Acer Refreshes its Predator Helios, Predator Triton and Nitro Gaming Notebooks

Editor’s Summary

Acer’s gaming notebooks now offer a range of 10th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and up to NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER™ graphics

Acer is also bringing the latest display technology to its Predator and Nitro gaming notebooks with models offering 240 Hz or 144 Hz displays for seamless, tear-free gaming

Acer’s new PowerGem thermal technology makes its debut in the Predator Helios 700, bringing significant cooling enhancements to the ultra-powerful notebook

Today at Acer’s online global press conference, the company announced significant new updates to four of its popular gaming notebooks: the Predator Helios 700, Predator Helios 300, Predator Triton 300 and Nitro 7. These new refreshed models bring exciting updates across the board, giving gamers of all levels and types something to look forward to. 

The notebook lines now include the latest 10th Gen Intel® Core™ H-series processors for desktop-caliber performance that can be taken anywhere. NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER™ or RTX 2070 SUPER GPUs deliver the performance needed to drive fast displays with high refresh rates for blur-free seamless visuals in even the most demanding of AAA games. To keep the notebooks operating at peak performance and optimal temperatures, Acer has equipped the notebooks with enhanced thermal designs, new cooling technologies and additional heat pipes.

Predator Helios 700 – A Notebook That Can Replace Your Desktop

The Predator Helios 700, featuring the iconic sliding HyperDrift keyboard, has been upgraded to include either an overclockable 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10980HK or i7-10875H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER or RTX 2070 SUPER GPUs.

The device’s thermal management capabilities have been significantly enhanced with a new thermal solution called Predator PowerGem, included on models with the Intel Core i9 processor. PowerGem is a special material with 3.83 times more vertical heat conductivity than copper, improving the notebook’s heat emission efficiency. All models include three copper heat pipes, Acer CoolBoost Technology, a vapor chamber and two Acer custom-engineered 4th Gen AeroBlade™ 3D fans.

Additional high-performance updates include faster 2933 Hz memory (max 64 GB), an additional Thunderbolt 3 port (for a total of two) and the latest Killer DoubleShot™ Pro (Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i wireless and E3100G Ethernet) to ensure that speed-critical applications get bandwidth priority. Fast PCIe NVMe Solid State Drives in RAID 0 keep everything lightning fast, and games will roar to life on the Helios 700’s beautiful 17.3-inch 144 Hz FHD IPS[i] display with NVIDIA® G-SYNC® technology.

The keyboard, which features per-key RGB lighting and anti-ghosting, has been updated to include MagTek mechanical switches for the WASD keys and a set of new racing keys which offer increased precision. Designed for racing games, they feature 1.5 mm of keycap curvature that enables gamers to make finer and more controlled movements in game. Gamers can swap the standard WASD keys on the keyboard out with the included MagForce keys and racing keys, choosing the set best suited for the game they’re playing. Once swapped, gamers can use the Predator Sense app or press the P3 hotkey in order to adjust the keys’ lighting and actuation point.

Predator Helios 300 – Powerful, Feature Packed

Acer’s popular Predator Helios 300 has raised the bar for gaming notebooks, offering the best performance for the dollar. Now available with the latest 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processors, overclockable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU with Max-Q Design and a 240 Hz 15.6-inch FHD IPS display with 3 ms overdrive, the newest Helios 300 has cemented its reputation as one of the most powerful and feature-packed yet affordably-priced gaming notebooks available. It also supports up to 32 GB of 2933 MHz DDR4 memory, two PCIe NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration and up to a 2 TB hard drive, delivering the speed and storage necessary to maintain large libraries of AAA games and movies.

Enhancing the overall performance and gaming experience, DTS:X Ultra Audio delivers high-end 360-degree surround sound for experiencing media in a realistic spatial soundscape. With headphones, it provides an authentic audio experience letting sounds be heard as they were meant to be, whether near or far, and features specially tuned sound modes that have been optimized for different game genres (strategy, RPG or FPS).

