Acer Updates Predator 17X With Kaby Lake, Reveals Pricing and Availability For 21X

Acer announced that its Predator 17X gaming laptop is receiving an update in the form of the latest Intel 7^th generation processors (Kaby Lake) and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series graphics. It also revealed the pricing and availability for its massively-powerful Predator 21X, at which we got a sneak peak back at IFA.

Acer Predator 17X: Updated

We first saw the 17X earlier this year as a late entry to Acer’s recently-expanded Predator lineup. The new version of the Acer Predator 17X comes equipped with the freshly-minted Intel Core i7-7820HK, an unlocked quad-core CPU that is the direct successor to the previously available i7-6820HK. In addition to the new CPU, the graphics have been upgraded from a GTX 980 to a GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5X GPU, giving it a significant performance boost compared to the previous iteration.

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Storage and memory options are also largely unaltered from the previous model, with Acer offering up to 64GB of DDR4-2400, up to a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, and up to three SATA SSDs in a RAID 0 array. You can also find configurations with 7,200 RPM HDDs up to 2TB. The 17.3-inch G-Sync display, which comes in 1080p or 4K variants, also remains unchanged from the former version.

The new Acer Predator 17X is priced starting at $2,599, which is $200 cheaper than the original's starting MSRP. There’s no word yet on when the 17X will hit the market, but we presume it will be in Q1 2017.

Acer Predator 21X: The Cost Of Greatness Revealed

Acer also gave us more details about its behemoth curved-screen gaming laptop, the Predator 21X. When we first saw the colossal computer at IFA, we already knew it would feature the latest Intel Kaby Lake processors, but now we know that CPU is the overclockable Core i7-7820HK. We also knew that it could make an enthusiast cry with dual GTX 1080s in SLI, 64GB of DDR4-2400, and RAID 0 PCIe NVMe SSD storage options. The LED-backlit Cherry MX Brown keyboard switches, Tobii eye-tracking technology, and curved 21-inch 2560 x 1080 120Hz IPS G-Sync display are also features gamers can definitely appreciate.

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What we didn’t know was how much such a monstrous machine would cost, but Acer gave us the bad news with a straight face as we realized our estimation of “dependable used car” and “moderately large engagement ring” actually undersold the final asking price of the Predator 21X.

The Acer Predator 21X will be available this February, and it will run you $8,999, making it one of the most expensive gaming laptops we’ve seen in recent memory. We’re about as shocked at the MSRP as we were when Acer announced its $5,000 gaming projector, and similar to that product, we’re not sure too many people are going to have the scratch to haul the Predator 21X around to their next LAN party.

Of course, those who feel that you can’t put a price on greatness will find that the 21X leaves little to be desired, and it’s packed with just about all the latest technology you could hope would be (or expect to be possible) in the "ultimate" gaming laptop. It may be out of reach for many, but the Predator 21X at least gives those who can’t afford it something to dream about.