Tag Archives: Acer

Accessories, Computers, Gaming, News

Acer Launches the Predator Orion 3000 – The Ultimate Compact LAN Party Companion

Leave a comment

Gaming is in Acer’s blood. The Predator brand that stems out from the Taiwanese based firm is now one of the most recognisable names in the PC gaming community. Of course, building on a solid branding block and competitively valued gaming PC builds help cement their legacy in the gaming and eSports community.

Predator Orion 3000

Source: Acer

Before there was eSports though, there was something called a LAN Party. A LAN Party is basically a place for gamers to come together to game together in the same space; hence, LAN (Local Area Network). People used to come together to play multiplayer games like Counter Strike and such. In these LAN parties, you are expected to bring your own peripherals and even your own PC.

In such conditions, you need a gaming PC that is compact enough to take with you anywhere in the world. You still need powerful hardware as well though, for all the serious gaming you are going to get yourself into. You might want to go wireless as well, in this case.

That is why Predator built the Orion 3000, the baby Orion. The latest Orion series hardware features a compact mid-tower case that is ready to take on the latest AAA titles without breaking a sweat. You might break a sweat carrying the powerful package.

The Predator Orion 3000’s chassis is a custom-built chassis by Predator to look the part. The chassis even features a built-in headphone hook. But it is not form without function here. The chassis is designed with upgradability in mind. In that case, you can open the case and even upgrade the GPU or any other components yourself with little in your way.

You get to work with a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 (up to) paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (up to) SUPER for good measure. The combination of the CPU and GPU, on top of a healthy 8GB of RAM should be a recipe that works with most AAA titles today. If 8GB is not enough, you can fit up to 64GB of RAM into the baby Orion. All the peripherals get a healthy dose of air thanks to two in-house developed Acer FrostBlade fans with RGB ability.  Of course, ther is WiFi 6 so that you can set up from anywhere and still get a decent network connection even without wires.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Predator XB273U GX Gaming Monitor

Source: Acer

Of course, powerful hardware must be paired to a display worthy of all its power. You want a fast display, you want pretty colours, and you want 27-inch. We feel that 27-inch is the magic number for gaming monitors. It is big enough to fit a table and for you to see everything on your desk with enough details. It is not too big too for your desk so you can just sit at a comfortable distance and take advantage of the large display area.

The Predator XB273U GX gaming monitor fits that bill perfectly. 27-inch, check. Fast, it boasts 270Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time, overclocked; so, check. It boasts HDR 400 certification and Delta E<2; pretty colours, check. You can even power it with a USB Type-C 65W power delivery output.

On top of all of that you can swivel the monitor around, tilt it, and adjust its height for maximum comfort and most efficient layout on your desk. Thanks to 99% AdobeRGB colour gamut and Delta E<2 as well, the monitor can be used in creative cases such as photo and video editing when you need to. Did we forget to mention its WQHD (2560 x 1440) resolution?

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Acer CB342CK C Monitor

Source: Acer

At home though, you might want something a little more immersive. You might want an ultra-wide display to view everything on one display. You might want an Acer CB342CK C UltraWide monitor.

The Acer CB342CK C monitor features a 34-inch display that is stretched out wide. It boasts 3,440 by 1,440 (UWQHD) in resolution. It is still an acceptably speedy monitor too with 75Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Like the XB2783U GX, you can power the Ultra-Wide monitor with 65W power delivery too.

The ultra-wide IPS display is still a good-looking display with 99% sRGB colour gamut still. You get up to 400nits in brightness too if you need it. With AMD Radeon FreeSync, the monitor should still be reasonably good with games. The extra display real estate should allow for a more immersive gaming experience, especially with racing games.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Price and Availability

The Predator Orion 3000 comes in either a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER pairing (MYR 6,799) or a 10th Generation Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER pairing (MYR 4,099). Both comes in the same great looking chassis. The baby Predator is now available from Acer’s authorised resellers across the nation and from Acer’s official online stores (including Lazada and Shopee).

Source: Acer

The Predator XB273U GX monitor is now available from Acer authorised stores nationwide and Acer’s official online stores (including Lazada and Shopee). There are no colour options for the 27-incher. The Predator XB273U GX will set you back MYR 3,299.

Source: Acer

The Acer CB432CK C Ultra-Wide monitor will be available at the end of December 2020. It will be available at all Acer’s authorised resellers across the nation and Acer’s official online stores (including Lazada and Shopee). You can get your hands on one when its available for MYR 1,799.

