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Acer’s Predator gaming laptops get update to latest Intel, Nvidia silicon

Image used with permission by copyright holder
Acer has refreshed its Predator and Nitro gaming laptops with the latest silicon from Intel and Nvidia. The Predator Triton 300, Predator Helios 300, and Nitro 5 gaming notebooks will now ship with Intel’s 11th Gen Core H-series processors and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX GPUs, including the latest GeForce RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti, which the company just announced.

Nvidia’s entry-level RTX 3050 GPUs should help the starting configurations of these gaming notebooks stay relatively more affordable, while enthusiast gamers can choose from upgraded configurations that top out with an RTX 3080.

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In addition to the under-the-hood upgrades, Acer is also updating the laptop’s displays, which should help gamers stay on top of the action. The new panels take advantage of the performance boost that Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3000 mobile series discrete graphics provides, and users will benefit from up to a blazing-fast 360Hz FHD panel or a 165Hz QHD panel on both Predator laptops. The Nitro 5 will come with a configuration that tops out with a 165Hz QHD screen.

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Coupled with Intel’s H-series processors, Acer stated that the CPU clock speed can reach frequencies up to 5GHz. The Core H on the Predator Triton can reach 4.6GHz clock speeds, and that laptop can be configured with up to an RTX 3080 GPU alongside 32GB of DDR4 memory for serious performance in a package that measures just 0.78-inch thick. To keep things cool, Acer is equipping the laptop with its proprietary 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D fans with metal blades and a bionic wing top design for 55% better airflow than a comparable plastic fan design. DTS X:Ultra audio tuning and Thunderbolt 4 round out the key features.

The Predator Triton will be available in July with a starting price of $1,699.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Predator Helios uses the same 5th Gen Aer0Blade 3D cooling system and pairs Intel’s H series processor with up to an RTX 3070 GPU. The larger 17-inch Helios also comes with a Vortex Flow Design concept made to generate aerodynamic flows to the CPU and GPU to keep things cool, Acer claims. The Helios also comes with dedicated Turbo key for instant overclocking. Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C support are also present on this laptop model. Pricing has not been announced yet.

The Nitro 5 packs in Intel’s Core H processor alongside Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3070 GPU in a 15.6-inch or 17.3-inch configuration. The design comes with an 80% screen-to-body ratio, so bezels are relatively minimal on this notebook. The Nitro 5 comes with a keyboard with deep 1.6mm key travel, an all-black trackpad, and RGB zones for the keys.

The Nitro will be available in June. The 15-inch model starts at $1,099, while the larger 17-inch model will be $100 less.

Chuong Nguyen
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
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