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[next@Acer 2023] Acer Announces New Predator X34 V and Nitro XZ452CU V Gaming Monitors – Getting Ahead of The Curve.

April 24, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Acer announced their Orion X last week alongside a few new gaming laptops. The Orion X is a gaming desktop tower that weighs 9kg though. That also means that unlike a gaming laptop, if you buy a Predator Orion X, you only get the tower without any other peripherals. For you to start gaming with the Orion X, you still need a keyboard, a mouse, and probably speakers or headphones. The most important thing to get with a gaming desktop is a big ol’ gaming monitor, and Acer has announced some of them too.

Acer Nitro XZ452CU V

Source: Acer
Source: Acer

This is a little bit of a curious thing for us. We have always known Acer’s Nitro brand as the sort of entry-level gaming brand for gamers looking for the best value in gaming gear without spending a fortune. They do not need the best of the best, just something they can work with the money they are willing to spend.

This one feel more premium than it should though. It does not offer Full HD resolution. Instead, it offers a rather premium QHD resolution. It is not just QHD 1440p either, it is a 44.5-inch ultrawide 1440p resolution display. You get 5,120 by 1,440 resolution at 32:9 aspect ratio for more real estate on your monitor. That means you get to see more in your game world. You are not getting some cheap display panel that runs slower than snail too. You are getting 165Hz from this monitor with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for a fast, smooth gameplay that is free of screen tearing. Then there are the colours this thing offers. You get 90% in DCI-P3 of colour gamut coverage, meaning it offers a rather accurate and rich projection in terms of colours. It offers VESA certified DisplayHDR 400 rating meaning it offers up to 400 nits in brightness. That is not exactly bright, but in your gaming den, it still looks good. To keep your eyes from falling off, there is BlueLightShield Pro, Flickerless, Low-Dimming, and ComfyView technologies from Acer. It also has a KVM USB hub with a USB Type-C input for display, data, and even device charging all at the same time. It even has an RJ45 port if you want to hide your network cable.

All of these means you are getting a premium gaming experience. It is an Acer Nitro gaming device; therefore, we are expecting a rather small price tag as well. We think that the Nitro XZ452CU V could be the best valued premium gaming monitor you can buy when it is available. If you are looking for something more premium though, you can get your hands on something else, a Predator.

Predator X34 V

As its name suggests, it is a smaller display at 34-inch compared to the 44.5-inch from the newly launched Nitro. It is still an ultra-wide panel, but just a little shorter than the Nitro. But it is a much nicer panel you get over the Nitro too.

Instead of a regular IPS, or run-of-the-mill VA panel, you get a brilliant looking OLED panel. The OLED panel offers 3,440 and 1,440 pixels to you at VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400, thanks to the OLED technology. It also offers 99% coverage in DCI-P3 colour gamut for the most vivid colours and image you can get currently.

It is a Predator gaming monitor; you can expect it to be fast. The 1800R curved panel offers 175Hz in refresh rate and Grey-to-Grey response time is brought down to 0.1ms for the most responsive and smoothest gaming experience you can get from a monitor. It comes with AMD’s FreeSynch Premium and Variable Refresh Rate technology for not only a tear-free gaming experience, but a reduced power consumption to save on your electricity bill (not a lot, but savings are still savings). It also offers Acer’s suite of eye protection technology like BlueLightShield Pro, Flickerless, Low-Dimming, ComfyView, and EyeSafe 2.0.

Price and Availability

The Predator X34 V and Nitro XZ452CU V will both be available in the North American markets in the fourth quarter of 2023. We are expecting that Malaysia would get the new monitors just a little later than the North American markets. The larger Nitro XZ452CU V, to no one’s surprise, will start at US$ 999.99 (MYR 4,438*), cheaper than the Predator X34 V. The Predator X34 V starts at US$ 300 more than the Nitro at US$ 1,299.99 (MYR 5,769*). There are no official prices for Malaysia just yet. More on Acer’s new Nitro XZ452CU V and Predator X34 V can be found on their website.

*approximately based on the exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.44 as of 24/04/2023 on xe.com

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[next@Acer 2023] Acer’s Latest Predator Orion X Desktop is Probably the Most Powerful Small Form Factor Desktop Tower You Can Buy Now.

April 22, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

They say if you are looking for a desktop PC, you do not buy a pre-built desktop set. While that may generally be true, we think that there are some exceptions. We think Acer’s Predator Orion gaming towers are part of that exception.

Pre-built desktop towers do have their place still in the personal computing market. It is for those who want the convenience of a PC tower without the hassle and knowledge of picking the right parts at the right prices and putting them together yourself. A pre-built gaming PC like the Orion set-up is made for those who just want the best plug-and-play gaming solution so that they can focus on the gaming instead of the whole process of putting a PC together.

Most of the time, when you buy a pre-built gaming tower though, you get a mid-size tower that can take up a little bit of space on your desktop. Not the new Predator Orion X that Acer has just introduced in their next@Acer 2023 though.