Acer’s custom-engineered cooling technology ensures that the device runs at an optimal temperature. The notebook features dual fans, including one newly designed 4th Generation AeroBlade™ 3D fan that reduces noise while increasing airflow, and Acer CoolBoost™, which allows manual adjustment of the fans to ensure that critical areas receive continuous cooling. Strategically placed intake and exhaust vents are also included.

Predator Triton 300 – Ideal for Gamers and Content Creators

Acer’s powerful but slim Predator Triton 300 gaming notebook has been refreshed to include a 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processor, up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU with Max-Q Design and a 240 Hz display refresh rate. The 15.6-inch FHD IPS display also features a 3 ms response time, 300 nits brightness and supports 100% of the sRGB color space, making it ideal for both gaming and content creation. It further supports up to three M.2 SSDs (one PCIe, two combos), providing an abundance of storage plus the lightning-fast transfer rates and speed that gamers crave.

Three heat pipes have been added to the device’s advanced thermal design, which also includes a dual-fan cooling system (featuring one 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D metal fan), CoolBoost™ technology and strategically placed intake and exhaust vents. All this performance is housed in a thin and lightweight metal chassis[ii] that measures just 19.9 mm (0.78 inches) thin and 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs), making it easy to game on the go.

Nitro 7 – Sleek Metal Design for Gaming on the Go

Acer’s updated Nitro 7 is another option for gamers seeking portability. Its sleek metal chassis measures just 19.9 mm (0.78 inches) thin and 2.5 kg (5.51 lbs), but still manages to pack in a 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processor and up to a GeForce RTX™ 2060 GPU. With up to three slots for high-speed M.2 SSDs, up to 1 TB in RAID 0 configuration, up to 32 GB of DDR4 2933 memory, Killer™ Ethernet E2600 and Intel® Wi-Fi 6, game load and response times are incredibly quick.

The Nitro 7’s thermal design includes dual fans, a quad exhaust port design and Acer CoolBoost™ technology, which can be enabled in NitroSense to increase fan speed by 10% and CPU/GPU cooling by 9% compared to auto-mode. On top of the performance this makes possible, a 15.6-inch non-glare FHD IPS display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 3 ms response allows for sharp visuals and smooth, blur-free gameplay.

Acer Expands ConceptD Series for Creators With New Notebooks, Desktops and Monitors

Editor’s Summary:

* Acer expanded its ConceptD family of notebooks, desktops and monitors supporting creators with premium power and an elegant design

* A notebook and convertible notebook that leverages Acer’s innovative Ezel hinge, impressive specs and a host of thoughtful features in order to offer an intuitive workflow

* A trio of PANTONE-validated monitors with outstanding color accuracy aimed at professional video/photo editors and animators

* A new desktop aimed at small design studios and creative enthusiasts that packs professional-grade graphics into a small, chic form factor

 

Acer today announced a new suite of premium notebooks, desktops, and monitors to expand its ConceptD line, a series of powerful devices specifically designed for creators.

Included in the lineup is the ConceptD 3 notebook range featuring the ConceptD 3 Ezel convertible notebook for creators on the move, the powerful ConceptD 100 desktop for content creators who work in small businesses and creative studios, and a trio of ConceptD monitors such as the ConceptD CP5, the ConceptD CP3 and the ConceptD CM3 for computer graphics professionals.

The ConceptD Series includes a variety of devices to suit the creative needs of professionals across the board from design students and YouTube enthusiasts to CAD designers, video editors, illustrators and animators.

ConceptD 3 Ezel and ConceptD 3 Notebooks – Mobile Creativity

Aimed at design students, freelance designers and small design studios, a full selection of high-performance ConceptD 3 notebooks are now available. Powerful enough to handle medium-size to complex CAD work with speed and accuracy, the ConceptD 3 Ezel and ConceptD 3 notebook ranges make display and powerful graphics specifications a priority. They come with a thinner and lighter look with both the clamshell and convertible form factors having 14- and 15.6-inch screens, so they can be used to edit and showcase work on the move.