Customers who purchase any of these devices before 31 December 2020 will be entitled to redeem free gifts, including up to RM100 worth of Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit on their redemption website. In addition, every submission before 24 December 2020 will also entitle the customer to one entry to the Christmas rEunion Advent Calendar to stand a chance to bring back prizes from the total prize pool worth up to RM30,000. Starting from 1 December 2020 until 25 December 2020, Acer Malaysia will pick a lucky winner every day for the special prize. Winners will be announced on Acer Malaysia Facebook or their redemption website. For more information on Acer’s products, you can visit their website too.

Computers, News

Working Harder and Better with Acer’s TravelMate P2 And the New Enduro Series

Leave a comment

You want to work in a flexible environment. You want to be portable and be able to set up anywhere and anytime, in any conditions. You need something that is not just portable and powerful. You need something durable. For that, Acer has an answer. Welcome to the TravelMate P2, the perfect combination to power, portability, and durability.

Acer TravelMate P2

Source: Acer

The TravelMate P2 packs a lot of puch with an 11th generation Intel Core processor paired to an integrated Intel Iris X Graphics. With the powerful processors you can kit the TravelMate P2 with up to 1TB of hard drive space or 512GB of SSD storage to ensure that you have your data with you, accessible at all times. You can even kit your TravelMate P2 with up to 32GB of RAM if you need the capabilities and speed.

With MIL-STD-810G build standards, you can work with it under light rain, spill tea and coffee on it, or even take it into the toilet (why would you do that though?). You can even drop it from the table, or the shelf, or maybe even stand on it. The TravelMate P2 can take it all, and still be your most reliable work mate. (We do not encourage any of the above behaviours, any damages to your newly purchased notebooks are your own doing and are not our responsibility)

For extra security, the TravelMate P2i s equipped with a hardware level Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 protection. This means that your hard drive is properly secured and will only work with the proper authorisation. Additionally there is Windows Hello with fingerprint sensor and facial recognition to lock and unlock the Acer TravelMate P2.

For a better wireless working experience, the TravelMate P2 packs WiFi 6 for better, and more stable internet connection. With the right router, you can make calls in the soaking rain without fear of internet stability, so your colleagues can see you working very hard in any situation and location, even your kitchen. If you do not want your colleagues to see you, simply cover the 720 webcam with the built-in lens cover.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Acer Enduro N3 Rugged Notebook

Source: Acer

Need something even more durable? Need more than just an MIL-STD-810G certification? Maybe some water resistance. That is the Acer Enduro N3.

On top of the MIL-STD-810G, this has IP53 certification. This also means that you can take in into the showers (again, why?), get into the rain, or even the bathtub. Whatever the condition, the Acer Enduro N3 will endure and work for you.

You are not sacrificing that much as well for that kind of ruggedness. It is the thinnest and lightest kind of notebook PC in its class at 24.85mm thick and 1.985kg. Understandably it packs Corning’s Gorilla Glass on top. The Aquafan installed on the PC is also built to ensure that no water can get through into the internals of the device.

Obviously, this is something you take off-site. In those cases, you might not even have any reliable power source to work with at any given time. In that case, the Acer Enduro N3’s battery pack can sustain your work time for 13 hours, more than enough for a full working day.

Of course, when you are out and about, security is always a concern. Not with the Acer Endure N3 though. The notebook PC features TPM 2.0 to keep all your sensitive data private and protected. Speaking of data, the Enduro N3 comes with up to a 256GB SSD storage for quick access to all your needed files.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Acer Enduro T1 Rugged Tablet

Source: Acer

Unless you feel that a notebook is still a little cumbersome. You do not really need a full-fledged PC to take your work with you. You need something even more portable and pocketable. You need the Acer Enduro T1 tablet.  

The Acer Enduro T1 boasts the same MIL-STD-810G build standards as the Acer Enduro N3 notebook. It also boasts some water resistance with IP54 rating. All this, in a body that weighs 500g.

You do not get Full HD on the display, but the 1,280 by 800-pixel display measuring in at 8-inch or 10-.1-inch should be enough for you to work with. It has 4GB of RAM, which might not sound like much, but should be enough for most applications you need on a tablet form factor. You also get 64GB of storage with MicroSD expansion capabilities. It even comes with 10 hours of continuous battery life, for you to be off-site as long as you need to be.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Price and Availability

The Acer TravelMate P2* is now available at Acer’s authorised retailers and Acer’s Official Online Stores (including Lazada and Shopee). The durable notebook PC made for work will be priced from MYR 2,699 onward.

