Acer’s Swift line up of laptops is known for being a hero of the thin and light segment. Many of the offerings have, so far, come under the 1.5kg mark when comes to weight and come with a pretty slim silhouette. However, users have always needed to make a choice between performance or portability. That changes with the new Acer Swift X which marries both portability and performance into a single, slim body.
The Swift X is the first of a new line up of laptops under the Swift line up. The new lineup will come equipped with discreet graphics solutions. The new lineup keeps on-the-go creatives in mind allowing them to carry a laptop that’s lighter than 1.5kg with the power to cater to the needs of their workflow.
Acer’s new Swift X is Packed with Power with Little Compromise
The new Swift X comes packed with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series mobile processor complemented with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050Ti laptop GPU. The setup should be able to handle some very heavy graphics and video workflows without problems. This is also coupled with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The Switft X comes with a 14-inch IPS display with 300 nites brightness and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display is also one of the most colour accurate on a Swift laptop with 100% coverage of the sRGB gamut. All of this is housed in a premium, metal chassis.
The power-packed Swift X doesn’t compromise on being thin and light either. It comes in at just under 1.4kg and a hair under 18mm thin. That said, the cooling on the laptop isn’t compromised. In fact, Acer has made design improvements to optimise the cooling efficiency of the laptop. The fan of the Swift X comes with fifty-nine 0.3mm blades to maximise airflow. This is paired with two D6 copper heat pipes for better heat dissipation. The lapotp also comes with what Acer is calling air inlet keyboard design which helps expel about 10% more heat than a regular laptop keyboard. The fans have also been augmented with a stereo ring for up to 10% better airflow.
Pricing & Availability
The Acer Swift X will be available starting in June in North America for USD$899.99 (MYR3,723.23), early summer in EMEA for EUR899 (MYR4,534.19) and in Q3 2021 in China starting at CNY6,499 (MYR4,221.27).
Acer has been really busy in the recent past expanding its portfolio to become a more well-rounded tech and lifestyle company. In recent years, the company has already introduced the Predator Shot, an energy drink targeted at gamers, the Predator Gaming Chair, a collaborative effort with OSIM, and even a brand new brand – Acerpure. The company isn’t just stopping there though. It looks like they are expanding into the healthcare segment and it’s happening really soon.
In an interview session with the media, President of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Operations, Mr Andrew Hou, unwittingly revealed that the company would be exploring opportunities in healthcare in the near future. Upon further investigation, we found that Acer has already set up a new subsidiary, Acer Healthcare. The company is listed in the Tracxn database and is noted to be founded in 2019. Acer has also set up an official website for Acer Healthcare.
Source: Channel News Asia / Mr Andrew Hou, President of Acer Pan Pacific Operations
It looks like Acer is looking to leverage its prowess in dealing with data and technology to help bridge the closing gap between technology and medicine. Acer Healthcare seems to be looking into using AI-powered devices to help with diagnosis and patient monitoring. The field has been growing in the past few years with multiple startups and companies exploring opportunities and new technologies that can help better diagnose patients.
Acer Healthcare has already released a product called VeriSee DR, an AI-assisted solution for diagnosing Diabetic Retinopathy – a condition that affects close to 130 million people worldwide. Using Acer’s VeriSee DR, the condition can be diagnosed by utilising AI to analyse pictures of patients’ ocular fundus (the interior of the eye) for signs of diabetic retinopathy. According to their website, the technology works with a 95% sensitivity with 90% specificity for diagnosis. In fact, Acer Healthcare has ongoing clinical trials with the VeriSee DR and has published research on it in multiple medical journals.
In addition to VeriSee DR, it looks like Acer Healthcare is focusing on research and development of new diagnostic technologies using AI. Of note are a few currently listed research projects which include the diagnosis of heart arrhythmia using AI analysis of data collected from continual detection using an Acer Leap Ware wearable device and the diagnosis of renal impairment through retinal fundus imaging. While it does seem like the company’s focus is on diagnostic technologies they are also working on technologies for medical record and referrals as well.
Acer’s Predator Triton 500 received a lot of praises and accolades in its 2019 and 2020 reign. It was regarded as one of the best thin and light gaming PCs you can buy with money at the time. It is not hard to understand why it was the device of choice for plenty of gamers and content creators that are looking for an ultra-portable powerhouse.
The Helios 500 too, was regarded as one very capable high-end gaming notebooks with no compromises. It was the very definition of a fuss-free portable gaming experience for Predator. That also was about two years ago though.
That was 2019 and 2020 though. Since then, the world has moved on to a new platform. The world saw the launch of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series late in 2020 and Intel’s brand new 11th Generation Core platform earlier in 2021. The Predators need an upgrade.
Predator Triton 500 SE
Acer’s Predator launched the Triton 300 SE last year. It was, in our humble opinions, a simple design study. The Triton 300 SE took up the idea of designing a gaming PC class with a timeless classic look. A simplistic design that is more futuristic than intimidating. At the same time, the sleek body has to contain a large power pool within.
The Acer Predator Triton 500 SE sits above the Acer Triton 300 SE, technically. If you put both devices together, you would struggle to find a difference too, at least visually, with good reason. Both feature the same shiny all-metal outer shell design. Rather than the usual matte black body that we are used to with gaming notebooks, the Triton 500 SE’s body is shiny and brilliant in sterling silver.