The Power of Orion

PREDATOR ORION X POX 950 POX 650 03 — Source: Acer

Welcome to what is probably the most advanced Predator desktop tower ever made, the Predator Orion X. It is Acer’s most powerful gaming PC to date, and it is not hard to see why. It packs Intel’s very rare and very powerful Intel Core i9-13900KS Special Edition. Alongside the most powerful Intel processor you can buy today is also the most powerful GPU you can find on the market today – the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU. You get up to 32GB in RAM and up to 2TB in storage. Those components are not just what made the Orion X the most advanced and unique Predator desktop to date though. It is the size of the Orion X that makes it the most unique Predator product to date.

It is packed in a rather small case, smaller than the outgoing Orion 3000, half of the Orion 3000 in fact. While small form factor PCs are not something new, how clever the Predator is though, the compact desktop industry could learn a thing or two from the construction of the Predator Orion X. The way Predator constructs the Predator Orion X allows easy access to the components for future upgrades and even cooling avenues for the powerful hardware.

No, the Founder’s Edition NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU will not fit into this little case. Yes, the Founder’s Edition NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the smallest air-cooled RTX 4090 card there is. Who said anything about air cooling the graphics card though?

Advanced Cooling Solution

The Predator Orion X’s CPU and GPU are both liquid-cooled, a first in the Predator Orion line-up. The custom liquid-cooling solution allows the graphics card package to be a lot more compact than even the Founder’s Edition card for a package as small as the Orion X. It also keeps the CPU running happily to its limits without the worry of restricted airflow in a smaller case.

Predator’s think tanks have designed the chassis to have three distinct “zones” as they put it. They divided the chassis into three different compartments for both easy access and optimum airflow to each powerful component. Zone 1, or the first compartment, at the right side of the chassis is where you find the main motherboard and CPU components. Easy access to the mother board also allows you to conveniently replace or upgrade your SSD. You can also easily swap out your PSU (Power Supply Unit) from Zone 1. Then you have Zone 2, right behind Zone 1 where you can easily access the GPU unit. There are also 2.5-inch SATA SSD trays and slots here for you to add even more storage to the compact PC. Zone 3 sits at the top of the desktop tower. There, you get access to the fan and 240mm radiator for the custom liquid-cooled loop. The pump for this radiator set-up sits on top of the CPU cooling block to keep things even more compact.

Sci-Fi Level Access

PREDATOR ORION X POX 950 POX 650 02 — Source: Acer

They say that the Predator Orion X is inspired by Sci-fi, more specifically a space capsule. The entire thing, including the liquid cooling system weighs only 9kg. With “sci-fi” in mind, they used plenty of aluminium on the chassis; the top and side panels are made of aluminium. The front has some aluminium that houses some RGB strips to create that signature Predator logo. It is covered by a glass panel just to add to the drama and sci-fi feel and look. To make it even cleverer though, all the essential panels can be disassembled without tools. The latches holding on to the top and side panels are conveniently and cleverly numbered, accessible from the front panel. The only thing holding the latches in place is the glass cover that attaches to the front panel via magnets, so that is tool-less too.

It is not like you are sacrificing much in terms of connectivity with the compact Predator Orion X too. The motherboard packs Killer Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi 6E support so that you can place the Predator Orion X anywhere in your house and game online without the fear of unstable connections. It is also especially useful for LAN parties, if we must point out. There are two USB 3.2 Gen1 USB Type-A and Type-C ports easily accessed at the front panel. The front panel also offers a 3.5mm combo jack in case you want a robust headphone set-up to go with your Orion X. Of course, if you prefer a more wired interface for the internet, theres is the usual RJ45 port at the back alongside three USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, and a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port.

Price and Availability

The Predator Orion X will be available in the North American markets in September 2023 onward. No colour options to choose from here, just the signature black that any Predator Orion products come with. Prices will start at US$ 2,999 (MYR 13,310*). There are no confirmations on its availability date just yet in Malaysia. For more information on Predator Orion X, you can head over to their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1= MYR 4.44 as of 22/04/2023 on xe.com

Computers, News

[next@Acer 2023] Power, Productivity & Sustainability in a Chromebook with the Acer Chromebook Spin 714

April 21, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Looking for an alternative to Windows? Well, Chromebooks are slowly becoming a more stable, option with constant internet connectivity making them the perfect device for learning or even enterprises looking for a versatile remote work option with security in mind. Acer has introduced an updated Chromebook Spin 714 with premium specifications and build and even a special version built for enterprises.

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN Lifestyle 01 — *Source: Acer*

The Chromebook Spin 714 isn’t just a Chromebook. It brings some of the best features that Acer has to offer. The laptop itself is made of premium anondised aluminium which gives it a refined finish. It’s also rate U.S. MIL-STD-810H for durability.