Source: Acer

The Acer Enduro N3 is available for pre-orders via Acer’s official online store in two variants. The 10th Generation Intel Core i7 variant is available for MYR 5,699 onward while the 10th Generation Intel Core i5 is available for MYR 4,699 onward.

Source: Acer

The Acer Enduro T1 is now available for pre-order via Acer’s official online store in two variants. The Android variant of Acer’s Enduro T1 comes with a MediaTek MTK MT8385 quad-core processor while the Windows variant comes with an Intel Celeron N3450 quad-core processor. The Acer Enduro T1 will set you back MYR 1,599 onward.

Source: Acer

Customers who purchase the TravelMate P2 equipped with 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors before 31 December 2020 will be entitled to redeem free gifts, including up to RM100 worth of Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit. For more information on the products, you can visit Acer’s website.

Computers, News

Acer Launches the Swift 3 and Swift 5 – Next Generation Ultrabook for the Discerning Working-Class Malaysian

Leave a comment

The working environment and requirements today is vastly different from before. Especially in the conditions that we know today, the workspace has really shifted from the office, to home, or to anywhere else you are comfortable. Work has shifted from an office only affair to a remote situation. The key phrase here is “anywhere, anytime”.

But it is not just the working class that has shifted, the classrooms have shifted too. The classroom is not a location anymore. The progress has started since Google introduced their suite of Classroom and learning focused tools, to be fair. But with the conditions now, a classroom can be your own bedroom, or your kitchen, or your dining room, or even the café next door.

Your learning space and workspace is technically wherever you are comfortable with. But that also means that you can change your work environment as you please. If you have a large enough balcony, you can relax and work at the same time. Even at the pool side if you have one. You need to be portable though. That is why you need the ultra-portable Swift series from Acer.

The Acer Swift 5

Source: Acer

The Acer Swift 5 is still the symbol of power and portability in Acer’s stable of devices. It is still the same size and weight of the previous Acer Swift 5 for 2019. There are some differences here though.

The Acer Swift 5 for 2020 packs a one-piece glass protected 14-inch Full HD display up front with integrated bezel instead of the plastic bezel casing of the 2019 version. It is still a touch display too. We think that it looks very cool too, in its 2020 skin. Oh yes, there are some new colours too.

Visually then, the differences are subtle enough that you might not notice. Technically as well, the rest of the Swift 5 is no different from the 2019 version, including its keyboard. Most of the differences are kept within the lightweight 1.05kg body though.

You get a new 11th generation Intel Core processor up to a Core i7-1165G7. The Core i7 is paired to Intel’s latest Iris X Graphics. Technically, the Swift 5 should be able to handle 4K video processing smoothly enough with the combination of the processor and GPU. Just do not expect the Acer Swift 5 to destroy your table with the processing speed.

The Intel Evo platform notebook PC with the new processor allows the Acer Swift 5’s battery to last up to 15 hours on a single charge. The battery is a fast-charging one too, just so that you do not have to be stuck near a wall socket and enjoy the weather at your pool area or balcony.

The Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass covered display ensures that your display stays bacteria free and your fingers clean too when you interact with the touch screen. As we all know, touch screens can be very gross under the microscope. Of course, you will appreciate the 100% sRGB colour gamut too if you need to work with videos and photos.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

The Acer Swift 3

Source: Acer

If you need something a little more budget friendly you can get the Acer Swift 3. You do not get the touch screen of the Swift 5 mind you. It is also slightly heavier at 1.2kg, and at 15.95mm, thicker than the Swift 5.

You still get a beautiful IPS display with Full HD resolution though. Within the aluminium and magnesium body construction is still a powerful 11th generation Intel Core i7 (up to). With the powerful new CPU is an Intel Iris X Graphics integrated GPU that should be able to handle even light video editing. With 16GB of RAM (up to) and 512GB off SSD storage (up to), you should not be left wanting more in speed and power from a lightweight and ultra-portable package.

