M.2 2230 NVMe SSDs continue to be in demand and, thanks to the nature of portable computing, they need to be capacious and power-efficient. Add the desire for travel reliability, and you end up wanting a more OEM-like experience, something Acer knows how to deliver well. You don’t need the fastest drive, but you need one that works and, hopefully, always will. That’s where the MA200 comes into play.

It’s not fancy. It’s not record-breaking. It just delivers good performance everywhere it matters – random read latency is quite good – with solid power consumption numbers. The biggest drawback is probably that it’s limited to just 1TB. 2TB would definitely be better, but given the price of drives today, perhaps 1TB is a more realistic target, anyway.

Acer MA200 Specifications

The Acer MA200 is only available at 512GB and 1TB, although the 1TB should be far easier to find. Neither was available at the time of review, but historical pricing indicates they are priced at $80+ and $200+, respectively. We’re seeing ~$135 for 1TB and $140+ for 1TB in the market right now for M.2 2230, while similar hardware is priced at $200+ for 1TB. The drive’s last available price of $201.09 is about right. Technically, you could find four in stock on Amazon at the time of review for $190.76, but we cannot guarantee that. However, that would be competitive with TLC-based drives in this range.

The drive is rated for up to 5,200/4,700 MB/s for sequential reads and writes, and up to 700K/850K random read and write IOPS. The 1TB variant has significantly better performance because it has more flash dies, and that is what we would recommend. It also makes sense for an M.2 2230 upgrade, and it’s really the only SKU we’ve seen available, anyway. Acer backs it with a five-year warranty and the standard 600TB of writes at 1TB.

Acer MA200 Software and Accessories

The Acer MA200 is covered by Biwin Intelligence, “multifunctional management software for SSDs…designed to support Biwin consumer-brand storage products.” Biwin works with Acer, HP, and others on drive development, including software support. Biwin Intelligence is an SSD toolbox with an array of features: S.M.A.R.T. and drive health monitoring, drive erase, data backup/cloning/migration, firmware updates, error testing, and performance testing. This should cover most, if not all, of your needs.

Acer MA200: A Closer Look

Single-sided, M.2 2230 SSD. There’s nothing special going on here. If you haven’t worked with an M.2 2230 SSD before, then the small size of this thing will surprise you. It was unthinkable to find 1TB at this performance level in a package so small not that long ago. Now, you can have the perfect drive for your Steam Deck. No frills, but it doesn’t need them.

Underneath the green label is the DRAM-less Silicon Motion SM2269XT SSD controller and a single NAND flash package. No DRAM, but we do see the power management circuitry. The controller is an older, entry-level Gen 4 part that competes primarily with the Phison E21T and InnoGrit IG5220. We’ll discount options from Realtek and TenaFe as they are still less common. These controllers were great in their heyday, offering incredible performance and power efficiency for a budget drive at the time. Now, the technology is aged, but the rising price of hardware has seen its return.

This is all perfectly fine if the flash plays along. Luckily, the MA200 has Micron’s 176-Layer TLC, which, although now on the older side, is quite good flash. It’s more than enough for a drive in this form factor. While it’s nice to reach higher speeds than this – say, 7 GB/s rather than “just” 5 GB/s – the fact is you rarely need that level of performance in a system that takes M.2 2230 SSDs. Power efficiency and latency are more important benchmarks than bandwidth, in our opinion.

MORE: Best SSDs

MORE: Best External SSDs

MORE: Best SSD for the Steam Deck

Comparison Products

There’s no shortage of competition for the MA200. First, we have the high-end drives, the Crucial P310 and the Corsair MP600 Mini (E27T). Next, we have the mid-range drives with the Kingston NV3 and, arguably, the WD Black SN770M. Lastly, we have the first generation of Gen 4 M.2 2230 drives. These include the TLC-based Sabrent Rocket 4 and the QLC-based Silicon Power UD90, the Addlink S91, and the TeamGroup MP44S. The MA200 fits into this last group on paper, but often punches above its weight.

Trace Testing — 3DMark Storage Benchmark

Built for gamers, 3DMark’s Storage Benchmark focuses on real-world gaming performance. Each round in this benchmark stresses storage based on gaming activities including loading games, saving progress, installing game files, and recording gameplay video streams. Future gaming benchmarks will be DirectStorage-inclusive and an evaluation for future-proofing is included where applicable.

The MA200 just edges out the NV3, delivering pretty solid performance in 3DMark. Although the NV3 uses QLC, the newer BiCS8 is very fast in this benchmark, with low latency, and therefore serves as a good baseline to beat. The MA200 can’t match the newer, faster MP600 Mini E27T or P310, but it beats the rest of the lineup. This is superb positioning, and the 44 µs latency result is honestly great. Anything at or below 45 µs should be considered exceptional, as even older drives of this generation – the S91 and MP44S – are significantly less responsive.

Trace Testing — PCMark 10 Storage Benchmark

PCMark 10 is an industry standard trace-based benchmark that uses a wide-ranging set of real-world traces from popular applications and everyday tasks to measure the performance of storage devices. The results are particularly useful when analyzing drives for their use as primary/boot storage devices and in work environments.

The MA200 hits exactly that 45 µs point in PCMark 10, which we like to see. This is more of a psychological number or rule-of-thumb because in most cases you’re not going to usually notice a difference of even 10 µs in practice. However, it’s often indicative of broader performance patterns that emerge under certain workloads and when the drive is older and fuller. Having a responsive drive from the get-go is a bonus; if you do hit some of the worst states, you will feel the difference.

The drive doesn’t beat the NV3 here – did we mention how good BiCS8 QLC flash is? – but it stands up to the very good SN770M and most other drives. The P310 stands apart as Crucial simply nailed it with that drive. Sadly, its availability will be limited as the manufacturer withdraws from the market.

Steam Deck Testing — Gaming, KDiskMark, and Temperature

The Steam Deck is not the only portable gaming system in town, but it was the first and most popular to take M.2 2230 SSDs. While some systems have moved on to fit 2280 length drives, 2230 remains popular for many systems and such drives will work fine in longer slots with the proper standoff or extender. The Deck operates in PCIe 3.0 mode for its SSD which limits maximum bandwidth but that has less of an impact on responsiveness/latency and the Deck is still useful for gauging drive temperature and power efficiency.

Our current testing for the Deck involves analyzing game load times for some popular games. This is probably the most important metric for gamers, but the difference between one SSD and another can be small. We also use KDiskMark, a CrystalDiskMark-like substitute that uses the flexible I/O (FIO) tester instead of diskspd for its underlying benchmarks. We also check the drive’s maximum temperature during this test.

The tests in this section are run under the stock Arch-based SteamOS Linux platform but our other tests are conducted as per our normal reviews, using Windows. Many portable gaming systems today use or can use Windows with multi-boot also as an option. This testing section is instead designed to give an idea of Linux performance, which does involve the use of Proton.

The MA200 is generally underwhelming in our Steam Deck tests, except for temperature. It ran the coolest among the drives, and this is an important consideration. Performance-wise, and especially for games, the differences between the drives are pretty minor. Once you have the game loaded, you won’t notice anything. On the other hand, a cooler-running drive may live longer, heat the handheld console less, and reduce the impact on battery life by a very small degree. Our feeling is that a certain threshold should be crossed – older Gen 3 drives will feel lethargic on some of these tests – and the MA200 meets that threshold. On the other hand, it’s clear that the P310 is a faster drive if you must absolutely own the fastest.

Transfer Rates — DiskBench

We use the DiskBench storage benchmarking tool to test file transfer performance with a custom 50GB dataset. We write 31,227 files of various types, such as pictures, PDFs, and videos to the test drive, then make a copy of that data to a new folder, and follow up with a reading test of a newly-written 6.5GB zip file. This is a real-world type workload that fits into the cache of most drives.

Getting back to Windows, let’s look at file transfers. The MA200 is middle-of-the-road and definitely not a competitor to newer drives with the E27T controller, like the P310 or MP600 Mini. It belongs more with the previous crop of drives, which includes the Rocket 4 and SN770M. For the Steam Deck, this is perfectly fine. In a Gen 4 device, where you might be multi-booting Windows, there are better drives available. We think the MA200 is plenty for a gaming focus, though.

Synthetic Testing — ATTO / CrystalDiskMark

ATTO and CrystalDiskMark (CDM) are free and easy-to-use storage benchmarking tools that SSD vendors commonly use to assign performance specifications to their products. Both of these tools give us insight into how each device handles different file sizes and at different queue depths for both sequential and random workloads.

The biggest takeaway from our ATTO results is that the MA200 hits a wall due to the drive's interface limitations. The controller is only rated at around 5 GB/s, which caps how much bandwidth the drive can provide. This is not an issue for PCIe 3.0 host devices, but is more limited with 4.0. In general, bandwidth is not what makes your apps and games feel faster or more responsive. It does impact transfer rates in some cases and, to a small degree, a drive’s latency. For an M.2 2230 drive, we do not feel the MA200’s results here are damning, but there are definitely faster drives out there.

The performance shortfalls here do translate to CDM: sequential performance is generally weak. The drive is good enough with QD1 reads, though, that we feel confident it won’t impact your experience much. On the contrary, the sub-44µs QD1 4K random read latency suggests this is a very responsive drive where it matters. Is it a drive you want for high-speed transfers? Absolutely not. But why would you buy an M.2 2230 drive for that? If you are looking for absolute performance in your Gen 4 portable system, though, this drive would not be our first choice. We’d probably recommend the MP600 Mini E27T or the equivalent – some other manufacturers have updated their E21T models, such as Sabrent – to reach peak performance. The P310 is up there, but as it is QLC-based and leaving the market, we can’t safely recommend it.

Sustained Write Performance and Cache Recovery

Official write specifications are only part of the performance picture. Most SSDs implement a write cache, which is a fast area of pseudo-SLC (single-bit) programmed flash that absorbs incoming data. Sustained write speeds can suffer tremendously once the workload spills outside of the cache and into the "native" TLC (three-bit) or QLC (four-bit) flash. Performance can suffer even more if the drive is forced to fold, the process of migrating data out of the cache in order to free up space for further incoming data.

We use Iometer to hammer the SSD with sequential writes for 15 minutes to measure both the size of the write cache and performance after the cache is saturated. We also monitor cache recovery via multiple idle rounds. This process shows the performance of the drive in various states including the steady state write performance.

The MA200 first writes to its cache at over 4.8 GB/s for more than 63 seconds. The 305GB cache is quite ample, but does not use all of the flash available to the TLC-based drive. This means the drive falls into an intermediate direct-to-flash state, writing at around 1.9 GB/s. This is very good and is plenty fast if you happen to get into this situation with aggressive writing. Eventually, the drive is forced to fold and writes at about half this speed, averaging just under 900 MB/s. Folding will often be below one-half the native flash speed while you’re waiting for already-written data to be moved from the cache to native flash, freeing space for incoming writes. So, two writes for every one write of new data.

Our steady-state average, though, is double the folding speed and closer to the native speed, at almost 1.8 GB/s. This is because the drive will free up space over time and can recover to higher speeds, even the cache speed at times. This performance is less consistent, though, and latency will be higher as the drive is bottlenecked. You’re most likely to hit this state when the drive is fuller or after substantial writes – lots of game installs and updates, OS updates, and so on. The MA200’s performance level here is very good and, mixed with the temperature results we saw above, means that the drive should be particularly good for what an M.2 2230 drive is used for, namely portable gaming and computing.

Power Consumption and Temperature

We use the Quarch HD Programmable Power Module to gain a deeper understanding of power characteristics. Idle power consumption is an important aspect to consider, especially if you're looking for a laptop upgrade as even the best ultrabooks can have mediocre stock storage in terms of capacity and performance. Desktops are often more performance-oriented with less support for power-saving features so we show the worst-case for idle.

Some SSDs can consume watts of power at idle while better-suited ones sip just milliwatts. Average workload power consumption and max consumption are two other aspects of power consumption but performance-per-watt, or efficiency, is more important. A drive might consume more power during any given workload but accomplishing a task faster allows the drive to drop into an idle state more quickly, ultimately saving energy.

For temperature recording we currently poll the drive’s primary composite sensor during testing with a ~22°C ambient. Our testing is rigorous enough to heat the drive to a realistic ceiling temperature but real-world temperatures will vary due to the environment and workload factors.

We expected the MA200 to be power-efficient, and it is. It’s right in the middle of the pack with good power efficiency for a drive in this form factor. The peak power draw is 3.99W, which is below the 4.50W maximum stated by S.M.A.R.T. This is normal. What we would point out is that this peak draw is significantly lower than the fastest drives and, further, that idle power consumption – which in our testing is done in a worst-case state – is exceptionally low. We’re plenty satisfied here.

As for temperature, we measured a maximum of 71 degrees Celsius during testing. This is 15 degrees Celsius below the first throttling state, which is good but not great. We suspect a few things are going on here. First, this is an M.2 2230-form-factor drive with less surface area for cooling. Having a thermal pad or equivalent in your device would help. Second, the drive’s reported temperatures were very close to each other, so the reported temperatures might not be as comparable as we see with other drives. This is because there are multiple heat-producing regions on an SSD – the controller and flash, at least – and a composite temperature is often used to help with throttle determination. This means that 71 degrees Celsius might not be as hot as it seems. Lastly, our testing doesn’t necessarily translate to what you’d get in a pure PCIe 3.0 slot, as in the Steam Deck. The drive will run cooler in the Deck versus in a Gen 4 device.

Test Bench and Testing Notes

We use an Alder Lake platform with most background applications, such as indexing, Windows updates, and anti-virus, disabled in the OS to reduce run-to-run variability. Each SSD is prefilled to 50% capacity and tested as a secondary device. Unless noted, we use active cooling for all SSDs.

Acer MA200 Bottom Line

The Acer MA200 is a good drive, but not great. We’re seeing a lot of drives fall into this category, as what’s left after the SSD apocalypse leaves a lot to be desired – fast drives are prohibitively expensive if you can even find them, and some of the lower-end drives are outright dreadful. This is because the number one cost for SSDs, the flash memory, has skyrocketed, and we see no end in sight. This means it doesn’t make much sense to pair good flash with a slower controller that saves you a few dollars. In cases where this seems to happen – the Seagate FireCuda X1070 comes to mind – it can be a fair trade-off. It’s more sensible to drop down to a slow controller with leftover NAND. On the high end of things, the newest silicon, which for SSD controllers would be 6/7nm, is also facing a shortage due to semiconductor demand, so truly high-end drives are being priced out. Market trends suggest Gen 5 drives will remain out of reach. That leaves drives like the MA200.

Then again, the MA200 isn’t trying to be your typical drive. It’s in the M.2 2230 form factor, so it's targeted at specific devices like the Steam Deck. It doesn’t have to be as fast, so hitting 5 GB/s is good enough for a Gen 4 drive. The flash is very responsive for random workloads, the sustained performance is good, and the drive is power-efficient. What else could you want? Well, we’d like availability and affordability, especially at 2TB, since devices have been coming with larger default drives over time. On the other hand, we’re seeing a slide back on that due to rising memory and storage costs, so maybe 1TB is making more sense again. With flash being the most costly component, the price scaling is coming from there.

In either case, we would like the MA200 to be faster and, if possible, more power-efficient. We would like many things. As it is, though, the drive delivers where it matters for a drive in this form factor. It’s good enough. Its historical pricing has been competitive, and it won’t feel like an old drive in your new handheld. If you’re a stickler for having TLC flash, then it hits that mark, too. So, we can recommend it, even if it’s not the most exciting drive around. We’ll take an unexciting but reliable drive in M.2 2230 if we have the choice.

MORE: Best SSDs

MORE: Best External SSDs

MORE: Best SSD for the Steam Deck

Acer’s latest portable monitor looks to occupy a few niches – and at first glance, it might be a few too many. At a wide-but-narrow 1920 x 720 resolution, the PM131QT supports 5-point touch, a pogo pin keyboard (which Acer didn’t have on hand), and the company says it can be mounted with magnets, and is designed for “secondary and in-vehicle use.” It might be a good screen for media and map controls while on the go, and chats or data display at home under your main screen.

It’s early days here at Computex 2026, but the PM131QT is the most interesting portable monitor I’ve seen so far, in part because of its odd collection of features. Its squat form factor and kickstand make it well-suited to living under a primary desktop monitor for things like chats or at-a-glance data displays. And curiously, Acer has put pogo pins on the bottom for a keyboard, which might make it useful for plugging into a smartphone for some productivity work. But Acer didn’t have the keyboard available at the show.

It also has a headphone jack on top, along with control buttons, and two USB-C ports alongside what looks like Mini-HDMI on the back in a recessed area. There’s a nice metal kickstand for desk use, but Acer says it can snap onto things magnetically, as well. This puts it in direct competition with Corsair’s Xeneon Edge, which is a little larger, at 14.5 inches, and sports a 2560 x 720 resolution, but also costs more, at $249. Acer says the PM131QT will sell for $179 in the U.S., starting in Q4 of 2026.

Curiously, Acer also markets the monitor as a car display – likely for controlling things like Android Auto in vehicles that don’t already have screens (or at least screens where you want them). While the keyboard, kickstand, pogo pins, and car marketing make the PM131QT feel a bit like Acer doesn’t quite know what it’s for, its size and relative affordability make me curious about all the ways I could use it. I’d also love to see other accessories that use the pogo pins.

While the advertised 300 nits of brightness and 75% of the NTSC color gamut don’t sound amazing, this screen isn’t for editing photos or watching movies – it actually looked quite good in person. Hopefully, we’ll get the chance to test the PM131QT before it officially arrives late this year.

It is day three of Computex here in Taipei! With most of the big-name keynotes out of the way, we're traversing the show floor non-stop to bring you the latest, greatest, and weirdest from all your favorite hardware vendors.

Computex 2026: Headlines so far

• Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra weilds Nvidia's RTX Spark superchip with 128GB of RAM
• Nvidia lays out RTX Spark roadmap for laptops and desktop PCs at Computex 2026
• Nvidia unveils RTX Spark Superchip for laptops and desktop PCs at Computex 2026
• Intel details long-awaited Crescent Island AI GPU at Computex, boasts up to 480 GB of LPDDR5X
• Intel Xeon 7 ‘Diamond Rapids’ CPUs officially launching in 2027 on Intel 18A-P
• Intel Xeon 6+ ‘Clearwater Forest’ puts 18A in the data center with up to 288 cores
• AMD’s formerly China-exclusive Radeon RX 9070 GRE goes global for $549 on June 2
• AMD confirms AM5 support through 2029
• AMD brings back Ryzen 7 5800X3D, launches Ryzen 7 7700X3D
• Dell XPS 13 targets MacBook Neo with Intel's Wildcat Lake
• Alienware debuts 39, 34-inch OLED gaming monitors

Computex 2026: Live updates

Well, good morning, and a very (very) warm (and humid) welcome to our Computex 2026 live blog. Stephen from the UK here to see you through the first few hours of Monday. As mentioned, it has already been a jam-packed first day!

There's really nothing like Taipei during Computex:

Nvidia enters the laptop and desktop market

If you're just joining us, then welcome. It is evening in Taiwan and there's a lot happening. Headlines from the first day of Computex include Nvidia's incursion into the desktop PC and laptop market by way of its new RTX Spark Superchip. RTX Spark is a Windows on Arm platform for laptops, which Nvidia claims is the most efficient every built. Top-spec chips offer 20 Arm CPU cores, a Blackwell GPU with 6144 CUDA cores, 128GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and up to 300 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

• Nvidia unveils RTX Spark Superchip for laptops and desktop PCs at Computex 2026

Surface Laptop Ultra

One of the first companies to get behind Nvidia's new RTX Spark, understandably, is Microsoft. The company has unveiled a new Surface Laptop Ultra, effectively its own version of the MacBook Pro. It features a 20-core CPU, Blackwell GPU, 128GB of unified RAM, and more. That's housed in a 15-inch chassis with a mini-LED display, replete with HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, and an SD card reader.

• Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra weilds Nvidia's RTX Spark superchip with 128GB of RAM, 20 Arm CPU cores, and a Blackwell GPU

Intel Crescent Island

Somewhat overshadowed by Nvidia, Intel has unveiled its new Crescent Island AI GPU, featuring up to 480GB of LPDDR5X memory. The data center GPU is "built for agentic AI," is built on Intel's Xe3P architecture, but details about raw specs are scant at this stage.

• Intel details long-awaited Crescent Island AI GPU at Computex, boasts up to 480 GB of LPDDR5X to combat memory shortages

Radeon RX 9070 GRE

AMD's China-exclusive Radeon RX 9070 GRE is going global, with a $549 price tag when it launches on June 2. This GPU sits right between the 9060 XT and the RX 9070, and you'll be able to catch benchmarks on Tom's Hardware very soon.

• AMD’s formerly China-exclusive Radeon RX 9070 GRE goes global for $549 on June 2

Jake is hungry!

"You ever get to the end of the day and realize you haven't eaten a thing." A quick look behind the scenes at Tom's Hardware, where CPU analyst Jake Roach has just realised that he hasn't eaten anything today. It's 8pm.

AM5 lives on

After previously only committing to supporting its AM5 platform through 2027, the company this week confirmed that it is actually going to support AM5 through 2029, with both Zen 4 and Zen 5 likely to see two further generations of CPU release. It's unclear if this is 2029 will mark the end of the line for AM5.

• AMD confirms AM5 support through 2029

The return of a legend

AMD has announced it will bring back its legendary Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and is also launching a Ryzen 7 7700X3D to fight the rising price of PC building. The latter is a downclocked version of the 7800X3D for AM5 platforms, but the real headline is the 5800X3D, which supports DDR4 RAM and, in theory, should give users a more affordable way to build a potent gaming PC on AM4.

• AMD brings back Ryzen 7 5800X3D, launches Ryzen 7 7700X3D to combat rising component prices

Dell comes after the MacBook Neo

This $699 XPS 13 laptop built around Intel's Wildcat Lake platform is the company's answer to the popular MacBook Neo. Featuring between 8-32GB of RAM, a 13.4-inch display, and up to 1TB of storage, it comes with either the Intel Core 5 320 or an upcoming Intel Core Ultra 7 355 variant.

• Dell XPS 13 targets MacBook Neo with Intel's Wildcat Lake — $699 starting price, $599 for students

DLSS 4.5

Nvidia has confirmed that DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction, an advanced denoiser for better ray-tracing and path-tracing image quality when it releases later this year. Nvidia says it can process 35% more input data and uses 20% more paramaters using the same compute budget as the previous-generation.

• DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction update arrives in August for better ray tracing visuals — broader training data set and second-gen transformer architecture combine for improved image quality

Qualcomm hands on

Qualcomm's new $300 and up ARM laptops come with a mystery eight-core CPU and active cooling. Rocking the new Snapdragon C chip, our very own Paul Alcorn made a discovery that perplexed even the Qualcomm representative on the floor...

• We went hands-on with Qualcomm's new '$300 and up' ARM laptop platform with mystery eight-core CPU — active-cooled Snapdragon C laptop surfaces in Acer Aspire Go 15

A big EXPO boost

AMD is launching a new automatic memory overclocking feature. EXPO Ultra Low Latency promises a 13% uplift in performance compared to standard DDR5 JEDEC speeds, and a 4% uplift over existing EXPO.

• AMD promises 13% uplift with new EXPO ‘Ultra Low Latency’ overclocking on DDR5 DIMMs — automatic memory overclocking delivers 4% improvement over standard EXPO, says AMD

Intel not resting on its laurels

Speaking to Tom's Hardware in response to news about Nvidia's RTX Spark, Intel says it treats all such developments with "a healthy does of paranoia," but touted the virtues of x86, warning of compatibility, DRM, and other issues that inevitably follow Arm CPUs entering the market.

• Intel warns it has 'a healthy dose of paranoia' over Nvidia entrance into PC market — company says RTX Spark is 'great for the market' while touting the virtues of x86

Supermicro makes an appearance

Computex isn't all about consumer hardware, with plenty of B2B and industrial hardware on display too. We got a look at Supermicro's new Vera Rubin NVL72 rack, replete with a new type of cooling that the company says offers 1,000 times higher electrical impedance than standard.

• Supermicro shows off Vera Rubin NVL72 rack with all-new type of coolant — company claims coolant offers 1,000 times higher electrical impedance over standard cooling

A staggering 5090 from Asus

To celebrate 20 years of its ROG brand, Asus has unveiled a monster new ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 Edition 20, which includes a wraparound AMOLED display. There's also a 3,000W power supply, a new NUC, a PC case, peripherals, a gaming chair, and more.

• Asus' monstrous ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 Edition 20 includes expansive curved AMOLED display — also debuts 3,000W power supply and striking PC case

See what happened at the show before the show

Computex starts before the show floor opens. While it's nighttime in Taipei, you can still take a look at everything we saw early with our Day Zero Wrap Up.

You'll learn more about chips from Intel and AMD, monitors from Acer and Alienware, and, of course, learn a ton about Nvidia's RTX Spark system on a chip.

That should hold you over until the show floor doors open and we get into even more of the nitty-gritty.

Read: Computex 2026 Day Zero Wrap-Up: Nvidia launches RTX Spark Superchip assault on laptop and desktop markets, Intel readies Xeon 6+

Vincent van Gogh, on a laptop

MSI is taking its Prestige 14 Flip AI+ and putting some prestige art on it. The company says the laptops are "inspired by The Starry Night and Starry Night Over the Rhône". That language makes it unclear if they're exact duplicates of the paintings, but either way, they don't look like anything else we've seen lately.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 finally brings an OLED screen

Among the many twentieth-anniversary branded Asus ROG gadgets the brand is releasing is a new version of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X.

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 bundle includes an updated version of the handheld, with a clear shell, OLED display, TMR joysticks, and a transforming D-Pad with four and eight-way movement. It still has the same AMD Z2 Extreme processor as its predecessor.

ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses, with a 171-inch, 240 Hz virtual display at 4 meters.

No pricing information is available just yet.

Who ISN'T having a milestone anniversary?

Lots of companies and brands at Computex seem to have started in years that end with 6.

• Asus ROG has a 20th anniversary product line
• MSI is celebrating 40 years, marked by the Titan 18 HX Dragon Edition Draco Epic laptop (pictured above).
• Gigabyte marked 40 years at the end of May, and is celebrating with its Infinity Design lanauage, including a GPU with rounded edges.

So consider this your reminder to at least get a card for your or a loved one's anniversary. Clearly everyone is celebrating.

How Intel is reacting to RTX Spark

With Nvidia's RTX Spark announced, CPU manufacturers are sizing up the field.

When we sat down with Tom’s sat down with Nish Neelalojanan, senior director of product management for Intel’s Client Computing Group, he told us how Intel is reacting:

“Nvidia puts out great products, right? And they know how to do gaming, they know how to do all these different things. So we always take everything with a healthy dose of paranoia, but we are also very, very confident with our products." He also pointed out Arm chips for Windows have typically had compatibility issues.

Read more: Intel warns it has 'a healthy dose of paranoia' over Nvidia entrance into PC market — company says RTX Spark is 'great for the market' while touting the virtues of x86

An 18-inch laptop for the rest of us

Usually, an 18-inch laptop is a massive workstation or gaming rig. But at Computex, Acer has an 18-inch system, the Aspire 18 AI designed for everyday use. Above, it's pictured next to a 16-inch PC.

That 18-inch screen has just a 1920 x 1200 resolution, but for people who turn up the font size to read (no shame in it!), it may still help. The refresh rate tops out at 165 Hz.

Specs include a CPU up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM, up to 2TB of SSD storage, and Wi-Fi 7 support. Acer claims 22 hours of battery life. And hey, there's room, so you get a number pad.

Like much of what we're seeing at Computex, we don't have a price. But if you've been jonesing for a big screen without a discrete GPU, it is on the way.

AMD had to reengineer the Ryzen 7 5800X3D for a rerelease

AMD's David McAfee shared the story behind the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and why it took so long to come to market. Apparently, AMD had plans to bring back the chip earlier, but the silicon bonding process TSMC had previously used was no longer available, McAfee says. That led to some additional development time in order to get the CPU into shape, which happened to line up with the 10th anniversary of the AM4 socket. - Jake Roach

Get ready for Intel's Computex keynote

Intel's CEO Lip-Bu Tan is set to take the stage at Computex in just under an hour, and we expect about a 45-minute keynote from the executive, followed by a Q&A session that Tom's Hardware is attending. Although we've already seen most of Intel's announcements, ranging from the G3 Extreme Range to a Diamond Rapids tease, it's possible Tan could drop some hints about next-gen Nova Lake chips during the keynote. - Jake Roach

• Watch Intel's Computex 2026 keynote here — CEO Lip-Bu Tan takes the stage in Taipei at 10:30pm PT on June 1

Intel's 3D V-Cache competitor?

Tom's Hardware attended a Q&A session with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, as well as a panel of executives, including Alex Katouzian, a Qualcomm veteran who recently joined Intel's ranks. We asked Intel about its supposed 3D V-Cache competitor, rumored to be called bLCC or Big Last Level Cache, and Katouzian shared the following:

"When I first came in and started reviewing road maps for the team, I was very pleasantly surprised. So, stay tuned, a very strong roadmap coming, and we will be gunning for that section of the market as well. And so, please stay tuned," Katouzian told Tom's Hardware.

Phison has demoed its future PCIe 6.0 SSD controller in the past, but the earlier displays last year merely showed the chip on a large development. Development of the new X3 controller has obviously moved forward well, as the company had two reference SSDs on display in its booth here at Computex.

Phison says these new SSDs deliver up to 28 GB/s of sequential read/write throughput and an incredible 6.8 million IOPS, easily beating anything available on the market. Stay tuned for our full write up.

Stephen checking in

Well a very good morning from day 2 of Computex! Stephen here to see you through the next few hours.

Timing is everything!

Computex is just like comedy, timing is very important! Coordinating a team around the globe is pretty hectic, so here's some insight into how tricky it can be. It's 10:24am in the UK, but our team on the ground in Taipei have already been at it all day, where it's currently 5:24pm. Of course, our U.S. readership and staff are just waking up. Lots of companies are still working in Eastern or even Pacific time too. A lot of plates in the air.

Snapdragon makes an appearance

We haven't heard too much from Qualcomm this week, with Nvidia dominating the headlines thanks to RTX Spark. However, this Asus Ascent QN10 is a nifty new Mini PC with Snapdragon X2 Elite, which QC claims is the world's first to deliver 80 TOPS through its NPU.

Noctua's latest cooling efforts

For those who want to squeeze every last drop of power and temperature optimization from their CPU, Noctua has announced new thermal pads for AMD chips. Made in partnership with Carbice, these pads are for AM4 and AM5 Ryzen CPUs and are made from carbon nanotubes to improve thermal conductivity.

• Noctua announces new thermal pad for AMD chips in partnership with Carbice — product will work with processors in AM5 and AM4 sockets

Gigabyte's latest and greatest monitors

Gigabyte has unveiled a new series of Aorus Elite gaming monitors. Ranging in size from 27 to 32 inches, three of them feature fourth-generation Tandem WOLED technology for improved color and brightness. The fourth is a mini-LED monitor.