On the inside, the Chromebook Spin 714 comes with a 13th generation Intel Core processor. The Chromebook will support up to the Core i7 processor and up to 32GB of RAM. It comes with a 14-inch WUXGA display with 100% coverage of the sRGB gamut and a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s biggest feature is a 2K QHD webcam which promises high quality video for video calls and conferencing.

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN 05

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN 04

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN 03

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN 06

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN 01

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN 02

As its name indicates, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is able to “spin” itself into different configuration. It comes with a 360° hinge which allows it to become a presentation surface, a tablet or a regular laptop. The laptop also comes with a stylus allow you to note take more naturally with its 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

It’s also got a complete array of I/O ports with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, and HDMI support. It’s also got Gorilla Glass on both the screen and touchpad for added durability. The Chromebook is also one of the greener offerings from Acer as it comes with recycled plastics in its build similar to the sustainable Vero lineup.

Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 714 CP714 2W CP714 2WN Lifestyle 02 — *Source: Acer*

Pricing & Availability

The Acer Chromebook Spin 417 will be available commercially starting May in America for USD$699.99 and EMEA in July starting at EUR999.

The Chromebook Spin 417 is also available in an enterprise edition which comes with access to Chrome Enterprise Upgrade. This allows IT departments to leverage Chrome OS’s built-in business capabilities including zero touch enrolment, remote management and more.

Computers, News

[next@Acer 2023] Sustainability is Front & Centre with the new Aspire Vero Laptop & Acer Vero Projector

April 21, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Acer’s Vero products have become the cornerstone of their commercial efforts to deliver a more sustainable choice to consumers. These products have changed the expectations that we have when it comes to laptops being sustainable and eco-friendly. The same lineup is getting expanded with a larger laptop refresh and a new projector.

Acer Aspire Vero 15 Laptop – Better Specs, Greener Tech

Acer’s Vero pioneer – the Apsire Vero Laptop – is getting a much-needed refresh. The new Aspire Vero 15 laptop comes equipped with better, more competitive specifications and uses updated fabrication and creation that makes it greener and more efficient than before.

Like its predecessor, the Aspire Vero 15 Laptop is an Intel Evo laptop which promises good performance and long-lasting battery life. Equipped with Intel’s 13th-generation processors, the laptop is more efficient and packs more power. It comes with Intel Iris X^e graphics. It’s even got more power offerings coming with up to the Intel Core i7. The processor is complemented with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 2 M.2 ports that support up to 1TB of storage. It’s also coming with a complete array of I/O ports. This includes Thunderbolt 4 USB-Type C which supports connectivity with 4K displays, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A, HDMI 2.1, an audio combo jack and DC-in. It’s completed with a 1440p QHD camera with Acer’s PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice AI noise reduction technology and a FullHD 15.6-inch display.

The advancements that the laptop brings aren’t about the specifications though. It’s all about the materials and processes that are used in making it. The Aspire Vero 15 Laptop incorporates more post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics than its predecessor with a process that emits 30% less carbon. The new laptop now uses 40% PCR plastics in its chassis – a 10% increase over the previous Vero laptop. In addition, the keycaps and adapter casing are using PCR materials making up a whopping 50% of their build. The new fabrication process also uses less volatile organic compounds and results in a sturdier, stronger chassis.

Acer also continues to include its VeroSense software suite which allows users to have more control over their own carbon footprint. Using the app, users will be able to control power efficiency with preset or customised profiles when they are plugged in and on the go.

Acer Vero Smart Projector – Projecting more Sustainably

Acer is no stranger when it comes to projectors. Having already created an extensive portfolio which includes its Predator Gaming projectors, it was only a matter of time before they incorporated Vero technology and optimisations into their projectors.

The new Acer Vero PL3510ATV Projector is one of the most power-efficient projectors in their lineup. It comes with a Full HD resolution and dynamic 4,8000 ANSOI lumens laser diode with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. With this laser projection technology, the projector is built for projection in bright indoor and outdoor environments. The laser phosphor illumination technology creates rich, colour-accurate projections with less lighting decay and even consumes 48% less energy compared to traditional projectors. It’s even equipped with a 10W speaker.

The Vero Projector isn’t just about power efficiency, it comes with features that allow it dynamically adjust its display keystone. This ensures that the edges of your projection are always aligned and not distorted. It also supports 24/7 continuous projection. It even comes with a dongle that supports Android TV and Chromecast projection.

Pricing & Availability

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P) will be available starting in May while the Acer Vero Projector will be available starting in September.

Detailed availability and pricing are as follows:

Item	Region	Availability	Pricing
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)	North America	June 2023	USD$699.99
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)	EMEA	May 2023	EUR899.00
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)	China	May 2023	RMB4,499.00
Acer Vero PL3510ATV projector	EMEA	September 2023	EUR1,399.00

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[Next@Acer 2023] Your First Predator, the Affordable and Handsome Helios Neo 16 is Here to Save Your Wallets, the Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs However, That’s a Different Case.