Like the Swift 5, it comes with WiFi 6 technology too for an extra stable and speedy wireless internet connection in your home (if you have a WiFi 6 router). On top of that, it packs 11 hours of battery life and it even fast charges. No, that is not as long as the Acer Swift 5, but 11 hours is still more than a full workday, technically.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Price and Availability

The Acer Swift 3 and Swift 5 is now available at Acer authorised resellers nationwide and Acer official online stores (including Lazada and Shopee). The Acer Swift 5 will be available in Mist Green colour option for now. The Acer Swift 5 will set you back from MYR 3,999.

Source: Acer

The Acer Swift 3 will be available in three colour options to really fit your personality. It is available in Pure Silver, Aqua Blue, and Melon Pink. The Core i7 variant is only available in Pure Silver colour option. The new Acer Swift 3 will set you back MYR 3,299 onward.

Source: Acer

Customers who purchase the Acer Swift 5, Swift 3 equipped with 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors before 31 December 2020 will be entitled to redeem free gifts, including up to RM100 worth of Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit and personalized premium laptop sleeves. For more information on the products, you can visit Acer’s website.

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

[Next@Acer] Acer Halo Smart Speaker Quietly Slips Under the Radar into the World

Leave a comment

If you watched the announcement that was made by Acer last night, you might have thought that you already have all the information you need from Acer about their upcoming products that will lead into 2021. They did launch plenty of products last night that might be very compelling for your work from home set-up as well. In fact, if we count our press releases correctly, they had eight separate launches launching more than 20 individual products (this is quite normal, trust me).

There is one product that missed an appearance in the show though. If you checked back into their YouTube page though, you might have seen it. They also launched a smart speaker.

Acer Halo Smart Speaker | Acer

They call it the Acer Halo Smart Speaker, and it is a looker. Its transparent, glass looking thing at the bottom for its base is also an RGB light right that makes the speakers look as if it is dancing with you as you play music to it. Even if it is just responding to you, it just looks funky and light-hearted.

The overall design is just as industrial and pretty as you can expect a Google Nest to be. Like the Google made speaker, the Acer Halo Smart Speaker has a fabric mesh overall body that is shaped into a boxy tower. Underneath the mesh fabric is an LED display that can tell you the time or weather at a glance. You can even customise messages that is displayed on the LED panel.

Source: Acer

It is not just all show and no go though. The Acer Halo Smart Speaker is made with DTS Sound certification. That also means that the speaker is made with sound quality and enjoyment as well. If you put it in the living room, you could easily play a relaxing music through the speaker and sweet music will fill the air with its 360o projection. Its dual far-field speakers ensure that you could communicate with the speaker or give it commands, if you like, from anywhere in the room.

Why do you need to communicate with the speaker? It is a Smart Speaker, why would you not communicate with it? You can tell it to start your slow cooker, turn the TV on, turn the air-conditioning on, turn the washer on, and more, if all these things are Google Home enabled. The Halo Smart Speaker works with Google Assistant, the same one you have on your Android device. That also means that this works as a Google Home controller as well.

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

There is a curious matter of why Acer has made this product though. While we do find it intriguing and finding ourselves wanting one, Acer has not made any other significant smart home items. They introduced the AcerPure Cool and AcerPure Pro air purifying systems at Next@Acer. The only one that seems to be available globally at this time is the AcerPure Cool air purifier and that is not exactly a smart home product. It still operates with a traditional remote.

There are no mentions on the availability and pricing of the Acer Halo Smart Speaker. We have high hopes for this product though and are praying for it to land in this part of the world. It would make a good alternative to Google Nest, that is not officially available in Malaysia as well. Here is our fingers crossed, our toes as well.

Computers, Lifestyle, News

First Look at the Porsche Design Acer Book RS – A Star is Born

Video Leave a comment

The Porsche Design Acer Book RS launches at Next@Acer. Underneath the light all-metal and carbon fibre construction is a powerful 11th Generation Intel Core i7 (up to) and an NVIDIA GeForce MX350 GPU (up to). You get up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. The Porsche Design Acer Book RS will also come with its own Travelpack RS ECCO Palermo Leather sleeve and pouch and its own exclusive Porsche design Mouse RS.

The new Notebook is made to be lightweight, yet sturdy, and powerful. The design harks to Porsche’s sports car and racing heritage. Porsche Design employed their know how and expertise in lightweight materials and construction to keep the all-metal chassis with carbon fibre top body an anorexic 1.25kg. At 15.99mm thickness also, it is not exactly a bulky package.

Inside the body is a 14-inch Full HD IPS display with 99% sRGB coverage. That also means near accurate colours. DTS Audio ensures that its speakers are powerful enough still to entertain even the most demanding users. It even features the Unibody hinge design to make typing a more comfortable experience on the Porsche Design Acer Book RS.

