Acer showcases strength and style with early 2017 devices lineup

If you’re conquering the world, you might want to consider closing in from all points—much like what Acer is doing with its global announcement of diverse offerings for mid-2017.

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Next@Acer, the 400 international media-strong world-scale press event, kicked off at the Big Apple with a slew of devices ranging from 2-in-1 hybrids to gaming laptops to 4K displays. With the rise of AR and VR, there’s also the talk about “mixed reality” featuring Windows.

Here’s the roundup of the most interesting announcements:

Windows Mixed Reality

Acer has long been in the rumor mill about investing some time and effort on augmented and virtual reality. This time, the Taiwanese manufacturer teamed up with VR pioneer and Director of Program Management Mark Bolas on stage to explain how Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality is combining the physical and digital worlds to produce completely new environments. What’s more, headsets that feature this experience is expected to launch later this year.

Budget-friendly Swift series

Acer’s slim-and-stylish Swift laptop series gets an upgrade with two new versions: the Swift 1 and 3, both targeted at budget-conscious consumers.

The Swift 1 showcases a 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display, and 4GB of memory in a body barely an inch thick. The Swift 1 also offers high level of personal customizability by offering options for an Intel Pentium or Celeron processor, and 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of SSD or eMMC storage. This laptop is available in a swath of dashing colors: Pure Silver, Luxury Gold, and Sakura Pink,

Upping the ante, the Swift 3 features 14-inch or 15.6-inch Full HD IPS anti-glare displays, 512GB SSDs or 1TB HDDs, and up to 8GB of memory. This bigger brother also touts a USB 3.1 Type-C port, an HD webcam with Super HDR, and optional keyboard backlighting for dim areas. A special edition with Vibrant Corning Gorilla Glass top cover is also available for aesthetics and durability junkies.

Both the Acer Swift 1 and Swift 3 are equipped with up to 10 hours of battery life, 2X2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless technology for better connectivity, Windows Hello support through the built-in fingerprint sensors, and the Bluelight Shield app for helping reduce eyestrain.

Switching to an upgraded version with the new Switch 2-in-1s

Acer refreshes its detachable 2-in-1 line Switch with the new Switch 3 and Switch 5, integrating the company’s own Active Pen with full Windows 10 Ink support.

The Switch 3 comes in a 12-inch Full HD display with adjustable second-generation U-hinge featuring Acer’s Active Hinge. It sports an Intel Celeron or Pentium processor, up to 4GB of memory, and up to 128GB of eMMC storage. Ports include USB Type-C and Type-A, along with a built-in microSD card reader.

The bigger brother, the Switch 5, steps up one more level by offering a 12-inch Full HD IPS display and a completely silent operation, thanks to Acer’s Liquid Loop fanless solution that likewise eliminates vents. Inside, the Acer’s Switch 5 can get up to 7^th Gen Intel Core processors, up to 8GB of memory, up to 512GB of PCIe SSD storage, and maximum of 10 and a half hours. Ports are similar to the Switch 3, with the exception that USB Type-A feature the 3.1 upgrade.

Staying strong with Aspire notebooks

Once the immediate go-to brand for students, Acer’s Aspire series is moving out of its shell to cater to a wider range of consumers: from students to seasoned pros.

The Acer Aspire 1 notebook aims to be the ultimate family sharing and web browsing device with its one-year Microsoft Office 365 Personal subscription, and 1TB of OneDrive storage. The 14-inch Aspire 1 also features 802.11ac wireless technology, one USB 3.0, two USB 3.0, an HDMI, and an Ethernet port to deliver seamless connectivity. Inside, this notebook is powered by an Intel Celeron or Pentium processor with 32 or 64GB of eMMC storage, 4-GB DDR3L memory, Intel HD Graphics, and up to 9 hours of battery life—all in less than 18mm high chassis.

Going up one ring in the Aspire ladder is the Aspire 3, which follows closely the design ethos and specs sheet of the Aspire 1. This laptop gets a boost, however, in the creative department by offering display choices: 14-inch HD, 15.6-inch HD, and 15.6-inch Full HD. The Acer Aspire 3 is also powered by an Intel Core, Celeron, or Pentium processor coupled with a whopping 12GB of memory. This also includes the proprietary BlueLight Shield to reduce eyestrain due to blue light emission.

If you’re leading a busy multimedia life, then the workhorse that is Acer Aspire 5 may just fit your requirements. The Aspire 5 touts 15.6-inch HD or Full HD IPS display powered by up to 7^th Gen Intel Core processors, the latest NVIDIA GeForce graphics, and a maximum of 20-GB DDR4 2400MHz memory. Storage options include HDDs up to 2TB and M.2 SSDs up to 256GB. This laptop also has an interesting set of ports: USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, USB 3.0 that supports power-off charging, and two USB 2.0.

