When we say Pocket Rocket, we do not mean that this desktop tower will fit in your pockets. Unless you have a pocket the size of a large shopping bag, you are not going to fit this tower in your pockets at all. What we are saying, in this case, is that the Orion 3000 that Predator just announced for Malaysia is a compact gaming PC that packs the power of a full tower with Intel’s 12th Generation Core processors.
The Predator Orion 3000
To be fair, we would not call the Orion 3000’s chassis a Mini PC set-up. It is still a mid-tower PC with enough space within the chassis to fit even fit a water cooled AiO unit, if you really want to. Still, mid-tower is still the most popular form factor in the current desktop market.
The Predator Orion 3000 of course packs Intel’s latest 12th Generation Core i7 (up to) processor that is paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3070 GPU (up to). You also get up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM. If you need more memory speed, the motherboard is also ready to take up to four DDR5 RAM sticks for up to 64GB in RAM. For storage, you get up to 1TB in the form of a PCIe NVMe SSD. If you want, you can even expand that with another M.2 SSD. There are also two additional SATA slots if you need even more storage.
Plenty of processing power also means that everything needs some sort of cooling. To keep everything in check, there are two 92mm Predator Frostblade 2.0 chassis fans to keep airflow optimized and all the hardware inside cool. You can even control the fans with PredatorSense that is built into the PC. Of course, PredatorSense also controls the RGB strips and fans.
The Acer Nitro 50
The Predator was not the only tower than made the show floor though. Acer’s own gaming brand also made it to the show with the updated Nitro 50 gaming PC.
You still get a compact set-up that packs a lot of power. You get Intel’s 12th Generation Core processors on tap for the Acer Nitro 50. You also get NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER GPU. There is no ray tracing here, but the GPU is still powerful enough to run the latest AAA titles in good quality in Full HD resolution.
You can pair the processors with up to 8GB of RAM. Storage wise, you get up to 512GB of speedy SSD space. All of these are packed into an 18-litre chassis.
Price and Availability
The Predator Orion 3000 is now available at Acer’s eStore, and official stores on Shopee and Lazada. If you want, you can head over to any authorized retail partners nationwide to get it too. The Predator Orion 3000 will set you back MYR 6,499 onward. You can visit Predator’s website for more information on the Predator Orion 3000.
The Acer Nitro 50 will set you back from MYR 3,599. You can get your hands on one from Acer’s eStore and official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also get your hands on one from Acer’s authorized retail partners nationwide. More information on the Acer Nitro 50 can be found on their website.
Acer’s gaming lineup has been one of the most complete offerings on the market. From formidable gaming laptops like the Predator and Nitro to the Orion Desktops, the company has thought of nearly every use case and budget. This year, they are refreshing their offerings with the latest and greatest from Intel for better performance.
Predator Orion Desktops
Acer’s Predator Orion desktops have consistently been performers both in design and specifications. The ready-built options bring some of the sleekest, most functional designs that are available on the market. This year, the Predator Orion 5000 and Predator Orion 3000 are getting a much-needed upgrade to the 12th Generation Intel Core processors. The new architecture in Intel’s new processors not only bring nearly 28% more performance power but also allow the machines to run smoother and cooler.
In addition to the new processors, the Predator Orion 5000 and Predator Orion 3000 are getting a design update. The new versions of the desktops do away with the unique, angular designs of yesteryear in favour for a more trippy, vanilla design. The new design adopts a more conventional rectangular shape. This could be a boon seeing as the size of desktop graphics cards are increasing. It also comes with even more RGB goodness with options for glass panels to show off your build.
The Orion 5000 desktop will be shipping with an Intel H670 chipset which will ship with up to an Intel Core i7 processor. The Orion 3000 desktop will have an Intel B660 chipset. The former will have specifications supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX3080 graphics card while the latter tops out at an NVIDIA RTX3070. Both have configurations supporting up to 64GB of 4,000MHz DDR5 RAM. They support for up to 2TB of internal SSD storage with up to an additional 6TB of total SATA HDD storage.
When it comes to connectivity, both have support for WiFi 6E. The Orion 5000 comes with a higher specc’d WiFi Killer E3100G module while the Orion 3000 comes with a WiFi Killer E2600 module. Both support 2×2 MU MIMO for WiFi 6E. They also come with the latest Predator FrostBlade 2.0 fans for cooling. Both are also coming with Windows 11 pre-installed.
Predator Gaming Monitors
Together with their new Predator Orion desktops, Acer is also bringing a refreshed lineup of gaming monitors to complete the Predator Gaming experience. The Predator X32 has already been recognised for it innovative design and features with the CES Innovation Award. Together with the Predator X32 FP gaming monitor, the X32 series is coming with an increased 160Hz refresh rate which can be overclocked to 165Hz. They are both UHD displays with a resolution of 3,840×2,160 pixels in a 32-inch form factor. The monitors come with VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification and feature a miniLED IPS panels with a ∆E of less than 2 and 99% coverage of the AdobeRGB gamut.
In addition to that, the Predator X32 supports high performance, ultra low latency thanks to its NVIDIA G-SYNC ULTIMATE support. The X32 FP comes with an HDMI 2.1 port which allows users to use the monitor for console gaming. It will allow consoles to take advantage of the 165Hz refresh rate and UHD resolution. It also has an additional USB Type-C port with support for 90W power delivery and supports AMD FreeSync Premium.
