CES 2017: Acer outs nine new toys

It’s been a few days since this year’s edition of the CES officially wrapped, but it’s taking some time for us to process everything that happened on and off the show floor. There’s so many sparkling new toys to play with, folks!

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Just like the other tech brands that showed off in Las Vegas this year, Acer made an impact at CES with its impressive roster. Specifically: four laptops, a desktop rig, a Chromebook, and three curved monitors. Looks like 2017 is off to a rocking start for all of us!

Game on!
Acer improves on last year’s Aspire V Nitro Black Edition with newer 15-inch and 17-inch models, but keeps the good stuff from the older versions. It provides 4K visuals on its 17.3-inch display, loads NVIDIA GeForce graphics (either GTX 1060 or 1050 Ti), and supports Windows Hello and SSD storage. It also ups the ante with Intel brains (up to an i7-7700HQ processor), optional Tobii eye-tracking for gaming, improved cooling, and wide connectivity options.

The 15-inch V Nitro will be on the North American market by February for US$1,199 (around P60,000); the 17-inch for US$1,399 (around P70,000).

Following in those beauties’ footsteps is the Aspire VX 15, clad in black and red, and made for gamers on a tighter budget. It also ships with up to an Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA cards, a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS screen, and upgradable memory up to 32GB. But what got our attention are the aggressively designed dual fans at the back—that helps the VX 15 cool down, and look real cool as well. It will be available within this month in North America for US$799 (around P40,000).

As for the two new Predators… well, they make us want to go on the prowl at every consumer tech shop, like, right now. The Predator 21 X’s biggest draw would be the 21-inch curved IPS display: it’s the first on any laptop in the market, and provides enough bragging rights for moneyed gamers. The other gaming-friendly features: Tobii eye-tracking tech, Intel Core i7 processors that are “overclockable”, five cooling fans, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics, up to 64GB of memory, Killer DoubleShot Pro and Thunderbolt 3, and proprietary Acer tech for managing everything under the hood.

All these come at a super-steep price: a whopping US$8,999 (around P446,000). That wasn’t a typo. Again: the Predator 21 X gaming laptop costs US$8,999 or P446,000. Bentahan na ba ng kaluluwa?

But wait, there’s a more affordable option: the updated Predator 17 X! It’s VR-ready; and comes with up to 7th-gen Intel innards and NVIDIA GeForce graphics, and 17.3-inch G-SYNC Full HD IPS or UHD IPS visuals, boosted CPU and VRAM speeds. And unlike the 21 X, which will make its market debut next month, the 17 X will be available this month for US$2,599 (around P129,000). Still pricey, but not by almost half a mil, so that’s kinda cool with us.

For those who still prefer desktop rigs…
Acer has you covered with the last Aspire-branded product it launched at CES 2017, the VR-ready GX series. It supports up to Intel Core i7 brains, tops out in memory at 64GB, supports NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, and helps out its owners’ other wireless devices with a Wireless Charging Deck. It’s a bit pricier compared to the VX 15 laptop by a hundred bucks and 99 cents (around P50,000), but we think it’ll be well worth the extra expense.

Shiny and Chrome
From gaming, we move on to the classroom setting. Acer targets students with its new Chromebook 11 N7, made to withstand even the most careless and brusko users. This laptop has a spill-resistant keyboard, can make it out of crammed schoolbags unscathed thanks to a reinforced casing and hinges, and can survive up to a 48-inch drop. It also has up to a (projected) 12-hour battery life, enough time to meet school deadlines on a single charge.

The 11 N7’s two models (C731T and C731) vary in terms of display (touch screen or standard) and hinge (the latter can be laid fully flat so that multiple students can share the display). Admins can also choose between eMMC or RAM storage. Schools in North America can procure their Chromebook 11 N7s starting this month for US$229.99 each (around P11,500).

Rock them curves
Last on our list are Acer’s curved monitors, also bearing the Predator moniker: the Z301CT, XB272, and XB252Q. Like the curved screen on the Predator 21 X, the 30-inch Z301CT combines a 21:9 ratio with Tobii eye-tracking technology. It can also be tilted and swiveled depending on user preference; and comes with a 4ms response time, 200Hz refresh rate, and a 178˚ viewing angle. Expect this curvy beauty to hit the North American market next month for US$899.99 (around P50,000).

The two XB2s may be smaller at 27 inches and 24.5 inches, respectively, but they’re far from inferior to the aforementioned (and CES-awarded) Predator screen. They have a 1ms response time, 240Hz refresh rate, full HD resolution, and 1000:1 contrast ratio. They have also been given NVIDIA’s ULMB tech, and can be adjusted by the user according to preference (tilt, swivel, pivot, height adjustment). The XB252Q will be available next month in North America for US$549.99 (around P27,000), and the XB272, for US$679.99 (around P34,000).