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

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

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

The Power of Orion 

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

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

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

Advanced Cooling Solution 

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

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

Sci-Fi Level Access 

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

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

Price and Availability 

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

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