• Gigabyte debuts fourth-gen Tandem WOLED and multi-mode Mini LED gaming monitors — 27 to 32 inches, up to 480 Hz, and up to 5K resolution

Asus’ ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 hands on

Asus is going big to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Republic of Gamers brand. Alongside a monster RTX 5090 and a 3,000W PSU, there are new peripherals including this Asus ROG HArpe II Edition 20 gaming mouse. It features a gold logo and scroll wheel, as well as gold accents. A little garish for some tastes, it'll cost an eye-watering $259.99.

• Hands-on with Asus’ ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 gaming mouse – 24K gold and a 65K sensor

Relive Intel's keynote

Intel held its Computex keynote overnight, with CEO Lip-Bu Tan taking to the stage. You can relive the keynote below!

The latest in cooling from Frore

Frore has been showing off its latest in solid-state cooling tech. Its AirJet Mini is out here cooling Intel's Wildcat Lake laptop reference design. With 15W of sustained power and just 11.3 mm in total thickness, could it give the MacBook Neo a run for its money?

• Frore System’s solid-state AirJet Mini cools Intel’s Wildcat Lake laptop reference design – 15W of sustained, fanless cooling helps MacBook Neo competitor reach a svelte 11.3 mm, remain silent

Take our quiz!

'The single most important tool of humanity'

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the company wants to 'reinvent the single most important tool of humanity' with its new RTX Spark. The company unveiled its new chip for desktops and laptops at the start of this week.

• Jensen Huang says Nvidia wants to 'reinvent the single most important tool of humanity' with RTX Spark — Nvidia CEO touts support of 'literally every computer maker in the world' for its agentic AI PC platform

Favorite Computex announcement so far?

Cooler Master's MasterDimm

Unveiled ahead of Computex, this Cooler Master MasterDimm is a collaboration with G.SKILL that brings active cooling to DDR5 RAM. No word on just how big those sticks are yet...

New from Gigabyte

Gigabyte is another vendor celebrating a major anniversary at Computex, specifically 40 years in the game. There's new motherboards, GPUs, and a monster 1,600W power supply.

• Gigabyte showcases new Infinity products for its 40th anniversary — X870 Infinity Next halo motherboard boasts metal 3D-printed elements, Aero Wood goes dark, MicroATX Stealth boards, Infinity-style GPUs extend down the product stack

Phison shows off its new controller

Down at Phison, we took a look at its new PCIe 6.0 SSD controller, the X3. The company touts sequential speeds of up to 28 GB/s and 6.8 million IOPS in random read/write workloads. There were also benchmarks on display for a new DRAM-less PCIe 5.0 SSD controller. Get the details here:

• Phison shows PCIe 6.0 X3 SSD controller with 28 GB/s of bandwidth and 6.8 million IOPS, supports 2 petabytes per drive— also new power-sipping E37T SSDs for PCIe 5.0 systems consume a mere 4.5W

You don't know the HAF of it

More from Cooler Master, where we took a look at the company's new cases, fans, and coolers. The new HAF500 case supports up to E-ATX motherboards, dual-GPU setups, and plenty of cooling.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro Edition 20 gets decked out in black and gold

Asus just launched the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro Edition 20, the 20th-anniversary edition of its existing ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro. The overall design of the new router is identical, but the stealth black look is now accentuated with gold trimmings. You can even see gold plating beneath the clear plastic window on top of the router, along with a 20th anniversary badge finished in gold.

While you can expect the same blazing performance as the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro, the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro Edition 20 also includes an exclusive Signature Edition 20 web interface for configuring the router.

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ joins the growing number of handheld gaming PCs

There's a new competitor to take on the likes of the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go 2. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is a fresh entry using a 14-core Intel Arc G3 Extreme CPU and an Arc B390 GPU. The handheld can also be decked out with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.

The design looks somewhat unorthodox, with the 8-inch 1080p IPS display jutting well below the flanking controllers. The display is spec'd for a 120 Hz refresh rate and maxes out at 500 nits. Rounding out the main features is an 80 WHr battery inside the 1.3-pound package.

Best Buy already has a product page for the Claw 8 EX AI+ on its website, listing the 32GB/1TB configuration at $1,699.99. However, the handheld is only shown as "coming soon" rather than being available for preorder.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro will be among the first Wi-Fi 8 routers on the market

If you want to be on the bleeding edge in wireless networking, you won't have to wait much longer for Wi-Fi 8 routers. The first Wi-Fi 8 router coming from Asus will be the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, which is a gaming router aimed at the high end of the market.

We must caution that Wi-Fi 8 routers won't result in another huge leap in theoretical performance over existing Wi-Fi 7 routers. Instead, optimizations with the standard will make it so that real world performance and range will far exceed what's possible with current hardware. We should also see even longer range for IoT devices, epecially those sitting at the far reaches of the coverage for your home router.

The ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro will also include a wide range of LAN/WAN ports, including two 10 GbE ports and four 2.5 GbE ports.

• Asus unveils its first Wi-Fi 8 router — ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro offers up to 2x real-world throughput uplift over Wi-Fi 7

We go hands-on with the Acer Predator Atlas 8 Arc G3 gaming handheld

Last week, we brought you news that Acer was working on a Predator Atlas 8 gaming handheld. Well, we got a chance to get a hands-on with the device at Computex, and it's quite impressive.

The Predator Atlas 8 uses Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme processors paired with an Arc B370 or B390 iGPU. Systems come with an 8-inch 1200p 120 Hz variable-refresh-rate display rated for up to 500 nits of brightness. An 80 WHr battery should help extend your gaming runtime, and Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 are included in the mix.

At 1.79 pounds, the Predator Atlas 8 slots in between the Legion Go and the Steam Deck OLED in weight.

Intel's Xeon 6+ in the flesh

We stopped by Intel's demo suite, and the company had a Xeon 6+ chip, along with a wafer, hanging on the wall. This is Intel's first time using 18A in the data center, with Xeon 6+ now sporting up to 288 Darkmont E-cores. You can learn more about it in our Xeon 6+ write-up and go behind the scenes with our Xeon 6+ interview transcript on Tom's Hardware Premium.

Day 3

Good morning and welcome to day three of Computex! I say day 3, but as we've explained before timing is tricky here. In Taiwan day three is almost over, but for our global audiences in places like the UK and U.S., it's just beginning! - Stephen Warwick

Some highlights from Acer

We dropped by Acer to see what the company has to offer at Computex this year. We saw the new Acer Swift Spin 14 AI tablet, the new Predator Atlas 8, and more!

Jensen will sign anything

Everyone knows that if you see Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at Computex, chances are he'll sign something for you. How about this epic Nvidia GTX 1080Ti Founders Edition?

Noctua's AIO in all its glory

We've been hearing a lot about Noctua's entry into the AIO market for some time. The company is back at Computex 2026 and has finally revealed specs, pricing, and release date. Coming on June 16, pricing should be around $250 (It is listed at 220 euros), with more expensive 360mm and 420mm options available. The NL-LC1 features Asetek's Emma V2 pump and NF-A12/14 fans.

• Noctua's first-ever AIO features a silenced Asetek Emma V2 pump and NF-A12/14 fans — 240mm NL-LC1 starts at around $250, could cost $325 for 420mm cooler

The first 8K ultra-wideband gaming keyboard

Cherry's gaming branch Cherry XTRFY has unveiled the first 8K ultra-wideband gaming keyboard at Computex. With a 70% layout, the technology should be more reliable than 2.4GHz wireless. That means a more stable connection that is less vulnerable to interference from other wireless devices.

• Cherry XTRFY launches first 8K ultra-wideband gaming keyboard — featuring more compact 70-percent layout

Corsair's new mouse feat. Stream Deck

New from Corsair is this Nightsword v2 Wireless SD Stream Deck gaming mouse. Striking name aside, you can map its buttons to Stream Deck features, eight in all, so that you can control streaming functions without taking your hand off the mouse. It's a similar philisophy to the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE. However, the Nightsword also comes with a unique dedicated Stream Deck Launch button.

• Corsair shows off gaming mouse with dedicated Stream Deck launch button — wireless mouse also gets almost 50 hours of 8K battery life

New from NZXT

We stopped by NZXT to see what's news. The company showed off new RGB fans, cases, and more.

Counterfeit DRAM

Tom's Hardware spoke to G.Skill and V-Color at Computex. The latter confirmed to us that it has seen an influx of counterfeit DRAM hitting markets in China, to the extent that it is negatively impacting sales.

• Counterfeit G.Skill and V-Color DDR5 modules hit Chinese marketplaces, impacting company sales — cheap contraband memory using identical PCBs and heat spreaders almost impossible to spot

A long day for Jensen

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is one of the main attractions at Computex, and is often mobbed wherever he goes, shutting down booths or even entire floors here in Taipei. Here he is enjoying some brief respite at the Gigabyte booth with a beer and some barbecue.

Taipei drone show

The evening skies in Taipei lit up with a drone show to celebrate Computex, check it out!

Lian Li's new Edge PSUs

Take a look at Lian Li's new Edge Platinum V2 PSUs, equipped with LED dust indicator, magnetic filter, snap-on fan, and a USB header hub. There's also the trademark 90-degree power connector.

The claaaaaaw

The new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is an 8-inch handheld that features a 120 Hz display and new ergonomic grips. Bathed in a striking 'Void Purple' finish, our immediate hands-on yielded some impressive performance.

• MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ brings Intel Arc G3 Extreme to handhelds — 8-inch, 120 Hz display and new ergonomic grips

AMD reacts to Nvidia RTX Spark

AMD is acting confident in the face of Nvidia's new RTX Spark announcements.

"I’m really excited that Nvidia has joined the game. You know, we were the only game in town for almost two years now, and the large local memory is becoming super critical in the agentic AI [workloads],” said AMD’s Rahul Tikoo, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s client business. at Computex “I'm actually happy to see Nvidia join the race for these great products.

Comparing the specs, he suggested that "Gorgon Halo, which is coming out in Q3, is going to be a better product.”

We'll see how these platforms shake out later this year.

Read more: AMD executives react to Nvidia’s RTX Spark — ‘you’re just wrong if you don’t get a Strix Halo notebook’

Sizing up the Dell XPS 13 and MacBook Neo

Which of these systems is thicker? Trick question: both are half an inch thick. At Computex, our own Jake Roach saw the two together at Dell's booth.

The Neo's bottom is thicker, while Dell's is a bit more equal. And the XPS has a slightly rounded bottom, making it appear slightly thinner than Apple's blockier design style. But both list the exact same height, and the spec sheets are identical.

The XPS, however, is lighter than the MacBook Neo, at 2.2 pounds, compared the Apple's 2.7 pounds.

See all of the photos in the gallery above.

MSI adds an internal SSD slot to its flagship Wi-Fi 7 router

Wi-Fi 8 is just around the corner, but there’s still plenty of life left in the Wi-Fi 7 standard. MSI is proving that with a new flagship Wi-Fi 7 router called the RadiX BE19000. At first glance, the RadiX BE19000 looks like any other high-end gaming router, complete with eight antennas that give it an arachnid-like appearance.

However, the RadiX BE19000 hides a secret within — it features a PCIe SSD slot, making the router what MSI calls “NAS Lite.” You can add your own M.2 SSD to enable PC backups or simply to share files across your network.

You still get all the usual trimmings, like tri-band Wi-Fi, dual 10 GbE ports, and four 2.5 GbE ports. In addition, MSI says that the RadiX BE19000 is compatible with its proprietary mesh standard, allowing you to expand your network with compatible routers and access points.

Read more: MSI unveils latest set of WiFi 7 gaming routers touting ultra-fast speeds — flagship RadiX BE19000 model comes with a built-in SSD slot for 'NAS Lite' experience and wireless speeds up to 19 Gbps

Do your science homework

We talked a bit about Noctua's new AIO cooler in this live blog, but one thing we didn't mention: just how much homework they show. The company is ready to defend its doctoral thesis.

If you're ever at Computex, need to rest and do some not-so-light reading to explain what a thermosiphon or a flooded condenser is, Noctua has your back. You can see some of it in the gallery above, and believe me, that is just some of it.

Here ends Computex

Good morning folks, Stephen here to announce that we are signing off our Computex coverage for 2026. At least, our live correspondence from the floor. There's still plenty of news and insight to come from our conversations, but we'll be winding up this live blog soon. It'll remain on the site so you can look back and trawl through any announcements you may have missed, but thank you for joining us for another great year!

Another Computex means that Acer is back with new gaming monitors. This year, the company is launching five new screens, spread across its Predator and Nitro product families. There’s a little bit for everyone, including a 27-inch 3D Predator monitor and a 27-inch QHD IPS monitor with up to a sizzling 1,000 Hz refresh rate.

Acer Nitro Gaming Monitors: 5K resolutions and 1,000 Hz refresh rates

Acer is launching three new Nitro monitors at Computex: the Nitro XV345CKR P ($899), Nitro XV320QX ($1,099), and the Acer Nitro XV273U F5 ($699). The Nitro XV345CKR P is a headturner with its 34-inch 5K (5120 x 2160) display. The monitor uses a VA panel that’s augmented by a Mini LED backlight with an impressive 1,344 dimming zones. VA panels already excel in contrast ratio compared to IPS panels, but local dimming should further enhance this advantage (the monitor is speced at 4,000:1 native).

The Nitro XV345CKR P has a native refresh rate of 180 Hz (over DisplayPort, HDMI, or USB-C), but dropping the resolution to 2560 x 1080 doubles that metric to 360 Hz. The monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, while native brightness is pegged at 500 nits (1,000 nits peak HDR). When it comes to video ports, you’ll find two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB-C (65-watt PD).

If you need a more vertical resolution (at the expense of sheer panel size), there’s the Nitro XV320QX. This is a 31.5-inch monitor with a 5120 x 2880 resolution that Acer is aiming at gamers and content creators. The IPS panel has a 165 Hz refresh rate at native resolution, but with Dynamic Frequency and Resolution (DFR) enabled, the maximum refresh rate doubles to 330 Hz at 2560 x 1440. The Nitro XV320QX supports AMD FreeSync Premium, has a typical brightness of 350 nits, and covers 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. As for ports, the monitor includes two HDMI 2.1 and one DisplayPort 2.1.

Finally, from the Nitro monitor family, we have the Nitro XV273U F5, which is designed for serious eSports gamers. The monitor features a 27-inch IPS panel with a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution. The monitor already has an impressive 540 Hz native refresh rate at QHD resolution, which ranks it among the best gaming monitors on the market. However, drop the resolution to 1280 x 720 with DFR and the refresh rate maxes out at 1,000 Hz. Of course, you’ll need some beefy hardware to push those insane frame rates, but it’s an impressive feat if you’re willing to put up with a resolution that was popular back in the early 2000s.

Acer Predator Monitors: Embracing 3D and OLED panels

Now, we switch gears to Acer’s Predator family, which includes the Predator XB273K 3D ($1,299) and Predator X34 F1 ($1,099). In what reminds me of a scene from Mean Girls, Acer is still trying to make 3D happen, despite a somewhat lukewarm reception by the enthusiast community.

We’ve reviewed the Predator SpatialLabs View 27 PSV27-2, which provides glasses-free 3D imagery at 4K resolution and a 160 Hz refresh rate. The Predator XB273K also provides a glass-free 3D experience at the same 4K resolution, but the maximum refresh rate is bumped slightly to 180 Hz. Acer uses 3D eye-tracking to power the 3D viewing experience and local AI to convert standard 2D content into more immersive 3D imagery.

[GALLERY]

Acer Predator XB273K

Acer Predator X34 F1

The Predator XB273K uses an IPS panel with 400-nit typical brightness, a 1 ms response time, and 95 percent DCI-P3 coverage rating. You’ll also find FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility along with two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and a USB hub.

Finally, there’s the Predator X34 F1, which, surprisingly, is the only OLED monitor announced today by Acer. The Predator X34 F1 uses a 34-inch QD-OLED panel with a 1800R curve and a 3440 x 1440 resolution. Specs-wise, the monitor features a 330 Hz refresh rate, 0.03 ms response time (gray-to-gray), is VESA DisplayHDR 400-compliant (1,300 nits peak), and supports FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync. The Predator X34 F1 features two HDMI 2.1 ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, a USB-C port, and a USB hub.

All of the Nitro and Predator monitors are launching in Q2 2026.

Acer is bringing two new gaming laptops, along with a handful of interesting companion pieces, to Computex 2026.

Headlining the laptops is the Predator Helios 18 AI, packing up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and RTX 5090 mobile GPU. The smaller Acer Nitro 16 tops out lower at a mobile RTX 5070 Ti, but comes with a CPU from AMD: either the Ryzen 9 9955HX, or the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D with AMD’s coveted 3D V-Cache. Joining the two flagship devices, which are looking to earn a spot among the best gaming laptops, are a streaming-only handheld called the Nitro Blaze Link, a travel backpack with integrated USB-C laptop charging, and a TKL keyboard boasting an 8,000 Hz polling rate.

The Predator Helios 18 AI is naturally Acer’s flagship device this year, packing top-level specs from Nvidia and Intel. Outside of the main compute, the laptop supports up to 256GB of DDR5 memory (no word on speeds yet), as well as 6 TB of storage, including three PCIe 5.0 NVMe slots. The platform provides Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, including support for Intel Killer DoubleShot Pro, allowing you to leverage the included RJ-45 plug and your normal Wi-Fi connection simultaneously.

Acer unsurprisingly built out the connectivity of the laptop. In addition to an RJ45 plug (presumably Gigabit, but Acer hasn’t confirmed speed yet), the Predator Helios 18 AI comes with dual Thunderbolt 5 ports (Type-C), two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, HDMI 2.1, a full-sized SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The laptop is large, coming in at 15.8 inches wide and 12.1 inches tall, with a thickness of 0.68 inches at the thinnest point and 1.2 inches at the thickest. It’s heavy, as well, clocking in at 7.7 pounds, partially due to the 99 Wh battery.

Rounding out the laptop is an 18-inch 4K mini-LED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2400 (16:10). Acer claims the panel can reach 1,000 nits, and it allows you to switch between 4K and 1080p resolutions, either at 120 Hz for 4K or 240 Hz for 1080p. The display supports Nvidia G-Sync and Advanced Optimus to leverage the integrated GPU when you’re away from the charger. Powering audio is an array of six speakers under Acer’s Predator Vox branding, along with support for DTS:X Ultra.

On the key deck, Acer is offering a mechanical keyboard with its Predator MagKey 4.0 switches, allowing you to swap key caps on some switches. You can also deck out the lighting with per-key RGB. Acer hasn’t announced pricing or availability for the laptop yet, but given the current state of DRAM and NAND prices, the Helios 18 AI will likely start at several thousand dollars.

The Acer Nitro 16 is smaller in both size and specs, but it still packs in some powerful hardware. Taking the CPU slot is either the Ryzen 9 9955HX or 9955HX3D, the latter of which we’ve only seen in a handful of devices. The Nitro 16 doesn’t support an RTX 5090, but Acer is still offering the laptop with up to an RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU with 12GB of GDDR7 VRAM.

Compared to the Helios 18 AI, everything is more sensible. You can pack up to 32GB of DDR5-5600 memory, and up to 2 TB of storage across two PCIe 4.0 slots. Connectivity is still decent with a USB 4 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a single USB 2.0 port, HDMI 2.1, a microSD card slot, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and an RJ-45 connector. Wireless connectivity is still provided through an Intel chipset, sporting Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

For the display, you get a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 (16:10) panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate, with claimed response times of 3 ms, alongside Nvidia G-Sync and Advanced Optimus. Acer includes two speakers with DTS:X Ultra, alongside a Full HD webcam. Like the Predator Helios 18 AI, we don’t have pricing or availability details for the Nitro 16 yet, but Acer describes it as “a value-driven powerhouse,” so hopefully it won’t be too expensive.

Acer Nitro Blaze Link, Aethon 750 TKL, and Robust Plus

Alongside the two laptops, Acer revealed a handful of new companion devices. Chief among them is the Nitro Blaze Link, which is a streaming-only handheld that’s designed to work on your home network. The handheld uses the streaming clients Sunshine or Moonlight on top of a Debian-based OS to stream games from your main rig. The handheld isn’t capable of running games locally (at least not officially). Acer hasn’t shared what chip is powering the handheld, but with just 1 GB of LPDDR4-2133 and 8 GB of eMMC flash storage, you shouldn’t expect much.

Without any real compute under the hood, the Nitro Blaze Link is light at only 464 grams, or just a smidge over 1 pound. It charges with just 15W over USB-C and includes a single-cell 18 Wh battery, alongside a Wi-Fi 6 antenna. The screen is a 7-inch 1920 x 1200 display with five-point multi-touch, and you get a pair of built-in 2W speakers. Again, Acer hasn’t shared pricing or availability for the Nitro Blaze Link.

Outside of mobile devices, Acer has the Aethon 750 TKL and Robust Plus backpack. The Aethon 750 TKL is described as a “tournament-grade keyboard,” matching the specs we’ve seen from devices from brands like Razer and Logitech, among the best gaming keyboards. The TKL keyboard features three modes of connectivity, including wired, 2.4 GHz, and Bluetooth, and it comes with a speedy 8,000 Hz polling rate.

Finally, there’s the Predator Robust Plus backpack, which is, well, a backpack that can fit up to an 18-inch laptop. It looks robust enough, pun intended, but the unique offering is an integrated passthrough cable for charging your devices from an external power bank. There are plenty of backpacks with a cable passthrough, but if you want to deck out your travel setup with all Acer gear, you can.

Computex 2026 is just getting underway, and Tom’s Hardware is on the ground in Taipei to check out all of the latest announcements. Hopefully, we’ll be able to see Acer’s latest devices in the flesh, alongside reveals from several other brands.

Acer and Intel are hoping to shake up the mobile handheld market with the Predator Atlas 8, a portable gaming device that takes on AMD’s dominance in the space with the new Intel Arc G3 and G3 Extreme processors, packing Arc B370 or B390 iGPUs. Acer is also promising up to 10% better AeroBlade cooling compared to the company’s previous systems, thanks to a dual-fan setup with what the company says is the first metal fan in a gaming handheld.

Other key features include an 8-inch 1920 x 1200 (16x10) touchscreen with 500 nits of peak brightness and a 120 Hz variable refresh rate. Acer lists the “IPS-level” screen as delivering 100% of the sRGB spectrum and 77.68% of the Adobe color space. The battery is listed as “up to 80 Wh,” with a 60Wh option that will likely be paired with the lesser, non-Extreme, chip.

That’s a fairly large battery for a handheld (80 Wh matches the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X), but it’s unclear at this point how the power consumption of Intel’s new chips will compare to the (mostly aging) AMD silicon in existing handhelds, like the Ryzen Z2 series. And the screen, while not OLED, sounds like it could suck down its share of power as well. But of course, as with all mobile gaming devices, battery life will vary widely depending on the kind of game you're playing and the settings.

You’ll also get the main features of Intel’s modern graphics, including ray tracing support and XeSS 3 upscaling. And Intel’s Endurance Gaming software is on board to balance frame rate and unplugged longevity. An XBOX Game Pass subscription is also included with this Windows 11 handheld; Acer says you’ll get two months of Game Pass Premium and three months of PC Game Pass.

Interestingly, the trigger switches are dual-mode, using both a micro switch and Hall effect, letting you switch between the former for speed in FPS titles and the latter for games that require an analog touch. Acer is also tossing in its PredatorSense software (for the first time on handhelds), providing system monitoring, performance mode switching, and access to game settings via a dedicated PredatorSense button.

Port selection and connectivity are about what we’d expect in a modern gaming handheld (especially one with Intel-based internals). You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a UHS-II microSD slot for expanding storage, and Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 5.4.

At 810 grams (1.79 pounds) for the 80 Wh model, the Predator Atlas 8 will weigh less than Lenovo’s Legion Go (854 g), but more than the Steam Deck OLED (640 g). In the couple of photos that Acer has shared thus far, this doesn’t look like the sveltest handheld on the market, and we’re curious to get some hands-on time with it once we hit the ground for Computex 2026 in Taiwan.

Acer says the Predator Atlas 8 will be offered in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia in October (sorry, Asia). We’re still waiting on pricing, but given the volatility of the RAM and SSD markets, we likely won’t know that until we’re a lot closer to launch.

Clearly, the affordability and quality of design that Apple’s MacBook Neo delivers struck a nerve with Windows device makers. First, we heard about Intel’s competing low-cost Core Series 3 (Wildcat Lake) platform, and now Qualcomm is jumping in on the low-cost game as well, with the Snapdragon C Platform, announcing first in Acer’s Acer Aspire Go 15.

As of this writing, we know next to nothing about the specs of the Snapdragon C (it’s even unclear whether or not there will be more than one chip). Qualcomm has revealed that the Snapdragon C devices will be priced at $300 and up. But according to Acer’s press release, its Acer Aspire Go 15 will sport a Snapdragon C processor, and sell for a non-specific “entry-tier price point” at an even less-specific “later date.”

But we do have a few photos of the new laptops, and Acer is clearly taking jabs at Apple with the proclamation that its laptop sports “dual full-function USB Type-C ports and an HDMI port.” You’ll also get twice the storage of the baseline Apple Neo, at 512GB, but you’ll have to live with 8GB of RAM, just like, well, probably all entry-level laptops at this point – at least until someone tries to get away with 4GB again.

The Aspire Go 15 will run Windows 11 Home, have a 1920 x 1080 (16:9) display, a 1080p webcam, and a 53 Wh battery. Interestingly, the laptop will still sport a Copilot key, despite just 8GB of RAM. And at least in Acer’s announcement, there’s no mention of TOPSs. Something might have changed since 2024, but Qualcomm has seperately confirmed that Snapdragon C will not support Copilot+.

The Swift Spin 14 AI is a convertible, not a modern washing machine setting

The other Qualcomm-based laptop that Acer is announcing at Computex combines two of its sub-brands, the Swift and the Spin, resulting in the Swift Spin 14 AI. Rather than the most-marketed setting on a 2026-model Maytag washer, the Swift Spin 14 AI is a convertible laptop powered by either a Snapdragon X2 Elite, or an X2 Plus processor, both with 80 TOPS of local AI capabilities. So this model will be decidedly pricier than the Aspire Go 15.

With up to 12 CPU cores, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage, its 65 Wh battery is said to deliver up to 23 hours of video playback, or 16.5 hours of web browsing. The cobalt blue aluminum shell certainly stands out, and the included 100W PD adapter should make for very fast charging.

The 16:10 IPS display delivers 1920 x 1200 resolution at a rating of 300 nits, and the laptop makes room for an internally stored stylus, while weighing in at 2.95 pounds. Price had yet to be determined at the time of writing, but Acer says the Swift Spin 14 AI will be available in starting in July Europe, Middle East, and Africa, in August in North America, and a less-specific Q3 in Australia.

Intel is expected to host a grand reveal for its rumored "Arc G3" series of chips for handhelds at the upcoming Computex 2026 show. According to Videocardz, one of those handhelds is being cooked up by Acer and is called the "Predator Atlas 8," suggesting it's an 8-inch device, likely going up against the MSI Claw 8.

The Arc G3 series is Intel's expected handheld push based on Panther Lake silicon, customized for maximum efficiency and competing against the Ryzen Z2 platform, which it teased at CES (though without the "Arc G3" name).

The Predator Atlas would be Acer's fourth handheld following the three models from its "Nitro Blaze" lineup: Blaze 7, Blaze 8, and Blaze 11. You might've never heard of those names because Acer hasn't released the Blaze 8 and 11 in global markets, while the Blaze 7 was never marketed enough to make a splash. Donning the new handheld in Predator branding, though, would suggest a more serious attempt at converting some of the Acer Predator laptop audience to a handheld.

Apart from the fact that it may reportedly feature an 8-inch screen, we don't know anything else about the rumored Predator Atlas 8. We do know quite a bit about Panther Lake, however. The Arc G3 was known as "Core G3" up until a couple of months ago, with leaks suggesting that the series has been delayed into Q2 2026. Intel has also famously taken digs at AMD's Z2 series, claiming it uses "ancient silicon," so it'll be interesting to see how G3 performs.

As mentioned, Intel teased its handheld push earlier this year alongside the Core Ultra Series 3 launch, but we didn't really get any details at the time. Since then, rumors have pointed toward two different SKUs: a standard Arc G3 and a G3 Extreme — both are tipped to have the same 14 cores split across a 2P+8E+4LP-E configuration, with integrated graphics where the silicon is expected to differ.

The base model likely has an Arc B370 iGPU with 10 Xe3 cores based on the "Celestial" architecture. The same graphics, core config, and a (P-core) boost clock speed of 4.7 GHz are also seen on the Core Ultra 5 338H processor, so the G3 could be an offshoot of that silicon. The Arc G3 extreme reportedly houses an Arc B390 iGPU instead, which would consist of 12 Xe3 cores; the Core Ultra X9 388H and Core Ultra X7 386H have the same iGPU.

Given Panther Lake's advances in gaming performance and efficiency across the board, the Arc G3 lineup should easily stand its ground against AMD's Ryzen Z2 family. We should expect the Red and Blue Teams to trade blows at mid to high power levels, but at lower wattages, Intel may be hard to beat, considering Lunar Lake was already impressive in that department.

The Acer Nitro 65 vies for a spot among the best gaming PCs, and packs in a Ryzen 9 9900X processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, and a GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card. Given its hardware pedigree, Acer positions the Nitro 65 as an entry-level 4K gaming system. The mid-tower system features an attractive design with a glass side panel, a curved glass front panel, and the usual RGB trimmings. Acer even includes Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, which is a welcome addition given the $2,069 asking price.

Editor's Note: The first Nitro 65 review unit we received exhibited lesser than expected performance and, upon further inspection, damage to some internal components. Acer sent us a second system, which is used here.

Design of the Acer Nitro 65

The Nitro 65 features a sleek black chassis made of a mix of stainless steel and plastic. The case and right side panel are made of steel, while the left side panel is constructed of tempered glass. Both panels are accessed by sticking your finger into a recessed groove and pulling toward you. Then, each panel pivots out and can be completely removed.

The curved glass on the front is embedded in a plastic housing that extends from the floor to the top of the chassis. The same plastic is used for another trim piece that sits below the left side panel. The two plastic pieces feature an engraved channel that combines additional ventilation holes and an RGB light strip that runs from the side of the chassis to the front.

Magnetic dust filters are provided at the top of the chassis and on the right-side panel (which houses two 120 mm RGB fans). There are two additional 120 mm RGB fans at the rear of the chassis, which are joined by the 120 mm RGB fan for the air CPU cooler and the RGB DDR5 memory sticks.

The Nitro 65 measures 18.4 x 17 x 9.6 inches and weighs 28 pounds.

Acer Nitro 65 Specifications

Ports and Upgradeability on the Acer Nitro 65

Taking things from the top, the Nitro 65 offers a pretty good selection of ports. You get two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. The inclusion of the latter is much appreciated, and is a point that we harped on in our review of the Nitro 60. There’s also a 3.5 mm audio combo jack along with power and reset buttons.