ConceptD 3 Ezel – Strike a Creative Pose

The innovative ConceptD 3 Ezel is a convertible notebook designed to give creators the most intuitive experience possible. Its amber-backlit keys are set against a pristine white all-metal chassis and a luxuriously large glass trackpad that supports multi-finger gestures. Acer’s innovative Ezel hinge makes the device as versatile as it is elegant, empowering users with the ability to switch between six usage modes such as stand mode for drawing content or display mode for presenting it. Other usage modes include an adjustable float mode, traditional laptop mode, pad mode and share mode. On top of 18 hours of battery life1, the device’s creative toolbox includes programmable keys and a suite of connectivity options, such as a SD card 7.0 reader and USB Type-C Thunderbolt™ 3 port, while weighing just 1.68 kg (14’’, 3.7 lbs) or 1.95 kg (15’’, 4.29 kg).

The notebook features a 14- or 15.6-inch FHD PANTONE-Validated touchscreen display that covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut and has a delta E<2 color accuracy. This lifelike display is perfect for drawing with Acer’s Active Stylus, featuring 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, and artists can make use of float mode to find their ideal drawing angle. Furthermore, the ConceptD 3 Ezel is powered by 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H or 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10300H processors, NVIDIA® Quadro® T1000 (ConceptD 3 Ezel Pro) or GeForce® GTX 1650Ti GPUs and 1 TB of PCIe SSD storage. This means that the notebook is powerful enough to handle not only drawing or sketching but also animation and 3D modeling—all at 40 dBA or quieter.                

ConceptD 3 Notebook – Freedom in Creation

The ConceptD 3 high-performance laptop is housed in a timeless design and enables work and creativity on the go. Ideal for those who prefer traditional clamshell form factors, 20 hours of battery life[i] gives creators the flexibility to edit and showcase their work wherever they happen to be. Powered by NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (ConceptD 3 Pro) or GeForce GTX 1650Ti GPUs and the new 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processors, it is specifically designed to handle all 2D or 3D color-critical design work on a 14- or 15.6-inch FHD PANTONE Validated display.

The ConceptD 100 Desktop – Unlock Creativity

The ConceptD 100 desktop is ideal for graphics-intensive 2D design and entry-level 3D CAD modeling, addressing the specific needs of professional creators and multimedia classrooms. The ConceptD 100 desktop is equipped with a powerful 9th Gen Intel Core processor and an NVIDIA GeForce or Quadro GPU, allowing 2D and light-duty 3D creators to accelerate quickly and reliably through tasks and workflows. This small form factor PC comes with up to 256 GB of ultrafast SSD storage, all-around connectivity and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, which allows creators to make simultaneous use of all essential applications without delay. Its front air intake and side-ventilation keep the mini workstation cool and ensure that its noise levels stay under 40 dBA, the equivalent of a library room. It blends features with style, coming in an elegant, off-white curved design that fits perfectly into any modern office or workspace.

The ConceptD CP5 and CP3 Monitors – Breathtaking Accurate Visuals

The ConceptD CP5 and ConceptD CP3 series of monitors are aimed at professional computer graphics creators, video editors and animators who require a high-performance monitor with outstanding color accuracy and reliable compatibility. Both monitor lines are designed for those who seek resolution, color accuracy and a wide color gamut, the ability to work with HDR content, high refresh rates for blur-free images and a large screen to facilitate the design process and support collaboration.

The CP5271U V model features Delta E<1 color accuracy and is PANTONE-Validated with 1.07 billion colors. For delicate image quality, it has a WQHD 2560 x 1440 resolution, VESA DisplayHDR 600, is Adaptive-Sync compatible and overclockable to a 170 Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for professional video editing and CG work. Covering 99% of the Adobe RGB color space and leveraging a fast 1 ms (GTG) response time, it produces rich and lifelike images.

The ConceptD CP3 Monitor, also aimed at professional creators, video editors, animators and graphic designers, has similar specifications and supports 98% of the DCI-P3 wide color gamut, WQHD 3840 x 2160 with a refresh rate up to 165 Hz as well as VESA DisplayHDR 400.