Predator CG48 Gaming Monitor
Together with the Award winning X32, Acer is introducing the Predator CG48 gaming monitor – a monitor large enough to be your TV replacement. The 48-inch monitor comes with 4K resolution and 138Hz refresh rate. It supports HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4. The CG48 also has four USB 3.2 ports and an additional USB Type-C port. The OLED display of the CG48 comes with AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro technology with a response time of 0.1ms gray to gray (GtG). With AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro, it also supports variable refresh rates for a smoother gaming experience. It comes with a 135,000:1 contrast ratio, HDR10 support and covers 98% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
Pricing & Availability
The Predator Orion desktops will be available in North America starting in February; in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia) region starting in March and in China starting in January 2022. The Orion 5000 will have the recommended retail prices starting at USD$2,599 in North America, EUR1,999 in EMEA and RMB14,999 in China. The Orion 3000 retail prices start at USD$1,999 in North America, EUR1,299 in EMEA and RMB11,999 in China.
The Predator X32 monitor will be available starting in Q2 in China and Q3 elsewhere. It will be retailing at USD$1,999 in North America, EUR1,899 in EMEA and RMB12,999 in China.
The X32 FP will be available starting in March 2022 in China. EMEA and North America will see it sometime in Q2 2022. Prices will be starting at USD$1,799 in North America, EUR1,599 in EMEA and RMB10,999 in China.
The Predator CG48 will be available starting in Q2 2022 in China. It will be available in other regions starting in Q3 2022. It will be retailing for USD$2,499 in North America, EUR2199 in EMEA and RMB14,999 in China.
Petite and powerful; Ultra wide and immersive – these may be the coup de grace when it comes to any gaming setup. We are taking a close look at the Predator Orion 3000 & the Predator X34 GS monitor in our first ever double review to find out if the Intel Core i7 powered desktop and the ultrawide monitor check all the boxes to be the ultimate gaming setup!
You can get the Predator X34GS Monitor and Predator Orion 3000 at the Acer eStore or the official Acer store on Shopee.
Acer just had their annual Acer Day festival (we do not know really know what to call it really; a celebration?) last week and like every other year, Acer Day comes with plenty of promotions and sales and a few new products. This year, we see new gaming hardware that you might want to get your hands on. If you are looking for a gaming desktop, you might not want to look elsewhere at this time.
It is called the Predator Orion 3000, and it is the brand’s mid-tower rig that should give you the best balance between budget and gaming performance. It starts at MYR 3,999 and comes with Intel’s latest 11th Generation Tiger Lake CPU alongside NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX GPU. Unlike plenty of the pre-built PCs that you can find in the market as well, this one is actually something you can tinker with yourself and eventually upgrade on your own. Not to mention, the Acer Predator desktop towers are currently the only way for you to get your hands on their own engineered Predator FrostBlade cooling fans.
At the more budget friendly range of MYR 3,899, you are getting Intel’s 11th generation Core i5-11400F CPU. That CPU Is also paired with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super GPU for good measure. With up to 8GB of RAM shipping with the tower, you will be able to easily handle games like DOTA 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) at Full HD.
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You can spec your Orion 3000 up to an 11th generation Intel Core i7-11700F paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 for MYR 6,899 though. While that is nearly MYR 3,000 more than the entry-level variant Orion 3000, you are getting a substantially more powerful hardware in the tower. You are still getting the same 8GB RAM though from the Orion 3000. You can upgrade it to up to 64GB (16GB x 4) if you want.
Alongside the powerful CPU and GPU you can are getting either a 512GB or 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD. Obviously, this being a tower PC you get to expand that with additional SATA drives. Of course, you might want to ensure you have enough juice to get everything up to speed though. The Predator Orion 3000 comes with a 500W 80Plus Gold ATX power supply, which should be enough to power the Intel Core i7-11700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination. You also get Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi 802..11ax/ac/a/b/g/n capabilities built into the tower, so you do not have to get an external adapter that might spoil the look of your PC.
As we mentioned, unlike plenty of pre-built PCs, the Predator Orion 3000 does not come in an out-of-this-world, unconventional chassis. While it is still a custom chassis that includes a headphone hanger integrated into the front panel, the internal layout is very traditional. That also means user expandability with the Orion 3000 is amazing. There is no custom layout to deal with, every part within the chassis is interchangeable.
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With the Predator Orion 3000, you can even plonk in an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, for example, to replace the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 that is already in the graphics driving seat. Of course, you would need to up the ante a little on the power supply side and be prepared to pay more when it comes to your monthly electricity bill. You could also plonk in an 11th Generation Intel Core i9-11900K as well, if you really want, or just replace the stock cooler with a more powerful third-party one, just to improve cooling. You can even remove the motherboard easily to completely turn this machine around. Just keep in mind that you are going to be building a PC in a relatively small space with the Orion3000. As mentioned as well, you get the cooling power from the Acer engineered FrostBlade.
The Predator Orion 3000 is now available on Acer’s own online store and official online stores on both Shopee and Lazada. Prices, as mentioned, starts MYR 3,999 (Core i5 + GTX 1660 Super) and MYR 6,899 (Core i7 + RTX 3070). Considering the current market, the Orion 3000 is priced very competitively. As usual with a Predator product, you do not get to choose its colours, although the FrostBlade fans packs addressable RGB alongside some RGB bars on the front of the chassis. For more information on the Acer Predator Orion 3000, you can visit Acer’s website.
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.