The Porsche Design Acer Book RS will be available in the North American, EMEA, and China very soon. Prices for the Book RS start at US$ 1,399.99 (MYR 5,801), EU€ 1,799 (MYR 8,851), and RMB 14,999 (MYR 9,345) respectively. If you opt for the top specced Book RS, it will set you back US$ 1,999.99 (MYR 8,287), EU€ 2,399 (MYR 11,803), and RMB 19,999 (MYR 12,461) respectively. The Porsche Design Mouse RS can be bought separately of course, it will set you back US$ 109.99 (MYR 456), and EU€ 99 (487) respectively. The Travelpack RS can also be purchased separately at US$ 329.99 (MYR 1,367) and EU€ 299 (MYR 1,471) respectively. No word on availability and pricing for Malaysia just yet.

Computers, Lifestyle, News

[Next@Acer] Acer’s New Monitors Are Easy on The Eyes

Leave a comment

At Next@Acer 2020, Acer has also introduced new monitors for business and home users: the eye-friendly Acer B248Y, the HDR-capable Acer CBL272U and the Acer BL270 with virtually no side-bezels.

Acer B248Y – Work All Day, Every Day

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

Acer claims that this B248Y is an ergonomic monitor that was designed with various pain points that is often faced by users at work in mind. The monitor is equipped with various features that aim to make your eyes more comfortable even in prolonged working environments, such as Acer LightSense and Acer ColorSense.

The two technologies combines in the display to automatically adjust the screen brightness and color temperature. The adjustments are made for a more comfortable experience with the display depending on the environment. The monitor’s Full HD (1980×1080) IPS display sits on something they call Ergostand. The Ergostand, as per Acer, is a flexible stand that allows for ever more flexibility in adjusting the display to your liking.

The B248Y’s built-in docking station turns the monitor into a workspace in its own right. The RJ45 and USB Type-C 100W PD ports allows you to clear up plenty of clutter on your desk. The ports also means that you can choose to work from home or the office at anytime without worrying too much about moving the items, or even clearing a new space for the monitor. You can also daisy chain multiple monitors for a larger screen real estate, if that is what you need. There is also an adjustable Full HD webcam to let the users find the perfect angle for camera feed. That, and you do not need to spend extra on a webcam.

Acer CBL272U – QHD Goodness

  • Source: Acer
  • Source: Acer

The Acer CBL272U is a 27-inch TUV/Eyesafe certified monitor with QHD 2,560 by 1,440 resolution, Delta E<1 color accuracy and 99% sRGB gamut coverage. It is an IPS panel which also means that you can look at it from nearly any angles with its 178o viewing angle. HDR10 means that any compatible video content looks superb on the display. All this means your eyes will just start to water at the sight of the display. Not because it hurts, just because it is so good. C

It is not just an eye-watering, colour attack for your eyes though. It is also built with a number of eye-friendly features. BlueLightShield Pro, for example prevents harmful bluelight especially for extended period of use. With Acer’s proven ComfyView anti-glare technology and low-dimming capability, enables the monitor’s brightness to be turned all the way down to 15% for night-time use. In that case, the monitor will not blind you even when you view it in total darkness.

Acer BL270 – Thin, Thin Bezels

Source: Acer

Dreaming of having a two-monitor set-up that looks like a single large monitor set-up? The Acer BL270 is a certified FHD 1920×1080 monitor with thin size bezels that taper off, this is what making the two monitor be placed virtually seamlessly side-by-side. This clean and powerful monitor is perfectly designed for any business environment. The flexible stand allows you the ability adjust the height, swivel and pivot perfectly according to your preferences. You can also use the display to mirror your smartphone’s content via Acer’s Smart Console App.

Price and Availability

Despite the monitors powerful features, the price is seem to be reasonable. Three of the monitors: B248Y, CBL272U and BL270 will be available in North America starting with price of US$ 329.99 (RM 1,369*), US$ 299.99 (RM 1,245*) and US$ 229.99 (RM954*.11) respectively. As usual, exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. No word on availability or pricing in Malaysia just yet. These are perfect monitors for our work from home set up though, so we are hoping to hear something soon.