April 21, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

You want a Predator gaming laptop, but you may not have a budget that could fit a Predator gaming laptop. That may not be the case any longer with Acer’s latest announcement. They announced their latest, value-for-money Predator Helios Neo 16, an accessible Predator gaming laptop that still offers everything that makes a Predator gaming laptop unique, but at a fraction of the usual Predator cost. It is also one of the more unique looking Predator laptops to date.

But if you are looking for unique though, nothing comes close to Acer Predator’s latest Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition, a glasses-free 3D gaming laptop that is sure to turn heads, kind of literally. The new Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition follows up from its predecessor with even more powerful hardware and even cleverer stereoscopic 3D technology and even more certified games than ever before.

Predator Helios Neo 16

The new Predator Helios Neo 16 stands out amongst the current line-up of the Predator Helios line-up with an exclusive shell design. The shell boasts laser-etched encrypted codes on top of the signature abyssal-black anodized aluminium cover. Apparently, there is a hidden message with the etched code, we just do not know what it leads to.

The laser-etched shell houses a 16-inch 16:10 aspect ratio IPS display. The IPS panel offers up to WQXGA resolution at a speedy 165Hz and 3ms response time. The IPS panel offers 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut. The display supports NVIDIA’s G-SYNC for tear-free gaming experience as well even in the most intense gaming situations.

To keep games running optimally on the WQXGA resolution at 165Hz, the Predator Helios Neo 16 houses a powerful Intel Core i7-13700HX (up to) and up to NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 4070 laptop GPU with up to 140W MGP. The powerful processors are paired with up to 32GB of dual-channel DDR5 RAM with up to 4800 MHz transfer speeds and up to 2TB of fast SSD storage for a speedy gaming and seamless multitasking experience.

Of course, the powerful internals inside the Helios Neo 16 needs a beefy cooling system. Inside the unique chassis, you can find Predator’s latest redesigned 5^th generation Aeroblade 3D with custom-engineered metal fan combined with liquid metal technology for more efficient and effective thermal dissipation.

Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition

To be fair, Acer’s SpatialLabs technology is nothing new. Acer launched the SpatialLabs initiative a few years prior to the last generation of the SpatialLabs equipped Predator Helios gaming laptop. When it was launched it was also aimed at mostly the medical and creative industries.

Predator saw a different use case for it though. The Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs is the culmination of Acer’s know how in stereoscopic glasses-free 3D technology. The 15.6-inch display works with the 3D SpatialLabs sensors above the display and TrueGame application that offers an even better glasses-free 3D gaming experience that is even better than ever before. The application now supports two 3D gaming modes, 3D+ and 3D Ultra and supports over 70 gaming titles including certain AAA titles with more to come.

To ensure that you can enjoy smooth 3D gaming experience, the Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs edition is offered with up to Intel’s latest 13^th generation Core i9-13900HX processor alongside NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4080 laptop GPU. With up to 32GB of DDR5-5600 MHz onboard memory, 3D gameplay should be smooth and seamless. Of course, those internals are also good productivity and other supported 3D applications.

Price and Availability

The Predator Helios Neo 16 and Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition are both only available in Predator’s signature Abyssal-Black colour option. The two gaming laptops will be available in the North American market from May and June 2023 onwards respectively. The Predator Helios Neo 16 will se you back from US$ 1,199 (MYR 5,319*) while the Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition will start at US$ 3,499 (MYR 15,523*). There are no mentions on their official pricing and availability in Malaysia just yet, but a close source to us tells us that the Predator Helios Neo 16 is coming sooner than you think. More information on the Predator Helios Neo 16 and Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition can be found on their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.44 as of 21/04/2023 on xe.com.

Computers, News

The ASUS Zenbook S 13 Just Set The Standard for Thin and Light Laptops

April 21, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

(2 May 2023) Update – Pre-order details for Malaysia added to the post.

Thin and light laptops have never been more relevant. In the wake of the pandemic, we’re often finding ourselves working remotely. This has changed what we’re looking for in a laptop. ASUS has decided to embrace this reality with its thinnest-ever laptop with the Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304). But that’s not all for the new Zenbook S 13 OLED, it’s also the most sustainable laptop yet from ASUS.

Redefining Thin & Light with a 1cm Profile complemented by a 1kg Weight

The Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) isn’t ditching the premium build and materials we love from ASUS. It ups the ante with a precision CNC-machined lid and keyboard deck. The magnesium-alloy lid is designed and machined to hold a Full HD, IR camera while reducing the thickness by 30%.

ASUS has also optimised the internal components of the new Zenbook. Using circuit boards with fewer layers and higher wiring density and more transistors, they have successfully reduced the bottom half of the laptop by 25%. However, they’ve kept performance in mind and have included an ultrathin fan that increases airflow for better cooling.

Even the keyboard deck has been slimmed down by 25%. This is done with a precision machined alloy and a super thin glass layer for the mousepad.