The Triton 500 SE is unique in more ways that one though. The odd shaped body houses an expansive 16-inch display with 16:10 display ratio. With up to 240Hz of refresh rate on tap from the WXGA resolution display, the Triton 500 SE give you a new perspective in gaming, obviously for the better. With 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage, the Predator Triton 500 is not only colour accurate for content creators, but also immersive for other forms of entertainment as well. With DTS:X audio, you can truly immerse yourself in Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the upcoming Disney+ (for Malaysia).
To sustain 240Hz at high-resolution though, you need a lot of processing power. That processing power comes from an 11th Generation Intel Core i9 (up to) paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 mobile GPU (up to). You get to spec the Triton with up to 64GB (32GB DDR4 x 2) RAM to make quick work of Adobe apps. You even get to fit the Predator Triton 500 SE with up to two SSDs to ensure you always have extra space for your projects and games.
All of these are packed in a 19.9mm think all-metal body. Within the shell are three powerful 5th generation Aeroblade fans with Vortex Flow technology to keep the PC running cool and optimally at all times. The all-metal body also houses a large battery that could keep you running without plugging yourself to a wall socket for up to 12 hours. Of course, that is only possible with the help of NVIDIA Advanced Optimus technology.
Predator Helios 500
If light and portable is not what you are looking for, then raw power is what you want. You want the ultimate gaming laptop. You want the new Predator Helios 500.
The Predator Helios 500 that features a 17.3-inch display is more of a desktop replacement than a portable PC in its dress. In terms of design though, not much has changed from the older Helios 500 save for the arches on the back exhaust port. Keen eyed readers will also sport two power inlets.
That is because the Predator Helios 500 features an overclockable 11th Generation Intel Core i9 (up to) processor. Alongside the powerful processor is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (up to) and up to 64GB of DDR4 (32GB x 2) RAM for good measure. The need for speed does not end there though. You get to slot in a pair (2) of NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 for the fastest experience. If you really need more space, there is space for a SATA drive.
The powerful internals give life to the 17.3-inch display. That large display pushes 4K UHD 2160p worth of pixels to you. The Mini LED panel also pushes 120Hz for the smoothest high-resolution experience you can get in a gaming notebook. With VESA Display HDR 1000 certification and AUO AmLED’s full-array local dimming technology, the Predator Helios 500’s display is a class above its competitors.
You need a lot to cool this powerhouse of a notebook too. You need two large 5th Generation Aeroblade fans with Vortex Flow technology to keep air rushing through the entire system. Thankfully also there is Acer’s PowerGem technology to help keep things manageable. On top of the fans is a full RGB keyboard with individual backlight control via PredatorSense. The WSAD keys can also be replaced with MagForce keys for more precise controls.
Alongside the Acer Predator Helios 500 and Predator Triton 500 SE, Acer also launched two Predator networking tools. With modern games needing constant internet connectivity, it does kind of make sense for Acer to launch new networking solutions for gamers. Of course, they released one product for home, and one product for life on-the-go.
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The Predator Connect X5 5G router is the first Intel Killer-compatible 5G CPE in the world. With 5G, you get up to 4.7 Gbps internet speeds. This one router can also work with up to 256 devices, in case you want to host a LAN party with as many devices around. With Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, all 256 devices are going to have an uninterrupted access to the internet and network.
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The Predator Connect D5 5G Dongle is exactly what it sounds like. It is a gaming focused 5G enabled dongle with Intel’s Killer Network solution. Plug the dongle into any USB 3.1 ports and you unleash the power of 5G on your Predator laptop. That also means you are going to be able to work on DOTA 2 with your squad even if you are constantly on the road.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Predator Triton 500 SE will be available in the North American region and China in June 2021 onward at US$ 1,749.99 (MYR 7,241*) and CN¥ 14,999 (MYR 9,728***) onward, respectively. It will be available in the EMEA region in July onward for EU€ 1,999 (MYR 10,098**) onward. There are no mentions of its availability in the local regions just yet.
The Acer Predator Helios 500 will be available in the North American region and China in August 2021 onward at US$ 2,499.99 (MYR 10,346*) and CN¥ 39,999 (MYR 25,943***) onward. EMEA gets it earlier in June 2021 onward though with prices starting from EU€ 2,499 (MYR 12,624**). Again, there are no mentions on its availability in the local regions just yet.
There are also no mentions on the availability and final pricing of the announced network products currently. We are keeping our ears close to the ground though. That said, watch this space. For more information on Acer’s latest products, do visit their website.
* Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.14 as per 27/05/2021 on xe.com
** Approximately based on exchange rate of EU€ 1 = MYR 5.05 as per 27/05/2021 on xe.com
*** Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 10 = MYR 6.49 as per 27/05/2021 on xe.com
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
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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.
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Predator XB273U GX Gaming Monitor
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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?
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Acer CB342CK C Monitor
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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.
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Acer Enduro N3 Rugged Notebook
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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.
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Acer Enduro T1 Rugged Tablet
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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
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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.
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The Acer Swift 3
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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
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