*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.14 as of 21/10/2020

Computers, Lifestyle, News

[Next@Acer] Porsche Design Acer Book RS Unveiled

Leave a comment

Remember when Porsche, a German car manufacturer decided that designing cars is not enough anymore? Remember when they started designing things like a smoking pipe, and even smartphones? Remember when they introduced a new notebook PC called the Porsche Design Book One? Oh yes, that was quite special.

That Book One looked like something you could pull out of a spaceship. The detachable display gave it that illusion that you actually pulled it out of the USS Enterprise (Star Trek, does not matter which version and build). The brushed and polished aluminium look gives it that extra zest and drama that it stood out from regular notebooks. Of course, it has the price to match.

In reality, the Porsche Design Book One is already outdated. In the world of modern PCs, the Porsche Design Book One is an antique piece that belongs to the museum. We would not call it a modern art gallery material either. This reminds me of a quote I heard once that “art can have no purpose other than itself”.

Fast forward to 2020, and Porsche Design is back into designing notebook PCs. Of course, they cannot do it by themselves, they are not PC makers. They have to either rely on a third-party manufacturer, which could mean that they make cool looking notebooks that does not work properly, or they could go to a partner that has been making notebook PCs forever and make a really good notebook PC that fits the Stuttgart’s stature. They did the latter; just in case you forgot to read the title.

Welcome to the Porsche Design Acer Book RS, a combination of Porsche’s know-how in beautiful and functional industrial designs using the most exotic of materials, and Acer’s expertise in making reliable and powerful PCs. What you get is a notebook PC that is not just reliable and functional in any situation, but also a sight to behold.

We will save our opinions on the looks and design for our review (if they ever release it for review, that is). The Porsche Design Acer Book RS does not just have a name that is mouthful. It has the design to keep your mouth open too.

All-Metal & Carbon Fibre

It is constructed in metal in all completeness. The metal chassis not only gives it that super polished and high-quality look. It makes it a bit more sturdy than regular notebooks with plastic chassis. It is not just all-metal chassis though; the body is CNC milled to Porsche’s standards of precision. That also means that the single metal frame body is stronger than you think. It has that Unibody Hinge mechanism that lifts the keyboard a little bit too, to make typing a little more comfortable.

Then there is the top cover that is made of carbon fibre. This is not some plastic that is dipped in carbon fibre Plastidip or even a sticker on cheap plastic panel. It is not even Carbon Reinforced Plastic (CRP). It is actual carbon fibre that you see and feel on top of the Book RS.

What that means is that the notebook is not only strong, but light as well. It weighs just 1.25kg at 15.99mm thick. While that is not the lightest, not thinnest you have seen a notebook PC, it is not exactly heavy. You also need to consider that this is fully constructed in metal. For that reason alone, we consider the Porsche Design Acer Book RS is light. The Book RS’ weight department, no doubt, has received some clever know-how from Porsche Design’s lightweight metal construction earned from their car manufacturing sibling, Porsche.

Power Packed – Like a Porsche Sports Car

Did we ever mention that Porsche also makes some of the world’s most desirable sports cars? Must have escaped us. The Porsche Design Acer Book RS is made with internals that matches its looks as well, just like a Porsche should.

The Porsche Design Acer Book RS packs Intel’s 11th generation Core i7-1165G7 (up to) paired to NVIDIA’s discreetly powerful GeForce MX350 GPU (up to). The combination of that not only allows the Porsche Design Acer Book RS to go through multiple documents, emails, and even excel sheets like a champ. It allows the device to edit videos even. It can even be your gaming rig if you really want it to be. Of course, we would refrain from running AAA titles at full chat.

Thanks to the 14-inch Full HD IPS display and DTS Audio, the Porsche Design Acer Book RS is as much an entertainer as it is a work partner. The IPS display is also a touch display with 100% sRGB. That also means that you can see colours accurately and whatever you might put on the display looks good. This is a true all-rounder, just like a Porsche.

Still Mightily Practical

Practicality is also a Porsche special. In that department, the Porsche Design Acer Book RS has a storage capacity of up to 1TB in PCIe Gen3 NVMe SSD format. That comes with up to 16GB of RAM as well, to keep everything chugging along nicely. That and the WiFI 6 connectivity should make the current work from home situation a breeze. It could even last you through the day with a quoted 17-hours in battery life. It is practical, just like a Porsche should be.

Of course, we cannot forget that Porsche is still a premium brand. As true as the “poor man’s Supercar” moniker, Porsche still deals with premium cars attached to a deserving prestige. Their cars are in no way made cheaply. They are made to the most stringent of standards.