More Sustainable than Any ASUS Laptop

ASUS’s new Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) is also upping the ante when it comes to sustainability. The magnesium-aluminium alloy used in the laptop is a sustainably sourced post-industrial recycled (PIR) alloy. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics are also incorporated in the laptop’s build. This is primarily seen in its keycaps and speakers. The latter specifically uses ocean-bound plastics.

ASUS has also created a special manufacturing process that they claim is greener than ever before. Their exclusive plasma ceramic aluminium material is made with pure water and electricity and omits the use of harmful organic compounds, strong acids and heavy metals. Instead, they use a low-impact bath-based method which gives similar results to harmful chemical treatments. These manufacturing choices have been recognised with the EPEAT Gold certification.

The Zenbook S 13 OLED is still sturdy and has increased wear resistance, corrosion protection, thermal management and hardness. It’s even certified with MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability.

Performance on-the-go with Intel Core Processors & a Complete set of I/O

The Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) isn’t just resting on its laurels. It comes with the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. These 13th Generation Intel Core processors bring impressive performance while being more power efficient with up to 20 watts of boosted performance. These processors are complemented with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and an ultrafast PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD. The SSD comes in 512GB and 1TB configurations.

Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS

ASUS isn’t ditching critical I/O ports for clout with the Zenbook S 13 OLED. The laptop comes with a full complement of I/O ports. These ports include two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5mm audio jack. The USB-C ports are also used for charging the slim laptop and support connectivity with 4K external displays. This comes in addition to the Windows Hello-enabled FHD IR camera and WiFi 6E support with ASUS WiFi Master Premium.

Completing the Zenbook S 13 OLED offering is a 16:10 ASUS Lumina OLED display. The 2.8K display comes with a 0.2ms response time and a Delta E value of less than 1 which guarantees colour accuracy. It also covers 100% if the DCI-P3 gamut is Dolby Vision and VESA DIsplayHDR True Black 500 certified. Completing the multimedia package is a Harman Kardon-certified audio system with immersive Dolby Atmos sound and a smart amplifier combined with ASUS Audio Booster which can boost the volume by up to 5.25x.

Pricing & Availability

The ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED will be retailing internationally with prices starting at USD$1,399. It will be available in Basalt Gray or Ponder Blue.

In Malaysia, the laptop will be available in two variants:

Model	Specifications	Price (MYR)
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)	Intel Core i5-1335U 16GB LPDDR5 RAM 512GB storage	4,999
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)	Intel Core i5-1355U 16GB LPDDR5 RAM 1TB storage	5,999

Pre-orders for the Zenbook S 13 OLED are available open from 2 May 2023. Pre-orders of the laptop will be entitled to a free ASUS ZenScreen worth MYR1,099. The offer is available for the first 20 pre-orders of the Zenbook S 13 OLED.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[Next@Acer 2023] The Most Powerful Predator laptop, the Triton 17 X is here! Oh, alongside the Triton 14 too!

April 20, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Predator just very recently launched their Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 in Malaysia. These new laptops represent the best of the Helios line-up with their new-school design. They also come with Intel’s latest 13^th Generation Core processors to boot and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs for the best gaming experience you can find on a laptop. But what if the Helios laptops are a just a tad unwieldy, a little out of reach? Then you need the Triton series.

Predator Triton 17 X

You need a workstation, an all-in-one device you can work off from your desk. Most of the time, a desktop replacement at this size would be a little on the unwieldy no thanks to its size and heft. Predator’s Triton 17 X is a little different.

It is still a large 17-inch laptop meant to replace your desktop set-up at home, but it is also thin. It measures in at less than 22mm, thinner than most laptops packing the power that the Triton 17 X packs. The power packed inside the Triton 17 X adds to a lot of the heft though at 3kg. It is still lighter than most desktop replacements you can find in the market.

What kind of power, you ask? The Predator Triton 17 X is Acer Predator’s most powerful gaming laptop to date. On top of Intel’s latest 13^th Generation Core i19-13900HX (up to) CPU, the Predator Triton 17 X is the only gaming laptop in Predator’s stables with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4090 (up to) GPU inside the laptop. You pair these to up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM with up to 5600 Hz of transfer speeds. You also get up to 4TB of fast SSD storage with RAID 0 for even faster read and write speeds to keep up with the most demanding games of today.

All of these is projected to a 17-inch mini-LED display that offers WQXGA (up to) resolution with 16:10 aspect ratio. The Mini-LED panel is one of the fastest available of its kind in the market too at 250Hz refresh rate. For enjoyment in both movie watching and gaming, the Mini-LED display is one of the brightest in its class at about 1,000 nits for DisplayHDR 1000 certification. The DisplayHDR 1000 certified display also offers up to 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio for even more details even in a dark image. The panel also offers 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut for lifelike colour reproduction and immersive experience like no other.

It is not an all-out workstation just meant for large and heavy tasks though. It is also a mobile workhorse designed to ensure that you still can get your work done quickly and conveniently. Thanks to NVIDIA’s Advanced Optimus technology, the Triton 17 X switches between the discrete GeForce RTX GPU and integrated graphics for extended battery life whenever it is necessary. Of course, if you need it, NVIDIA’s G-SYNC ensures that you get a tear-free gaming experience.