The rear I/O ports come courtesy of the Gigabyte B850M C motherboard. Here you'll find four USB-A 2.0 ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port. That should be more than enough plugs to appease most enthusiasts, but it would have been nice to see at least one Thunderbolt port at this price point ($2,099). You'll also find HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort ports, a 2.5 GbE port, and a trio of 3.5 mm audio jacks. Another interesting addition is a WiFi EZ-Plug for the included Wi-Fi antenna, which is a simple plug-and-play affair rather than the typical screw-in antenna connectors.

As for expansion slots on the motherboard, the B850M C features one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. There are also two M.2 slots (1x PCIe 5.0, 2x PCIe 4.0). There are also four DDR5 DIMM slots supporting up to 256GB of memory.

There’s also a tray for mounting additional SSDs and HDDs, accessible by removing the right-side panel. Finally, our review unit shipped with a non-modular 850W power supply. The lack of a modular design is somewhat surprising at this price point.

Gaming and Graphics Performance on the Acer Nitro 65The Nitro 65 review unit that we received features a Ryzen 9 9900X processor, 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, and a GeForce RTX 5070 GPU.

To have some fun with the system before jumping into the standard benchmark suite, I played a few rounds of Battlefield 6. I played the game at 2560 x 1600 resolution with the Ultra preset and DLSS enabled. Performance averaged between 140 and 150 frames per second (FPS) during my fragging sessions.

The systems that we have assembled for comparison are the Acer Nitro 60 (Core i7-14700F, RTX 5070), Asus ROG G700 (Core Ultra 7 265KF, RTX 5070), and the iBuyPower Y40 Pro (Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 5070 Ti).

Unsurprisingly, the systems equipped with an RTX 5070 were quite evenly matched in the gaming benchmarks, with the iBuyPower Y49 Pro eking out the best numbers in most benchmarks thanks to its beefier RTX 5070 Ti.

In the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark (Highest detail preset), the Nitro 65 delivered 209 FPS at 1080p and 70 FPS at 4K. That put it about 5 percent ahead of the Nitro 69 and ROG G700 at 1080p, but on even footing at 4K. The Y40 Pro pulled out to a commanding lead with 228 FPS at 1080p and 89 FPS at 4K.

Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Ultra preset) is a more demanding game and can be quite punishing on even the best gaming systems. Here, the Nitro 65 managed 69 FPS at 1080p, compared to 65 FPS and 70 FPS for the Nitro 60 and ROG G700, respectively. Those three systems hovered around 20 fps at 4K resolution. The Y40 Pro, however, flexed its muscles with 87 FPS at 1080p and 29 FPS at 4K. With that said, none of these machines offer playable 4K performance, so you’ll likely want to stick with 1440p/1600p or 1080p to make the most of what the RTX 5070 can provide.

Far Cry 6 (Ultra preset) saw the Nitro 65 top the charts, achieving 132 FPS at 1080p compared to 125 FPS on the Y40 Pro. However, the Y40 Pro turned the tables when cranking the resolution to 4K (102 FPS for the Y40 Pro versus 82 FPS for the Nitro 65).

The Nitro 65 performed nearly identically to the Nitro 60 in Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium preset), with the two systems achieving 141 FPS and 143 FPS, respectively, at 1080p, and the same 54 FPS at 4K. The ROG G700 was half a step behind (120 FPS, 50 FPS), while the Y40 Pro was half a step ahead (161 FPS, 66 FPS).

Finally, we come to Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic preset), where the Nitro 65 actually ended up at the back of the pack at 1080p (50 FPS) and tied for second place at 4K (25 FPS). Not surprisingly, the Y40 Pro led with 66 FPS at 1080p and 32 FPS at 4K resolution.

Metro Exodus remains our go-to for stress-testing gaming PCs, and we run each through 15 loops to simulate 30 minutes of gameplay. During the stress test, the Nitro 65 averaged 143 FPS. Across the 15 runs, the Ryzen 9 9900X averaged 57.7 degrees Celsius, while the RTX 5070 averaged 60.24 C. The fans were quite audible during the stress test (and during general gaming). Acer’s decision to go with air cooling for the CPU at this price point is a bit of a puzzle.

Productivity Performance on the Acer Nitro 65

With a Ryzen 9 9900X, 32GB of DDR5, and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, the Nitro 65 wasn’t quite as strong in productivity performance. It came out strong in our Geekbench 6 synthetic CPU benchmark, scoring 3,348 in single-core (the highest of the group) and 18,282 in multi-core (second place behind the ROG G700).

In our 25GB file transfer test, the Nitro 65 didn’t quite have the juice to climb up the performance ladder. It delivered 1,719.57 MBps compared to 1,816.50 MBps on the ROG G700 and 1,861.60 MBps on the Nitro 60.

Finally, the Handbrake 4K-to-1080p video transcoding test placed the Nitro 65 in third place, with a time of 2 minutes and 51 seconds. The ROG G700 turned in the best time of 2:03, while the Y40 Pro rolled into second place at 2:29. The Nitro 60 was at the back of the pack at 3 minutes and 10 seconds.

Keyboard and Mouse on the Acer Nitro 65

The Nitro 65 ships with a basic wired USB keyboard and mouse. The mouse is designed for right-handed gamers and has a very cheap plastic feel. Yes, it’s lightweight, but I just can’t get past the plasticky feel. The main buttons click with authority, as do the two side buttons. The scroll wheel is rubberized and has satisfying detents as you flick it up and down. DPI is adjustable via a button behind the scroll wheel. There’s also an RGB strip that runs across the top and side of the mouse, and light also peeks out from the scroll wheel.

The keyboard is also rather mediocre and feels cheap. The entire keyboard deck flexes to a high degree when twisting it, and the plastic covering the Num, Caps, and Scroll LEDs wasn’t even aligned properly. The keyboard, however, features an integrated scroll wheel for volume control and single-zone RGB backlighting.

Software and Warranty on the Acer Nitro 65

The Nitro 65 is relatively light on factory-installed bloatware. The biggest offender is a free 30-day trial of the McAfee antivirus suite. This would be the first app to get the boot from me. There is also a small smattering of game demos and subscription apps that Microsoft throws into the Start Menu by default.

The only item of note is Acer Jumpstart, which is nothing but a shortcut that opens your browser to Acer’s homepage.

The Nitro 65 ships with a one-year parts and labor warranty.

Acer Nitro 65 Configurations

The Nitro 65, as far as we can tell, is a Best Buy-exclusive offering from Acer. There is no mention of the system on Acer’s website, and it’s not available from its online store. However, there are four configurations available from Best Buy’s online marketplace.

Our review unit came with a Ryzen 9 9900X processor, 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, a GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and an 850W power supply for $2,069.99 at Best Buy. There’s also a configuration that swaps out the RTX 5070 for a Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU (with all other specs remaining the same) for $2,229.99.

There are also cheaper configurations available, starting at $1,379.99 for a Ryzen 7 8700F with 16GB of DDR5, a 1TB SSD, and a Radeon RX 9060 XT. Swapping out the RX 9060 XT for an RTX 5060 raises the price slightly to $1,399.99.

Bottom Line

The Acer Nitro 65 is a well-equipped gaming desktop with strong gaming and mid-pack productivity performance with a Ryzen 9 9900X processor and RTX 5070 processor on deck. With a price tag of over $2,000, we expected a bit more performance. And with systems hundreds of dollars less employing liquid cooling, it’s a bit of a head scratcher that Acer uses an air cooler that can be grating on your ears under load.

The Asus ROG G700 still remains a more compelling offering in this segment (while saving you $70), with similar performance and a water-cooled CPU to help keep noise levels down.

Acer Inc. is a Taiwanese multinational corporation founded in 1976, globally recognized for its vast PC-related portfolio. For gamers, Acer maintains strong market presence in laptops, monitors, and gaming peripherals under the Predator brand. Nonetheless, the company has not previously ventured into power supply manufacturing. The Predator GX850 represents Acer's first PSU offering, demonstrating a willingness to diversify into every segment of the market and provide holistic solutions to gamers and enthusiasts.

This review examines the Predator GX850 to see if how it ranks among best power supplies in the market today. It is an 850W SFX PSU primarily released to complement Acer’s one and only Predator MI900 case. The unit delivers substantial power output from the standard 100mm SFX form factor, representing impressive power density through established circuit topology and maintaining compatibility with any SFX-compliant case. It is an ATX 3.0 certified product, ensuring compatibility with modern graphics cards which Acer also markets under their own brand.

Specifications and Design

In the Box

The Acer Predator GX850 arrives in sturdy cardboard packaging that could be mistaken for an ATX unit if not for the image dominating the front side. A predominantly black design with bluish accents establishes the brand identity. Protection proves adequate, with the PSU enclosed in a nylon bag and foam inserts providing shock absorption during transport.

The bundle is conservative but of appropriate scope for an SFX unit. Acer includes the essential AC power cable and mounting screws. An SFX to ATX mounting plate adapter enables installation in standard ATX chassis and a jump start testing adapter allows for power up verification. Note that the cables of this unit are short and may not reach the components in a very large ATX case.

All cables feature all-black aesthetics with black connectors and wires. Nearly all cables employ flat ribbon construction, reducing cable management challenges in confined spaces. Only the 12VHPWR cable receives individual sleeving treatment, which can be seen either as a highlight or a visual dissonance. The connector count proves conservative but not unwarranted for an SFX unit designed to feed powerful components rather than numerous peripherals. Users planning heavily populated systems may find the selection limiting though this rarely presents issues in genuine SFX chassis deployments.

External Appearance

The Acer Predator GX850 measures precisely 100mm in length, conforming exactly to standard SFX specifications. This by the book sizing ensures universal compatibility with SFX cases while delivering impressive power density. The finish of the matte black chassis paint is excellent.

The design is utilitarian, forgoing substantial aesthetic modifications. A basic circular wire finger guard protects the 92mm intake fan. Etched or painted details including the series logo and wattage rating replace traditional stickers, improving aesthetics. A comprehensive electrical specifications sticker covers the top surface.

The front hosts the standard IEC C14 power receptacle alongside a power switch. The rear is home to the modular cable connectors. If not for the painted accents and subtle legend, nothing would hint that this is a premium product from just looking at it.

Internal Design

The Acer Predator GX850 employs a 92mm Power Logic fan utilizing double ball bearing construction. Double ball bearing designs prioritize longevity and high temperature operation over acoustic performance, which makes them a very reasonable choice for compact high-power units with lengthy warranties. The fan has an extremely high maximum speed of 3500 RPM.

FSP Group serves as OEM, bringing decades of power supply expertise to Acer's first product. The platform appears derived from FSP's Dagger series with modifications for ATX 3.0 compliance. Internal layout showcases remarkably dense component placement, pushing boundaries of what fits within SFX dimensions while maintaining 850W capability. Build quality proves very good with no noteworthy manufacturing imperfections evident despite extremely compact design.

The input filtering stage provides adequate protection with two Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and three filtering inductors. FSP splits filtering components between the main PCB and a daughterboard mounted behind the AC receptacle, optimizing space utilization. Two rectifying bridges sit sandwiched together without dedicated heatsinking, primarily relying on ambient airflow.

The APFC circuitry employs two Vishay G120N60E MOSFETs positioned on a compact heatsink, paired with two diodes on the main board. One inductor and three capacitors comprise passive components: one Nippon Chemi-Con 120μF unit and two Rubycon 150μF capacitors. This configuration provides sufficient energy storage for the power level while maintaining compact dimensions.

The primary stage employs two Infineon 8R310CE MOSFETs plus a reset MOSFET, forming Active Clamp Reset Forward topology. These mount to a small heatsink positioned adjacent to APFC capacitors. ACRF topology offers advantages in efficiency and component stress reduction compared to traditional forward converter designs, particularly relevant in high power density applications where thermal management proves challenging.

The secondary stage utilizes six Toshiba TPH1R306PL MOSFETs on the main PCB, generating the 12V rail through synchronous rectification. These are using the body of the PSU itself as a heatsink. Absence of advanced cooling for these components indicates high efficiency characteristics, as low resistance devices generate minimal heat even under full load. Separate DC to DC converter circuits derive 3.3V and 5V rails from primary 12V output, standard approach in modern PSU designs.

Capacitor selection demonstrates quality awareness. Nippon Chemi-Con and Rubycon, both premium Japanese manufacturers, supply all secondary side electrolytic capacitors. APAQ provides polymer capacitors, representing reputable Taiwanese manufacturer with solid reliability records. Acer's marketing emphasizes Japanese capacitors for optimal performance, though APAQ inclusion slightly contradicts this messaging. Nevertheless, APAQ produces quality parts that should perform reliably within specifications.

Cold Test Results

Cold Test Results (25°C Ambient)

For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts.

The Acer Predator GX850 achieves average nominal load efficiency of 90.1% with 115 VAC input and 91.6% with 230 VAC input, measured across the standard load range. These results satisfy 80 Plus Gold certification requirements with 115 VAC input. With 230 VAC input, the unit should receive the identical Gold certification as efficiency matches standard requirements. The unit lacks Cybenetics or PPLP certifications at review time, which seems puzzling given the strong average efficiency figures that would likely earn favorable ratings. Efficiency peaks at approximately 50% load and maintains relative stability across most operational ranges. Low load efficiency proves good.

The fan remains inactive until load exceeds approximately 220 watts, providing silent operation during light usage. Fan speed increases in distinct steps rather than smooth curves. First transition occurs at 450 to 500 watts, rendering the unit audible. Second step at 700 watts brings clearly noticeable noise levels. This stepped behavior suggests fan curve relies solely on internal temperature sensors without much of environmental awareness.

Hot Test Results

Hot Test Results (~45°C Ambient)

During elevated ambient temperature testing, the Acer Predator GX850 exhibits measurable but not excessive efficiency degradation. Average nominal load efficiency drops to 88.2% with 115 VAC input and 89.6% with 230 VAC input. Signs of thermal stress appear when the unit is heavily loaded. For an SFX unit operating in confined spaces with limited airflow, this thermal performance can be defined as acceptable.

Fan behavior maintains the same stepped pattern as cold testing, as if entirely unaware of ambient conditions. However, the fan spins slightly faster at each step under elevated temperatures, making the unit somehow even louder than during ambient testing. Internal temperatures get high but remain within acceptable limits for a compact unit rated for 40°C operation.

PSU Quality and Bottom Line

Power Supply Quality

The Acer Predator GX850 demonstrates good power quality performance. Maximum ripple measured 40 mV on the 12V rail, 28 mV on the 5V rail, and 26 mV on the 3.3V rail. All values sit well below ATX specification limits. The platform exhibits characteristic FSP behavior of slightly elevated ripple under very light loads. Voltage regulation measures solidly across all rails. The 12V rail exhibits 1.0% regulation, while 5V and 3.3V rails register 1.2% and 1.1% respectively. These figures represent good performance though they fall slightly short of sub 1% regulation that characterizes top tier units. For practical applications, the difference is inconsequential. Overall power quality remains very good across the operating range.

During our thorough assessment, we evaluate the essential protection features of every power supply unit we review, including Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Power Protection (OPP), and Short Circuit Protection (SCP).

OCP activates at 144% on the 3.3V rail, 148% on the 5V rail, and 120% on the 12V rail. OPP triggers at 118% during hot testing. Protection circuit responses prove appropriate. The greatly relaxed limits on minor rails suggest their circuits carry some underrating margin.

Bottom Line

The Acer Predator GX850 represents competent entry into the power supply market, leveraging FSP's considerable engineering expertise to deliver 850 watts in challenging SFX form factor. The unit demonstrates solid electrical performance with good efficiency, good ripple suppression, and appropriate voltage regulation. Component selection emphasizes quality with premium capacitors and reliable active components. Build quality proves very good with no manufacturing imperfections evident despite extremely compact and densely populated internal design.

Although the table configuration is conservative, it is more than appropriate for SFX applications. The flat ribbon cables reduce cable management challenges though the individually sleeved 12VHPWR cable stands apart aesthetically. The SFX to ATX mounting bracket expands compatibility to standard ATX chassis though cable lengths suit only compact installations. Component selection demonstrates quality awareness. Vishay and Infineon MOSFETs represent established names with proven track records. Rubycon and Nippon Chemi-Con APFC and secondary capacitors confirm commitment to reliability, though APAQ polymer capacitor inclusion contradicts marketing emphasis on exclusively Japanese components. Nevertheless, APAQ produces very high quality parts. The ACRF topology represents modern design reducing component stress. Component selection supports reliable long term operation convincingly.

Electrical performance easily satisfies expectations for an 80Plus Gold unit but without reaching exceptional territory. Cold testing efficiency of 90.1% with 115 VAC and 91.6% with 230 VAC comfortably exceeds Gold-level requirements. Hot testing reveals a calculable efficiency degradation to 88.2% and 89.6% respectively, with subtle thermal stress signs appearing only at maximum load. Figures remain within acceptable parameters for a unit rated at 40°C.

Thermal management proves adequate for specification compliance though acoustic performance suffers during sustained moderate to high loads. The 100mm form factor paired with a 92mm fan operating at extremely high maximum speed creates inherent cooling challenges. The fan remains inactive until approximately 220 watts load, contributing to excellent low-load acoustics. The stepped fan control approach produces distinct acoustic transitions rather than gradual changes. Loads exceeding 700 watts produce clearly noticeable noise levels. Under elevated ambient temperatures, the pattern persists with slightly elevated speeds throughout. Internal temperatures prove high under maximum load hot testing conditions but remain manageable. For a gaming system that will be pushing 40-60% load most of the time while gaming, the Predator GX850 will work like a charm.

For a first-generation PSU from a company without previous power supply market presence, Acer delivers a competent and fundamentally sound product through partnership with FSP. The unit succeeds in delivering substantial power density without compromising electrical performance quality, demonstrating good engineering execution throughout. Pricing at approximately $150 positions it competitively within the SFX market, though established alternatives occasionally offer similar specifications at slightly lower prices. The product serves buyers seeking brand ecosystem cohesion, those valuing FSP's proven platform design, or builders requiring reliable 850W output in SFX form. Value assessment depends on brand preferences, current market pricing, and willingness to accept audible cooling during moderate to heavy loads, though the unit represents a solid choice for its intended application.

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An OLED is a premium gaming monitor for sure, but with so many new models coming out, the bread-and-butter categories are emerging. For the speediest screen, the go-to is the 27-inch size. Most of these displays are QHD 2560x1440, running at 240 Hz or higher, but recently 4K panels have appeared. They offer terrific pixel density and present a smooth image with no visible dot structure. You can press your nose right up to the screen and see photo-quality graphics and video with no jaggies or artifacts.

Prices have been inching downward for the best OLED gaming monitors, and now we have a solid value from Acer: the Predator X27 X1. It’s a 27-inch Quantum Dot OLED with 4K 3840x2160 resolution, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, DisplayHDR 400, and wide-gamut color. It promises 1,000 nit highlights in HDR mode and delivers speed and saturated color for gaming and entertainment. Let’s take a look.

Acer Predator X27 X1 Specs

Speed and color saturation are major selling points in any monitor category, and the X27 X1 has plenty of both. A Quantum Dot layer delivers over 103% coverage of DCI-P3 with decent accuracy. That is a little less than some of the competition, but it is visibly more colorful than monitors that lack QD tech. It also sits in a somewhat rare category of screens that move 8.3 million pixels at 240 Hz. 4K packed into a 27-inch screen yields 163ppi. You can sit as close as you like and never see the dots. A shiny front layer means optical clarity and high contrast.

The 240 Hz refresh rate is accompanied by Adaptive-Sync and smooth video processing. The X27 X1 is one of the most responsive OLEDs I’ve tested so far using Nvidia’s LDAT tool. It has decently low input lag as well, so those with sufficient graphics card horsepower can enjoy frame rates north of 200fps in their favorite games set to max detail.

There are plenty of convenience features here as well. Gaming aids include the requisite aiming points, sniper modes, timers, and frame counter. You get a decent pair of internal speakers and USB ports for peripherals. Video inputs include two each of DisplayPort and HDMI, and a USB-C port with 65-watt Power Delivery.

I mentioned value already. The X27 X1 comes out of the gate for $899 as of this writing. That’s not a small investment, but it is a little less than the other 27-inch 4K 240 Hz OLEDs. And it’s a complete package with only LED lighting absent from the party.

Assembly and Accessories

The X27 X1’s packaging is fully recyclable and made from strong molded pulp forms that fully protect the contents. The stand and base bolt together, and the panel snaps on. If you’d rather use an arm, there’s a 75mm VESA mount in the back. You’ll need to source your own fasteners, though. The cable bundle includes a power brick plus HDMI and two USB ports.

Product 360

The X27 X1’s styling clearly marks it as an OLED monitor. The panel has a metal backing, and around its perimeter is only 3mm thick. It flares out a bit at the bottom, and a component bulge is attached to the back, bringing the total depth to 1.5 inches. It’s one of the slimmest monitors I’ve seen in a while. The backing is all metal while the bulge is enrobed in hard plastic with a matte finish. The screen is shiny and rejects light reasonably well, but it won’t hold up to bright sunny windows or harsh desk lamps. Keep the light controlled, and you’ll be rewarded with a crystal-clear image that’s colorful and contrasty. There are no artifacts or grain here.

The back photo above shows a white ring around the panel’s attachment point. It does not have a backlight, but it glows a bit when light hits it. The louvered vents on the sides do the same thing. The stand is very solid and makes liberal use of metal in the wide footprint base and for chunky bits like the headphone hook up top and the cable manager on the bottom. Ergonomics include a 4.7-inch height adjustment plus 5/20 degrees tilt, 20 degrees swivel and a 90-degree portrait mode. Movements are firm and befit a premium display. The base is very large and will ensure the X27 X1 stays put.

The input panel faces backward, making it super easy to access. It contains two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 inputs, plus a USB-C (DP Alt) port with 65 watts of power. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack to supplement the two five-watt internal speakers. And USB ports are version 3.2 with one upstream and two downstream.

OSD Features

Press the X27 X1’s joystick in the bottom center, and a small quick menu appears with input selection, modes and brightness options. Press it again and the full OSD is revealed.

The video processing and game aids are grouped into two sub-menus. The first one has aiming points, sniper modes with night vision, and a set of countdown timers. The second one has aspect options, a VRR toggle, and a frame counter.

The X27 X1 includes most of the picture options you’d find in a professional monitor. In the Picture menu, the important one is called Max Brightness, which you need to turn on to have, you know… The HDR options include Auto and HDR-1000(Max). They measure and appear to be the same, and I noted that the signal change was not automatic. If you leave it set to Auto, it will remain in HDR mode for SDR signals, which is effectively an emulation mode. This can be used to give SDR content more impact. It isn’t strictly accurate, but it might be preferred by some users.

In the Color menu, there are eight picture modes. The default one is Standard, but if you make any changes to other options, it changes to User. The choice of color spaces covers most industry standards. HDR equates to BT.2020 while General uses the X27 X1’s full native gamut that covers around 103% of DCI-P3. This menu also has five gamma presets and four color temps. The RGBs have gain and bias sliders for fine control of grayscale tracking. You can also tweak hue and saturation for all six colors.

The System menu is a catchall for everything not found in the other sections. You can control the USB port versions, toggle Display Stream Compression for the DP ports, and set OLED care options. They include pixel refresh, orbiter, static image protection, and edge protection. To reset all options to defaults, go to the Information menu. And once you’ve got the X27 X1 to your liking, save the configuration to one of the three user memories.

Acer Predator X27 X1 Calibration Settings

The X27 X1’s color and gamma are nearly spot-on out of the box, but I noticed a slight purple tint in grayscale step patterns. I was able to correct this, but gamma became too light in the brighter parts of the image. Switching back and forth between calibrated and uncalibrated modes, I found I preferred the calibration even with its skewed gamma. Some highlights were less vibrant, but the overall image looked better to my eyes. My settings are below.

I noted that there was no option for variable brightness in SDR mode. Window and full field patterns measured the same. But variable brightness is active for HDR content, which increases perceived contrast and gives that material more impact with small highlights nearing the 1,000-nit level.

Gaming and Hands-on

It bears mentioning in any 4K monitor review that you will want the fastest video card you can afford to run at 240 Hz. The X27 X1 is a decent value, but it’s still expensive, and you don’t want to play below its potential. To see perfect motion resolution, you’ll want at least 150fps and preferably, 200fps. I accomplish this with a GeForce RTX 4090, and it does break a sweat in the process. I’d say that I enjoy the sound of fans at full honk and a swirl of warm air around my legs coming from the PC tower on the floor. But I live in Florida, and it’s hot here.

Climate control aside, the X27 X1 is a superb gaming monitor in every respect. The panel is incredibly fast, fast enough that I could dial the frame rate down to 144 Hz and still see perfect motion resolution. By this, I mean that fine detail remains clear whether objects are moving or stationary. I also enjoyed super low input lag. In testing, which you can read about on the next page, it was one of the fastest 4K OLEDs I’ve reviewed, pipped only by an Asus ROG Strix display.

Smooth motion and low lag mean precise aiming, easy avoidance of incoming fire, and the ability to stay a step ahead of the enemy. I could time movements and shooting to make them occur exactly where and when I wanted. The X27 X1 is a true extension of the hand and eye. Competition gamers will want to add one of these to their systems. And that would be true for PC or console. The HDMI inputs support full bandwidth signals at 3840x2160 with VRR and HDR at 240 Hz.

The picture is gorgeous as well. You’ll want to add more leisurely games to the library so you can enjoy the rich color, deep contrast, and fine detail. Though I don’t usually rate resolution above contrast, a 27-inch 4K monitor like the X27 X1 delivers compelling pixel density. You can sit as close as you like and never see a dot or a jagged line. 163ppi is a significant and visible upgrade from a QHD 27-inch screen’s 109ppi, and a 32-inch UHD’s 138ppi.

During calibration, I noted that a compromise was necessary. Out of the box, the X27 X1 has nearly perfect gamma but slightly warm grayscale tracking. After tweaking, grayscale is perfect, but gamma became skewed with slightly elevated highlights. I preferred the latter state, but some users may want to leave the RGB sliders alone.

The X27 X1 includes a large variety of gamut options that cover everything except Adobe RGB. This makes it more versatile for color-critical use. It can easily serve as a post-production monitor or a photographer’s tool. It’s great for the more mundane spreadsheet or word processor, too, with crystal-clear rendering of tiny fonts and thin lines.

I appreciated the inclusion of internal speakers. They played with good volume and low distortion. They’re great in a pinch when you don’t have a pair of headphones handy, and for system sounds. The stand includes a sexy metal hook for your cans so you can always have them within reach. I also noted the extra DisplayPort input as well as the USB-C, making a total of five video jacks. There are plenty of USB ports for peripherals too, but sadly, no KVM.

Takeaway: The X27 X1 is a supremely useful everyday monitor that happens also to be a gaming weapon. It’s super-fast and smooth with everything an enthusiast might want. It’s built well with liberal use of metal and a slick headphone hook. It’s flexible with lots of USBs and video inputs, and it has a decent pair of internal speakers. The only thing you don’t get is LED lighting, but that doesn’t affect its extreme performance or gaming capabilities.

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27-inch 4K OLED monitors like the X27 X1 are scarce in my test database, so I had to include two 32-inch screens in the comparison, Asus’ PG32UCDM3 and XG32UCWMG. The remaining displays are Alienware’s AW2725Q, Asus’ PG27UCDM, and BenQ’s EX271UZ.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

I’m still new to the Nvidia LDAT analysis tool, so my response results are only from the four OLEDs I’ve tested so far. The trend is that refresh rate and panel response don’t go hand-in-hand. The X27 X1 runs at 240 Hz but draws a one-inch white square in 0.12ms, faster than the Gigabyte at 280 Hz and the Asus at 360 Hz. Interesting.

The LDAT’s lag test compares to what I used to do with a 1,000fps video camera. The X27 X1 is one of the quicker 4K monitors in my stable, with a 15ms score averaged over 25 mouse clicks. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The X27 X1 is the quickest OLED I’ve yet tested for panel response. That translates to perfect motion resolution at frame rates over 144fps. Input lag is low among 4K screens, but there are some 27-inch QHD monitors that are in the 10-12ms range. Either speed is well below the quickest human reaction time, so you can be assured that the X27 X1 will deliver a competition-worthy gameplay experience.

Viewing Angles

Most QD-OLEDs show a slight green tint in the 45-degree horizontal photo, but the X27 X1 avoids this artifact. Whether viewed from the side or head-on, it is identical in color, brightness, and gamma. The top photo shows a red tint with a slight reduction in brightness and gamma. Overall, this is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

A result of 10% or less equates to visually perfect uniformity, so the X27 X1 is right on the edge in this test. The meter noted a slightly darker number for the center zone in a 10% field pattern. This could not be seen in content. I have noted that the uniformity value changes after pixel refresh routines are run, so it is possible for this result to go up or down. My sample had not gone through a refresh cycle.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

My X27 X1 sample measured over 310 nits peak, which is well above Acer’s claim of 250 nits for SDR content. While it’s not the brightest OLED out there, it is more than bright enough for use in a typical media room or office. There is no variable brightness available in SDR mode, so full field and 25% window patterns measure the same. Black levels and contrast cannot be measured.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration doesn’t change the contrast result; it still cannot be measured. I noted that brightness changed inconsistently as I moved the slider up and down. To set 200 nits, an ideal level for SDR content, I only had to reduce it by a few clicks from the max. But further down the scale, it made much finer changes. It’s a bit difficult to set a precise level.

Test Takeaway: The X27 X1 delivers the same infinite contrast and deep blacks as any OLED display. It isn’t super bright, but it is bright enough. It only has constant brightness for SDR, which isn’t unusual, but it would be nice to have the option. However, variable brightness is available for HDR.

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The X27 X1 has many picture options, including a full set of color gamuts that cover most industry standards. It ships in Standard mode, which is reasonably accurate out of the box.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The first grayscale chart is reasonably close to the mark for gamma but shows a slight purple tint in the steps above 40% brightness. It’s hard to see in content, but the error is visible. When I calibrated the RGB sliders, I noted that Acer included gain and bias controls, something that’s common on televisions but rare for computer monitors. I tweaked both points to improve tracking significantly, but gamma accuracy suffered. It’s now lighter in the brighter parts of the image, and highlight detail is a little less clear. It’s a compromise that will come down to user preference. I liked the calibrated image better, but you may disagree. I recommend trying both ways to see which you prefer.

The sRGB gamut selection is actually closer to the BT.709 spec because it uses BT.1886 gamma rather than 2.2 power. This is fine for SDR content and video. Grayscale is a little warm and cannot be adjusted in this mode.

Comparisons

The X27 X1 needs a bit of help in the grayscale department with a 4.32dE out-of-box result. In practice, it looks OK, but there is room for improvement. With calibration, the number drops to a pro-level 0.75dE, but gamma is compromised. The final result was more than 6% off the 2.2 reference (2.05 actual), with a large value range of 0.59 from lowest to highest.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The gamma issues I noted above don’t negatively affect the X27 X1’s color gamut accuracy. It starts at an excellent 2.11dE and goes down to a reference level 1.12dE after calibration. The visual difference is small, but the improved hue tracking is the reason I prefer it, even with the altered gamma. You can see the Quantum Dot layer in action here in the fully covered green and oversaturated red primaries.

