Check out my two favorite laptops from Acer’s Computex 2023 Announcement
Computex is one of the biggest technology trade shows in the world, with a specific focus on hardware in the computing industry. The trade show will be back in full force from May 30th to June 2nd, l and we’re likely to see some seriously impressive tech.
However, just because the event is a few days away doesn’t mean we have to wait ages for new drops and announcements. Today, Acer showcased some exciting new products, both in the gaming and professional sphere - and I’ve picked my favorite from both categories that I think are worth keeping an eye on.
Acer Predator Triton 16: The gamers are being fed
Fans of the Acer Predator gaming line will be happy to see a new Predator Triton 16, packing a ton of computing power into a super-sleek chassis. The reason I like the Triton 16 is its clean aesthetic - it kind of looks like the kind of laptop an astronaut would use, and that’s a seriously cool vibe for a gaming laptop to have.
The 16-inch laptop is designed for a balanced blend of gaming and work, equipped with a 13th-gen Intel Core processor and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 laptop GPU along with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, as well as some pretty interesting cooling technology to keep it running smoothly despite its compact size.
The glittery silver metal finish is very pretty and diverts from the usual ‘all black with a load of RGB lighting’ trend that most gaming laptops fall into. Since Acer is pioneering this device as a laptop for both gaming and work, it’s good to see that it wields a sharp but unobnoxious aesthetic that I can envisage occupying an office environment without calling too much attention to itself. It’s about 0.78 inches (19.9mm) thick, which is not too shabby for such a powerful laptop, and definitely gives me hope for its portability.
From the specifications alone, I could already tell the Triton 16 would fall on the more expensive side, and while it’s packed with quite a few cool features, it might not be for everyone as a result. Of course, it’s not the most expensive laptop in the world; you can absolutely find and purchase gaming laptops with tear-jerking price tags.
The Predator Triton 16 will retail in September this year starting at USD $1,799.99 and €2,299 (no news on pricing for the UK or Australia yet). It’s not an atrocious price, and I do think that if you’re a gamer working that nine-to-five grind in an office this might be a pretty decent investment. You’ll get a stylish and portable machine you can take to work and then boot up for a game or two on the commute back home.
Frisbee-thin and just as fun: Acer Swift Edge 16
Out of all Acer’s upcoming hardware, I’m most excited to get my hands on the Swift Edge 16. I think in another life I might mistake this laptop for a bog-standard machine, but as a commuting hybrid worker, I can appreciate everything the Swift Edge has to offer.
This laptop is aimed at a similar demographic: professionals on the go who need something that can handle everything thrown at them during a typical workday, and then be forgotten about in a backpack until the next day.
At 0.51 inches thick(12.95mm) and weighing just 2.7 lbs (1.23 kg) I totally believe I would forget I have the Swift Edge 16 in my backpack at the end of the day since it’s so thin and light. That’s really what you want out of a work laptop; no hassle taking it to work and easy to toss in a bag once the day is done.
The laptop doesn’t sacrifice performance in favor of portability, either. It offers a cutting-edge AMD Ryzen 7040 processor and Radeon 780 graphics with Ryzen AI on select models. According to Acer, the AMD Ryzen AI present in select processors helps keep the laptop running for longer when it’s unplugged, and the dedicated AI engine will also auto-enhance video quality on calls. I’m not sure if we really will see a significant difference in battery life as the company claims, but it’ll be interesting to see how it performs.
The 16-inch OLED display ensures your virtual meetings will be crisp and clear and you’ll be watching your favorite shows in high quality during your time off. The laptop will also offer fast charging capabilities, so if you’re like me and forget to charge your devices until the very last minute, you’re in luck!
All in all, I think the Swift Edge 16 will live up to the hype and hopefully blow me away, possibly even replacing my Macbook as my go-to work device. Power and portability are huge plus points and I can't wait to test it out for myself once we get a review unit in.
The Swift Edge 16 will retail in July for around USD $1,299.99 and €1,199 respectively - again, we don’t know how much it’ll be in the UK and Australia, but if you’re going to do some conversions I’d advise using the European price as a guideline since laptops tend to be a bit cheaper in the US.