The Book RS embodies that with what you get in the box; the Travelpack RS. You get three premium ECCO Palermo Leather sleeve, pouch and attachments, alongside a matching wireless mouse that is the Mouse RS. The magnetic pouch cover doubles as a mousepad to protect your mouse from wear and tear. One pouch is even big enough for the mouse and two types of chargers that comes with the notebook.

Price and Availability

So far this is the only Porsche Design collaboration product that has been announced by Acer. As per Acer, there are no further plans just yet on other collaboration products with the premium Stuttgart based brand. At the same time, Acer could leverage on their partnership with their partnership with Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team as well, like when Acer had a very interesting Ferrari branded string of products. We were told as well that there are no plans yet in that department.

The Porsche Design Acer Book RS will be available in the North American, EMEA, and China very soon. Prices for the Book RS start at US$ 1,399.99 (MYR 5,801*), EU€ 1,799 (MYR 8,851**), and RMB 14,999 (MYR 9,345***) respectively. If you opt for the top specced Book RS, it will set you back US$ 1,999.99 (MYR 8,287*), EU€ 2,399 (MYR 11,803**), and RMB 19,999 (MYR 12,461***) respectively. The Porsche Design Mouse RS can be bought separately of course, it will set you back US$ 109.99 (MYR 456*), and EU€ 99 (487**) respectively. The Travelpack RS can also be purchased separately at US$ 329.99 (MYR 1,367*) and EU€ 299 (MYR 1,471**) respectively. No word on availability and pricing for Malaysia just yet.

*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.14 as of 21/10/2020

**Based on approximate exchange rate of EU€ 1 = MYR 4.92 as of 21/10/2020

***Based on approximate exchange rate of RMB 10 = MYR 6.23 as of 21/10/2020

Computers, News

[next@Acer] Acer ConceptD 7 & 7 Pro Gains 10th Gen Intel Processors & a New Compact D 300

Leave a comment

Acer’s ConceptD laptops have carved out a unique niche for the company in addressing the unique needs of creators. In fact, Acer was one of the pioneers of the “made for creators” moniker when they announced their first ConceptD line up a little over a year ago. In their line up, they introduced the ConceptD 3, 5, 7 and 9 laptop lines, 300, 500 and 700 desktops and professionally calibrated displays. The line up was center stage at next@acer as the company announced updates and a new addition.

ConceptD 7 & 7 Pro Get Cool Updates

First up, the Acer ConceptD 7 and 7 Pro got a small bump in performance with an upgrade to the 10th Generation Intel Core i processors. The laptops were previously sporting the 9th generation Intel processors. Aside from that, the ConceptD 7 and 7 Pro retain the options for the NVIDIA RTX 20 series graphics or RTX QUADRO graphics.

In addition to the updated internals, the ConceptD 7 and 7 Pro are the first laptops to come to market with Acer’s new Vortex Flow cooling technology. The company has created its own fan design which is able to move 26% more air through the laptop allowing it to cool more efficiently. It is also quieter which sound levels reaching less than 40dBA.

ConceptD 300 Brings Big Performance in a Small Form

Acer also introduced their compact, 18L ConceptD 300 desktop. The small desktop packs a punch in a mid-tier form factor for those looking for a more compact solution. It continues to have ConceptD’s now signature design language which marries eye catching wood accents with a sleek white body. It’s small enough to fit on the table.

It comes with a 10th generation Intel Core i processors and is paired with up to 64GB of DDR4 266MHz RAM. This is complemented with up to quick 1TB M.2 SSD memory and up to 4TB of HDD memory. The ConceptD 300 will also be equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX3070 Graphics card.

Pricing & Availability

The ConceptD 7 and 7 Pro will be available starting October 2020 in Europe, the Middle East and Asia with prices starting at EUR2,899 (MYR14,265.44) for the ConceptD 7 and EUR3,699 (MYR18,202.09) for the Pro.

North America will be getting it in December 2020 with retail prices starting at USD$3,299.99 (MYR13,673.92) for the ConceptD 7 and USD$3,499.99 (MYR14,502.65) for the Pro.

The ConceptD 300 will be available in Europe, the Middle East and Asia in November 2020 with prices starting at EUR1,299 (MYR6,392.42). China will be getting the desktop slightly earlier in October with prices starting at RMB12,999 (MYR8,099.68).