Red is also a bit over in the sRGB test. The other colors are on point, and the error is still below visual at 2.16dE. This is excellent performance. I noted that grayscale cannot be adjusted in this mode and the gamma is fixed at BT.1886.

Comparisons

The X27 X1’s color gamut accuracy is excellent whether you calibrate or not. OLEDs in general are very accurate, so the 1.12dE score shown here is about average for the category. If you use the Standard mode, it’s 2.16dE, also excellent. There are no visible color errors here.

In the volume test, the X27 X1 is about average among the other 4K QD-OLEDs I’ve reviewed. Some QHD screens, like the Alienware AW2725D, render over 110%. But the Acer monitor’s 103% is still very colorful with deep reds and vivid greens. For color-critical tasks, these color volumes are ideal when working in the P3 or sRGB realms. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The X27 X1 has very accurate color but has room for improvement in the grayscale and gamma tests. Calibration improves grayscale to reference-level but compromises gamma in the process. Adjustment requires compromise, but for me, it looks better in the User mode. It has a two-point white balance, which is a nice touch. It also has ideal color volume for critical applications.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The X27 X1 must be switched manually to HDR mode when an HDR10 signal is present. It also offers HDR emulation for SDR content, which is a rarity in this segment.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

I measured both field and window patterns and found the 25% pattern to be the brightest at over 445 nits. This meets the HDR400 spec and shows that the X27 X1 is using variable brightness. A full field pattern measured around 273 nits. HDR has plenty of depth and impact with perfect blacks and infinite contrast. Its peak level is about average for the category.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

I measured HDR Auto and HDR-1000(Max) and found them to be identical. The charts above represent Auto. Grayscale has a slight warmth with errors around 5dE at brightness steps above 50%. The EOTF tracks a bit dark below 30% and hits the reference at all other points. The tone map transition is slightly smoothed and happens at 60%, which is correct for the measured white and black thresholds. This is excellent performance.

In the color test, the X27 X1 sticks to the hue targets for all colors in both DCI-P3 and BT.2020 charts. Most points are slightly oversaturated, which is typical of the HDR monitors I’ve tested. HDR color is very accurate here. In the BT.2020 test, color runs out at 90% red, 75% green, and 95% blue. This is also typical of Quantum Dot displays.

Test Takeaway: The X27 X1 has average HDR brightness with an impactful image that is color accurate. It uses variable brightness and slightly oversaturated color to effectively add impact to the image. It is on par with the better HDR OLED monitors I’ve tested.

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If you’re shopping in the bread-and-butter category of 27-inch 16:9 flat panel gaming monitors, there are just a few choices to make. OLED or LCD? For the smoothest performance and best image, OLED all day. Then it’s resolution, QHD or 4K? QHD is the most common pick, and there are lots of good options for around $600. But if you have enough graphics power, 4K in the 27-inch size offers incredible pixel density and the sharpest image outside an 8K display. The Acer Predator X27 X1 isn’t budget-priced, but it is a good value relative to the competition. It’s also a welcome addition to a thinly populated genre.

The X27 X1 delivers super low input lag and the fastest panel response I’ve yet measured from an OLED display. That translates to blur free operation down to 144fps and addictive gameplay with instant action from any control input. This is a player’s display for sure and it’s suited for anyone, novice to pro.

The picture is incredibly sharp and colorful as well. Though there are a few QD-OLEDs with more color volume, the X27 X1 is visibly more saturated than a non-QD screen. This is a technology that has become a must-have for any premium gaming monitor. My only complaint is that I had to compromise accuracy during calibration. It’s decent out of the box, but could use some help in grayscale. But getting that right means a slightly lighter gamma. I also wished for automatic switching to HDR mode.

Minor flaws aside, the Acer Predator X27 X1 has the image and gameplay to be a great display. And it’s priced attractively. If you’ve been considering a 27-inch OLED display, and you have a fast video card, definitely check it out.

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The evolution of the best gaming monitors has seen a number of new technologies aimed at smoothing the experience, so that moving objects are rendered with the same detail as static ones. We have Adaptive-Sync/VRR/FreeSync/G-Sync to prevent frame tears. We have overdrive to reduce motion blur. We have ELMB/ULMB/backlight strobing to further reduce blur. And of course, there are ever-faster refresh rates coming down the pike, with speeds over 500 Hz now common.

At the forefront of this revolution is Nvidia, and its latest effort is nothing short of super cool. G-Sync Pulsar combines the benefits of Adaptive-Sync with ULMB to deliver high motion resolution with no brightness reduction and no frame tearing. One of the first screens to receive this goodness is Acer’s Predator XB273U F5. It’s a 27-inch QHD IPS panel with 360 Hz, G-Sync Pulsar, HDR500, and wide gamut color. Let’s take a look.

Acer Predator XB273U F5 Specs

G-Sync Pulsar was first seen at CES 2026, so gaming enthusiasts have at least received a primer in its operation. In a nutshell, it combines blur reduction via black frame insertion (ULMB/ELMB) with Adaptive-Sync. While Asus has been doing this with ELMB Sync for a while, G-Sync Pulsar takes it a step further by scanning the backlight along with the TFT layer to produce even smoother motion with no reduction in brightness. ELMB Sync flashes the entire backlight as a unit, whereas Pulsar performs a rolling scan that varies in speed with the refresh rate.

The XB273U F5 is among the first group of displays to incorporate this new tech. Even without it, the list of performance features is long. It’s a 27-inch IPS panel with QHD 2560x1440 resolution and an LED backlight arranged in two vertical arrays on the left and right sides. This is required to achieve the rolling scan of G-Sync Pulsar. In this application, it is not used as a zone dimming feature. The max refresh rate is 360 Hz, and there’s a variable overdrive available with 400-click resolution.

The XB273U F5 delivers image quality and fidelity as well. QHD means 109ppi pixel density, so the picture is plenty sharp. It’s bright as well, with over 500 nits peak available in SDR and HDR modes. Contrast is a bit higher than the IPS average at 1,100:1. The only thing missing is some sort of zone or field dimming. You’ll see the same dynamic range for SDR and HDR content.

Acer provides vivid and accurate color with around 86% coverage of DCI-P3 and no need for calibration. There are plenty of adjustments available, including color temps, RGB sliders, gamma presets, and an sRGB gamut option. HDR content gets adjustable brightness and selectable color temps.

The XB273U F5 gets the same long list of gaming enhancements as any Predator display. There are USB ports, internal speakers, aiming points, quick control keys, OSD joystick and my favorite version of Acer’s stand that looks like Beaker from the Muppets got together with a Transformer. This is clearly a premium gaming and Esports tool, and it starts at around $650 at this writing.

Assembly and Accessories

Acer ships the XB273U F5 in molded pulp that is fully recyclable. It comes in four parts: base, upright, panel, and fulcrum. It all snaps together, so you won’t need tools for assembly. If you want to use an arm, a 100mm VESA mount is provided with fasteners. There’s a calibration data sheet in the box along with cables for HDMI and DisplayPort. A small brick serves as the external power supply.

Product 360

The XB273U F5 is styled like all recent Predator displays, with an all-screen front and a smooth back panel featuring a Predator logo up top. The stand has a chiseled look with a small hole to pass your cables through. The base is cast aluminum, and where it attaches, you can see the unmistakable face looking back at you. It’s Beaker from the Muppets meets Optimus Prime, and I love it.

The stand is reasonably solid, but my sample had a slight wiggle at the fulcrum where it snaps onto the upright. It’s unusual to have a display come in four parts. Adjustments include a generous 5.9-inch height range plus 5/25 degr,ilt, 20 degreeof s swivel and a 90of -degre,e portrait mode. Movements are firm and smooth, and aside from the play I already mentioned, the XB273U F5 is a solid package.

In the front, you can see a small protrusion in the center that houses ambient sensors as part of the G-Sync Pulsar tech. When activated, they modulate brightness and color to best fit with your room lighting. The feature is called Ambient Adaptive, and you can control it from the OSD.

The input panel is up and under and includes two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4. There is one upstream and three downstream USB 3.2 ports. There’s a mini-USB there, too, for service. And you get a 3.5mm headphone jack with a pair of two-watt internal speakers.

OSD Features

The XB273U F5’s OSD appears when you click the joystick twice. It has seven sub-menus, and there are eight total picture modes.

In the first photo above, you can see a little icon group on the right side of the screen. It lines up with the three control keys so you can quickly access signal info, picture modes or exit. One click of the joystick labels the keys with brightness, contrast and input selector.

In the XB273U F5’s Picture menu, brightness is labeled in actual nit levels, which are close to what I measured. My sample was off by around nine nits, i.e., 191 equals 200 nits. The bottom setting is 50 and it is indeed 50 nits, the perfect level for dark room gameplay. This menu also includes a dark boost to improve shadow visibility and a Max Brightness setting which needs to be turned on for, you know… In HDR mode, you can choose between 400 nit or 500 nit peaks, and you still get the Dark Boost option.

In the Color menu are gamma presets with offset values. Default means 2.2 and you can go above or below that in 0.2 increments. There are four fixed color temps plus a user mode with RGB sliders. Color Space lets you pick between the native gamut (86% of DCI-P3) or sRGB. And that mode retains calibration adjustment, which is a nice thing you don’t always get. 6-axis color has sliders for each color’s saturation, or you can change the entire spectrum with the Vibrance control.

The G-Sync Processor lets you turn Pulsar on and off and set a minimum framerate. It goes down to 75fps, but I had no issues leaving it at 90. If your PC dips below that level, you might see some flickering. In the Ambient Adaptive sub-menu, you can activate the front sensors that modulate brightness and color temp to adapt to your room’s ambient lighting. If you opt to turn G-Sync Pulsar off, the XB273U F5 has a traditional overdrive with fixed presets and a fine resolution with a 400-click adjustment.

Acer Predator XB273U F5 Calibration Settings

The XB273U F5 ships in its Standard mode, which conforms to the calibration data sheet found in the box. My sample did not need calibration, but a few tweaks to the precise RGB sliders improved the grayscale tracking. Gamma and color are free of visible errors. If you want sRGB, there’s an option for it in the Color Space menu that retains access to color temp and gamma, which is a nice touch. My recommended SDR settings are below. For HDR content, you can still adjust the color temperature and choose between 400- and 500-nit peak values.

Gaming and Hands-on

First up, I’ll go over the system requirements for G-Sync Pulsar. You’ll need a GeForce RTX 40 or 50-series GPU connected via DisplayPort 1.4 or better. You’ll also need a specific monitor like the XB273U F5, or AOC’s AG276QSG2, MSI’s MPG272QRF X36, or the Asus XG27AQNGV.

In my case, it worked right away once I changed the refresh rate to 360 Hz in the Nvidia control panel. No other settings changes were required. I used Nvidia’s LDAT Display Test to show moving patterns and the clarity improvement was visible and significant. Visually, there is no difference in motion resolution between the XB273U F5 and a premium OLED. There is no change in brightness either when toggling Pulsar on and off. I saw no artifacts of any kind, no ghosting, no ringing, no phasing, no flickering, no nuttin’, just perfect clarity. I also varied the framerate using the provided slider and Pulsar kept the pattern clear right down to the 90fps limit. Any other LCD monitor would be a blurry mess below 150fps. There is no doubt that this thing works as advertised.

Turning to games, I continued to see no difference between the XB273U F5 and a premium OLED monitor. It has extremely low input lag, which gives it cat-like reflexes and instant response to control inputs. I noted that the frame rate remained below 320 fps. According to the information I received, Pulsar does this to keep low latency and V-Sync active. In practice, there was never a hesitation or stutter during frame rate transitions. My GeForce RTX 4090 card kept the action between 300 and 320 fps, and the video processing was flawless.

The image quality is excellent despite the XB273U F5’s lack of zone dimming. Contrast is solid for IPS at around 1,100:1, which showed me finely detailed shadows and bright highlights. The light cap is over 500 nits, but I played SDR games at around 200 nits, which was plenty. In HDR mode, I left the limit at 500 nits, and it produced an impactful image that was neither overly bright nor fatiguing. With the lights off, I preferred to set the peak at 400 nits. It was nice to have this ability. Most monitors have just one HDR brightness setting, maximum.

The XB273U F5 is useful for productivity as well, with smooth pixel density, 109 ppi, and enough contrast to render small fonts and icons clearly. I appreciated its accurate sRGB mode, which was handy in Photoshop for graphics work. I noted that calibration remained possible in this mode, which most monitors don’t offer.

The build quality here is solid, but I noted a slight wobble at the point where the stand and fulcrum are attached. The XB273U F5 is rare in that it comes in four pieces instead of three. If one were to use an arm, this bit of play would be eliminated. The stand is solid, though with a very generous height range. I also appreciated the inclusion of USB ports and internal speakers. About the only thing missing here is LED lighting, but the wonders of G-Sync Pulsar will make you forget that.

Takeaway: The XB273U F5 is easily the smoothest and quickest LCD gaming monitor I’ve yet experienced. Its smoothness is on par with a premium OLED and it easily goes toe-to-toe with LCDs running at 500 Hz or faster. Achieving this level of clarity at 360 Hz is a definite breakthrough in gaming monitor technology.

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Comparing the XB273U F5’s performance is a little challenging at the moment because it’s the first G-Sync Pulsar monitor I’ve reviewed. And it’s somewhat rare being a 360 Hz QHD LCD. Most new and current speedy screens are OLEDs. I mined the database for other 27-inch QHD IPS and VA panels and came up with KTC’s H27E6, AOC’s Q27G4ZMN and CQ27G4ZH, HP’s Omen 27qs G2, and Gigabyte’s GS27QXA.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Since I’m now using Nvidia’s LDAT sensor to test panel response, I don’t have any other LCDs to chart with the XB273U F5. It transitioned from black to white in a one-inch square in 2.4ms at 360 Hz. OLEDs I’ve run this test on take around 0.2ms. As I gather more data, I’ll be able to draw more useful conclusions.

In the input lag test, I averaged 25 clicks of the LDAT, equating to 25 mouse clicks, and came up with a quick 14.6ms average. That puts the XB273U F5 on par with many 500 Hz LCDs and most speedy OLEDs as well. It is more than worthy of professional competition.

Test Takeaway: Based on the smoothness I observed and its super low input lag, the XB273U F5 is the first LCD that delivers gaming performance equal to a premium OLED gaming monitor. G-Sync Pulsar provides visually perfect motion resolution and instant control response at 360 Hz.

Viewing Angles

The XB273U F5 is one of the better IPS screens I’ve photographed in the viewing angle test. You can see a slight red tint and darker gamma, but there is no change to overall brightness at 45 degrees horizontal. One could successfully share it with another user. From the top, there’s a red tint, a 40% brightness reduction and lighter gamma, which washes out detail.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Given the dance that the XB273U F5’s backlight is doing with its rolling scan, I’m impressed at its visually error-free screen uniformity. My meter detected a slight hotspot in the lower-right corner, but I couldn’t see the issue in dark content. This is solid performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The XB273U F5 delivers a lot of light in SDR and HDR modes with over 500 nits peak available. There is no zone dimming here, so you’ll see the same number from a full field or a window pattern. Black levels are decent relative to other IPS monitors, and the contrast ratio is slightly above average at 1,101.5:1. Most IPS screens render around 1,000:1, with some models going as high as 1,500:1, like the KTC.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration doesn't visibly change the dynamic range. It remains just a tick under 1,100:1. If high contrast is a priority, VA and OLED technologies are superior. In the ANSI test, the XB273U F5 maintains its static 1,027.2:1 ratio. That demonstrates a high-quality grid polarizer and good sample quality control.

Test Takeaway: The XB273U F5 delivers good contrast when compared to other IPS screens, though some newer models have greater dynamic range thanks to lower black levels. But there’s more than enough brightness here to make it useful and attractive in any lighting environment.

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The XB273U F5 ships in its Standard picture mode and is ready to go out of the box. The only setting you need to address is Max Brightness, which should be switched on.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The XB273U F5’s default grayscale and gamma chart shows no reasons for concern. There are slight errors at 70% brightness and above, but these will be almost invisible in content. Gamma is a tad light at the bottom of the range and slightly dark over the 50% level. Again, you won’t see an issue in real-world content.

Calibration improves grayscale tracking to reference-level with every error below 0.5dE. Gamma is closer to the reference as well, with only that small dip remaining at 10%. This is excellent performance.

I measured the sRGB mode without calibrating to show that it is nearly perfect out of the box. You can tweak the RGB sliders if you wish for even better tracking.

Comparisons

The XB273U F5 snags fourth place in the out of box comparison, putting it in the no calibration required category. An average error of 3dE or more means that you’ll see an issue. 2.90dE is a solid value. After calibration, the XB273U F5 goes into the gold medal position with a pro-level 0.39dE score. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Gamma tracking is a little less tight than the others, but 0.20 is still a good range of values in this test. The average is 1.36% off the 2.2 reference, with an actual value of 2.17. That’s mainly due to the dip I observed at 10% brightness. The rest of the range is spot on.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The XB273U F5 is a wide-gamut monitor for sure, but it doesn’t cover quite as much of DCI-P3 as its competitors. The default chart is pretty close to spec, but just a little undersaturated across the board. It could also be called oversaturated if you compare it to sRGB. It hits right in the middle between the two gamuts, meaning color looks good regardless of content. And the 2.59dE default error is below the visible threshold.

Calibration tightens up the chart a little, but the visual change is subtle. You can still see a small hue error in magenta, but the other secondaries are right on their targets. Accuracy is excellent, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a little more saturation.

The sRGB mode is very accurate if you want it for color-critical work. Its error of 1.58dE is the default value. Calibration of the RGB sliders would likely lower it a little. This is excellent performance.

Comparisons

All the panels here deliver accurate and saturated color. The XB273U F5’s fourth-place finish is by no means a negative. 1.99dE is among the best you’ll find in the gaming monitor category. And the 1.58dE I measured in the sRGB test puts it ahead of most displays.

In the volume test, the XB273U F5 is a bit below average at 86.26% coverage of DCI-P3. I will speculate that future G-Sync Pulsar screens will include larger gamuts, especially if paired with Quantum Dots or Tandem OLED tech. But for now, the XB273U F5 can be called colorful but not as colorful as some other 27-inch QHD screens. The 96.12% result for sRGB is ideal for color-specific tasks like photo or video editing.

Test Takeaway: The XB273U F5 delivers accurate color that matches the factory data sheet. It doesn’t need calibration, but a few tweaks take it to reference-level. Its only downside is a slightly smaller gamut than other 27-inch QHD gaming screens. But it is still clearly more colorful than an sRGB-only display.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The XB273U F5 is certified to VESA DisplayHDR 500 and supports HDR10 content with automatic switching. You get a two-step brightness adjustment and grayscale calibration, which is something few HDR monitors offer.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

I measured just over 523 nits peak from both full field and 25% window patterns. There is no option for local or field dimming, so the XB273U F5’s contrast is the same for HDR as it is for SDR. While HDR content is bright and colorful, it doesn’t have the impact of the top three screens. To adjust brightness, there is a toggle between 400 and 500 nits peak. If you’re playing or working in a dark room, 400 is a little easier on the eyes.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The XB273U F5 is one of the few monitors that lets you adjust color and brightness in HDR mode. I noted that the color temps, both fixed and variable, plus the color vibrance and 6-axis controls were all available. I measured the default Warm color temp and saw a slight green tint above 60% brightness. This was not visible in most content. The EOTF runs slightly dark except at values below 20% where shadow detail looks light. This is where a zone or field dimming feature would yield improvement. But luminance tracks linearly so there is no loss of detail at any point in the brightness range.

In the color test, the XB273U F5 sticks closely to the DCI-P3 standard up to the point where it runs out of color at 90% red and 80% green with blue receiving full coverage. In the BT.2020 test, color ends at 78% red, 60% green and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: The XB273U F5 doesn’t have a ton of HDR impact mainly because it lacks a zone or field dimming feature. Color coverage is good, but not as high as others in the segment. It is accurate, though, with natural hues throughout. And the addition of adjustable brightness and color is a standout feature.

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Ever since manufacturers surpassed the 60 Hz limit, there has been a quest to eliminate motion blur. LCD technology has a lot to overcome, but with tech like Adaptive-Sync, fast refresh and black frame insertion, the ultimate goal has come within reach.

G-Sync Pulsar is the first tech to successfully combine ULMB and Adaptive-Sync to create perfect motion resolution across a wide range of frame rates. And it does this with no performance or brightness penalty. It means that an LCD can be as smooth as a premium OLED with low input lag, quick response and high brightness. Acer’s Predator XB273U F5 is one of the first out of the gate and it is a stellar display in every respect.

The wonders of G-Sync Pulsar are every bit as good as advertised. When observing both test patterns and during actual gameplay, I could not tell the difference between it and a premium OLED. Motion resolution is perfect in that moving objects are just as clear as stationary ones. And unlike ULMB, there is no brightness penalty. There is no pulse width to fiddle with and there is no overdrive to create artifacts either.

I also enjoyed the bright image, which peaked at over 500 nits for SDR and HDR. Though I wouldn’t use this much light for SDR content, it is a benefit for HDR, where I enjoyed sparkly highlights and decent black levels. My only wish was for a zone dimming feature to give HDR more impact. I also noted the color gamut, though wide, was not quite as large as others at 86% of DCI-P3.

But these are issues that pale when considering the leap forward in motion clarity brought by G-Sync Pulsar. Until now, I would have said OLED all the way, but I can heartily recommend any monitor with G-Sync Pulsar as an equally great choice. If you’re looking for the smoothest possible gaming experience, definitely check out the Acer Predator XB273U F5.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

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IDC on Thursday sharply slashed its expectations for the PC and tablet markets, citing memory shortages, rising prices for 3D NAND, DRAM, and other components, and intensifying supply chain disruptions amid the AI sector boom. While unit shipments are expected to decline significantly year-over-year, higher average selling prices (ASPs) are projected to push total market value slightly upward.

The firm now expects global PC shipments to drop 11.3% in 2026 compared to 2025, a steep revision from the -2.4% decline projected in November 2025 and -8.9% in January 2026. In absolute numbers, this means PC sales will decline by 32.17 million units, from 284.7 million in 2025 to 252.53 million in 2026. To put the 32.17 million PC number into context: Apple shipped 25.6 million computers last year compared to 41.1 million systems for Dell.

Tablet volumes are also set to contract, and IDC forecasts shipments to fall 7.6% this year. Last year, vendors shipped 151.9 million tablets (up 5% compared to the previous year), with Apple leading the pack by a significant margin. If the new IDC forecast holds, then this year the market will decline by 11.54 million to 140.36 million systems. To put the number in context, Apple sold 17.1 million iPads in Q4 2025, while Samsung sold just 6.4 million units.

Even though unit shipments of PCs and tablets will decline, IDC expects market revenue to increase due to rising device prices. The firm estimates that the PC market will expand by 1.6% in value to $274 billion in 2026, while the tablet segment will grow by 3.9% to $66.8 billion.

"The era of bargain-priced PCs and tablets is behind us for now, as rising ASPs and component costs shift the market’s balance of power," said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. "Memory shortages will persist well into 2027. While we anticipate some easing of prices beginning in 2028, the market is unlikely to return to the pricing levels seen in 2025. Instead, we expect a new normal defined by structurally higher ASPs and a corresponding softening in long-term demand."

IDC noted that, at the time it compiled its forecast, the conflict in the Middle East had not yet escalated to its current level, adding another source of risk for global technology supply chains and economic development. Therefore, the analysts may revise their forecast downwards.

"The overall tech industry, as well as many others, continues to face uncontrollable headwinds that, when compounded, result in massive disruption," said Ryan Reith, group vice president, Devices and Consumer. "The lists of industry and geopolitical events that continue to grow is making decision‑making — and even survival in some sectors — nearly impossible. What has turned all of this from a million‑dollar question into a trillion‑dollar question is the complete uncertainty around when these pressures will subside."

Acer’s Swift 16 AI (starting at $1,549, $1,799 as tested) arrives with the air of a flagship laptop: a premium metal chassis, Intel’s new “Panther Lake” platform, and what Acer calls the world’s largest haptic touchpad. It also includes an essential at this price point: a stunning OLED display. On paper, it has all the makings of a top ultrabook, but the real question is whether it stands apart from the heavy hitters in this segment, particularly the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air.

Design of the Acer Swift 16 AI

First off, note that the preproduction model Acer sent for review has a lighter color scheme than production models, which will be a darker gray and feature gold highlights on the lid, with the Acer logo on the left. It offers a modern vibe either way, with thin display bezels and a sleek aluminum chassis that looks and feels premium.

The sleek chassis suffers from some lateral flex – picking up this laptop by a corner wouldn’t be a good idea – but the lid is impressively rigid. Acer says the laptop does pass MIL-STD-810 testing for temperatures, humidity, vibration, and moderate drops, suggesting it’s more durable than it seems. The lid folds open 180 degrees, a feature I always appreciate, and it can also be opened one-handed.

At 13.99 x 9.66 x 0.59 inches, the Swift’s footprint is similar to the Dell 16 Premium (14.1 x 9.4 x 0.75 inches) but is larger than the 15.3-inch Apple MacBook Air (13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches). Acer kept the weight down to 3.42 pounds, undercutting the 4.65-pound Dell and being marginally heavier than the 3.3-pound MacBook.

Port selection includes two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), USB-A (5 Gbps), and HDMI 2.1 on the left and another USB-A (10 Gbps), a 3.5 mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader on the right. It’s a solid variety; having two USB-A ports is a luxury on a premium laptop, which often only sport USB-C (the MacBook Air and Dell’s XPS line come to mind). For wireless, it supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 standards from a Killer BE1775s card.

Specifications

Productivity Performance on the Acer Swift 16 AI

Our review sample features a Core Ultra X7 358H CPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The “Panther Lake” CPU features 16 cores (four Performance, eight Efficient, and four Low-Power Efficient) and Arc B390 integrated graphics, the latter being a key selling point for the X7/X9 chips over the standard H-class, which rely on Intel Graphics.

The laptops we’re using for comparison are listed below. This mix represents mid-to-upper-end productivity laptops with strong CPUs. The Zenbook’s Core Ultra X9 is similar to the X7 in our Acer, but it’s clocked slightly higher.

In the Geekbench CPU test, the Acer posted middling scores, delivering 2,789 points in the single-core portion, to practically tie the Dell but trailing the Zenbook (3,031) and particularly the MacBook (3,780). Its 15,926-point multi-core showing slotted towards the bottom of the group, surprisingly ahead of the MacBook (14,924) but trailing the Zenbook and Dell by a sizable margin.

In our 25GB file transfer test, Acer rebounded with a leading score of 1,745 MBps, outdoing the Dell (1,531 MBps) and leaving the Apple and last-place Asus well behind.

Finally, the Acer demonstrated middling performance in our 4K-to-1080p Handbrake transcoding test, completing the render in 4 minutes and 25 seconds. The Zenbook was within seconds (4:22) while the Dell proved the quickest (3:50) and the Macbook was the slowest (4:52).

We stress test ultrabooks by running Cinebench 2024 ten times sequentially to simulate extended CPU load. The Swift 16 started with 948 points, dipped to 762 points on the second run, but then stabilized around the 900-point mark for the remaining runs, suggesting no obvious performance throttling once the fans spin up.

Display on the Acer Swift 16 AI

OLED screens rarely fail to impress and this one certainly doesn’t, showing off the rich colors and inky contrast the technology is renowned for. The glossy surface is more reflective than I’d hoped, but the 120 Hz refresh rate makes for smooth scrolling. The refresh rate automatically switches to 60 Hz on battery to conserve power. Note that while the surface supports touch, it does not support the included stylus, which only works on the touchpad.

Watching Silo on Apple TV is a treat on this Acer. While the show’s overall drab tones rarely gave the OLED display a chance to show off its color, it produced immaculate detail in the shadowy and dimly-lit scenes that dominate the show, adding extra depth and an immersion factor to scenes that can’t be experienced without a top-tier display.

Acer’s screen showed remarkable color coverage, with full coverage of DCI-P3, next to the Zenbook’s 87.2% and the MacBook’s 83.5%. It also showed good if not exceptional brightness for an OLED panel, averaging 364 nits, nearly tying the Dell’s 367 nits but trailing the Zenbook’s 476 nits.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Acer Swift 16 AI

This Acer’s full-size keyboard is a joy to type on, with soft but precise feedback and ample up-and-down travel. Bold white backlighting is easily visible in all lighting conditions. The number pad is small, and the arrow keys aren’t all the same size, but the rest of the layout poses no surprises. I nearly reached my top typing speed in MonkeyType, about 114 words per minute with perfect accuracy, on the first try.

Acer calls this the world’s largest haptic touchpad, measuring 6.9 by 4.3 inches. To put that in perspective, it’s only marginally smaller than an Apple iPad mini. For daily use, I found the size unnecessary as my fingers favored the center of the pad, rarely venturing towards the edges except when I used multi-finger sweeping gestures, which felt downright luxurious because of all the space. The haptic feedback accurately simulates a physical click mechanism and can be adjusted for intensity in the Windows Touchpad settings app.

The real reason this touchpad is so large is because it supports MPP styli, and Acer includes one in the box. The idea is this could be used as a drawing pad. The touchpad has the same 16:10 aspect ratio as the screen to make this as intuitive as possible.

In practice, I didn’t find the stylus useful. It’s designed well enough – it’s about the size of a real pen, supports tilt, features two buttons, and is powered by a AAAA battery – but writing and doodling on the pad is awkward. Palm rejection didn’t always register, so I ended up not wanting to rest my palm on the surface while writing, which felt unnatural. I had a hard time writing legibly or getting the brush strokes I wanted in Photoshop either way. Overall, the experience felt imprecise and limiting. It could be handy for signing the occasional digital document, but artists would be much better off with a USB drawing pad or simply buying a tablet or 2-in-1 convertible laptop to begin with. Think of thwe stylus as more of a bonus than a feature you’d depend on for real work.

Audio on the Acer Swift 16 AI

Acer puts on a solid audio performance from the dual downward-firing speakers under the palm rest. Listening to the acoustic “Too Late for Love” by Deep Chills, I heard clear instrument separation and noticeable bass in drum hits. The vocals sounded a bit strained at upper volume levels, but the DTS: X Ultra app equalizers mitigated that most of the time. The equalizers are essential for bass; the sound is nearly flat with them disabled. The music preset sounded best to my ears, with the Movie preset a bit too distant. I tried making a custom preset, but the Music preset always seemed to be what I went back to – it’s balanced just right.

The sound also did Silo justice, with detailed vocals and convincing virtual surround-sound effects. The volume seems to top out around 75 to 80%, though. My ears couldn’t tell whether the sound actually got louder beyond that.

Upgradeability of the Acer Swift 16 AI

Eight Torx screws secure the Swift 16 AI’s bottom cover. Once removed, the only place to find purchase is along the display hinge, where I was able to wedge a plastic trim tool and pop the retainer clips. This took a lot more effort than I expected. I then worked up each edge until all the clips released, taking my time as to not break the clips.

