Acer Predator Helios 700 leads company's next-gen gaming laptop push

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Spearheaded by the Acer Predator Helios 700, Acer revealed plenty of new gaming laptops at its annual Next @ Acer event in New York City, backed by the latest Nvidia RTX (and GTX) graphics and Intel 9th-generation processors.

The Acer Predator Helios 700 is a desktop replacement with an overclockable 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, up to 64GB RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 – not the Max-Q version. This laptop can support this powerful overclockable hardware, thanks to its unique HyperDrift keyboard.

This keyboard is packed with MagForce keys and linear switches, and can slide forward to uncover more ventilation. Coupled with the 4th-generation Aero Blade cooling tech, gamers can push this hardware to the next level. 

If that desktop replacement is a little too thicc for your blood, Acer also revealed a refresh of the Acer Predator Helios 300, the "#1 gaming notebook." It keeps a similar design to the original, but updates the internals.

The Acer Predator Helios 300 features a 144Hz display with a 3ms response time, up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 graphics, as much as 32GB of RAM and 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processors. This gaming laptop will also feature the 4th-generation Aero Blade cooling, to push the hardware as far is it will go. 

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Image Credit: Acer

As for the Intel 9th-generation platform, Intel took the stage and gave some vague details about the next-gen platform. Intel's 9th-generation laptop chips will feature Wi-Fi 6 and Intel Optane Memory support on-board. We're not sure which architecture these chips are based on, but Coffee Lake Refresh is a safe bet. Intel will reveal more details at a later date.

The Acer Predator Helios 700 will be available in the US in April and Europe in July, starting at $2,699 (€2,699; about £2,070, AU$3,760). 

Meanwhile, the Acer Predator Helios 300 will be available in the US in April and Europe in June, starting at $1,199 (€1,499; about £920, AU$1,670).

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Image Credit: TechRadar

Going Nitro

Acer didn't stop with its Predator gaming laptops, though – it also revealed two mid-range gaming notebooks that should be much more affordable.

This mid-range line is led by the brand-new Acer Nitro 7, a thin-and-light gaming laptop measuring just 19.9mm thin with a 78% screen-to-body ratio. The Nitro 7 is packed with 9th-generation Intel Core processors, the latest Nvidia GTX graphics and a 15.6-inch, 144Hz display with a 3ms response time.

Then, there's the Acer Predator Nitro 5, which has been refreshed with new components, including the latest Nvidia GTX graphics and the same 9th-generation Intel Core processors. This will all be behind a 17.3- or- 15.6-inch display with narrow bezels, along with a 144Hz refresh rate and low response time.

We're not sure which GTX graphics will be included, but our money would be on a mobile GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1650, which appeared in an Acer leak earlier this month. These rumored mid-range mobile chips haven't been announced by Nvidia, but leaked benchmarks are promising.

The Acer Nitro 7 should be available right now in the US, and Europe will see it in June, starting at $999 (€1,199; about £770, AU$1,390). The Acer Nitro 5 will be available in the US this April and in Europe this May, starting at $799 (€999; about £610, AU$1,100)

• Check out our list of the best gaming laptops

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