Acer announces fresh Nitro and Predator gaming laptops with Raptor Lake Refresh, RTX 40 – Predator Helios flaunts Wi-Fi 7 and Mini LED displays

CES is in full swing right now, which means we’re seeing a flurry of announcements surrounding new laptops. The gaming laptop segment is particularly hot now, with Acer announcing no less than five new models across its Nitro and Predator brands, all of which use Intel’s 14th-generation Raptor Lake Refresh processors.

Acer Nitro (AN17-72)

We first start with the new Nitro 17 (AN17-72), which uses up to an Intel Core i7-14700HX processor (Raptor Lake Refresh). The 14700HX features 8 performance cores, 12 efficiency cores and a maximum boost frequency of 5.3GHz. Entry-level systems will come with a Core i5-14450HX, while the Core i7-4650HX option fits right in the middle. Systems can be equipped with up to 32GB of DDR5-5600 memory and up to 2TB of NVMe SSD storage in a RAID-0 configuration.

Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 40 Series is the go-to solution for mobile gamers, so Acer offers up to an RTX 4060 on the Nitro 17. Although the company doesn’t explicitly say it, we’d assume that the RTX 4050 will be offered in entry-level configurations. The RTX 40-class graphics will push pixels to a 17-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) display with a 165Hz refresh rate. Acer claims a 3ms overdrive response time and up to 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage.

Other features include dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1 support, a microSD slot, and Wi-Fi 6E support. Acer also infused the Nitro 17 with a four-zone RGB keyboard.

The Nitro 7 will make its North American debut later this month with a base price of $1,249.

Predator Helios 16 (PH16-72) and Helios 18 (PH18-72) 

While the Nitro family is aimed at budget gamers, the Predator family is geared towards high-performance gaming. In that vein, the new Helios 16 (PH16-72) and Helios 18 (PH18-72) up to a Core i9-14900HX processor – the former has the processor as an option, while the latter has it standard. Likewise, you’ll be able to max out graphics performance with a flagship RTX 4090 discrete graphics card on the Helios 18; the Helios 16 tops out with an RTX 4080.

The other big difference between the two laptops lies with the displays: the Helios 16 uses a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 250Hz Mini LED display, while the Helios 16 simply stretches the diagonal dimension to 18 inches. The increased footprint of the Helios 18 also means that it weighs 7.17 pounds versus a more svelte 5.95 pounds for its smaller brother.

Acer’s new Helios gaming laptops are configurable with up to 32GB of DDR5 memory, while the storage system maxes out with a 4TB RAID-0 configuration. Both laptops feature a 90WHr battery and feature per-key RGB lighting for the keyboard. Speaking of the keyboard, they also feature MagKey 3.0 technology with swappable mechanical switches. Finally, Acer embraces the nascent Wi-Fi 7 standard with its latest laptops.

The Acer Helios 16 (PH16-72) and Helios 18 (PH18-72) laptops go on sale in January and March, respectively, priced from $1,899.

Predator Helios 16 Neo (PHM16-72) and Helios 18 Neo (PHN18-71)

If you want the high performance and style offered by the Helio family but want to hold the line on pricing, you might want to look at the new Helios 16 Neo (PHM16-72) and Helios 18 Neo (PHN18-71). The laptops feature 16- or 18-inch WQXGA displays with a 240Hz refresh rate.

Power comes from up to a Core i9-14900HX processor, a standard RTX 4070 GPU, up to 32GB of DDR5 memory and up to 2TB of SSD storage in a RAID-0 configuration. Both machines get power from a 90WHr battery, while other features include a four-zone RGB keyboard, and a Wi-Fi-6E/Bluetooth 5.3 combo card.

Acer says that the Helios 16 Neo (PHM16-72) and Helios 18 Neo (PHN18-71) will go on sale in March, priced at $1,499 and $1,549, respectively.