Serviceable components are limited to the M.2 SSD and the battery, with all other components soldered or integrated. Having so little upgradeability isn’t surprising in this class.

Battery Life on the Acer Swift 16 AI

Our battery test consists of web browsing, running OpenGL tests, and streaming videos with the screen at 150 nits while connected to Wi-Fi.

With 12 hours and 12 minutes of runtime, the Acer disappointed, only outlasting the power-hungry Dell (7:15). It fell over two hours short of the dual-screen Asus and three hours shy of the MacBook. While the Acer’s time is hardly unusable, the bar has been raised beyond the time it showed here.

Heat on the Acer Swift 16 AI

The Swift 16 AI’s cooling system uses two fans that exhausts towards the display hinge. These operated quietly for daily tasks. While audible under load, the noise level is unobtrusive and shouldn’t disturb others.

During our Cinebench stress test, we measured peak surface temperatures of 92 degrees F between the keyboard’s G and H keys, 78 degrees on the touchpad, and 95 degrees on the bottom towards the hinge. Meanwhile, the Core Ultra X7 358H CPU ran at an average of 80 degrees C. Overall, this is more than acceptable thermal performance.

Webcam on the Acer Swift 16 AI

Acer’s 1080p webcam delivers an average picture. The 1080p resolution looks sharper than the 720p fare that was common years ago, but still showed soft details. As an example, I know I have some soft lines in my face and they weren’t visible. (Maybe I should be relieved.) Colors and clarity suffer in lower light, but you’ll still be recognizable. The cam offers an IR sensor for facial recognition and a sliding privacy shutter.

Software and Warranty on the Acer Swift 16 AI

Acer Sense is the most important app, launchable with the shortcut key along the top row. The app has diagnostics, software updates, an optimized battery charge mode, a blue light filter, and adaptive brightness settings. You can also set the performance profile – silent, normal (the default), or performance.

Further personalization settings can be found in the Acer User Sensing app, with a proximity sensor enabling auto-lock when stepping away or wake on approach, andoptional screen dimming when you look away, a break reminder, and a screen distance reminder.

Acer preloads a fair number of trial apps, like DropBox, which I uninstalled immediately. There shouldn’t be any bloatware on a premium laptop.

Acer covers the Swift 16 AI with a standard one-year warranty.

Acer Swift 16 AI Configurations

We reviewed the Swift 16 AI in configuration SF16-71T-75XY, which will be available online in the Acer store in mid-March 2026 for $1,799.99. It includes a Core Ultra X7 358H processor, Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It also has the same 2880 x 1800 OLED touch screen that is standard across all models.

Acer will also offer models priced on either side of our unit, both through Best Buy. A $1,549 model SF16-71T-70PN has the same specifications as our review model except half the RAM (16GB), while a $1899 model SF16-71T-97GV bumps the CPU to a Core Ultra X9 388H.

All models include a carry sleeve, which wasn’t included with our review sample, and a stylus for the touchpad.

Bottom Line

Acer’s Swift 16 AI is an appealing premium ultrabook for buyers willing to spend beyond the basics. Its metal chassis, vivid OLED display, excellent keyboard, and surprisingly capable speakers all contribute to a high-end vibe, and Acer’s practical port selection means most users won’t need adapters.

While the battery life lands in the “good, not great” category – a not unexpected result given the OLED display – it falls short of class leaders. Performance is good, with a meaningful generation-on-generation improvement from the “Panther Lake” chip, and Acer’s thermal management is well-designed.

The “world’s largest” haptic touchpad is the Swift 16 AI’s most unusual flourish, though in practice the sheer size is more of a curiosity than a must-have. The included stylus works, but the overall experience was imprecise and awkward for me, and hard to treat as a headline feature. It’s best considered a bonus than a reason to buy.

So, is the Swift 16 AI worth the asking price? For Windows users who want a sleek, premium 16-inch travel companion, it certainly can be. Its only major misstep is the oversized touchpad and stylus pairing, but that doesn’t seem to carry a significant price premium. Either way, for similar money, Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air remains our top large-screen ultrabook pick for those who can live in macOS. And while we only had the M4 model to compare the Acer to during this review, the new M5 Air is likely to be even more impressive when it comes to performance and longevity. But for die-hard Windows users, Acer’s Swift 16 AI is a polished, capable machine that should leave most buyers satisfied.

Update: March 19, 2026 — Acer dropped the price on the Swift 16 AI by $100 on our review system and by $50 - $100 on other configurations shortly after our review. Prices have been adjusted, but our score and review haven't changed otherwise.

A standout deal spotted in the current Amazon Spring Day Deals sales event is this Acer gaming laptop. The Acer Nitro V 16 AI gaming laptop is just £1,199.99, shaving £300 off the £1499.99 list price. Saving any money is always a good thing, and when you can save a tidy £300, it's even better. Although there's an AI moniker slapped on the product, don't be put off. This is a gaming laptop through and through. From the gamified aesthetics to the choice of hardware, inside the sleek black chassis. Don't be tied to your desktop, and play your games anywhere, thanks to this powerful little gaming machine.

• Grab this deal at Amazon

The Acer Nitro V 16 AI is a powerful gaming laptop equipped with an Nvidia RTX 5070 laptop GPU, accompanied by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, able to bring games to life with crisp graphics and fast framerates. If you need a little more juice to hit the 180Hz refresh rates of the WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display, this current-gen Nvidia GPU supports DLSS 4, which enables multi-frame generation. In games that support this feature, you'll be able to boost your frame rates by the GPU inserting AI-generated frames, ensuring smoother gameplay, but there may be some trade-offs in texture and picture definition.

With 32GB of RAM, an RTX 5070, and 1TB SSD, the Acer Nitro V 16 AI is more than equipped to handle most gaming tasks. This is one of the best value-for-money gaming laptops right now, going by pure specifications. Thanks to the AI crunch causing surging memory and storage prices, the cost of gaming laptops is only going to rise in the near future.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

German versions of the Asus and Acer websites are back offline after a patent dispute took them down late last week. German publication ComputerBase has been monitoring the situation and saw both websites come back just hours ago at the time of publication. Tom's Hardware was able to confirm Asus.de and Acer.de are accessible now, though with some limitations.

Asus' website has been almost fully restored. The German page loads and includes all of the support pages where you can download drivers, BIOSes, and other materials; one of the major issues with these websites being taken offline. However, Asus has removed the laptop and desktop sections from its main navigation, which were two categories affected by the patent dispute.

Acer's German website loads a page that reads, "We are currently performing maintenance," with a link to Acer's German support page. The Acer store is back online in Germany, as well, though with a decreased inventory and a banner across the website that states the following:

"Some Acer products are currently unavailable in Germany. Therefore, you will not find product information for these models on our German website at this time. If you are using such an Acer product in Germany, you will, of course, continue to receive future software updates. Many other exciting products are still available – discover them here now. We hope you enjoy browsing. If you have any further questions, our customer service team is always available to assist you."

Like Asus, Acer is not offering its laptops or desktops for sale through its official website at this time.

In statements to Tom's Hardware, both Asus and Acer confirmed that, following court order, they will no longer offer direct sales of products that infringe on Nokia's patents. Retailers are not impacted at this time, and both companies say they will continue to offer support to German customers.

Although Nokia is best known for its mobile prevalence in the early oughts, this dispute centers around the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. Otherwise known as H.265, Nokia is the patent holder, and a German court determined that Asus and Acer (along with TV brand Hisense) would need to purchase a license to continue to sell and import their devices in Germany.

The case isn't focused on specific products, but it ended up impacting laptops and desktops, as they carry HEVC support. Components like GPUs are unaffected.

Asus tells Tom's Hardware that it's "evaluating and pursuing further legal action to reach a fair resolution as soon as possible," and Acer echoed that sentiment saying, "we are reviewing additional legal options in order to reach a fair solution as quickly as possible." The German court issued a temporary injunction against Acer and Asus, leading to an immediate suspension of sales following the ruling.

It's hard to say where we go from here, but it's unlikely we've heard the last of Nokia's dispute with Asus and Acer yet. At the very least, the websites are back online, providing critical support to customers in Germany that have otherwise been blocked the past several days.

Acer and Asus have temporarily stopped selling desktop and laptop PCs in Germany after a German court granted Nokia an injunction prohibiting the sale of their products. According to HardwareLuxx [machine translated], the two manufacturers are prohibited from “offering, placing on the market, using, or importing or possessing such devices in Germany.”

While this might seem as though their products would disappear from store shelves overnight, that is unlikely, as German retailers are unaffected by the ruling. Most consumers would not experience this in the short term, as many retailers still have Asus and Acer computers in stock. However, given that the two companies cannot import new units to replenish their warehouses, we expect a shortage of these brands in the medium term, unless the German court concludes the lawsuit sooner or they reach a deal with Nokia.

The High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) or H.265 video compression standard is at the heart of this case, with Nokia alleging that Acer, Asus, and the TV manufacturer Hisense are infringing three patents relating to the standard. Hisense decided to purchase a license from the company in January, but Acer and Asus are still fighting out the allegations in court.

HEVC is considered a standard-essential patent (SEP) due to its widespread use. This technology is supported by almost all integrated GPUs, discrete GPUs, and SoCs and is essential to many operating systems, streaming applications, video conferencing services, and other software. Although there are alternatives such as AV1, not implementing HEVC on a PC would significantly impact the user experience, making it virtually a requirement for every computer manufacturer.

This wasn’t a problem for OEMs before, as their suppliers typically covered all license requirements for using specific technologies. However, it appears that both Acer and Asus have encountered issues in their HEVC implementation, prompting both companies to suspend sales of all affected products. Because of HEVC’s SEP status, Nokia must license it on FRAND or Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory terms. Although the two companies state that they respect intellectual property, Germany has a stricter interpretation of FRAND regulations and has determined that both infringe Nokia’s patents.

The ongoing memory chip shortage is forcing leading PC makers to consider sources outside of the traditional big three suppliers — Micron, Samsung, and SK hynix. According to Nikkei, sources say that Dell and HP have started qualifying DRAM from CXMT, while Acer and Asus are asking their Chinese partners to source Chinese-made memory chips — a departure from the usual, where manufacturers would source key components like processors, GPUs, screens, and memory, while the contract partners handled less critical parts and final assembly.

AI tech companies have been pouring money into AI infrastructure build-outs, with the major memory manufacturers allocating more of their production lines to the more lucrative HBM. This means that manufacturing capacity for the more price-sensitive consumer market has gone down, with not enough memory chips getting delivered to satisfy global demand. This is where Chinese memory chip maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and NAND chip manufacturer Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp. (YMTC) come in, with the two companies reportedly increasing their output to fill the gap in consumer demand.

Although HP and Dell are already qualifying CXMT’s chips, that does not mean that they’ll automatically order memory modules from them. Still, the two companies are reportedly doing that to give them alternative sources should the memory shortage continue well beyond the second half of this year. Although GPU vendor Sapphire predicts that DRAM prices will stabilize by then, it’s still wise for manufacturers to have a fallback position in case the situation does not improve.

CXMT isn’t banned in the U.S., although it’s facing scrutiny after the U.S. Department of Defense added it to its list of companies suspected of aiding the Chinese military. There have been allegations that ex-Samsung employees stole 10nm DRAM tech and leaked it to the Chinese company. Aside from that, businesses must consider the specter of tariffs, too; although the U.S. and China agreed on a one-year truce, there’s no telling what will happen once that agreement expires. Still, the memory chip supply instability means that companies might be willing to take these risks, as not having the memory chips they need to launch new products and keep prices in check might even be more damaging in the short term.

Asus, Dell, and HP did not comment on the Nikkei story, although sources cited say that HP will only put the CXMT chips in devices for non-U.S. markets. On the other hand, Acer said to the publication, “We do not disclose our suppliers, but we keep in close contact with multiple global manufacturers and suppliers to dynamically adjust operations to manage component price changes. We work with multiple manufacturers and suppliers to enhance our supply chain resilience.”

Since OLED gaming monitors first appeared, they have seen only small evolutions in their capabilities. Wide-gamut color has been there since the beginning, but now it’s a little wider thanks to Quantum Dot technology. Video processing was always on another level because they refresh so quickly that motion blur completely disappears at speeds over 180 Hz. The main improvement has been brightness. Early OLEDs did well to hit 300 nits; now you can see peaks of 1,300 nits for HDR highlights.

Acer has delivered a steady stream of some of the best OLED gaming monitors, and here, I have the Predator X34 OLED. It’s a 34-inch 21:9 WQHD panel with an 800R curve, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, DisplayHDR True Black 400, and wide gamut color. And the price is attractive at around $860. Let’s take a look.

Acer Predator X34 OLED Specs

The main thing keeping the price down here is the absence of a Quantum Dot Layer. The X34 OLED covers over 95% of DCI-P3, which is about average for non-QD displays. This is enough to make it very colorful and impactful for both SDR and HDR while saving you a bit of money. Accuracy is included as well with a precise sRGB mode and gamut selections for other commonly used standards. Though squarely aimed at gamers, the X34 OLED can serve as a post-production reference monitor.

Of course, you’re buying it for gaming, and in that area, it is loaded for bear. The refresh rate is 240 Hz, and while that sounds ordinary when compared to a 500 Hz display, it is quicker than many monitors with higher rates. And it achieves perfect motion resolution, i.e., no blur, at any frame rate over 180 fps. Resolution is 3440x1440, WQHD, which equates to 109 ppi, the same as a 27-inch QHD panel. The curve is a tight 800R, which maximizes immersive quality while introducing just slight image distortion. If you sit close enough, you can hear your voice reflected into your ears. It’s a bit like sitting in a bubble.

The X34 OLED’s panel is bright, with over 400 nits available for SDR content and 663 nits measured from a 25% window pattern in HDR mode. Acer claims 1,300 nits for a 1.5% window, and there is no reason to doubt that. HDR images are bright, colorful, and impactful.

No features have been sacrificed on the altar of value here. You get USB ports, including USB-C with 90 watts of power, internal speakers, KVM control, plenty of video inputs, and a nice adjustable stand. OK, there’s no LED lighting, so Acer did sacrifice that one thing. But no one would call the X34 OLED incomplete.

At $860, it’s not the most or the least expensive 34-inch ultra-wide OLED. But it delivers high performance, a long feature list, and the stunning image OLED is known for.

Assembly and Accessories

The X34 OLED comes packed in crumbly foam, which in my case, was extra crumbly, but it protected the contents from damage just fine. The base features a large footprint and is made from solid aluminum. It attaches to the upright with a captive bolt, then you snap the panel on. There’s a 100mm VESA mount in the back with fasteners included if you want to use an arm. The cable bundle includes IEC power for the internal supply, HDMI, and two USB ports, one A/B and one USB-C.

Product 360

The X34 OLED is all-screen on the front, with thin, flush bezels on all four sides. The Predator logo is relegated to the base, which is also slender and elegant. It’s plenty solid, though, more than capable of keeping the screen steady during heated competition.

From the top, you can see the extreme curve. 800R is about as tight as it gets for the category. It enhances the X34 OLED’s immersive quality with the most convincing cockpit effect you’ll find outside a pair of VR goggles. Sound reflects back to the user when sitting close, creating a bubble-like experience. It’s excellent for first-person games like shooters or simulators. Three of these screens would form a half-circle for a driving or flying rig.

In back, styling is understated, with just a couple of textural elements on the component bulge that houses the internals, the stand attachment, and the inputs. The upright is slender and features rock-solid movements that include 5/15 degrees tilt, a 15-degree swivel, and 4.7 inches of height. The screen sits just high enough to allow a vertical position with a center eyepoint, which is the best way to enjoy any curved monitor.

The input panel includes two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port. A USB-C port serves as a DP Alt, bringing the total to four video inputs. You also get one upstream USB 3.2 Type-A, two downstream USB Type-Bs, and extra ports on the panel’s bottom edge, one more USB Type-C and one more USB Type-B. The USB Type-C supports up to 90 watts for charging and powering peripherals. Two internal speakers play clean and loud with five watts apiece, and you get a 3.5mm headphone jack.

OSD Features

Pressing the joystick at the bottom center of the panel summons the X34 OLED’s quick menu, which has four options, two of which are programmable. Another press brings up the full OSD.

Every OSD screen includes signal information at the top with current mode, resolution, speed, input and Adaptive-Sync status. The menu is a tree with four columns and nine sub-menus. The first two, Game Assistant and Gaming, include video processing and game aids. There are three different reticles that can be white, red, or green; or you can set it to Auto so it changes with the background to remain in contrast. You also get four sniper magnifications with adjustable size and a night vision mode. When you turn on Refresh Rate Num, it puts a frame counter in the upper right corner of the screen.

The X34 OLED includes a constant or variable brightness option for both SDR and HDR. When it’s on, brightness tops out at around 250 nits, but when it’s off, a 25% window can top 400 nits with even higher values for smaller areas of the screen. I like to use constant brightness for work and variable brightness for video and gaming. HDR is a simple affair. If you set it to Auto, the switch is automatic. There are no adjustments or additional modes for HDR content.

There are eight picture modes with three of them being programmable by the user. Standard is the default choice and it’s fairly close to the mark though I found the gamma a bit dark. A few tweaks in User mode took the X34 OLED to reference-level. Acer includes a complete set of color space options, including a near-perfect sRGB mode. General uses the full gamut, 95% of DCI-P3, for all content. Calibration options include five gamma presets, four color temps and a user mode with gain and bias sliders. You can also adjust hue and saturation for all six colors.

Hot Key assignment refers to the first fields on the quick menu, not actual keys or joystick directions. They provide access to a variety of monitor functions. OLED care options include a pixel orbiter and a refresh routine, which can run at regular intervals to fight burn-in. Finally, you can save your custom settings to one of the first three picture modes, Action, Racing or Sports, for later recall.

Acer Predator X34 OLED Calibration Settings

My X34 OLED sample came out of the box needing a few tweaks. Grayscale ran slightly green and gamma was slightly dark. The latter issue isn’t a big deal with a high contrast OLED since you can just up the brightness to compensate. The green tint was dealt with by adjusting the RGB gain sliders. I didn’t have to touch the bias controls. The end result was reference-level color and improved gamma. My recommended settings are below. I’ve included brightness values for Uniform Brightness on and off. For HDR signals, just set HDR to Auto so it switches without user intervention. There are no controls in HDR mode, but it’s close to the standards for color and luminance. You can check out those test results on page five.

Gaming and Hands-on

When I received the X34 OLED for review, I realized that there aren’t a lot of these OLEDs available for sale. There are plenty of 34-inch curved ultra-wides out there, but OLED takes gaming to another level with its superior contrast, color depth, and smooth operation. Add to that an extreme 800R curve, and you have a perfect display for first-person games like shooters and simulators.

Ideally, you’d have two or three curved screens in a flying or driving simulator. But if you are on a budget and can swing only one, an 800R monitor is the ticket. It wraps around enough to fill all your peripheral vision if you sit about two feet away. And you can do that with the X34 OLED because its pixel density is a tight 109ppi, enough to hide the dot structure. OLED contrast and color saturation up the perception of detail even more. If you see jaggies, it’s in the content. I also noted no banding thanks to the 10-bit panel in use.

Gameplay is super quick and smooth. When the frame rate is above 180fps, which was all the time for me and a GeForce RTX 4090, there is no blur or hesitation. Control inputs are instantly translated. It’s so responsive, I could tell a visual difference between different mousing surfaces; on-screen movement is that precise. Gamers of any skill level, up to the most competitive professional, will want this monitor in their toolkit.

The image is stunning, whether the content is SDR or HDR. I noted a couple of things in the convenience category, though. Switching between formats is automatic, but the X34 OLED doesn’t have separate settings for each. If you’ve turned on Constant Brightness for SDR, something I commonly do, it stays on when switching to HDR, necessitating a visit to the OSD. Also, in SDR mode, the brightness setting stays the same whether Constant Brightness is on or off. I prefer to equalize the peak to 200 nits for both modes, so to do that here, I had to readjust the slider each time. These are minor issues, but they represent room for improvement.

The X34 OLED’s audio quality is exceptional. The speakers play loud and clean and manage to cover a wide frequency range from midrange to treble. There isn’t much bass, but they have broader dynamics than most. The screen’s curve contributes to the sound stage by focusing it toward the user. Though it is wide and deep, it is also very present, which enhances gameplay.

If you do a lot of busy work like document editing and spreadsheets, the X34 OLED requires some adaptation. The extreme curve means some image distortion, but on the upside, windows on the sides of the screen are closer to the user’s eyepoint. More of the image is in focus than a less curved monitor would be. For photo work, the best thing was to keep the graphic in the center third of the screen while using the sides for toolbars or other applications.

The X34 OLED has Acer’s typical high standard of build quality. I’ve never seen a Predator display that wasn’t engineered and manufactured at the premium level. I appreciated the USB ports, especially the ones on the panel edge, which were very easy to access for things like phone charging. The headphone jack is there too, which makes a lot of sense for ergonomics.

Takeaway: The X34 OLED isn’t the least or the most expensive 34-inch OLED out there, but it delivers high performance and solid usability. Aside from a few minor inconveniences with the OSD, it served me well as a daily companion in both work and play scenarios. It has a stunning image and is one of the quickest gaming monitors I’ve reviewed. It certainly takes the speed crown in the 34-inch ultra-wide category.

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To compare the X34 OLED’s performance, I had to cover a large span of time to come up with five other monitors. They’re all 34-inch WQHD OLED ultra-wides with 240 Hz refresh rates, except for the AOC AG346UCD, which tops out at 175 Hz. The rest are Alienware’s AW2435DW, Corsair’s 34WQHD240-C, Gigabyte’s MO34WQC2, and Asus’ PG34WCDM.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

The response test went as expected, with the 240 Hz screens all drawing a full white field in 4ms and the 175 Hz AOC taking 6ms. That one will show slight motion blur while the others will not. The X34 OLED has perfect motion resolution at rates above 180fps.

The input lag score is a standout that puts the X34 OLED up with the fastest panels I’ve ever tested. It’s the class leader here at just 16ms of total lag. It is more than worthy of professional competition where players’ reflexes are extremely fast. It is a weapon for sure.

Test Takeaway: The X34 OLED is the fastest 240 Hz ultra-wide OLED I’ve tested to date. It keeps up with other monitors running at higher rates and easily leads the 34-inch WQHD class. You can pay more for more speed, but then you’d give up the 21:9 curved format for a 16:9 flat panel.

Viewing Angles

The photos I took of the X34 OLED are as close to perfect as I’ve seen from any OLED. There is no visible change in color, brightness, or gamma at 45 degrees to the sides. The top view has a bit lighter gamma and a green shift, not unusual. In the horizontal plane, the X34 OLED’s image looks the same from all angles. It doesn’t get better than this.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

As a category, OLED monitors are the best performers in my uniformity test. I have yet to encounter a bad one. The X34 OLED has an impressively low 4.60% deviation, which is exceptional among monitors in general but about average for OLEDs. You won’t find any glow or hotspots here.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

It’s easy to spot which screens have variable brightness; it’s the top four with the X34 OLED delivering 407 nits to a 25% window pattern. It’s a tad behind the Corsair, Gigabyte, and Asus, but in practice, you won’t find it deficient. The Alienware and AOC have constant brightness only, so they top out at 259 and 236 nits, respectively. Black levels and contrast cannot be measured.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration doesn’t change the static contrast results. I noted that switching between uniform and variable brightness necessitated a change in the brightness value. The X34 OLED doesn’t retain those settings, which is a tad annoying. It still looks incredible, though. The ANSI checkerboard pattern also has immeasurable blacks.

Test Takeaway: The X34 OLED has the same perfect blacks and infinite contrast as any other OLED display. It has a variable brightness option, which not every other product has. That delivers brighter peaks for SDR and HDR, perfect for video and gaming content.

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The X34 OLED ships in its Standard picture mode, which is reasonably close to standard. I recommend calibrating the User mode with its available two-point white balance controls and selectable color space.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

To the eye, a grayscale step pattern looks slightly green. The meter picked up some red as well, but green is the most visible color error, so something must be done. Gamma is also a tad dark from 70-100% brightness.

Calibrating the user mode takes care of both issues. The X34 OLED now has visually perfect grayscale tracking, i.e., neutral gray across the board. And gamma improves just enough to add some extra depth to the image. This is reference-level performance. I ran these tests using the General color space, which covers just over 95% of DCI-P3.

The X34 OLED’s sRGB mode is very accurate in the gamut test, which you’ll see below, but it has the same grayscale errors as the default Standard mode. These cannot be adjusted away, so neutral tones will look a little green.

Comparisons

The X34 OLED’s visible green errors mean it should be calibrated. It’s a little behind the other screens for out-of-the-box accuracy, but it calibrates to a high standard. After adjustment, all the panels have visually identical grayscale. The X34 OLED has extremely precise gamma with a tiny 0.06 range of values and a 2.27% deviation from the 2.2 reference. The actual value was 2.25. This is excellent performance.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

In the color test, the X34 OLED leaves nothing to complain about. Aside from the slightly green whites, the rest of the gamut is on point with all measurements on target. A default color error of 2.17dE is very low. Calibration fixes the grayscale issue and has a slight, positive effect on the remaining points. This is reference-level color.

The sRGB test shows the same white error and very slight undersaturation in red and magenta. The error is still low enough to be invisible, though.

Comparisons

With all monitors calibrated, the X34 OLED nearly wins the day with an impressive 1.06dE score. That’s impressive for sure but all the panels are very close. Visually, there is no difference in color accuracy, but you will see more color volume from the Alienware, Gigabyte, Corsair, and AOC because they have Quantum Dot layers. The X34 OLED covers over 95% of DCI-P3, which is respectable but average. sRGB coverage is slightly over the mark at 102.08%.

Test Takeaway: The X34 OLED needs calibration to look its best, but offers good flexibility with multiple gamut modes. Its 95% coverage of DCI-P3 is average but a little lower than Quantum Dot screens. Gamma is very tight, which gives the X34 OLED fine and precise detail in all parts of the picture.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The X34 OLED is certified for DisplayHDR 400 True Black, but it could earn a 600-nit badge if it wished. It is one of the brightest 34-inch OLED 21:9 monitors currently available. It supports HDR10 signals with an automatic switch.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

Only the very expensive PG34WCDM is brighter than the X34 OLED, and not by much. 663 nits is very bright and well ahead of the rest, which are around 450 nits. The AOC is dimmer because it doesn’t have variable brightness for HDR like the others. The net effect is that highlights are very bold which makes the X34 OLED more textural and three-dimensional than dimmer screens. Acer rates it at 1,300 nits for a 1.5% window, and there is no reason to doubt that claim. I measured a 25% window for this test.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

I could see a faint green tint in my X34 OLED’s HDR grayscale pattern. There is no means of adjustment here, but the impact on content was minimal. The EOTF is a bit wonky with dark tracking below 20% and a bit too much brightness from 30 to 70% where the tone map transition is. In practice, this obscures the deepest shadow detail, but midtones and highlights are not affected.

The color charts are textbook in appearance. All color points are on target or just a tad oversaturated. The X34 OLED looks plenty vivid without any need to push color like so many other HDR monitors do. This is excellent performance. The BT.2020 test looks similar with on-point performance until the panel runs out of color at 83% red, 75% green and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: Despite a slightly green grayscale and a skewed EOTF, the X34 OLED has a solid HDR image with very accurate color. It’s very bright and textural thanks to its high peak level, which more than mitigates any deficiencies. I wish there were a Quantum Dot layer for more color, but even so, it looks impressive.

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There are a lot of OLED gaming monitors vying for attention, but most of them are 27-inch flat panels. Surprisingly few are 34-inch ultra-wides. There’s no shortage of this format in the LCD realm, but if you want the best image quality available, it has to be OLED. The small number of OLED monitors available in the 21:9 format means it’s easier for the better ones to stand out. And one of the best I’ve seen is the Acer Predator X34 OLED.

The X34 OLED impressed me in every way with its colorful and deep image, and its superlative gaming feel and performance. It lacks a Quantum Dot layer, which reduces its gamut volume to 95% of DCI-P3, but that’s still a lot of color, especially for SDR content, where users will be spending their time. HDR is enhanced by high peak brightness. I measured 663 nits from a 25% window, which is the brightest in class after Asus’ PG34WCDM, which is only a little brighter and $400 more expensive. And it has variable brightness, another standout feature.

Its best attribute is game performance, where it not only operated free of all motion blur but also delivered the lowest input lag of all the 34-inch 21:9 OLEDs I’ve reviewed. The X34 OLED is super quick and responsive and more than qualified for pro-level competition. While some may point out that you can get faster refresh rates in other categories, the fact remains that all OLEDs have the same perfect motion resolution once you get to 240 Hz.

The X34 OLED isn’t the most or least expensive 34-inch 21:9 OLED, but it is the fastest and the smoothest. It’s missing some color volume, but it still has a lot and it’s accurate. It is one of the brightest and it has variable brightness. With these things in mind, I can call it a good value. If you have $860 in your budget for a premium gaming monitor, definitely check it out.

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VEGAS — It looks like Acer is trying to break into the premium peripherals market, as it announced a couple of fancy-looking gaming peripherals at CES 2026 alongside its new Nitro gaming laptops. Okay, these aren't brand-new lines or anything, but it's definitely been awhile since Acer has done much with gaming peripherals — the last Acer gaming mouse we reviewed was the Predator Cestus 350 in 2020.

Anyway, it seems like the brand is trying to get in on selling a whole premium gaming experience with its laptops, as there's a new wireless over-ear headset (the Predator Galea 570) and a new wireless 8K polling gaming mouse (the Predator Cestus 530) dropping sometime in the first quarter of this year.

First up is the Predator Galea 570 headset, which is a wireless over-ear (circumaural) gaming headset with a detachable boom microphone. It definitely looks more premium than Acer's previous headsets, with matte metal (?) yokes and plush leatherette-covered earpads, though of course it still has the Acer Predator logo on the earcups (complete with customizable RGB lighting). It features three forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.4, and wired (3.5mm), and has both a detachable boom mic and a built-in mic for when (if) you want to use it away from your PC.

The headset sports 50mm dynamic drivers with an impedance of 32Ω (±15%) and a maximum input power of 40mW. According to Acer, both the detachable boom mic and the built-in mic will work with the headset's ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation), which "continuously suppresses ambient noise to highlight the user's voice." The headset has a 1,000mAh battery and Acer rates its battery life at 23 hours over a 2.4GHz wireless connection (30 hours over a Bluetooth connection), which is... not great, to be honest; most of the wireless gaming headsets we've tested recently get at least twice that (and many get more than three times that). The Galea 570 is on the lighter side — it weighs just under 11 ounces (310.5g) — but similarly-lightweight headsets still do much better: the Turtle Beach Atlas Air weighs 10.61 ounces (301g) and gets 50 hours; the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 weighs 9.5 ounces (265g) and gets 50 - 60 hours.

The Galea 570 will go on sale sometime in Q1 2026 and retail for $149, which puts it in the same price range as the Arctis Nova 5 — though, of course, you can also find the HyperX Cloud III S Wireless (one of the best gaming headsets we've tested) on sale at the moment for the same price.

