Acer reveals new gaming, Aspire laptops

Acer has held a media event in New York this week, revealing updated Aspire laptops as well as new gaming notebooks.

Probably one of the most powerful laptops on the list is the Predator Helios 300, featuring seventh-generation Core i5 or i7 processors and GeForce GTX 1060 or 1050Ti graphics cards.

Other specs include up to 16GB of RAM (upgradeable to 32GB), a solid state drive and 1TB hard drive. Otherwise, you can also expect a USB 3.1 Type C port, USB 3.0 port, HDMI 2.0 connection and two USB 2.0 ports.

Expecting 1440p or 4K gaming on the go? Well, you’re stuck with either a 15.6-inch or 17.3-inch full HD screen.

Expect EMEA pricing to start at €1199 or €1399 for the 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch model respectively.

It wasn’t the only Predator laptop on the list, with the Triton 700 also making an appearance. Expect a GeForce GTX 10-series GPU, seventh gen Core series processor and a glass trackpad (allowing you to see into the machine).

Other technical details include a 15.6-inch full HD screen, two SSDs, up to 32GB of RAM, Thunderbolt 3 support, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, DisplayPort and Gigabit Ethernet port. EMEA pricing is pegged at €3399.

Aspire gets a refresh

Acer’s long-running Aspire series has also received a few new models, in the form of the Aspire 1, 3, 5 and 7.

Coming in at €249, the Aspire 1 is the cheapest of the lot, being equipped with a Celeron or Pentium processor. Other specs include 4GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of storage, a USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet port and HDMI connection.

The Aspire 3 builds on the Aspire 1 by offering full HD screen choices, Intel Core, Celeron or Pentium chips and up to 12GB of RAM. Expect to pay €399 in EMEA markets.

Moving on up, we’ve got the Aspire 5, delivering seventh generation Intel Core processors and “latest” Nvidia GeForce graphics. This line also supports up to 20GB of RAM. As for storage, you’re looking at a maximum of 2TB HDD or 256GB SSD. The Aspire 5 price tag starts at  €549.

Got money to spend? Then you’ll want to check out the Aspire 7, starting at  €899. For your cash, you get a seventh gen Core processor, up to 32GB of RAM and up to GeForce GTX 1060 graphics. Storage options top out at 2TB HDD or 512GB SSD.

Two new Switch entries

Acer has also dropped the Switch 3 and Switch 5, being two new devices in the 2-in-1 category.

The Switch 3 delivers Pentium or Celeron processors, a 12.2-inch 1920×1200 display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB/128GB storage options. The Switch 3 has an EMEA price tag of  €499.

The Switch 5 is significantly more stacked, featuring seventh gen Core i5 or i7 chips, a fingerprint scanner, a 12-inch 2160×1440 display, 256GB/512GB SSD options and up to 8GB of RAM. The more capable Switch has an EMEA price of  €1099.

Two additions to the Swift range

Want more grunt but don’t want a dedicated Predator laptop? Well, the Switch devices might be for you.

The Swift 3 offers seventh gen Intel Core processors, Intel HD or GeForce graphics, a 14-inch or 15.6-inch full HD screen, 512GB SSD or 1TB HDD and up to 8GB of RAM.

The Swift 1 has more in common with the Aspire 1, offering Pentium or Celeron chips, 64GB/128GB/256GB storage, a 13.3-inch full HD screen and 4GB of RAM.

The Swift 1 has a price tag of €399 while the Swift 3 will cost €649.