The top-of-the-line Aspire 7, however, is the one to get if you’re on for something spectacular. The 15- or 17-inch Acer Aspire 7 runs on a powerful 7^th Gen Intel Core standard-voltage processor, up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics, up to 32GB of DDR4 MHz memory, ample storage—up to 2TB HDD or 512GB M.2 SSD—2X2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless technology, and Gigabit Ethernet. Its ports follow closely the Aspire 5 setup, including the power-off charging feature. The Aspire 7 also features an HD camera and Dolby Audio Premium to complement its specs and provide all-around entertainment.

New Nitro boost for casual gamers

If casual gaming—that is, light without the necessary tinkering—is your thing, then Acer’s Nitro 5 is for you. This features discrete graphics and user-controllable fan speeds via the Acer CoolBoost for the delicate thermals that is important for the gaming experience.

The Nitro 5 runs on Kaby Lake Intel Core processors paired with either the Nvidia GTX 1050 or 1050 Ti graphics and up to 4GB of memory. A PCIe SSD storage graces the unit and comes with a Dolby Audio Premium sound system.

For beastly gaming: Predator line

The Predator gaming laptop unveiled during this year’s CES drew cheers from the tech community, and Acer is answering the challenge of keeping gamers awed by their new additions: the Helios 300 and Triton 700.

Designed for media consumption such as gaming and movie watching, Acer’s Predator Helios 300 wows with a 15.6-inch or 17.3-inch Full HD IPS display. Under the hood, it houses a powerful 7^th Gen Intel Core i7 or i5 processor, an overclockable NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or 1050Ti GPU, up to 16GB of DDR4 memory—upgradable to 32GB for those who crave more power—a speedy STA SSD and 1TB of HDD space. Memory and storage may be upgraded via the access compartment doors on the bottom of the notebook.

The Helios 300 also has a USB 3.1 Type-C port, a USB 3.0 port with power-off USB charging, two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.0 connection, and 2X2 802.11ac wireless tech.

As if the Helios 300 isn’t enough, Acer outs a beefier brother sans the heft: the Predator Triton 700, the first in the new Triton line. At its core, the Triton 700 is powered by a standard-voltage 7^th Gen Intel Core processor, latest high-performance NVIDIA GeForce 10-Series graphics, two NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration, and up to 32GB of DDR4 2400MHz memory. This VR-ready beast also has 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with NVIDIA G-SYNC.

While the Triton 700 features the same port setup of the Helios 300, the former also includes Killer DoubleShot Pro networking and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity for speeds up to 40Gbps and support for dual 4K video output.

To fully realize its gaming potentials, the Triton 700 also boasts an individually programmable RGB-backlit mechanical keyboard for a satisfying typing experience and accurate response times.

Both the Helios 300 and Triton 700 Acer’s proprietary PredatorSense software for a high level of control and customizability, and the AeroBlade 3D Fan with ultrathin metal blades for optimal temperature within the system.

4K displays for ultimate multimedia experience

Acer’s goal for domination through its Predator line leaks out from its gaming laptops and into new 27-inch monitors with Quantum Dot Technology, which allows for a wider, brighter, and more accurate color range.

The Predator X27 showcases a lightning fast 144Hz refresh rate, 4ms response time, and 1,000-nit peak brightness. Its support for Acer HDR Ultra technology makes advanced LED local dimming in 384 individually-controlled zones possible, allowing for a more deeply saturated color gamut but a luminance range several times greater than traditional dynamic range monitors. The Predator X27 also covers 99% of the Adobe RGB color space.

The Predator Z271UV, on other hand, is a curved 1800R panel with WQHD resolution, thus putting every corner of the screen at the same distance from the gamer’s eyes. This allows for a more immersive gaming experience, especially with the native coverage for 125% of the sRGB color space. The Predator Z271UV also features an ultra-fast 1ms response time and supports overclocking up to 165 Hz.

Both screens support NVIDA G-SYNC, Quantum Dot technology, and NVIDIA ULMB for sharp, authentic visuals. The Integrated Tobii eye-tracking tech, also present in both, complements the traditional keyboard-and-mouse controls as the camera automatically rotates as the gamer focuses on the sides of the screen. On the software side, both monitors have Acer’s Predator GameView for precise adjustments, VisionCare with Flickerless, BlueLight Shield, ComfyView, and low dimming tech for reducing eye stress and fatigue.

Acer’s Leap to fitness-tracking sphere

Acer joins the buzz surrounding the wearables world with its elegant fitness tracker, the Leap Ware.

The modern, circular design of this fitness watch is a testament to the ethos favored by this generation. Make no mistake of branding this superficial, though—the Leap Ware runs on a MediaTek MT2523 chipset, an MT2511 bio-sensing chip, and a whole array of smart sensors for heart rate, stamina, stress and fatigue levels, and exposure to UV rays.

While svelte, the Leap Ware also promises longevity with a battery life rated from three to five days, and durability with its Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ cover and IPX7 water resistance rating.

The Acer Leap Ware can also wirelessly connect to any iOS or Android device via the Liquid Life app where users can manage the data gathered by the sensors, set goals, and gamify the experience by gaining Power Coins which can be used for redeeming items and rewards.