The kind of power this beast of a thing requires some very powerful yet clever cooling solutions too. To ensure that the Triton 17 X’s internals can be pushed to its full potential without destroying itself, Predator’s 5^th Generation Aeroblade 3D with specially engineered metal fans is beefed up with three fans for up to 10% more airflow than before. The new vapor chamber heat pipe design with liquid metal technology ensures that thermal transfer happens as efficiently and as effectively as possible to keep the CPU and GPU running optimally for a long time.

Covering the powerful internals is a per-key RGB keyboard array with a large glass touchpad and fingerprint reader. There is also a powerful DTS:X Ultra audio system that is more powerful than before.

The combination of Intel’s Killer e3100G+ and Wi-FI 6E AX1690i ethernet and wireless connectivity ensures that lag and disruptions during online gaming sessions a thing of the past. If you are working with multiple set-ups at home, you get two Thunderbolt 4 capable USB Type-C ports that allows you to project to up to two 4K displays or a single 8K display while being charged at 100W. For the content creators, there is also an SD card slot to ensure that you can work on your media files seamlessly.

Predator Triton 14

If the Triton 17 X is a little too hefty still, especially for remote working, then the Triton 14 is for you. The Acer Predator Triton 14, to be fair, is not something too new. It is a follow up to the Predator Triton 300 series. It features the Triton 300 SE’s designs, that clean shiny silver look.

Of course, with a smaller real estate, it comes with certain compromises. You only get Intel’s Core i7-13700H (up to) CPU paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. You also get up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM for good measure. To keep everything nice and cool is Predator’s 5^th generation Aeroblade 3D fan technology and Vortex Flow airflow optimization with liquid metal technology. All of this is packed into a package that is only 19.9mm thin.

The Windows 11 OS is projected via an impressive 14-inch Mini LED display that offers up to WQXGA resolution with up to 16:10 aspect ratio to make short work of your productivity needs. The 16:10 aspect ratio also offers a more immersive experience. At 250Hz, up to DisplayHDR 600 brightness, and 100% coverage in DCI-P3 colour gamut, you will not be missing a thing even in intense situations.

Price and Availability

The Acer Predator Triton 17 X will be available in the North American market in May 2023 onward with prices starting at US$ 3,799 (MYR 16,854*). The Acer Predator Triton 14 will also be available in North American markets May 2023 onward with prices starting from US$ 2,399 (MYR 10,643*). There are no mentions on their official availability dates or pricing just yet for Malaysia. We are guessing that they will be available in Malaysia in the coming months though. For more information on the Acer Predator Triton 17 X and Predator Triton 14, you can visit their websites.

*Approximately based on the conversion rate of 1 US$ = MYR 4.44 as of 20/04/2023 on xe.com

Business, Computers, News

AMD Launches Most Powerful Radeon PRO W7000 Series GPUs for the Professionals

April 18, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

NVIDIA has been leading the trail when it comes to GPU technology. To be fair, they are still the leaders in consumer level GPU with the very powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU leading the charge. In the professional workspace though, the story is a little different.

In the professional space, GPU requirements are a little different. The GPUs are not rendering polygons for a gaming environment. They need a lot more from the GPU than just loading maps and characters. In the professional environment, they need the GPUs for 3D world creations in game development, fluid dynamics in auto and aerospace industries, and even more. Users in this space need specific things from their GPU, and they will pick the best GPU for their specific needs.

In many cases, plenty of professionals rely on the AMD Radeon PRO GPUs. Previously they had the AMD Radeon PRO W6000 series professional GPUs. With those, the movie Terminator: Dark Fate was made. There is a new one though, a much more powerful one compared to the GPUs that made Terminator: Dark Fate. They call it the AMD Radeon PRO W7000 series.

Within the series, they introduced two GPUs, the Radeon PRO W7900 and Radeon PRO W7800. In their own rights, these are AMD’s most powerful GPUs to date. For the professionals, these could be the most powerful GPUs they have got their hands on so far.

AMD Radeon PRO W7800

For starters, the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 brings with it the technology packed in the AMD Radeon 7000 series GPUs – RDNA 3 architecture. RDNA 3 architecture was proven to be plenty more powerful and efficient than the previous RDNA 2 technology. Of course, it is also a beefier GPU than before for even more performance in professional workloads. The Radeon PRO W7800 packs 70 compute units, 10 more than the Radeon PRO W6800 it replaces. The compute units are based on TSMC’s 5nm technology too, making the GPU more efficient than before at 260W TBP.

The GDDR6 RAM remains the same as the previous GPU at 32GB. At 64MB of cache though, the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 packs less cache than before. Still, at least the RAM is faster at 576 GB/s transfer speeds over the 512GB/s of the W6800 GPU for even better real-world performances.