The ConceptD CM3 Monitor – Brings Imagination to Life

The ConceptD CM3 series of monitors is aimed specifically at professional graphic designers and photo editors desiring a monitor that can display finely detailed design concepts and 3D content. It is ideal for professional designers that need to quickly and smoothly perform tasks requiring superb color accuracy, blur-free display and a wide color range as well as outstanding HDR and reliable compatibility. The line is ideal for creators performing 3D modeling, editing static imagery and performing rendering tasks. The large screens support the design process and facilitate collaboration.

The CM3271K model offers a 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 screen with a 4 ms (G to G) response time, 60 Hz refresh rate and a wide color gamut supporting 99% of the Adobe RGB color space. It’s compatible with AMD Radeon FreeSync, and with PANTONE Validation, Delta E<2 and VESA-certified DisplayHDR™ 400 support, creators can expect greater color accuracy as well as greater overall luminance.

Is Intel set to acquire two software firms?

Intel has quietly snapped up two software companies in the last 30 days with aim of boosting development of applications that take better advantage of chips with more than one processing core.

In a company blog, the chipmaker indicated the acquisition of Cilk at the end of last month and then Rapidmind earlier this week. Both are small companies that employ under than 50 people. The acquisitions follow the purchase of software company Wind River Systems in June.

"Over the last few years, there has been a gradual emergence of multicore microprocessors. It's put parallelism in more and more machines," James Reinders, chief evangelist and director of marketing and sales at Intel, said in a phone interview Friday, explaining why Intel bought the two firms.

"If you look at traditional applications, ones that we use everyday, it's fair to say that most are not exploiting parallelism--at least not to the full extent," Reinders said.

A multicore processor is defined as any chip with more than one processing core. Today, almost all Intel chips that go into laptops, desktops, and servers have at least two cores. The challenge for Intel is to make sure that applications take advantage of all the cores--so-called parallelism. This has historically presented a challenge for software programmers.

"The operating system does stuff for applications in parallel," Reinders said, referring to operating systems such as Windows. "But considering that we can produce more and more cores every year, to truly get the benefit of what the future holds, applications need to change. And most applications haven't changed," he said.

The goal is to facilitate the development of parallel programming. "How do we help software developers tackle parallel programming? Both companies had teams of experts that had been focused on this problem. So, they're kindred spirits," he said.

Writing about Cilk in a blog, Reinders said Intel sees "great opportunities for Cilk to integrate with our parallel tools...including Intel Parallel Studio." The firm's technology enables "mainstream programmers to develop multithreaded (or parallel) applications...Providing a smooth path to multicore for legacy (older) applications that otherwise cannot easily leverage the performance capabilities of multicore processors," according to Cilk's Web site. Original Cilk research was done at MIT.

Rapidmind was founded five years ago as Serious Hack and grew out of work at the University of Waterloo. It boasts advanced technology for helping software developers with data parallel programming for multicore processors and accelerators.

The cost of the two acquisitions was not disclosed.

CNET.com

Has HP retained No 1 position in the Indian PC market?

Hewlett-Packard (HP) improved its market share in the first quarter to continue its lead in the India PC personal computer (PC) space, according to technology research firm IDC.

HP captured 18.2% of the India PC market in terms of unit shipments in the January-March period, an IDC India report said. The PC maker had a 15.6% share in the previous (October-December) quarter. HP has been numero uno in the India PC market consistently every quarter over the past four years. With a market share of 9.8% in overall PC shipments, HCL Infosystems regained the second spot, after losing out to Dell in the October-December quarter. Dell slipped back to the third spot with a share of 9.7% in the first quarter this year, IDC said in a release.

The India PC market witnessed a 7% quarter-on-quarter growth in shipments in Q1 of 2009. A total of 16.79 lakh units of desktops and laptops were shipped during the January-March quarter of 2009.

Desktop PC shipments of 12.13 lakh registered a sequential growth of 9%, while laptop shipments of 4.66 lakh units grew 3% QoQ.

The research firm said the market share, over the next two quarters, would depend on how well PC vendors capitalise on opportunities in the consumer, education and government segments in India.

In Q1 2009, fourth-placed Acer’s market share dipped marginally to 7.3%. Fifth-ranked Lenovo showed a more pronounced drop — its share came down to 4.7% in Q1 2009 from 6.6% in the previous quarter.