Next up is the Predator Cestus 530 gaming mouse — a wireless gaming mouse with a PixArt PAW3395 optical sensor and a polling rate of up to 8,000 Hz (both wired and wireless). The Cestus 530 looks like a pretty standard all-purpose gaming mouse — it has a right-handed contoured shape similar to that of the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K or the Logitech G502 X Plus, with large primary buttons, two thumb buttons and a trigger button, and a curved thumb rest for comfort. It has a gamer-y design, with what looks like three customizable RGB lighting zones on top, as well as underlighting. The mouse features three forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired.

Unlike most of the wireless gaming mice with 8K polling rates on the market today, this isn't an ultra-lightweight mouse aimed at competitive eSports players. It does have an excellent sensor — the PixArt PAW3395 has a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 650 IPS and can handle up to 50 G's of force — but it weighs around 105g (3.7oz), which makes it pretty hefty compared to something like the 60g Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex or the 56g Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro (that said, it is lighter than the 112g Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, so there's that). The mouse measures 4.96 x 2.87 x 1.65 inches (126 x 73 x 42mm), so it's on the larger side. Also, Acer says the mouse's primary switches are rated for up to 80 million clicks, but didn't mention if they were optical, mechanical, or hybrid (though if I had to guess, I'd say mechanical).

The Cestus 530 mouse will also hit shelves in the first quarter of this year, and it will retail for $109 — which makes it cheaper than a lot of the competition (though it's also heavier than a lot of the competition). There are a lot of wireless 8K gaming mice on the market right now, and the more budget-friendly models still start a bit higher (e.g., the Turtle Beach Burst II Pro we just looked at, which retails for $139.99) — and also tend to be stripped-down pseudo-symmetrical mice aimed at FPS gamers.

Acer has some new additions to its Predator and Nitro gaming monitor family for CES 2026, and at least one of them is sure to raise more than a few eyebrows. The new monitors include the Predator XB273U F6, Predator X34 F3, and the Nitro XV270X P.

The 27-inch Predator XB273U F6’s key feature is a maximum refresh rate of 1,000 Hz, using an IPS panel via its Dynamic Frequency and Resolution (DFR) mode. Now, before you start salivating at that hair-raising figure, the Predator XB273U F6 can only achieve that feat at 1,280 x 720 resolution. At the panel’s native resolution of 2560 x 1440, the monitor can hit a still-impressive 500 Hz.

Acer’s latest gaming monitor joins the likes of the AntGamer ANT275PQ MAX, announced last month. However, the monitor achieves a maximum of 1,080 Hz at 720p or 540 Hz at 1440p, albeit with a Fast TN panel rather than an IPS panel.

However, the Predator XB273U F6 is more than just a speed demon. It’s also ratedt o cover 95 percent of DCI-P3 and 99 percent of sRGB. Acer is promising excellent out-of-the-box accuracy, and you’ll get IPS-typical viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. Perhaps even more impressive is that the Predator XB273U F6 has a native contrast ratio of 2,000:1, double that of most mainstream IPS gaming monitors, and native brightness of 350 nits.

Regarding connectivity, the Predator XB273U F6 has two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4 port. It also features a 3.5 mm audio jack and two 2-watt speakers. The monitor is also adjustable for tilt, swivel, pivot, and height.

For those seeking a larger display with more pixels, there’s the Predator X34 F3. Acer states that the 34-inch Predator X34 F3 can reach 360 Hz at its maximum resolution of 3440 x 1440 and supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. The monitor can achieve that performance using either the two HDMI 2.1 ports or the single DisplayPort 1.4 port.

The Predator X34 F3 opts for QD-OLED rather than IPS. In return, you’ll get a 0.03 ms response time, richer color, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. It also has a native brightness of 300 nits and a peak of 500 nits in HDR mode. Other features include dual 5-watt speakers and a full range of articulation for the panel (tilt, height, swivel, pivot).

Finally, we have the Nitro XV270X P, which offers 5K (5,120 x 2880) resolution in a compact 27-inch form factor. That resolution indicates a high pixel density of 218 pixels per inch (ppi).

Given its gaming pedigree, the Nitro XV270X P can hit 165 Hz at native resolution over DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1. However, using DFR and dropping the resolution to 2560 x 1440, the maximum refresh rate jumps to 330 Hz.

Acer says the Nitro XV270X P, which has an IPS panel, features a native brightness of 350 nits, which can boost to 400 nits in HDR mode. You’ll also get a 1 ms response time and a reported 95 percent coverage of DCI-P3. As for connectivity, Acer provides two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. For those who need it, there are two built-in 2-watt speakers.

All of Acer’s new gaming monitors will launch in Q2 2026, with the Predator XB273U F6, Predator X34 F3, and the Nitro XV270X P priced at $799.99, $1,199.99, and $799.99, respectively.

Acer's gaming lineup is getting a refresh from top to bottom. At CES 2026, the company announced a new range of systems at what should be multiple price points, though the company isn't talking about cost just yet.

The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI, Nitro V 16 AI, and Nitro V 16S AI cover both the top and mid-range. The Helios is an OLED gaming laptop going up to a Core Ultra 9 386H, while the Nitros cover the lower and mid-range, with more basic 1920 x 1200 displays and topping out at a Core Ultra 7 non-H processor.

The Predator goes up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, while the Nitros top out at 32GB. Notably, the entire lineup is stuck on Wi-Fi 6E rather than the newer Wi-Fi 7 standard. They all come with up to 2TB of storage.

The Acer Nitro V 16 AI will be the first of these systems released, somewhere in Q2 of this year, Acer says. The Nitro V 16S AI and Predator Helios Neo 16S AI will follow in Q3. Like many other laptops at CES, there's no pricing yet, as Acer and other OEMs navigate the ongoing RAM pricing crisis.

The specs between the two Nitros seem largely identical. The 16S AI is slightly thinner at its thinnest point (10.3 mm compared to 11.37 mm on the non-S model)

Beyond its gaming laptop, Acer also has two peripherals. The Galea 570 gaming headset and Cestus 530 gaming mouse. The Galea has noise cancellation, can be connected over Bluetooth, a 2.4 GHz dongle, or a wired connection, and claims up to 30 hours of use. The Cestus mouse uses the same connectivity modes as the headset and offers an 8,000 Hz polling rate. Both use Acer's QuarterMaster app to make performance or setting tweaks. The peripherals will launch in Q1 of this year; the Galea will cost $149 and the Cestus will run you $109.

Acer is refreshing its thin Swift laptop lineup at CES 2026, updating to the latest Intel processors and adding OLED screens across the entire lineup.

The flagship, the Acer Swift 16 AI, goes up to Intel's high-end Core Ultra X9 388H, with Intel Arc graphics. Acer claims it has the "world's largest haptic touchpad," measuring 6.91 x 4.32-inch (175.5 X 109.7 mm) in a 16:10 aspect ratio. The touchpad also supports MPP 2.5 stylus input. (This isn't Acer's first laptop with a touchpad to support a stylus. We saw this on the Predator Triton 14 AI.)

The Swift 16 AI also includes display options up to a 2880 x 1800, 120 Hz touch screen, along with a full HD IR webcam and DTS:X Ultra speakers. The chassis itself is just 0.58 inches (14.9 mm) thick and includes a mix of Thunderbolt 4 ports over USB Type-C and a pair of USB Type-A ports.

The Swift 16 AI is set to debut in Q1 of this year, but Acer isn't talking about the price just yet, which appears to be a running theme this year.

The company also announced two lightweight Swift Edge models, a 16-inch and a 15-inch. Both are almost identical in specs, with up to a Core Ultra 9 386H, Intel graphics, up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSDs.

Lastly, Acer is refreshing its 14-inch and 16-inch Swift Go models with up to Intel Core Ultra X9 388H processors. Those will launch in Q2, with pricing yet to be determined.

Acer's other CES announcements include a variety of gaming laptops, monitors, and enterprise systems.

There are many different shapes and sizes in the curved gaming monitor category, but the bread-and-butter screen is a 34-inch 21:9 panel with a 1500R radius. This is the easiest and least expensive way to put a 21:9 display on your desk, and there are many good choices available if you’re looking for one of the best gaming monitors.

You can expect to spend around $500 for one of these, but if you can add a C-note to that, Acer has a new Predator, the X34 X0, with a 1,000-nit Mini LED backlight, 1,152 dimming zones, HDR10, 200 Hz refresh rate, Quantum Dots, Adaptive-Sync, 3440x1440 WQHD resolution, and a 21:9 aspect ratio curved to 1500R. Let’s take a look.

Acer Predator X34 X0 Specs

The X34 X0 has the two things that contribute to maximum LCD contrast: Vertical Alignment (VA) technology and a Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) Mini LED backlight with 1,152 dimming zones. It’s the next best thing to OLED, and you’ll save around $400 in the process. Native contrast is 3,000:1, and with the zone dimming at its max setting in HDR mode, blacks are immeaurable. The X34 X0 delivers some killer HDR.

It's made even better with a huge color gamut courtesy of a Quantum Dot layer that covers over 106% of DCI-P3. Primary colors are especially vivid, and you can use this extra volume for SDR and HDR content at your preference. Or engage a super-accurate sRGB mode when the smaller gamut is required. Speaking of requirements, there is one that the X34 X0 doesn’t have and that’s calibration. It’s very accurate out of the box for all content, regardless of color standard.

Gaming runs smoothly and responsively thanks to a 200 Hz refresh rate and Adaptive-Sync. The X34 X0 works on G-Sync and FreeSync platforms and includes VRR support for consoles over its HDMI 2.1 inputs. A DisplayPort 1.4 supports full bandwidth at 200 Hz, while the HDMI ports top out at 100 Hz. You also get a USB-C port, which covers DisplayPort functions up to 200 Hz. USB 3.2 is also covered with one up and two downstream ports on a rear-facing jack pack.

Physically, the X34 X0 is premium all the way. The stand is rock solid with firm adjustments. A metal headphone hook unfolds from the top, and you get a nice cable management clip below, also made from metal. The OSD is controlled by a backlit joystick protruding from the bottom right. It includes aiming points and a refresh rate counter, plus three user programmable picture modes and full calibration control with color gamut selection.

Monitors like this cost $1,000 just a few years ago. Now, you can get a premium example like the X34 X0 for $600. That’s progress for sure, and it makes a compelling alternative to OLED.

Assembly and Accessories

My X34 X0 sample came securely packed in crumbly foam with the panel encased in a curved form and the base and upright in the top tray. Assembly is toolless and creates a solid package that befits a premium display. A large power supply brick brings the juice, and you get USB-C, DisplayPort, and HDMI cables.

Product 360

The most obvious thing looking at the X34 X0 from the front is the wide fabric-covered trim strip. Though it gives off soundbar vibes, there are only two speakers in there. Not a bad thing though, they sound amazing thanks to their larger-than-average size. Five-watt op amps power them to respectable volume levels, a wide frequency range, and no audible distortion.

The base is very wide and deep and made from cast aluminum. Stability is assured in every direction and though it is large, the narrow legs have a minimal desktop footprint. The upright sports a 4.8-inch height adjustment, plus 5/20 degrees tilt and 20 degrees swivel. Movements are very tight and free from play or wobble.

The 1500R curve is gentle by modern standards and strikes a good balance between entertainment and work. You get a good wraparound effect but there’s no image distortion when working on things like spreadsheets and document editing. The anti-glare layer is effective at preventing reflections while being grain-free.

In the back is a fine texture with white bits that look like LEDs, but they are just white bits; there is no lighting. The input panel is recessed, faces backwards, and includes a DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1, a USB-C with DP function, and traditional USBs, one upstream and two down. You also get a headphone jack. The stand has a substantial metal headphone hook and a metal cable loop at the bottom.

OSD Features

The X34 X0’s OSD joystick protrudes from the bottom right and lights up blue when the power is on. It controls all monitor functions. Pressing it brings up a quick menu that is programmable by the user. A second press brings up the full list of options.

The tree-based menu has eight subsections plus a field with three memories for user settings. Beginning with Game Assistant, you can see there is a timer and a selection of aiming points. There are three shapes and three static colors, plus an auto option that changes the reticle’s color to stay in contrast with the background.

Video processing is found in the Gaming menu, and there you get an Adaptive-Sync toggle, zone dimming (three levels), a frame rate counter, a two-level overdrive, and aspect ratio choices. There is no backlight strobe, which isn’t unusual, but I discovered that you can’t have overdrive and Adaptive-Sync on at the same time. That is an odd choice, but all is not lost. If you can keep the frame rate at 200fps, you don’t need Adaptive-Sync. And I found almost no frame tearing until the rate dropped below 144fps. The overdrive is very precise and effectively cuts blur to almost nothing.

The Picture menu has two important features: HDR, which activates two modes when HDR10 content is played, and Max Brightness. As stated, you need to turn this on to have, you know. That means HDR peaks over 1,000 nits, which is incredibly bright. Coupled with zone dimming, the X34 X0 produces some deep contrast and true blacks for HDR content.

There are eight picture modes in total. Action, Racing, and Sports correspond to the three user memories, so you can bend them to your will if you like. The default is Standard, but if you change any setting, it switches to User. This menu also has color space options, gamma and color temp presets, and a two-point white balance control, along with six-axis hue and saturation for color management.

Ultra-wides like the X34 X0 are perfect for PBP and PIP, and both are offered here. You can control the position, size and sources along with the audio source. To save your settings, go to Save Setting to… and pick one of the modes for later recall.

Acer Predator X34 X0 Calibration Settings

The X34 X0 comes with a calibration data sheet that verifies its accuracy, and you don’t need to adjust, but if you make a few tweaks, there is a small improvement to be had. The white balance sliders have gain and bias control and are very precise. I made a few changes, which I’ve indicated below, and dropped contrast one click to tighten up gamma tracking. Color covers almost 107% of DCI-P3 if you use the General gamut option. sRGB and other gamuts are available in the color menu and they proved to be accurate as well. The X34 X0 can be used for color-critical applications. In HDR mode, you get Auto and HDR1000 modes, which are very close to mark. I used Auto for testing and reviewing.

Gaming and Hands-on

From the first few minutes I played Doom Eternal, I knew the X34 X0 was no ordinary 34-inch ultra-wide. It has a few features that set it apart from competitors, such as greater brightness, more saturated colors, and smoother motion processing. Though its 200 Hz wasn’t a massive advantage in testing, it made a difference to gameplay with incredibly precise aiming, perfect motion resolution, and no perceptible input lag.

The HDR image is simply stunning. Though an OLED is better, it’s only a little better. The X34 X0 has equal color volume to any QD-OLED, so there’s no difference in saturation. And black levels are superb thanks to the Mini LED backlight and its 1,152 dimming zones. For $600 versus $1,000, it’s a compelling option. And if you can’t afford a 34-inch OLED, the X34 X0 is a no-brainer.

Gaming was completely addictive with precise aiming and movement that tracked my control inputs perfectly. I noted in tests that you couldn’t use overdrive and Adaptive-Sync together. But my GeForce RTX 4090 locked the frame rate at 200 fps so that I could ditch G-Sync with no penalty. If you can’t maintain more than 144fps at 3440x1440, the X34 X0 might not be the best option.

Once I tore myself away from gaming, no easy feat, I was able to quickly and comfortably dispatch workday tasks like spreadsheet and graphics editing. For word processing, a taller monitor suits me better, but Excel is a dream on a 21:9 screen. Vertical scrolling is always easy thanks to the mouse wheel, but side-to-side is less convenient. With the X34 X0, I didn’t have to do as much of it.

I was able to engage local dimming for SDR and enjoy fantastic contrast that rivalled that of any OLED panel. It made the image appear sharper, with super-clean rendering of small fonts and icons. Graphics editing in Photoshop was also quick and easy, thanks to the full selection of color gamuts in the OSD. The X34 X0 is a very flexible tool for creative applications.

I noted the extra convenience features like USB ports, PIP/PBP, and useful user settings memories. I also enjoyed the sound quality from the front-mounted speakers. Though they didn’t amaze me with deep bass, they played loud and clear with a very wide sound stage. Not too many monitors point the drivers at the user, so it was nice to have a sound bar arrangement. The X34 X0 is nearly unique in this regard.

Takeaway: The X34 X0 is a supremely useful and flexible display. It has a gorgeous image that works equally well for gaming, video and productivity. The color saturation is tremendous but never harsh or overblown. The picture is finely detailed and textured and HDR is among the very best I’ve seen, good enough to rival many OLEDs. My only wish was for the ability to run Adaptive-Sync and overdrive together. It wasn’t a factor for me but if you can’t maintain at least 144fps, you’ll see some tearing.

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The X34 X0 has a higher refresh rate than its most recently released competitors, so it comes out of the gate with an advantage. Other assembled competitors include Titan Army’s C34A1R, Gigabyte’s GS34WQC and G34WQCP, HP’s Omen 34c G2, and Xiaomi’s G34WQi.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

The X34 X0’s 200 Hz doesn’t make it any smoother than a 165, 180, or 190 Hz monitor. They all draw a full white field in the same 6ms. But Acer and HP’s overdrive are a cut above the others. There is almost no motion blur from either screen. It’s a bummer that the X34 X0 can’t have Adaptive-Sync and overdrive running at the same time.

Acer also ties HP in the lag test with a fast 21ms of total delay. This is well below what most gamers can perceive, and, in my observation, there was no hesitation to any control input. Titan Army and Gigabyte manage 20ms, which in practice is not a perceptible difference.

Test Takeaway: The X34 X0 is extremely smooth and responsive with input lag low enough to be competition worthy. Its only flaw is that you can’t run the overdrive with Adaptive-Sync. But you won’t need AS if you can keep the frame rate above 144fps. Still, this is an issue that the competition doesn’t share.

Viewing Angles

VA isn’t the best screen tech for off-axis viewing, but the X34 X0 is a bit better than average. At 45 degrees to the sides, the picture darkens by around 20% and has a slight red/green tint. Gamma is consistent, which means fine detail will remain visible. From the top, the picture washes out and gets even warmer with a 40% reduction in brightness.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

It’s tricky to get FALD screens perfectly uniform, especially with 1,152 dimming zones like the X34 X0. My sample performed well on this test, scoring 10.66%, right at the visible threshold. I couldn’t see anything to complain about, but the meter showed a little extra light in the top-right corner.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

To see the X34 X0’s max brightness in SDR mode, you must turn on the Max Brightness option; otherwise, you’ll be limited to around 300 nits. At full honk, 426 nits deliver a very bright picture that is more than enough for any indoor environment. You could use this monitor at an outdoor location shoot if you wished. All the monitors are VA, so black levels are much lower than an IPS screen would be. Though the X34 X0 has decent native contrast of 2,792.8:1, its dynamic range is a bit smaller than the other screens. If you turn on the local dimming though, black levels become too low to measure.

After Calibration to 200 nits

The X34 X0 retains the same contrast ratio after calibration as before, just under 2,800:1. That’s respectable but not as impressive as the others. But engage the local dimming, and it goes to another level with black levels approaching OLED caliber. This isn’t a big factor for SDR, but when we get to the HDR tests on page five, you’ll see the full impact of the FALD Mini LED backlight.

ANSI contrast is a consistent 2,654.3:1 which means the X34 X0’s grid polarizer and quality control are excellent. This is solid overall performance.

Test Takeaway: The X34 X0 won’t break any records for native contrast with a ratio that’s a little lower than the competition. But when the local dimming is engaged, all bets are off. Then it has broader dynamic range than nearly all other LCD-based ultra-wides, and more brightness too.

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Acer ensures the X34 X0’s color accuracy with a data sheet unique to each sample. Mine measured very close to the factory result. It didn’t need calibration, but I did one anyway for a small improvement in quality.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

There are a couple of tiny things worthy of comment here. I could see a little warmth at 20% brightness in a grayscale step pattern and gamma runs just a tad under the reference line, which means it’s too light. These errors aren’t visible in actual content but with tweaks to the RGB gain and bias sliders, and a one-click drop in contrast, a subtle improvement can be seen.

To engage sRGB, I chose it from the color space options. It has the same grayscale tracking with a tiny error at 20% and light gamma. But it has no issues that are visible in content.

Comparisons

The X34 X0 acquits itself well in this group with the best out-of-box grayscale tracking and no place lower than third in the other tests. It calibrates to a high standard and has nearly perfect gamma that averages 2.17 and tracks with a small 0.13 range of values. This is excellent performance.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

Looking at the first gamut chart above, you’d think it was more off the mark than a 2.64dE score suggests. But if you were to graph it against BT.2020, it would make more sense. Acer is making the most of the X34 X0’s extra gamut volume by riding the line between DCI-P3 and 2020. This makes for a very colorful monitor that doesn’t look oversaturated. This is the right way to engineer a Quantum Dot display. Calibration barely changes the numbers, but I saw a tiny bit more saturation in content and that’s a good thing.

sRGB is reference-level with no point off target, even by a little. A 1.06dE average is pro-level accuracy. You can use the X34 X0 for precise photo and graphics work as well as video post-production.

Comparisons

The first chart comparing the color error levels doesn’t make the X34 X0 look impressive but remember that 2.65dE is below the visible threshold. That’s saying something when you consider the next chart and the Acer’s top finish of 106.75% coverage of DCI-P3. Yes, it’s the only Quantum Dot monitor here and even among 34-inch monitors I haven’t reviewed, QD layers are rare. This kind of color coverage would normally cost you more so to get it for $600 is a point in Acer’s favor. The 101.17% coverage of sRGB is ideal. Most monitors come up a tad short of 100%. It’s a small but significant thing when considering a monitor’s color saturation and fidelity.

Test Takeaway: The X34 X0 delivers pro-level color out of the box that is improved with calibration. It also has more color volume than its competitors because they don’t include Quantum Dots. You don’t have to calibrate to enjoy this feature. And if you need sRGB or other industry-standard gamuts, they are available in the OSD.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The X34 X0 supports HDR10 with an automatic switch and two specific picture modes, Auto and HDR1000. I saw almost no difference between them, so I stuck with Auto for these tests.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

I’ll always say that OLED renders the best HDR, but a bright FALD Mini LED monitor comes very close to that standard. The X34 X0 can top 1,000 nits full screen. In fact, I noted that the dimming, which is always on in HDR mode, has a greater effect on black levels, which can’t be measured because the backlight is turned off. With 1,152 dimming zones, you won’t see the halo effect in most HDR content. The X34 X0 rivals many OLEDs in this test. And I remind you that very few OLEDs can hit 1,000 nits over more than 3% of the screen. If you want super bright HDR, a Mini LED like the X34 X0 can outperform almost any other monitor. The HP has impressive contrast too but less than half the peak output potential.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

There are no calibration options available in HDR mode, but my sample measured reasonably well. There is a slight cool tone in the steps above 70% but this wasn’t visible in the content I observed. The super bright peaks pushed the tone-mapping transition to an impressive 75%. This means the display does less work because HDR10 metadata typically peaks at 1,000 or 2,000 nits.

In the color tests, the X34 X0 takes full advantage of its prodigious color volume with some reasonable oversaturation in the mid tones. To say that HDR is colorful is to engage in understatement. The image literally pops from the screen. Remember that only Quantum Dot screens like this can fully cover DCI-P3, which is the basis for a lot of HDR content. It also covers more of BT.2020 with the limit coming at 90% red, 80% and 100% blue. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The X34 X0 is one of the brightest and most colorful HDR monitors you can buy. Though it doesn’t quite equal the best OLEDs, it is far better than LCDs with less light output and less color volume. With Quantum Dots and an honest 1,000 nits, it delivers a spectacular HDR picture.

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In the gaming monitor market, it’s hard to see traditional LCD formats through the onslaught of OLEDs that seem to come out almost weekly. This is great, of course, but prices are still in the premium range. If you’re talking about 34-inch ultra-wides, the base category for 21:9 screens, a QD OLED display with fast refresh can cost $1,000.

Acer has put a lot of eggs into the Predator X34 X0 basket. The price stays down at $600 because it’s based on a VA panel. But everything else that makes a monitor great is there, Quantum Dot color, fast refresh, smooth motion processing and low input lag. And it boasts one advantage, extreme brightness. The X34 X0 can top 1,000 nits showing a full white screen. No OLED computer monitor I’m aware of can do that. And there’s the 1,152 zone FALD Mini LED backlight. When dimming is engaged, black levels are incredibly low. And none of this goodness comes at the expense of accuracy. The X34 X0 is factory calibrated and can be enjoyed right out of the box.

My only gripes were the inability to run Adaptive-Sync and overdrive together. And there was no backlight strobe. If you have a fast video card, these issues aren’t relevant. But the X34 X0 is best paired with a high-performance PC. Slower machines won’t realize its full potential.

If you’re desirous of a 34-inch 21:9 WQHD gaming monitor with wide gamut color, fast refresh and high brightness, but can’t quite swing an OLED, the Acer Predator X34 X0 is well worth checking out.

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Acer’s Nitro 60 gaming mid-tower ($1,599 as tested from Micro Center) delivers gaming essentials without the premium price of its Predator towers. Its combination of an Intel Core i7-14700F and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is effective for entry-level 4K gaming performance. Outside, its attractive, glass-trimmed case lends it an upscale appearance, while inside, its RGB fans operate quietly even while gaming. It misses a few things – namely, the wireless standard is only Wi-Fi 6 and no peripherals are included – but does well everywhere else.

Design of the Acer Nitro 60

The Nitro 60 sticks to a familiar mid-tower gaming template, built around an all-black chassis with a tempered glass side panel that highlights its internals. Four RGB fans — two front intakes, one on the CPU cooler, and a rear exhaust — provide the expected glow of color. While it certainly looks the part, the design doesn’t differentiate it from the many towers in this price bracket. It’s a welcome demonstration of restraint from Acer, known for bolder and occasionally polarizing designs in its gaming line. This conventional approach provides a sense of normalcy.

The Nitro 60’s stout dimensions of 8.5 x 14.9 x 15.9 inches (WDH) make it smaller than many other mid-towers. Build quality is solid, with clean edges, a blackout interior, and tempered glass that lends a premium feel.

Lighting is divided into two zones: one for the two RGB DIMMs and another for the four fans. You can adjust colors and patterns in the Windows Dynamic Lighting app. Acer includes Gigabyte’s Dynamic Light app, but I wasn’t able to get this to open, preventing me from changing the lighting on the fans or DIMMs. I instead installed Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion, which ultimately enabled independent customization of the fans and DIMMs.

Specifications

Ports and Upgradeability on the Acer Nitro 60

Up front, the Nitro 60 provides two USB 3.2 Type‑A ports, 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks, plus power and reset buttons. It’s a decent selection, though the lack of a USB-C port is notable, particularly there is room for another USB port, but the cutout is blocked off. These connections are conveniently placed if the tower sits on a floor, though less so on a desk where cables tend to cascade downward.

Rear I/O includes a USB‑C 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, a USB‑A 3.2 Gen 2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, and three 3.5 mm audio jacks. An old‑school PS/2 port is also present, which feels dated (though it's still fairly common). The motherboard’s HDMI and DisplayPort outputs are disabled since the Core i7‑14700F lacks integrated graphics.

Networking is handled with a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet jack alongside built‑in Wi‑Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3. Faster Wi‑Fi 6E or 7 would have been better, but this configuration should suffice for most users. The included wireless antennas must be screwed in.

The side panels detach after you unscrew two thumbscrews for each. The tempered glass panel falls to the side after the screws are removed, so it’s important to support it while doing so.

Inside, the Gigabyte B760M C V2 motherboard and a tall 120 mm CPU air cooler take center stage. It’s notable that Acer used a readily available aftermarket motherboard rather than an OEM or proprietary model. Its expansion is generous, with four DIMM slots, four PCIe slots, and three M.2 slots. Cable management is mostly hidden thanks to the isolated PSU chamber, though the right‑side panel conceals some untidy bundles.

Storage expansion supports one 2.5‑ or 3.5‑inch drive, with SATA cables included. A modular 850 W Thermaltake power supply is a surprising inclusion, as many systems in this price range ship with non‑modular units. Extra cables are provided in the box.

For maintenance, the case features slide‑out dust filters beneath the PSU and on the top panel, simplifying cleaning. The front panel also comes off by tugging the handhold on its bottom edge.

Gaming and Graphics on the Acer Nitro 60

Our Acer Nitro 60 features a Core i7-14700F processor, a GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card, and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. Although the memory is rated for 6,000 MHz, it was only running at 4,800 MHz out of the box, which is how we conducted our testing. I had to access the BIOS to enable XMP1 for it to run at its rated speed.

To test the Nitro 60, I played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III at 3840 x 2160 at the Extreme preset with DLSS enabled and observed a fluid 90 to 100 fps in most maps, with no stuttering.

For context, we compared the Nitro 60 to several gaming towers. The closest rival is the Asus ROG G700 ($2,029 as tested), which pairs a Core Ultra 7 265KF with the same GeForce RTX 5070. We also included the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme ($1,859), built around an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and RTX 5060 Ti, and the iBuyPower Y40 Pro ($1,899) which features a higher-end Ryzen 9 7900X and RTX 5070 Ti.

In Shadow of the Tomb Raider at the game’s Highest detail preset, the Nitro 60 competed with the ROG G700, producing 194 FPS to the latter’s 199 FPS at 1080p, while both produced 68 FPS at 4K. The RTX 5070 Ti-powered iBuyPower led the results, with 228 FPS at 1080p and 89 FPS at 4K, while the CyberPower with its RTX 5060 Ti trailed, with 149 and 46 FPS.

The demanding Cyberpunk 2077 (at the Ray Tracing Ultra preset) saw the desktops in a similar pecking order, with the Nitro 60’s 65 FPS at 1080p just behind the ROG G700’s 70 FPS. Both units also showed similar performance at 4K, with the Nitro’s 21 FPS against the ROG’s 20 FPS. The iBuyPower’s 87 and 29 FPS proved to be the best of the bunch, with the CyberPowerPC trailing with 53 and 15 FPS.

In Far Cry 6 (Ultra), the results were skewed at 1080p, with the CyberPowerPC taking the lead with 138 FPS, the iBuyPower in second place with 125 FPS, and our Nitro 60 narrowly behind it with 121 FPS. The desktops went back to their expected places at 4K, with the Nitro 60’s 81 FPS just ahead of the ROG G700’s 80. It remained behind the iBuyPower (102 FPS) and well ahead of the CyberPowerPC (59 FPS).

In Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium preset), the Nitro 60’s respective 143 and 54 FPS at 1080p and 4K slightly outperformed the ROG G700’s 120 and 50 FPS, significantly outperformed the CyberPowerPC’s 104 and 37 FPS, and trailed the iBuyPower’s 161 and 66 FPS.

Last, in Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic preset), the Nitro 60 remained consistent, producing 56 FPS at 1080p and 24 FPS at 4K, which was within one FPS of the ROG G700 at both resolutions. The CyberPowerPC slotted behind, with 41 FPS at 1080p and 17 FPS at 4K, while the iBuyPower’s stronger RTX 5070 Ti propelled it to 66 FPS at 1080p and 32 FPS at 4K.