The GPU is fitted with the latest DisplayPort 2.1 technology to take advantage of the most advanced displays you can find in the industry. The Radeon PRO W7800 also finally comes with AV1 encoding and decoding capabilities for an even better video and audio editing workflows. But it is not just the DisplayPort 2.1 and AV1 that makes the Radeon PRO W7000 series GPU process work faster than before. It also packs a new AI engine that is supposed to be twice as powerful as before. It also packs AMD’s second-generation raytracing engine that is more powerful than before. While raytracing is still NVIDIA’s forte, you can be sure that AMD is not just sitting still behind.

The new Radeon PRO W7000 series is also designed to work with AMD’s latest and greatest Threadripper processors. With Infinity Cache technology, the GPU and CPU can share cache to ensure that there is less in the way of bottlenecks. At the same time, with then new AMD Software: PRO Edition, AMD ensures that the Radeon PRO GPUs are more reliable than ever.

AMD Radeon PRO W7900

If the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 does not cut it, there is an even more powerful workstation GPU now. The AMD Radeon PRO W7900, as they call it, packs even more punch than the already powerful Radeon PRO W7800. It has 26 more RDNA 3 compute cores at 96 compared to the W7800’s 70. It is even more powerful with capabilities to perform 61 TFOPS precision calculations compared to 45 TFLOPS. It has 48GB of GDDR6 RAM with even more bandwidth at 864GB/s. Of course, with all this increase in power, the power consumption tends to be higher too at 295W TBP.

They say that the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 workstation GPU is so powerful that you can publish or render your work in the background while accessing other work at the same time without ever slowing down either. With more power as well, the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 works much faster than the W7800 in all sorts of workflows, in theory at least. If you wish to also, both the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 and Radeon PRO W7900 are AMD Remote Workstation capable, meaning you can work off any laptops anywhere in the world using the power of the Radeon PRO GPUs remotely.

Price and Availability

Where the AMD Radeon GPUs might be a clever choice for professionals is the price. The AMD Radeon PRO W7900 and Radeon PRO W7800 are available for US$ 3,999 (MYR *) and US$ 2,499 (MYR *) respectively. It will be available to users in the coming months of 2023. For more information on the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 and Radeon PRO 7800, you can visit their website.

Computers, Lifestyle, News

Acer Launches the Succession to the Swift 5, the Swift 14 and Swift Go

April 17, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

The Acer Swift 5 was one of the most desirable thin-and-light laptops in its day. It was not hard to see why that was the case. It was pretty, it was light, it was compact, and for what its worth, it is powerful. It is not what you want to call a budget option for the masses though, it was more of a premium workhorse you can bring around anywhere you want to work at.

It is 2023 though, and the Swift 5 platform, while still relevant and powerful, is outdated. We need a new Swift, a modern Swift. For some reason, we need two different swifts too.

Welcome to the successor to the Swift 5, the Swift 14. To be fair, the Swift 14 is not necessarily a new thing, they launched it in their previous Next@Acer conference late last year. Gone is the single number moniker of old. The new Swift 14 is an indication to what you are technically getting out of the Swift. Is it confusing? Yes. Is it a welcome change? Well, yes. But is it necessary? We do not think so. No matter, the Swift 14 is here.

Acer Swift 14

The Acer Swift 14 builds on whatever that made the Swift 5 a desirable laptop in the first place. It is a great-looking piece of slab with sharp aggressive lines that somehow just appeals. To be fair, it still looks very much like a Swift 5, just that you won’t find the number 5 anywhere on the laptop. You get new colours though, Steam Blue and Green.

What matters though is what you get inside the new laptop. The 12^th Generation Intel Core processor is retired and replaced with a slew of options from the latest 13^th Generation Intel Core processors. There is no discrete GPU, as with the traditional Swift 5. You still get the proven Intel Iris XE graphics within the new laptop though. You also get up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM to ensure that you get the best out of the processors. To keep everything running smoothly and snappily, you have up to 1TB of SSD storage.

There is also a new cooling system to keep the powerful processor running at its optimum clock speeds. They call it the TwinAir dual fan system with D6 copper heat pipes to increase airflow for better cooling.

As with the old Swift 5, the Swift 14 features a touch sensitive display with an Antimicrobial coating on a protective glass. Underneath the protective Glass is a 14-inch IPS display boasting 2,560 by 1,600 pixels for your viewing pleasure. You can look at your screen at up to 10 hours at a time without attaching yourself to a wall socket. With WiFi 6E as well, you can keep yourself untethered for a very long time.

Considering all that, it is impressive that the Swift 5 only weighs 1.2kg. It is a rigid body too, since the Swift 5 is made entirely out of CNC machined aluminium. It is also still as compact as before whilst still offering full sized ports on the laptops.

Acer Swift Go 14

Stemming out from the Swift 5 lineage is another Swift product. Welcome to the Swift Go 14, the new Swift for the young and active generation. It offers the same good looks as the Swift 5 with minor design differences.