“Moving forward, hardware in general, and PC shipments in particular, will continue to remain under pressure. Winners would gain market share and improve profitability through the right price/volume mix and optimal exploitation of supply chain efficiencies,” IDC India country manager Kapil Dev Singh said.

Economictimes

After losses Lenovo announces management changes

Chinese PC maker Lenovo, which today announced a loss of $96.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, said CEO William J. Amelio resigned in a management reshuffle.

While Lenovo founder Liu Chuanzhi would return as the chairman of the company, present chairman Yang Yuanqing will return as CEO in the place of Amelio, Lenovo said in a statement.

Observing that the next several quarters will be "very challenging for Lenovo and the rest of the PC industry", Lenovo said the worldwide restructuring program announced on January 8 is expected to save the company approximately US$300 million in the 2009/10 financial year.

"In the past quarter, same as many other companies, Lenovo was deeply impacted by the global economic turmoil," said Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing. "We have taken actions to ensure that in an uncertain economy, our business operates as efficiently and effectively as possible, and continues to grow in the future."

The PC maker said its global sales of US$3.59 billion for the reporting quarter is 20 per cent less compared with the same period of 2007.

"The Group's results were impacted principally by slowdown of the Chinese PC market in which it has significant market share and demand reduction in the worldwide commercial PC segment," the company statement said.

On January 9, Lenovo had announced that the company is going tolay off 2,500 employees, nearly 11 per cent of its work force.

Wipro among top three in desktops segment by 2008

Computer major Wipro Infotech, a division of the $3.47-billion Wipro Limited, having rolled-out its new range of environment-friendly desktops in the Indian market, is now eyeing to be among the top three in the Enterprise and SMB desktop segment by 2008. Ashutosh Vaidya, vice-president – Personal Computing Division, Wipro Infotech in an interview with Manu Sharma, spoke on wide range of issues ranging from their foray into eco-friendly computers to future plans.

CIOL: What is Greenware range of desktops and laptops? What prompted Wipro to launch these products?
Ashutosh Vaidya: Wipro has been addressing the issue of increasing e-waste and in this connection launched eco-friendly range of products as part of its responsibility towards cleaner environment. This provides a compelling proposition to our customers to adopt eco-friendly, high performance and feature-rich computing products in their enterprise.

CIOL: Where does Wipro stand in the computer market and how does it plan to grow?
AV: After having registered sales of 150,000 units in 2006 (IDC report), Wipro is now looking to achieve a target of 225,000 units in 2007. In the Enterprise/SMB segment, the company occupied number five slot with sales of 70,000 last year and is now eyeing to reach 70,000 units in 2007, thus move up among the top three. HP leads this segment followed by HCL, Dell, Lenovo and Acer. We are targeting at state banks, government agencies to reach our target.

CIOL: What are RoHS compliance products and mention its importance?
AV: RoHS or (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is a directive from the European Union to reduce substantial e-waste in the environment. A lot of e-waste such as Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR), PVCs and heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury are used by computer manufacturers. Now Wipro has set up its e-waste management process called Wipro Green Computing, which spans across its product lifecycle – from designing, manufacturing right up to the final disposal.

CIOL: How does Wipro plan to reduce e-waste in India?
AV: Wipro is among the first computer manufacturing companies to launch these products in India. We will also not procure non-RoHS components from our global vendors. Besides we will roll out only RoHS compliant products by the end of this fiscal. Presently, we have eight products including four desktops and three notebooks that are 100 per cent RoHS compliant. We also have 16 centers across the country where customers can come and surrender their old computers and we will handle the disposal.

CIOL: In what way is Greenpeace involved in this project?
AV: Greenpeace, a global NGO has been at the forefront of the campaign for clean production and safe recycling. Greenpeace wants the electronics industry to design products that are free from hazardous substances, easy to recycle, and do not expose workers to health risks during production or recycling. Greenpeace is convincing individual producer responsibility (IPR) for full take-back of their products at their end of life, and go beyond the EU RoHS directive in eliminating all hazardous chemicals.