The Nitro 60 demonstrates strong gaming performance in line with what we expect from an RTX 5070 desktop. Despite using an older Core i7-14700F, its gaming numbers were largely identical to what we saw from the ROG G700 featuring the newer, higher-wattage Core Ultra 7 265KF, particularly at 4K where most games will be GPU-limited. Had Acer enabled the XMP memory settings out of the box, its performance might have been even closer to the ROG G700’s.

To evaluate sustained gaming performance, we run 15 loops of the Metro Exodus stress test at RTX settings. During the approximately 30-minute test, the Nitro 60 produced an average framerate of 121.3 FPS across all runs, with minimal variation between runs suggesting stable thermal performance. The Core i7-14700F maintained an average temperature of 52 degrees Celsius while the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti averaged 61 C. The Nitro 60’s fans were well-behaved throughout testing. While not inaudible, they wouldn't be distracting over typical household background noise.

Productivity Performance on the Acer Nitro 60

Our Nitro 60 features a Core i7-14700F CPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. While the 65-watt CPU isn’t as formidable as the 125-watt K-series chips, it’s still a formidable performer for almost any task.

In our Geekbench 6 CPU test, the Nitro 60’s Core i7-14700F trailed the single-core results, producing 2,865 points. The iBuyPower did slightly better, with 2,953 from its Ryzen 9 7900X, the ROG G700 produced 3,092 with its Core Ultra 7 265KF, and the CyberPowerPC led with 3,335 courtesy of its Ryzen 7 9800X3D. In multi-core, the Nitro landed mid-pack, its 18,315 points ahead of the iBuyPower (17,226) and just trailing the CyberPowerPC (18,601) but out of range of the ROG G700 (19,057).

Our Handbrake 4K to 1080p video transcoding test saw the Nitro 60 finish dead last, completing the test in 3 minutes and 10 seconds. The others all broke the three-minute mark, with the CyberPowerPC finishing in 2:58, the iBuyPower in 2:29, and the ROG G700 in 2:03. This is the one test where the Nitro 60’s 65-watt CPU is not that adept.

Last, the Nitro 60 produced the best transfer rate of 1,861.6 MBps in our 25 GB file transfer test. The ROG G700 was second (1,816.5) while the CyberPowerPC (1,664.1) and the iBuyPower (1,501.6) picked up the last two spots.

Keyboard and Mouse with the Acer Nitro 60

The Nitro 60 we received did not include any peripherals. This is a mild omission at best, considering bundled peripherals are usually of entry-level quality, which most users will want to replace with a better keyboard and mouse anyway. Some people may even prefer picking out their own accessories.

Software and Warranty

The Nitro 60 ships with relatively little preinstalled software. Acer Care Center is the most practical inclusion, offering system updates and easy access to support resources. Acer also bundles Gigabyte’s Dynamic Light utility for RGB control, though it failed to launch during testing. I installed Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion on my own, which functioned properly and allowed customization of both the RAM modules and fans.

Less welcome is the assortment of bloatware, including a McAfee security trial and several lightweight game demos. Fortunately, these can be quickly uninstalled.

Acer provides a one‑year warranty with the system.

Acer Nitro 60 Configurations

Our review unit, sourced from Micro Center, features an air‑cooled Core i7‑14700F processor, GeForce RTX 5070 graphics, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD is on sale for $1,599 as of this writing but is $2,099 at normal price..

This configuration is competitively priced with the sale. At Best Buy, desktops with similar RTX 5070 setups—such as models from CyberPowerPC and HP’s Omen 35L—were within $100 of the Nitro 60. It also undercuts the $1,749 Asus ROG G700, which offers comparable specifications but swaps in a Core Ultra 7 265KF.

Entry‑level Nitro 60 models start at $879 at Micro Center, pairing a Core i5‑14400F with an RTX 5060, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A $1,399 tier matches most of our review unit’s specifications but uses an RTX 5060 Ti. For $1,499, buyers can step up to an RTX 5070 paired with a Ryzen 7 7700. The highest‑end configuration, available from Acer’s online store, mirrors our review unit but upgrades to an RTX 5070 Ti for $1,799.

Bottom Line

Acer’s Nitro 60 delivers more than expected for a mid‑tier gaming desktop. With the Core i7‑14700F and GeForce RTX 5070 in our review unit, it proves to be a capable all‑around performer, even stretching into 4K gaming at the right settings. The design has appeal with its tempered glass side panel and the welcome inclusion of a modular power supply, a rarity at this price point.

There are a few shortcomings. Out of the box, the memory runs below its rated speed since XMP settings are not enabled, and no peripherals are included. Networking also tops out at Wi‑Fi 6 rather than newer standards, though this is unlikely to hinder most users.

Competition in this segment is intense. The Asus ROG G700 offers a liquid‑cooled CPU and a more eye-catching design, but at a higher cost. Meanwhile, the Nitro 60 remains price‑competitive against numerous mid‑tower alternatives from Best Buy and Micro Center. Taken together, its performance, design, and value make the Nitro 60 a strong contender for gamers seeking a well‑rounded desktop without overspending.

We've been saying it for weeks, but it really is Black Friday, and there's an awesome sale on an Acer gaming laptop that's more powerful than any of its competition at this price point right now, thanks to this huge Amazon discount.

• Check out this deal on Amazon

That's because Amazon has slashed the price of this Acer Nitro V 15 gaming laptop to just £799.99, down from as high as £1,049.99 just a few weeks ago. It's the lowest this particular model has ever been on Amazon, according to Camelcamelcamel data, and it's the cheapest you'll find an RTX 5060 laptop in the UK right now.

This laptop has almost the same specs to the Acer Nitro V 15 we reviewed last year. Crucially, our model featured an RTX 4060 and only 512GB of SSD storage, along with a display that only has a 144Hz refresh rate. That means we can't really share gaming performance stats from our review, but the design and build quality will be the same.

The Nitro V 15 has a pretty understated design, but that doesn't mean it feels cheap. The plastic it uses is sturdy, and you aren't sacrificing ports for price, with plenty of Ethernet, USB-C, and USB-A connections on hand. The specs are pretty handy, with a 10-core Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, 1GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB Gen 4 SSD — no compromises to be found there, which isn't always a given on a budget-conscious laptop.

You've got decent options to upgrade this ANV15-51 model, too, with two DDR5 SODIMM RAM slots that you can upgrade to 32GB from the supplied 16GB. It also has two fully-sized M.2 2280 SSD slots included, so you can easily add extra storage, as well as replace the battery, should you need to.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 laptop GPU will be a solid upgrade over the RTX 4060 we tested, with 3,840 CUDA cores and 8GB of VRAM, using much faster GDDR7 VRAM memory modules. This latest-gen Nvidia GPU also unlocks DLSS 4, meaning you can use multi-frame gen in games that support it to boost frame rates even further.

8GB of VRAM is fine for 1080p gaming, which matches the resolution of this laptop's 15.6-inch IPS display. A boost to a 165Hz refresh rate, meanwhile, will ensure you have smooth motion in any fast-paced games you play.

Ultimately, a discounted £799.99 Black Friday sale price is an absolute steal for a gaming laptop that can hit high frame rates in modern games at 1080p. If you're a gamer with a strict Black Friday budget to spend, you can't go wrong with a laptop like this one, so grab one before it sells out.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, or CPU Deals pages.

Portability and gaming laptop didn’t always belong in the same sentence, but the rise of 14-inch models has changed the rules. The Acer Predator Triton 14 AI ($2,499 as tested) is Acer’s latest take on this scene, packing a GeForce RTX 5070 into a sleek aluminum chassis weighing just 3.5 pounds. It also adds creative flair with an OLED touch display and a touchpad that supports a stylus. While its Core Ultra 9 288V won’t break performance records, power efficiency may help justify the trade-off.

Design of the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

When powered off, the Predator Triton 14 AI could easily be mistaken for a premium ultraportable. Its all-black aluminum chassis feels reassuringly solid, showing zero flex regardless of how it’s handled. The refinement continues with diamond-cut edges and a seamless glass palm rest with a supple soft-touch finish. The lid opens effortlessly with one hand.

Once the power is on, there’s no mistaking that the Triton is a proper gaming laptop. Per-key RGB backlighting glows vividly through the keycaps, complemented by illuminated Predator logos on the palm rest and lid. Lighting effects are customizable in the PredatorSense app.

At 12.68 x 8.84 x 0.71 inches, the Triton is impressively compact for a 14.5-inch gaming laptop, noticeably more so than its predecessor, the Predator Helios Neo 14 (12.76 x 10.05 x 0.77 inches). Its 3.5-pound carry weight is also commendable, rivalling true ultrabooks like the HP OmniBook Ultra (3.47 pounds). Considering it offers a GeForce RTX 5070, the Triton delivers remarkable performance in a surprisingly portable frame.

The Predator offers a decent port selection: two USB Type-C ports (one Thunderbolt 4, the other version 3.2 Gen 2), two USB Type-A ports (10 Gbps), HDMI 2.1, an audio jack, and a microSD card reader. Inside, Acer outfits this laptop with a Killer BE1750i wireless card supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

Acer Predator Triton 14 AI Specifications

Gaming and Graphics on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

We evaluated the Predator Triton 14 AI equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU (110W), and 32GB of onboard memory.

The “Lunar Lake” CPU, typically reserved for premium ultraportables, is an unexpected choice for a gaming rig. As a system-on-chip (SoC), it combines four Performance cores, four Efficient cores, 32GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory, Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, and a neural processing unit (NPU). However, with a 30W thermal envelope, it’s not likely to be as hard-hitting in performance as the H-class chips commonly found in gaming laptops, which typically run at 45W or 55W and offer more cores.

For gaming, I turned to Shadow of the Tomb Raider, cranking settings to Highest. I saw FPS in the mid-60 to lower-70 range outdoors and in scenes with complex foliage, and up to 90 FPS indoors. G-Sync did its job and kept the action perfectly smooth anytime the FPS changed. As expected, this game wasn’t a challenge for the Predator.

Our comparison group includes two 16-inch contenders: the Alienware 16 Aurora (Core 7 240H, RTX 5060 80W, $1,499 as tested) and the Asus ROG Strix G16 (Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, RTX 5070 Ti 140W, $2,499). We also added the previous-generation Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (Core Ultra 7 155H, RTX 4070 125W, $1,799) to compare to Acer's previous thin gaming notebook.

This lineup generally outpaces the Triton, especially in CPU performance. The Alienware’s “Raptor Lake” Core 7 240H isn’t part of the new Core Ultra family but still packs a punch with six P-cores and four E-cores. The Asus, with its gaming-optimized Ryzen 9, will likely lead the group. Meanwhile, the Helios Neo employs an older Core Ultra chip but benefits from its H-class designation and 45W power rating.

While our primary benchmarks target 1080p resolution, we’ve also included results at each system’s native resolution: 2880 x 1800 for the Triton and 2560 x 1600 for the others.

Starting with Shadow of the Tomb Raider at the Highest detail preset, the Predator Triton holds its own at 1080p, delivering 102 FPS, slightly ahead of both the Predator Helios (96 FPS) and Alienware (99 FPS). However, it trails far behind the RTX 5070 Ti-equipped Asus, which posted a commanding 151 FPS. At native resolution, the Triton dropped to 48 FPS, roughly 10 frames behind the Helios (57 FPS) and Alienware (58 FPS), and well short of the Asus’ 92 FPS.

In Cyberpunk 2077, using the demanding Ray Tracing Ultra preset, the Triton produced 30 FPS at 1080p to be neck-and-neck with the Helios (31 FPS) and Alienware (30 FPS). But at native resolution, its performance dipped to just 8 FPS, compared to 16 FPS for the Helios and 15 FPS for the Alienware. The Asus again led, posting 54 FPS at 1080p and 29 FPS at native.

The Triton fared well in Far Cry 6 at the Ultra preset, achieving 84 FPS at 1080p, outpacing the Helios (76 FPS) and Alienware (81 FPS), though it was still well behind the Asus’s 143 FPS. At native resolution, its 53 FPS result was commendable, landing just a few frames shy of the Helios (58 FPS) and Alienware (59 FPS).

In Red Dead Redemption 2 at Medium settings, the Triton remained competitive, reaching 57 FPS at 1080p and 32 FPS at native. The Helios did better, with 59 FPS and 37 FPS, while the Alienware pulled further ahead at 70 FPS and 43 FPS. The Asus, unsurprisingly, continued to dominate, posting 52 FPS at native.

Finally, in Borderlands 3 at the “Badass” preset, the Triton delivered a standout 91 FPS at 1080p, outgunning both the Helios and Alienware (83 FPS each). At native resolution, its 50 FPS was solid, just behind their 55 FPS. As in previous tests, the Asus remained in a league of its own, bolstered by its higher-wattage RTX 5070 Ti and more robust CPU.

For a smaller system, the Predator Triton 14 AI delivers is more than usable for gaming performance. While the Core Ultra 9 288V processor doesn’t seem to hold it back a 1080p, its 2880 x 1800 native resolution pushes the GeForce RTX 5070 toward its limits. In more demanding titles, maintaining that resolution may require dialing back visual settings to achieve smooth gameplay.

To stress test gaming laptops, we run 15 loops of the Metro Exodus benchmark at 1080p with RTX settings. The Triton achieved an average of 66.96 FPS across all runs, with a standard deviation of just 0.20 FPS, which suggests highly stable thermal performance.

Productivity Performance on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

We tested the Predator Triton 14 AI with a Core Ultra 9 288V CPU, 32GB of onboard memory, and a 1TB SSD (a Micron 3400 in our test unit).

In the Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark, the Predator Triton 14 AI performed well in single-core testing, scoring 2,806 points to outpace the Core Ultra 7 155H-powered Helios (2,425) and Core 7 240H Alienware (2,699), though it fell short of the Asus’s 3,205, a product of its strong Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. Multi-core results, however, underscored the limitations of the Triton’s Core Ultra 9 288V’s 30W power envelope and fewer cores - it only has eight versus the 16 of the Core Ultra 7 155H and Ryzen 9 9955HX3D and 10 in the Core 7 240H. It posted the lowest score at 10,974, while the Helios and Alienware both exceeded 13,000, and the Asus soared past 20,000.

In our 25 GB file transfer test, the Triton averaged 1,232.68 MBps, placing second to last. It edged out the Alienware (1,170.12 MBps) but fell behind the Helios (1,784.7 MBps) and Asus (1,903.64 MBps).

The Handbrake 4K-to-1080p video transcoding test further highlighted the Triton’s limited CPU performance ceiling. It completed the render in 6 minutes and 3 seconds, trailing the Alienware (4:15) and Helios (3:56). The Asus finished in just 2 minutes and 14 seconds.

Display on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

The Predator Triton 14 AI features a 14.5-inch OLED display. Unusually for a gaming laptop, it supports only finger touch input, though not stylus input. Creators might also appreciate its Calman verification for color accuracy.

If I owned this laptop, I’d be rewatching my favorite cinematic shows and movies to reexperience them in stunning OLED style. Watching BBC’s Planet Earth, I found myself captivated by the rich hues of tropical sunsets, the vibrancy of lush jungles, and the stark beauty of desert landscapes, all rendered in crisp detail on the Triton’s 2880 x 1800 resolution. OLED’s excellent contrast also brought out the subtleties in cave and night scenes that might be lost on a normal display. Any content is guaranteed to look its best on this display.

Gaming is equally immersive. With Nvidia G-Sync support and a 120 Hz refresh rate, the picture always looks smooth. I experienced no frame tearing while playing the classic Borderlands II, and the OLED screen really brought the cartoon colors to life.

The Predator Triton 14 AI’s OLED display is an outstanding performer, covering 191.6% of the sRGB gamut and 135.7% of DCI-P3. In contrast, the IPS panels on the other systems topped out around 110% of sRGB and didn’t exceed 80% of DCI-P3. Brightness is also impressive for an OLED panel, measuring 359 nits. It was surpassed by the Asus at 449.4 nits, though IPS panels typically require higher brightness levels to match OLED’s perceived vibrancy. Not shown in the charts, the Triton’s panel peaked at an excellent 562 nits across 10% of the screen area and 548 nits across 40% in our HDR testing.

Keyboard, Touchpad, and Stylus on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

Input devices are something the Predator Triton 14 AI does exceptionally well. The keyboard offers a delightful typing experience, with a luxurious 1.7 mm of travel and well-cushioned keystrokes. The firm keyboard deck exhibits no flex. Laser-sharp mini-LED RGB backlighting sets it off with bright, vivid color. I managed near my personal best in MonkeyType, hitting 122 words per minute with 99% accuracy.

The touchpad is seamlessly integrated into the one-piece glass palm rest, with subtle lightbars lining its ample surface area. The pad uses haptic feedback, which is adjustable with four intensity levels in the Windows Touchpad app. I found the pad natural to use, with the haptic feedback providing immediate, responsive feedback.

Acer intriguingly includes an active stylus in the box for use with the pad. It supports the MPP 2.0 protocol, 4,096 sensitivity levels, tilt, and has varying tip force.. The pen is about the size of a normal ink pen and feels natural. The weight balances about two-thirds towards the end. The two side buttons are easy to find by feel. The stylus relies on a single AAAA battery.

While the stylus is potentially useful, the touchpad’s small surface area feels constrained compared to even a basic external tablet, such as a Wacom Intuos. The convenience of having the pad built in will likely appeal only in edge cases. At a minimum, it would be useful for signing documents.

Audio on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

Despite its six-speaker setup – two side-facing and four under the palm rest – the Predator Triton 14 AI’s audio performance is underwhelming. No matter the settings, the sound always felt recessed and slightly strained. The volume is fine for personal listening, but even a basic Bluetooth speaker would do miles better. At least the side-mounted speakers offer a marginal sense of stereo separation.

I spent a fair amount of time tinkering with the DTS:X Ultra app, which includes several presets and a graphic equalizer. The Music preset sounded off the mark, with muddled midranges. Movie mode was even worse, the most recessed and distorted of the bunch.

Eventually, I resorted to a Custom preset: traditional stereo, volume smoothing enabled, bass boost at 50%, and both treble and dialog clarity enhancements disabled since they made everything sound tinnier. I attempted to dial things in further with the EQ, but it was hard to tell if my tweaks were helping. Adjusting the 32 and 64 Hz bands had almost no effect, underscoring the weak bass response. Pulling back the 8 and 16 kHz ranges by one to two decibels did seem to reduce the tinniness in some tracks I sampled, but not consistently. In the end, I left the EQ flat and accepted the limitations.

For gaming, the audio setup holds its own, offering a decent sense of spatial awareness. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, there was enough detail to catch the footsteps of passing guards and the clink of bullet casings hitting the floor. That said, limited bass and volume cap the excitement. The volume is still more than enough to overpower the laptop’s quiet cooling fans.

Upgradeability of the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

The Predator Triton 14 allows modest upgradeability via its bottom panel, secured by eleven T6 Torx screws. Notably, the four screws along the palmrest edge are shorter than the rest, which share a uniform length. After removing them, I used a plastic trim tool to release the rear-edge clips near the cooling vents. As I made my way around the sides, the panel popped free.

Upgradeable components include the 76 WHr battery, M.2 2280 SSD, and the M.2 2230 wireless card. The RAM is integrated into the Core Ultra 9 288V processor and therefore cannot be replaced.

Battery Life on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

While battery life may be a secondary concern for larger gaming laptops, the Triton’s compact 14.5-inch form factor demands decent unplugged life. Fortunately, it delivers; in our battery test, which simulates real-world usage through web browsing, video streaming over Wi-Fi, and OpenGL workloads at 150 nits brightness, the Triton lasted 8 hours and 16 minutes. That’s well ahead of the Asus (5:21), slightly behind the Helios (8:43), and just shy of the Alienware’s leading 9 hours and 41 minutes.

That said, the Triton’s runtime looks less remarkable when compared to true ultrabooks. The HP OmniBook Ultra, for instance, stretched to 12 hours and 52 minutes in the same test. So, while the Triton delivers gaming performance in an ultrabook form factor, it’s not without compromise.

Heat on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

The Predator Triton 14 AI employs two fans, complemented by a vapor chamber and what Acer claims is a first in laptop design: graphene-based thermal interface materials (TIM). During my testing, the fans operated quietly and unobtrusively, with any noise they generated fading easily into the background.

During the Metro Exodus stress test, the Triton maintained a manageable surface temperature, feeling only mildly warm to the touch. We measured a peak of 85 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad, 102 F between the G and H keys, and 107 F on the underside near the exhaust vents. The Core Ultra 9 CPU’s P-cores averaged 58 Celsius, with E-cores at 55 C. The RTX 5070 GPU averaged 65 C.

Webcam on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

The 1080p webcam atop the Predator Triton 14 AI’s display offers a decent 1920 x 1080 picture. The picture quality maintains accurate color with minimal noise even in less optimal lighting. Acer’s Purified View app launches automatically while the webcam is running, offering automatic framing, background blur, and gaze correction. It has a “super sharp” feature that surprisingly didn’t look artificial, though I left it disabled since the picture looked sharp enough without it. The camera also supports infrared for biometric logins using Windows Hello facial recognition. Unfortunately, it lacks a privacy shutter.

Software and Warranty on the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

Acer’s PredatorSense app gives users control over the Triton 14 AI’s lighting, battery, and display settings, plus real-time CPU/GPU monitoring. The app’s Scenario section enables RGB customization, with about a dozen keyboard effects and the ability to use Windows Dynamic Lighting. All of the settings can be saved into user-defined scenarios that automatically activate when specific apps launch via the App Center.

Also included is Acer’s User Sensing 2.0 app, which uses presence detection to lock the system when you step away, wake it on approach, and dim the screen if you’re not actively looking. It can even remind you to take breaks and shift the mouse cursor between displays using the webcam. Many of these features require that the webcam be always on.

Additional bundled software includes DTS:X Ultra for audio profiles and PurifiedView for webcam enhancements. Some preinstalled trialware is present, such as Dropbox and ExpressVPN. Acer provides a one-year warranty with the Predator Triton 14 AI.

Acer Predator Triton 14 AI Configurations

Our Predator review unit, model PT14-52T-972D, will be available through Costco starting mid-November 2025, priced at $2,499. It features a Core Ultra 9 288V processor, GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and Windows 11 Home. A stylus is included in the box. At the time of review, no other configurations had been announced.

The 14-inch gaming laptop market has grown increasingly competitive, and Acer’s pricing lands on the higher end for its spec sheet. Best Buy currently lists two similarly equipped contenders, each with a 2880 x 1800 OLED display, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The HP Omen Transcend 14 pairs a Core Ultra 9 285H with a GeForce RTX 5070 for $2,039, while the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 combines a Ryzen AI 9 HX and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti for $2,399.

Bottom Line

Acer’s Predator Triton 14 AI strikes a balance between portability and gaming performance. Its premium aluminum and glass construction, paired with a responsive keyboard and touchpad, make for an excellent user experience. The OLED touchscreen, bundled stylus, and Nvidia Studio Drivers add a creative angle, while the quiet cooling and lengthy battery life complement its mobile aspirations. Its speakers aren’t the best, but that’s not a dealbreaker.

Performance-wise, the Triton 14 AI is well capable of gaming and creative workloads, though its 2880 x 1800 native resolution can stress the RTX 5070 in more demanding titles. It also falls behind in CPU performance, with its Core Ultra 9 288V prioritizing efficiency and AI features over the raw horsepower of the Ryzen and Core H-class chips often used in this category.

Still, for those valuing sleek design, solid GPU performance, and creative flexibility over peak CPU throughput, the Predator Triton 14 AI stands out as a compelling portable platform.

Acer Chairman and CEO Jason Chen stated during the company’s annual Long Time Smile Awards that the Nvidia–Intel partnership, which will produce new x86 chips, could potentially complicate the PC supply chain for most manufacturers. According to Digitimes, Chen said that multiple generations of x86 chips from both Intel and AMD are already proving to be complicated— the entry of Nvidia as a third potential supplier will likely make procurement and inventory management much more challenging.

PC makers must consider the cost, performance, and power consumption of each processor to position them in the market effectively, but the existence of multiple generations of chips is making this so much more difficult. For example, Intel recently raised the prices of its Raptor Lake chips because of increasing demand, even though it’s a generation behind the latest Arrow Lake processors. AMD also just launched the Ryzen 3 5100, based on the AM4 platform and using the five-year-old Zen 3 architecture.

Nvidia’s entry into the CPU-making business through Intel will definitely give tech enthusiasts more options — but it will also make it harder for manufacturers to find the right pairing of CPU, GPU, RAM, PSU, etc., that buyers will appreciate. And for the common person, this could just lead to decision fatigue, where they will just settle for the brand they’re familiar with.

Acer founder weighs in on U.S.-Taiwan chip production split suggestion

Acer Founder Stan Shih was also at the event, where he weighed in on U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s proposal to split U.S.-bound semiconductor manufacturing evenly between Taiwan and the United States. According to the publication, Shih said that if the U.S. is truly determined to do a fifty-fifty chip production split between Taiwan and the U.S., it is possible but would take about fifty years to achieve.

The founder said that this proposal is a long-term idea and would require Acer to restructure its supply chain. The company has already adjusted its manufacturing processes for products bound for the U.S. to avoid the high tariffs that the White House has placed on some countries. However, it might be forced to make additional changes pending the outcome of the Section 232 investigation, which could potentially result in a 200% to 300% tariff on chips.

From tariffs and shortages to geopolitics and unexpected partnerships, all the changes in the semiconductor industry are upending the market. Companies have no choice but to roll with the punches, though, as they deal with the challenges that head their way.

With the best OLED gaming monitors taking over premium display categories, the prices of other high-end technologies are coming down. That means you can find 4K panels with fast refresh rates for less than $400.

If you’re a fan of pixel density, 27 inches is a great way to go. 3840x2160 in a 27-inch panel means 168ppi, one of the highest values currently available. I’ve looked at a few of these screens and found all of them to deliver excellent performance and image quality for the money. Here, I’m looking at Acer’s newest Predator model, the XB273K V5. This 27-inch panel has an edge LED backlight, 160 Hz at 4K resolution, 320 Hz at FHD resolution, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, and wide gamut color. At this writing, it sells for $380, so let’s take a look.

Acer Predator XB273K V5 Specs

Acer saves money by using an IPS panel with an edge backlight rather than Mini LED, so the XB273K V5 isn’t quite as bright as those screens, but it has plenty of light output with over 450 nits peak for both SDR and HDR content. Field dimming in HDR mode yields excellent contrast over 5,300:1. HDR10 is supported, and you get a wide color gamut too, with around 92% measured coverage of DCI-P3. Pro-level accuracy is included with precise calibration controls and gamut selections for every spec from sRGB to DCI-P3.

Video processing features a well-tuned overdrive and blur reduction via backlight strobe. Alternatively, you can use Adaptive-Sync with either Nvidia or AMD graphics cards. The XB273K V5 is also a dual refresh monitor with 160 Hz max for 4K and 320 Hz for FHD. Once set up, you can make the switch with a single button press on the included remote. It’s called Smart Dial, and once you try it, you’ll want one for every monitor you ever buy going forward.

Gaming features include a set of aiming points, a timer, and a refresh rate indicator. There are no USB ports, but you do get internal speakers and a headphone jack. LED lighting is also absent. Build and styling are typical of the Predator line, which is to say, premium. The XB273K V5 looks and feels the part without costing too much.

For the $380 Acer is asking, this monitor is equipped to deliver a high-performance gaming experience, as well as everyday usability, and even extra color modes for graphics professionals. The price-to-performance ratio here is very favorable.

Assembly and Accessories

A large clamshell box opens to reveal molded pulp forms keeping everything in place. I am a fan of most companies’ recent switch to fully recyclable packaging, as I absolutely hate the crumbly foam that sprinkles itself around my office. The XB273K V5 includes an IEC cord for its internal power supply plus an HDMI cable. The 100mm VESA mount in back comes with fasteners if you want to use an arm or bracket.

Product 360

The XB273K V5 maintains Acer’s current styling aesthetic for the Predator line with a nice balance of angles and smooth transitions. The little bit at the base of the upright is back with its Transformer-meets-Beaker-from-The-Muppets look shown in the second photo above. Tell me you don’t see it. It has a function that lets you know when the swivel adjustment is centered. The stand and base split at the mouth so you can easily see when it’s off-center. I think this is super clever.

One thing I haven’t seen before is the XB273K V5’s remote, called Smart Dial. Naming aside, this is my new favorite remote. You might think it’s unnecessary for a 27-inch display to have a remote, but once you’ve tried it, you’ll be hooked. It has a little joystick with dedicated buttons for source selection, DFR (Dual Frame Rate), aiming point, and return. It zaps a large IR receiver on the front bezel that works well even at extreme angles. You can also control the OSD with buttons and a joystick in the traditional location along the right back side. A tiny LED shows standby and power status.

The input panel is up and under and includes two HDMI 2.1 and a DisplayPort 1.4 input. A 3.5mm jack accommodates headphones or powered speakers. Or you can listen to the tiny and tinny speakers built into the XB273K V5. They play clearly, but only at upper midrange frequencies. There are no USB ports, nor is there any LED lighting.

OSD Features

The XB273K V5’s OSD appears when you press the remote’s joystick or the one on the panel. It’s an intuitive combination of gaming and professional functions that has everything needed for either use.

There are eight sub-menus in total, with game features split into two sections. Game Assistant has timer and aiming point selections, while Gaming features video processing functions such as overdrive, Adaptive-Sync, and VRB, which is the backlight strobe. It has two levels and works extremely well at eliminating almost all motion blur. The Normal setting doesn’t reduce brightness, and it doesn’t have the phasing artifact common to this tech. Extreme is completely blur-free but darker thanks to its shorter pulse width. I found sufficient compensation using just the overdrive, which works smoothly on its Normal setting.

In the Picture menu are basic image controls along with HDR options. I found that even though one is called Auto, it does not automatically switch between HDR and SDR. The best choice there is HDR-400, which follows the HDR10 color and luminance specs exactly. An important option in this menu is Max Brightness, which must be turned on if you want, you guessed it, maximum brightness. It’ll get you around 450 nits peak.

There are eight picture modes but if you make any adjustments at all, the XB273K V5 switches to User. There, you can choose a color space, one of four color temp presets, and a gamma curve. For calibration, Acer provides RGB gain and bias sliders that are very precise.

Two of the panel’s control keys can be programmed to different quick-access functions like overdrive or picture mode selection. You can also specify the function of the P button on the remote. To use DFR (Dual Frame Rate), you must first make your resolution and speed settings in Nvidia or AMD control panels. Once done, you can switch modes with a single press of the DFR button on the remote. When you’re all done tweaking the XB273K V5, there are three settings memories that map to the three game modes.

Acer Predator XB273K V5 Calibration Settings

The XB273K V5 ships with a calibration data sheet, but I found my sample’s grayscale tracking had a little room for improvement. In the User mode, user color temp, I adjusted the RGB gains for a visibly better image. Gamma and color are spot on in either case. To use the wide color gamut for SDR, choose the General option in the colorspace sub-menu. It covers around 92% of DCI-P3. If you choose sRGB, it is accurate, but the calibration controls are grayed out. My recommended SDR settings are below.