It is just 14.9mm thick at its thickest point. It also only weighs 1.25kg, just a little heavier than the Swift 14. It offers more battery life with the weight though at up to 13 hours on a single.

You still get a 14-inch IPS display offering Full HD in resolution. The Windows 11 Home that you see on the display is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (up to) processor. No discrete GPU business here still, but the integrated graphics from AMD should prove potent for light-hearted games. You also get up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 512GB in SSD storage to keep things lightning fast even when multitasking. It also offers a good selection of modern ports like USB Type-C and HDMI 2.1.

Price and Availability

Acer’s Swift 14 and Swift Go 14 will be available by the end of April 2023 from Acer’s own eStore and official stores on Shopee and Lazada. The new Swifts will be priced from MYR 4,299 and 3,199 respectively. More on the Acer Swift laptops can be found on their website.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

Meet the New Predators – The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 has Landed in Malaysia with Prices from MYR 8,999

April 17, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Acer’s Predator Helios series of laptops are, in their own rights, some of the most powerful gaming laptops you can buy today. The Helios 300 platform with Intel’s 12^th Generation Core processors alongside NVIDIA’s finest in the form of the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs are some of the most potent combinations for gaming laptops. That was in 2022 though.

It is 2023, Intel and NVIDIA have moved on from their 12^th generation and GeForce RTX 30 series components respectively. Intel have launched their even more powerful 13^th Generation of mobile computing chips. NVIDIA have also announced their new GPU platform for mobile computers, the GeForce RTX 40 series. The Predator Helios 300 then, is outdated.

No matter though, Acer has just launched their latest Predator flagship laptop in Malaysia. The Helios name stays, but it is a little different. Welcome to the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18.

Dropping off the 300 or 500 or 700 moniker, in our opinions, is a step toward the right direction in streamlining their products. Instead, the numbers behind now represents the laptop’s screen size. In the case of the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 then, you get a 16-inch and 18-inch Helios gaming laptops.

Predator Helios 18

We start with the big one, literally, the Predator Helios 18, the 18-inch full fat variant of the Predator Helios flagship. It is meant to be a desktop replacement though, so you should not stress about bringing it about. Yes, it is heavy at 3.16kg.

With a larger body though, comes more real estate for cooling systems. As with any other Predator product, the Helios 18 packs their 5^th Generation 3D Aeroblade aluminium fan that keeps your gaming laptop cool in intense gaming conditions as well as ensuring that dust build up is not a problem. The cooling solution ensures that the 13^th generation Intel Core i9 (up to) runs optimally even at high loads. It also keeps the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) Ada Lovelace chips as cool as they can be in this package. Alongside the powerful CPU and GPU, you can opt for up to 32GB in DDR5 memory paired with up to 2TB of speedy storage.

You get a beautiful 18-inch IPS display too to enjoy all kinds of AAA games you might want to play on the Helios 18. It fits in the body of a traditional 17-inch notebook thanks to the clever 16:10 aspect ratio. No, you are not getting a measly Full HD resolution display either. It is now a WQXGA display (2560 x 1600 pixels), which is just a little more than 1440p. The display even boasts a 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, meaning you are getting very lifelike colours and graphics offering an immersive experience like no colour. On top of that, you get up to 240Hz to ensure that you can keep up with the best in competitive titles. With up to 500 nits in brightness, you do not even have to dim your room to game.

The keyboard is a step up from before too. You now get mini-LED backlighting that offers more efficient backlight system. It is not the plain ol’ 4-zone RGB backlighting system too. Instead, it is a per-key RGB system that allows you to completely customize your keyboard to your heart’s content.

To control all of this, you have the new PredatorSense 4 control software. The new PredatorSense is designed to be more streamlined and cleverer than ever before. The software also allows you to store multiple profiles for different lighting setups for different games too. Moreover, NVIDIA’s clever Advanced Optimus offers the Predator Helios 18 even longer battery life by switching between integrated graphics and discrete GPU whichever is required at different times.

Predator Helios 16

The Predator Helios 16 may be small, but it is still no slouch compared to the Helios 18. You get to choose and opt for all the hardware the Helios 18 gets. That means you still get the power of the 24-core 13^th generation Intel Core i9 (up to). You also get to enjoy the full might of a modern NVIDIA GPU in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) all in a smaller, more portable body.

You compromise a little on the display though. Instead of 18-inch, you get 16 inches of IPS goodness. It still refreshes at 240hz and boasts WQXGA resolution at 16:10 aspect ratio. All of this just so that it fits in a laptop body that traditionally fits 15-inch displays.

Price and Availability

The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 are both available for pre-order from now to the end of April 2023. The Helios 16 starts at 8,999 while the Helios 18 will set you back from MYR 9,999 onward. If you do pre-order your Predator Helios laptop, you are entitled to a free gift package worth MYR 1,627 in total. That package includes a 175hz refresh rate gaming monitor from Acer’s Nitro stables, the XV272U gaming monitor. For more information on Predator’s latest gaming laptops, you can visit their website.

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