Official Specifications

Source: Acer

Health, Lifestyle, News

[next@Acer] Breathe Easier with AcerPure Cool

Leave a comment

The current pandemic has led to an increase of people working from home. With this increase, there has also been an increase in the awareness in the importance of having good air circulation and good quality air. Acer, realising this, has introduced a new subsidiary, AcerPure Inc, which will focus on creating products that will improve the quality of life of their users. Their first product is an air purifier and fan, or as they put it, air mobiliser.

The AcerPure Cool focuses on moving and purifying air within a room. Studies have shown that indoor air isn’t as clean as we think it is. Still or stale air can also be a contributing factor to falling sick. With this in mind, Acerpure has created the Cool to both purify and move air for better air quality. The product marries a air purifier with an air circulator and a fan.

It comes equipped with a 3-in-1 HEPA filter which helps filter fine particles and impurities in the air. The filter is combined with catalytic carbon, a special form of activated carbon, which allows it to filter PM1.0 particulate matter; that is to say particles of about 1.0μm in size. Some of the things that can be effectively removed are dust particles and large molecules like formaldehyde and other harmful hydrocarbons. The air purifier of the AcerPure Cool also comes with a Silver ion (Ag+) filter which has been proven to provide some antimicrobial protection. You also see this technology being used in air-conditioners.

The fan component of the AcerPure Cool helps circulate and project the purified air. It has enough power to project air up to 16m away and circulate the air in a 27m2 room in 3 minutes – something that will undoubtedly be appreciated in warmer climates.

acerpure cool - Set Your Fresh Air in Motion | Acer

Of course, the tech doesn’t just end there. The AcerPure Cool comes with a PM1.0 Air Quality sensor which enables it to detect the real-time indoor air quality. This reading is displayed via 3 LED indicator lights. With this data, the air purifier intelligently adjusts its operation mode to ensure better purification of the room. Apparently, the Cool also has a deodourising component which releases negative ions to help combat foul odours. It goes without saying, the deodourising of the AcerPure Cool will not deodourise if the source of the odour is still in the room.

Pricing & Availability

The AcerPure Cool will be available in Taiwan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. No pricing has been announced just yet and launch windows will be announced at a later date.

eSports, Gaming, News

[next@Acer] SigridWave Bridges the Language Barrier in eSports

Leave a comment

Acer’s Planet 9 was launched a year ago as the company’s comitment to the growing eSports scene. The platform allows aspiring professional gamers to hone their skills and collaborate. The vision for this next gen platform is to provide a “training arena” where pros, semipros and enthusiasts can improve their game.

“Planet 9 is a community-oriented platform designed to give gamers everywhere a chance to interact and learn from each other. It is intended to be a social platform that caters to multiple audiences: those looking to improve are introduced to similarly skilled teammates and opponents, likewise, those just looking to chat and enjoy themselves can meet other casual players…”

Andrew Chuang, AVP, Esports Services, IT Products Business, Acer Inc.
Source: Acer

Planet9 was designed to bring different eSports communities together in one place, and a major part of the platform is effectively managing and integrating these communities. The platform helps users to find teammates based on a variety of factors such as game type, skill level and time zone. It also gathers and records a wide variety of data such as score, pathing, kill-death ratio and death location. This provides coaches and managers information they can use to help guide their players.

This year, Acer is bringing cutting edge AI to Planet9, its next-generation eSports platform, in the form of the SigridWave In-Game Live AI Translator. SigridWave has been specially designed to handle gaming terminology and jargon. It leverages deep learning technologies to bridge language barriers allowing gamers to communicate no matter where they are from. This is an important step in enhancing the gaming experience.

When SigridWave is deplyed, it will utilise Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology to recognize speech from gamers. It then converts this into strings of text, similar to how smartphones do when you use virtual assistants. This string of text is then recognised using Neural Machine Translation (NMT) technology. The NMT deployed by SigridWave has so far been trained to recognise over 10 million bilingual sentence pairs. This allows it to recognise game specific language and jargon such as “ADS” or “camping”, giving it context awareness. In-game overlays will be supported for League of Legends on launch in late 2020 or early 2021, and support will be made available for additional titles in the future.

The new technology has the potential to take competitive and professional gaming to a whole new level. Together with SigridWave, Acer also unveiled Clubs and Tournaments; two new features that will help players collaborate and compete regularly to up their game. These join a slew of new features designed to enhance competitive play and facilitate communication between brands and players.