other manufacturers, Acer is taking advantage of the event to enrich its gaming offer by presenting its new Predator laptops and screens. As for portable machines, the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 are attracting attention with a new design. They are available in screen sizes of 16 and 18 inches and incorporate the latest technologies of the moment and of the brand.
Acer offers different references equipped with Intel Core i9 or i7 HX processors of 13th generation. The brand associates them with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 laptop GPU (MGP up to 165 W). The smallest, the Predator Helios 16, features a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixels) panel in 16:10 aspect ratio. It reaches 165 Hz or 240 HZ and even 250 Hz in Mini LED while the AUO AmLED technology offers a maximum brightness of more than 1000 nits. We are also entitled to a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
Predator Helios 16 and Predator Helios 18: very playful laptops
As for the Predator Helios 18, it logically has an 18-inch screen in 16:10 format. The manufacturer offers different configurations: WUXGA (1920×1200) at 165Hz, WQXGA (2560×1600) at 165Hz or 240Hz, or AUO’s 250Hz Mini LED display.
In both cases, these laptops ship up to 32 GB of RAM (DDR5-4 800 MHz). They add up to 2TB PCie Gen4 NVMe SSD in RAID 0.
In order to cool these muscular configurations, we find the 5th generation AeroBlade 3D cooling system. It includes two metal fans and rectangular vector heat pipes to optimize heat dissipation. On the keyboard side, it benefits from mini-LED RGB backlighting with a key travel of 1.8 mm and anti-ghosting N key rollover. Wi-Fi 6 compatiblee, they offer USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, one HDMI 2.1, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 supporting power delivery. We also do not forget the microSD card reader.
Predator X45 and X27U: high-end gaming monitors
In addition to laptops, Acer formalizes the new Predator X45 and X27U monitors. Both have an OLED panel, in 45-inch UWQHD (3,440 x 1,440 pixels) format for the X45 and 27-inch (WQHD or 2,560 x 1,440 pixels) for the X27U. The first is an 800R curved display with a thin bezel that supports 98.5% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It adds a DisplayPort 1.4 port and two HDMI 2.0 ports, making it compatible with PCs and consoles. The Predator X45’s OLED panel is HDR10 compatible, with a maximum brightness of 100 nits and rated UGR<22. This ensures the possibility of glare-free gaming while a metal stand supports the screen.
More classic, the Predator X27U is flat and covers the DCI-P3 at 98.5%. Like its big brother, it offers a peak brightness of 1,000 nits with HDR10. Both monitors offer 240Hz refresh rates; with a response time of 0.1 ms. They support AMD FreeSync Premium technology and have a KVM switch. This one proposes to pass from a desktop computer to a portable PC without changing keyboard and mouse.
Price and availability
Acer announces that the Predator Helios 16 (PH16-71) will be available in February, starting at 2,399 euros. The 18-inch model, the Predator Helios 18 (PH18-71), will be displayed from 2,499 euros, starting in March.
Finally, the Predator X45 screen will arrive in the second quarter, at 1,799 euros. During the same period, the Predator X27U will be marketed at 1,099 euros.