For HDR signals, you must make the switch manually from the Picture menu. HDR-400 is the best choice there and it tracks luminance, grayscale and color correctly.

Gaming and Hands-on

Setting up dual refresh operation is the same procedure I’ve followed with other similar displays. Once Windows appears, make sure the XB273K V5 is running at 3840x2160 and choose 160 Hz from the dropdown in either Nvidia or AMD’s control panel. Then, hit the DFR button on the remote. Go back to the control panel and choose 320 Hz. This will lock in, and you won’t have to visit those dialog boxes again. The switch takes a few seconds, but I never had an issue during my tests. Don’t try the switch in game though, most titles I tried it with became unstable. It works most reliably from the Windows desktop. Also, decide whether you’re playing in HDR or SDR first. Otherwise, HDR tone mapping and color will be incorrect.

Most of my past experiences with dual refresh monitors have been in the 32-inch size. For me, the switch to FHD makes the image quite soft and I don’t find it’s worth the reduction in input lag. But at 27 inches, like the XB273K V5, the picture is more palatable at the lower pixel density. There is an obvious uptick in speed and responsiveness, and motion blur goes from almost zero to zero. Acer’s overdrive is top-notch, as in, one of the very best.

The XB273K V5 also has blur reduction via backlight strobe, called VRB, and it too is one of the best examples of the technology. There is no phasing on its Normal setting and brightness stays the same. The Extreme setting removes all traces of blur, but it darkens the image by around 50%. If you have enough graphics horsepower, it isn’t necessary. I could run at 160fps in 4K thanks to the GeForce RTX 4090 in my test PC.

Gaming was a satisfying experience, and I found the XB273K V5 to be one of the best 4K LCDs I’d tried in a while. It was super quick and smooth in both refresh modes. Of course, 4K had the added benefit of super high pixel density, which rendered textural details more sharply than a 32-inch monitor could. Color was vibrant and natural too with deep primaries and natural hues throughout.

Dialing back the fun to get some work done was an easy task for the XB273K V5. It handled graphics and document editing tasks with equal precision. 4K at 27 inches makes for an image that has no visible dot structure, which is great for Photoshop and tiny text in Word and Excel. This is a very capable productivity display.

Takeaway: The XB273K V5’s dual refresh function is one of its major selling points, but I am more attracted to its excellent color, high pixel density and smooth video processing. It also represents one of the best values in the segment at $380. Put the money you save into a high-end video card, and you’ll have a competition-worthy rig. And when it’s time to pay the bills, this monitor gets work done with ease and comfort.

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I have one other dual-refresh 27-inch monitor in my database to compare the XB273K V5, Alienware’s AW2725QF, which runs at 180 and 360 Hz. The remaining screens have a single rate and are Gigabyte’s GS27U, Asus XG27UCS, Samsung’s 3D G, and BenQ’s PD3226G.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

One thing that is immediately obvious when switching to the higher rate is less motion blur. 3ms is super quick, and you can easily see the difference. The Alienware’s extra 40 Hz doesn’t give it an advantage there. In fairness, though, 6 or 7ms is also fast enough for smooth motion, provided the overdrive is done properly, which is certainly the case for the XB273K V5. It is very precise at either refresh rate.

In the input lag test, you’ll get quicker control response at 320 or 360 Hz for sure. Alienware doesn’t gain an advantage there either. And the XB273K V5 is 1ms quicker at 160 Hz. Again, there isn’t a slow monitor in this bunch. All will deliver excellent gameplay.

Test Takeaway: I can’t help but note that the XB273K V5 and the AW2725QF are equal in both response and lag tests, but the Alienware costs almost $200 more. Acer delivers superlative value here with a very fast and precise gaming monitor. Its overdrive is excellent and if you want the backlight strobe instead of Adaptive-Sync, that works well too.

Viewing Angles

The XB273K V5 doesn’t break any new ground when it comes to IPS viewing angles. It offers decent off-axis image quality with only a slight reduction in brightness, darker gamma and a green tint at 45 degrees. This is typical performance for a current model IPS monitor. The top view has reduced brightness and gamma with a blue shift.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

My XB273K V5 sample showed decent screen uniformity with no visible hot spots, bleed, or glow. The meter showed elevated black levels in the lower right corner, but I could not see this in content. This is solid performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The XB273K V5 includes three options that change both brightness and contrast. Max Brightness must be turned on to get to the full 450 nits in SDR mode. You also get Advanced Contrast and ACM which are field dimming features. To avoid any clipping of highlight or shadow detail, they need to be off. In its native state, contrast is 932.3:1 which is just shy of the IPS average of 1,000:1. Though it’s in fifth place here, the group is fairly tight with little difference from bottom to top.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration improves contrast slightly and vaults the XB273K V5 to the top with excellent black levels. This is impressive considering I had to lower the contrast slider by five clicks to solve a color issue at full brightness. The ANSI test is consistent at 930.3:1, which is just behind the first-place Samsung. This is very good performance.

Test Takeaway: The XB273K V5 offers contrast and brightness typical of IPS monitors with edge backlights. It’s consistent both before and after calibration with a solid intra-image result. It won’t hang with an OLED, but for $380, I can’t complain.

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The XB273K V5 ships with a calibration data sheet that my sample nearly matched. Out of the box, it comes close to standard, but I would recommend calibration for the best possible picture.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

In the Standard picture mode, the XB273K V5’s grayscale runs a little red. You can see the error starting at the 50% step and increasing as the image gets brighter. A red error is forgivable since it is less visible in content than a green one. That’s what you’ll see if you pick the user color temp without calibrating.

Luckily, the RGB sliders are very precise, and you get both gains and bias adjustments. I only had to tweak the gains to get all errors below 1dE. The 100% step just cracks the line and there, I had to lower contrast from 50 to 45 to eliminate highlight clipping. Gamma remains almost perfectly on the 2.2 reference line. This is excellent performance.

When you pick the sRGB gamut, the red tint returns, and you can’t adjust it away since the color temp options are grayed out. I noted that gamma conforms to the BT.1886 standard rather than 2.2 power. While this is correct, it would be nice to have a choice of different gamma presets and color temps.

Comparisons

Asus wins the out-of-box contest here with its XG27UCS at 0.58dE. The XB273K V5 is just over the visible threshold at 3.80dE. You can get away with not calibrating, but I recommend making the changes I outlined earlier. That takes it to the top with an excellent 0.47dE result.

Gamma tracking is visually perfect with a tiny 0.05 range of values and a 0.91% deviation from 2.2. The actual value is 2.22. It doesn’t get much better than that. This is excellent performance.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The XB273K V5 has superb color tracking in all its picture and gamut modes, starting with Standard, which nails the DCI-P3 standard with only the slightest green undersaturation. All other colors are right on target. Grayscale calibration tightens up the chart slightly, taking the error a bit lower. The default of 1.91dE is nothing to complain about.

sRGB also tracks perfectly with a 1.58dE average error. There is slight oversaturation, but nothing that would disqualify the XB273K V5 from color-critical use.

Comparisons

The XB273K V5 compares very favorably with a low 1.12dE color score. Visually, there is no difference in accuracy among this solid group of monitors. There is a wider gap in color volume, though, with the XB273K V5 showing a little less verve than the top two screens from Asus and BenQ. You won’t find Quantum Dot tech in this segment, but if you want full coverage of DCI-P3, the Acer has just a little less green. In practice, the difference is small but visible. However, it’s still accurate enough for critical work.

Test Takeaway: The XB273K V5 delivers solid accuracy out of the box and even better numbers with a few adjustments to color temp and contrast. It covers an average amount of the DCI-P3 gamut, with some competitors showing more color and some showing less. Gaming is always a bright and vivid experience. Accuracy is good enough for critical work in any standard thanks to a complete set of gamut modes, something most gaming monitors lack.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The XB273K V5 supports HDR10 signals with two specific picture modes. Though one of them is called Auto, it doesn’t switch automatically between signal types.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

I tested both Auto and HDR-400 modes and found the latter to deliver the most contrast and the brightest HDR image. It employs a field dimming feature to boost contrast up to 5,361.2:1, a figure surpassed only by the Alienware, which has more aggressive dimming and an 11,276.4:1 ratio. The XB273K V5 is the best of the rest, with very deep black levels though it is not quite as bright at 451 nits peak. This is still enough for a clear difference between HDR and SDR content.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The HDR-400 mode’s superiority was also manifested in the grayscale test, where it nailed the EOTF tracking and showed visually perfect grayscale. All errors are below 2dE, which puts the XB273K V5 ahead of most other HDR screens. The color tests were equally impressive with excellent hue tracking and just some slight oversaturation in red, blue and magenta. This is typical of the HDR monitors I’ve reviewed. In the BT.2020 test, the XB273K V5 hits the inner targets until running out of color at 85% red, 65% green and 95% blue, also typical performance.

Test Takeaway: The XB273K V5 is extremely color accurate in HDR mode when using the HDR-400 preset. It doesn’t make the switch automatically, so you’ll have to visit the OSD each time. But that doesn’t take away from the excellent HDR image, which benefits from field dimming and a contrast ratio over 5,300:1. Overall, it is a better HDR monitor than others in its price range.

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As I review more dual refresh gaming monitors, I’m still not convinced of their benefit. 32-inch models go quite soft in FHD mode, and I don’t find the improved response to be worth the reduction in detail that comes with it. But at 27 inches, the switch is more palatable. It’s a viable way to get better performance if your video card can’t maintain 160fps in 4K resolution.

With or without its 320 Hz feature, the Acer Predator XB273K V5 is an excellent gaming monitor. It’s fast and smooth with excellent overdrive and a usable backlight strobe for blur reduction. It’s reasonably accurate out of the box and pro-level with calibration. It has solid color volume with average coverage of DCI-P3. As a 4K 27-inch monitor, it boasts terrific pixel density with an impressive 168ppi.

It also has plenty of features for both gaming and graphics pros. A complete set of gamut modes, two-point white balance, and precise adjustability make it well-suited for Photoshop or other creative tasks. And again, there’s that pixel density that makes photos look their best.

The XB273K V5 is also a superb value. For $380, you’re getting an extremely capable display that can play games and get through work with equal satisfaction. If you’re looking to add 4K to your system but don’t have the bread for OLED, the Acer Predator XB273K V5 is a great choice. Definitely check it out.

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If the Acer FA200 feels familiar, it’s probably because it’s a clone of the HP FX700, both made by Biwin. That isn’t a bad thing. The FX700 demonstrated that YMTC could produce high-quality QLC flash, which, when paired with the right controller, proved surprisingly performant. Add in excellent power efficiency at up to 4TB, and you have a budget winner on your hands. An affordable, fully-fledged PCIe 4.0 SSD for all your games, media, and backups in an inoffensive single-sided package. Sounds pretty good to me.

It’s been over 21 months since that review, though, and the storage landscape has changed significantly in that time. The Crucial P310 and Sandisk WD Blue SN5100 have redefined what a QLC flash drive can do. You also have TLC drives like the Sandisk WD Black SN7100 that offer all the advantages of QLC – capacity and low cost – without the disadvantages. We also have PCIe 5.0 drives like the WD Black SN8100 that defy convention with ridiculous performance and power efficiency. This makes the Acer FA200 feel almost old-school and outdated, yet it’s still a capable drive.

If there’s a real problem here, it’s that the NAND flash market is in disarray as of late, in part due to the impact of large data demands for AI. QLC flash is designed to be denser and cheaper than TLC, so it’s in higher demand, making consumer SSDs an afterthought for supply. This hurts drives like the FA200 because they don’t have the usual price advantage, and vertically-integrated companies like Crucial and Sandisk can afford to hoard and use their own manufactured QLC flash.

The YMTC flash from China should help the FA200 get around this problem, but political friction and stigma continue to make things challenging. This has put pressure on PCIe 4.0 drives in general, making PCIe 5.0 options increasingly attractive in comparison as time passes. That sounds outlandish, but the same thing happened with PCIe 3.0 in its time.

This isn’t all bad news, as the newer PCIe 5.0 drives are actually quite excellent. They just have to come down in price. However, it does mean that if you’re looking to scoop up a high-capacity drive solely for storage – such as a PCIe 4.0 drive with a capacity of up to 4TB and possibly QLC flash – then you should consider doing so sooner rather than later. Black Friday and the next Prime Day are just around the corner, so there's still time left, but we suggest nailing down what you want ahead of time.

The FA200 falls into the budget or secondary drive category. It’s perfect for general storage, works great with the PS5, and the graphene label ensures it stays cool enough for laptops. If you can find it or a similar drive on sale, particularly one with 2TB or more storage capacity, then it’s not such a bad choice. Just don’t expect it to handle sustained writes well. This is not the drive to look at if you want TLC flash and/or DRAM, but among the DRAM-less QLC drives, you could do a lot worse. We think the P310 and Blue SN5100 are better, but you might be able to snag an FA200 or equivalent for less while enjoying the same general level of performance for the intended role.

Acer FA200 Specifications

Acer covers the full range of capacities by offering the FA200 in the 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB sizes. At the time of review, the 500GB model was not available; however, based on pricing in other regions, it should be priced below $55. The rest are at $64.99, $117.99, and $219.99. These prices are too high for this hardware, as similar drives, such as the Orico e7400 and the TeamGroup MP44Q, are listed for less. The 1TB and 2TB models should be priced at around $60 and $100, respectively. The 4TB is a hard sell compared to the WD Black SN7100, which features TLC rather than QLC flash and is currently available for $209.99.

The FA200 can hit peak performance at just 1TB, with sequential reads and writes of up to 7,200/6,200 MB/s and up to 1,000K/850K random read and write IOPS. The drive comes with the standard five-year warranty and supports up to 500TB of writes per TB of capacity. This is less than the standard 600TB, but the drive uses QLC flash. This makes the listed endurance/TBW higher than normal, as QLC drives usually have a warranty for about half the write endurance of TLC. We don’t think this write limit is a weak point for the FA200.

Acer FA200 Software and Accessories

Acer’s drives, like HP’s, are made by Biwin. The software for the FA200 is Biwin Intelligence, which is your standard SSD toolbox application. This is multifunctional with S.M.A.R.T. health and system information, and numerous other features. Such features include a performance test, data migration and cloning, drive erasure, firmware updates, error scanning, TRIM optimization, and drive monitoring.

Acer FA200: A Closer Look

The FA200 is single-sided at all capacities – including the 4TB model being reviewed today – which simplifies installation and cooling. The drive does have a graphene heatspreading label, which we’ve found to be actually useful. This is similar to the HP FX700's solution, which makes sense as Biwin makes drives for both companies, and the FX700’s hardware is identical to the FA200’s. The drive has a controller without DRAM and four NAND flash packages.

The 4TB FA200 achieves equal or better results than the 2TB FX700 in our analysis, suggesting that the firmware has been updated – specifically, SN15536 on the FA200 and SN14428 on the FX700 – and that the Maxio controller is optimized for 4TB of QLC flash. You are not sacrificing significant performance or power efficiency to reach 4TB, which is often the case with other four-channel, DRAM-less solutions.

Our thoughts above match the controller in question: the Maxio MAP1602-F3C is the updated version of the MAP1602, specifically designed to handle 4TB of flash. This controller can get very hot in our experience, but a simple heatspreader can mitigate that issue nicely. The flash in question here is YMTC’s 232-Layer QLC, which has done just fine for us in the past. This flash is perfectly suitable for games and general storage and does not suffer unduly on a 4TB drive. To be succinct, we are not aware of any peculiarities with this hardware in general.

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Comparison Products

The QLC drive of the hour is the Crucial P310, a more recent release that threatens to take market share from existing budget drives. The Kingston NV3 is a stalwart opponent in this arena, usually coming with QLC flash, even though our release sample used TLC. Technically, the P310 is replacing the popular P3 Plus, which uses the same hardware as the Corsair MP600 Core XT. The FA200, like the P310, is capable of pumping out more bandwidth, which can translate to improved overall performance.

We then look at drives that share the FA200’s controller but have different flash memory. This includes the Addlink A93 with YMTC TLC flash, and the Klevv CRAS C925 with rarer SK hynix TLC. We also have the Inland TN470, which shows off Phison’s comparable E27T controller. These drives are all roughly in the same class and can perform similarly; however, price and flash capacity must factor into your decision. QLC flash might yield the same performance for what you intend to do with the drive, but if you’re not saving money, then why not go with TLC?

We also want to demonstrate how this drive compares to some of the better PCIe 4.0 drives. We would generally recommend the Samsung 990 Pro, but the 4TB 990 Pro is specifically the best drive to compare, as it’s likely the best 4TB PCIe 4.0 drive on the market. To save money, many people opt to keep the DRAM but switch to an older platform, such as Phison’s E18. The Netac NV7000 is a fair representative of this controller in a mature state. The E18 remains a popular choice for “budget” capacity – we mention the MSI M480 Pro in our conclusion – despite being a higher-end platform on paper. The E18 has recently been known to experience a read performance issue in some cases, but firmware is being or will be released to address this issue.

Trace Testing — 3DMark Storage Benchmark

Built for gamers, 3DMark’s Storage Benchmark focuses on real-world gaming performance. Each round in this benchmark stresses storage based on gaming activities including loading games, saving progress, installing game files, and recording gameplay video streams. Future gaming benchmarks will be DirectStorage-inclusive and we also include notes about which drives may be future-proofed.

A 4TB DRAM-less budget drive? Yep, it’s good for games. The FA200 has more than adequate performance to minimize your load times. QLC flash, which the FA200 uses, is perhaps best suited for drives like this, where you get the most space for your dollar. Best for games, storage, and other tasks where you write little but read often. The FA200 is a bit outdated here, though, as the newer P310 and Sandisk WD Blue SN5100 go a step further on performance. The FA200 needs to beat them on price to make sense. That said, at least there’s little to no reason to spend more on a TLC flash drive for gaming, so you can narrow your prospects if needed.

Trace Testing — PCMark 10 Storage Benchmark

PCMark 10 is a trace-based benchmark that uses a wide-ranging set of real-world traces from popular applications and everyday tasks to measure the performance of storage devices. The results are particularly useful when analyzing drives for their use as primary/boot storage devices and in work environments.

The FA200 is somewhat more disappointing in PCMark 10. This real-world, everyday application benchmark favors higher-end drives, such as the 990 Pro, and shuns older QLC-based options, like the MP600 Core XT. The FA200 falls somewhere in between the worst and best QLC drives, which complicates things. We would suggest a TLC-based drive for your application workloads, but if you're on a budget or need more space, a QLC drive could suffice. In that case, you should probably go for something that can maximize the PCIe 4.0 interface, like the FA200, rather than the older P3 Plus class of drives. As before, though, the FA200 would need to be less expensive than the P310 and Blue SN5100.

Console Testing — PlayStation 5 Transfers

The PlayStation 5 is capable of taking one additional PCIe 4.0 or faster SSD for extra game storage. While any 4.0 drive will technically work, Sony recommends drives that can deliver at least 5,500 MB/s of sequential read bandwidth for optimal performance. In our testing, PCIe 5.0 SSDs don’t bring much to the table and generally shouldn’t be used in the PS5, especially as they may require additional cooling. Check our Best PS5 SSDs article for more information.

Our testing utilizes the PS5’s internal storage test and manual read/write tests with over 192GB of data both from and to the internal storage. Throttling is prevented where possible to see how each drive operates under ideal conditions. While game load times should not deviate much from drive to drive, our results can indicate which drives may be more responsive in long-term use.

QLC drives like the FA200 make a lot of sense for the PS5. They’re the best way to get a decent amount of storage at usually the lowest price per TB. 4TB is also a realistic cap for DRAM-less drives. Although slower drives can meet the PS5’s requirements, having one that can fully push the PCIe 4.0 interface like the FA200 ensures you never feel like you’re failing to reach your maximum potential. The graphene headspreading label also means you can do without the hassle of adding a heatsink, which can also save you some money.

Transfer Rates — DiskBench

We use the DiskBench storage benchmarking tool to test file transfer performance with a custom, 50GB dataset. We write 31,227 files of various types, such as pictures, PDFs, and videos to the test drive, then make a copy of that data to a new folder, and follow up with a reading test of a newly-written 6.5GB zip file. This is a real world type workload that fits into the cache of most drives.

DiskBench is one of our non-synthetic tests as it uses real files in a direct transfer. It does bank on pSLC cache performance, which is why the QLC-based P310 and FA200 manage to come out on top. If you’re not doing massive transfers, you really don’t need TLC flash. Any SSD that can reach near-top PCIe 4.0 performance levels will handle everyday transfers just fine. The FA200 is one such drive despite its budget nature.

Synthetic Testing — ATTO / CrystalDiskMark

ATTO and CrystalDiskMark (CDM) are free and easy-to-use storage benchmarking tools that SSD vendors commonly use to assign performance specifications to their products. Both of these tools give us insight into how each device handles different file sizes and at different queue depths for both sequential and random workloads.

Let’s start with ATTO. The FA200 doesn’t impress here, as many other drives have higher throughput where it matters, at higher block or I/O sizes. QLC-based SSDs are often used as a replacement for HDDs, and what are HDDs best at? Sustained, sequential transfers of larger files. That said, the FA200 is still fast enough if it’s your secondary storage drive. It only has one noticeable dip for 1MiB reads, and it’s likely because of the controller being used. The Maxio MAP1602 is on other drives that exhibit a similar drop, including the A93 and the CRAS C925. I think you’ll agree that this is a worthwhile trade-off for being able to buy a 4TB SSD at an affordable price.

And the FA200 does fine enough in CrystalDiskMark’s sequential tests, especially at the more realistic QD1. It’s average to above average both there and with the random read/write latency tests. It can’t match the 990 Pro for reads or beat the P310 or MP600 Core XT for writes, but its performance is certainly good enough. We can’t ignore that the FA200 doesn’t quite feel as up-to-date as the P310 or WD Blue SN5100, but if it comes in at a lower price point – especially at 4TB – then we would recommend it as a cost-saving measure if you just need extra fast storage.

Sustained Write Performance and Cache Recovery

Official write specifications are only part of the performance picture. Most SSDs implement a write cache, which is a fast area of pseudo-SLC (single-bit) programmed flash that absorbs incoming data. Sustained write speeds can suffer tremendously once the workload spills outside of the cache and into the "native" TLC (three-bit) or QLC (four-bit) flash. Performance can suffer even more if the drive is forced to fold, which is the process of migrating data out of the cache in order to free up space for further incoming data.

We use Iometer to hammer the SSD with sequential writes for 15 minutes to measure both the size of the write cache and performance after the cache is saturated. We also monitor cache recovery via multiple idle rounds. This process shows the performance of the drive in various states as well as the steady state write performance.

The 4TB FA200 initially writes in a faster, single-bit pSLC mode that temporarily leverages capacity for speed. This mode averages 5.54 GB/s over 190 seconds. The drive writes faster for the first two seconds – approximately 12GB of data – and then somewhat slower for the next 188 seconds, for a cache that fills the entire drive. The first part of the cache acts like a static cache, as you’d find in hybrid schemes such as WD’s nCache and Samsung’s TurboWrite, with the rest being dynamic for the remaining extent of the drive. 4TB of 4-bit QLC flash turns into about 1TB of 1-bit pSLC, but the dynamic cache will diminish in size as the drive is filled.

Our understanding is that this controller does not actually use any static cache, which makes sense if you compare the cache size to WD’s – the WD cache is massive but not quite the size of the entire drive. This means the temporary uplift at the start is probably meant only to imitate that sort of mode because such a mode is ideal for caching a burst of random writes, which are often small in nature. If you already know that your drive will have a massive cache, then it’s worth having a slower sustained pSLC speed with a special mode to handle random writes. QLC flash drives are not really meant to get hammered with writes, and having a somewhat reduced sustained write speed can reduce wear when combined with this strategy. This may or may not be the case, but our results appear to support the hypothesis.

Once the cache is exhausted, the drive is forced to write to the native QLC flash and, in fact, must fold data in order to free up space for additional writes. Folding is slower because the controller must wait for writes to be moved from pSLC to QLC before it can accept more incoming writes from the user. This is usually about half the speed of the native flash, but that is only a rule of thumb. The reality is that the performance impact depends on many things, and not only is the sustained write speed affected – mixed workloads where you might be requesting reads will face increased latency, which is one reason QLC flash drives like this can, in their worst state, effectively freeze up and feel laggy. That is one good reason that drives like the FA200 are best for read-heavy workloads, being optimal for storage and games.

Power Consumption and Temperature

We use the Quarch HD Programmable Power Module to gain a deeper understanding of power characteristics. Idle power consumption is an important aspect to consider, especially if you're looking for a laptop upgrade as even the best ultrabooks can have mediocre stock storage. Desktops may be more performance-oriented with less support for power-saving features, so we show the worst-case.

Some SSDs can consume watts of power at idle while better-suited ones sip just milliwatts. Average workload power consumption and max consumption are two other aspects of power consumption but performance-per-watt, or efficiency, is more important. A drive might consume more power during any given workload, but accomplishing a task faster allows the drive to drop into an idle state more quickly, ultimately saving energy.

For temperature recording we currently poll the drive’s primary composite sensor during testing with a ~22°C ambient. Our testing is rigorous enough to heat the drive to a realistic ceiling temperature.

One of the greatest revolutions in SSDs has been the incredible improvement in power efficiency, which started mostly with PCIe 4.0 drives. The PCIe 3.0 SK hynix Gold P31 warrants an honorable mention. The FA200 is almost 40% more efficient than that drive, which shows how far we’ve come. SSDs have long been a good choice over HDDs for reduced power consumption, which has benefited laptops more than anything else. In the era of portable gaming systems, though, the power efficiency gains of PCIe 4.0 DRAM-less drives are more important than ever. Less power means less heat, and heat is the enemy. This is true with the FA200, which only hit 51°C in our testing, although this controller is known to create a hot spot. The graphene solution of the FA200 does an excellent job of mitigating that issue.

Test Bench and Testing Notes

We use an Alder Lake platform with most background applications such as indexing, Windows updates, and anti-virus disabled in the OS to reduce run-to-run variability. Each SSD is prefilled to 50% capacity and tested as a secondary device. Unless noted, we use active cooling for all SSDs.

Acer FA200 Bottom Line

We would love to give this drive a higher score, but it simply cannot fully compete with newer QLC drives, such as the Crucial P310 and the Sandisk Blue SN5100. Micron’s QLC flash is better optimized with the Phison E27T, and the BiCS8 QLC of the Blue SN5100 is simply superlative. The P310 has quickly become a fan favorite because it’s widely available in a range of capacities with improving prices. The Blue SN5100 needs to come down in price, but it provides a Black SN7100-like experience with excellent power efficiency and low random read latency. The FA200 is last-gen compared to these and may not be easy to find at an affordable price in all regions.

Even with that put aside, the FA200 still exhibits the poor sustained write performance that many QLC-based drives do. On the whole, it has above-average performance, though, and especially excels in 3DMark and PCMark 10. This makes it great as a secondary drive, a gaming drive, or as extra storage in the PS5. The graphene heatspreading label does a good job of keeping the drive cool, which makes it nice for laptops, too. We don’t really have any complaints there. The problem is that this simply feels like a last-generation drive compared to ones we’ve seen recently because, frankly, it is. Coupled with volatile pricing in the NAND flash and SSD markets, particularly for QLC that is diverted for enterprise use, it’s a difficult sell. Probably the “nail in the coffin” is how affordable the Black SN7100 has been, underlining the fact that TLC flash drives can compete with pricing that is so close. QLC once held a density advantage and may again, but for this generation, it’s rapidly becoming murky.

We gave the identical HP FX700 a higher score in its review, but that is almost two years ago now. If you can find a drive with this hardware – like the recently-reviewed TeamGroup MP44Q – and preferably a nice heatspreader, we can still recommend it as a quick way to add a lot of storage. The FA200 and its peers make sense at 2TB and 4TB if they can save you enough money. However, competitors like the Black SN7100 and TeamGroup MP44 make this a more challenging proposition. At 2TB, at least, the MP44Q can compete, but even then, for 10% more, you can get an MSI M480 Pro.

Still, this hardware can work at 2TB because it’s guaranteed to be the same when you buy it, which isn’t the case with others like the Kingston NV3. So if you’re adding this at the last second or just need a solid SSD in a pinch, the FA200 or its clones are far from terrible. They can no longer command quite the same attention they once did.

MORE: Best SSDs

MORE: Best External SSDs

MORE: Best SSD for the Steam Deck

Acer is a name you don’t often associate with wireless routers, but the company does have a small lineup. With the industry having largely transitioned to Wi-Fi 7, it’s natural that Acer would offer a router that supports the latest standard. The Predator Connect T7 definitely fits the bill.

It’s a tri-band gaming router that features RGB lighting and a sleek, white design. However, Predator Connect T7’s hardware doesn’t match its gaming aspirations or its lofty price tag.

Design of the Acer Predator Connect T7

Like many mesh routers on the market, the Predator Connect T7 has a tower-style design. It has a square base that measures 4.29 x 4.29 inches, and it’s 8.35 inches tall. The front of the router has a slim, vertical LED that illuminates blue when the router is online. The top of the router has ventilation slats and additional LEDs. These LEDs pulse blue when there’s internet connectivity, and red when there’s a problem with your connection.

The bottom of the router is unremarkable, save for a tiny switch that is used to power on/off the router and a pin-hole reset button (which will take the router back to the factory default mode). Moving to the back of the Predator Connect T7 is where the disappointment starts to settle in. The router features a single 2.5 Gbps WAN port, which is not auto-sensing; it is only usable for WAN purposes and cannot connect a capable wired device for LAN duties. Below the 2.5 Gbps WAN port are two 1 Gbps LAN ports, one of which is labeled as “Game.” Essentially, Acer prioritizes network traffic for games when using this port. There’s also a single USB-C port.

However, we must consider that the Predator Connect T7 carries an MSRP of $329 for a single node. If you need two to cover your home, you’re looking at $630 for a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh system that only has two 1 Gbps ports dedicated to LAN devices. That’s inexcusable at this price point. You’ll also see that the 1 Gbps limitation also comes into play later in our in-house iPerf3 performance testing.

One other thing to consider is that the Predator Connect T7 is marketed as a Wi-Fi 7 mesh router. However, Acer doesn’t currently sell the Predator Connect T7 in multi-pack configurations. Unlike almost every other router manufacturer, i.e., you can’t get a two- or three-pack with discounted pricing. Therefore, if you require a two-node system, you’ll need to pay $329 for each unit, without any discount.

Acer Predator Connect T7 Specifications

Setting up the Acer Predator Connect T7

The setup process for the Predator Connect T7 can be completed using the Acer Connect smartphone app (available for Android and iOS) or a desktop browser. I went through both workflows (with a factory reset in between) to get a sense of how they worked.

Using the smartphone app, I first needed to create an Acer account. Next, you tap the “+” button in the top right corner of the Acer Connect app, which brings you to a visual list of Acer’s wireless router family. I chose Predator Connect T7 and was asked if I wanted to set up the system as a standalone router or a mesh controller (for use in a mesh network). Since Acer provided me with two Predator Connect T7 review units, I opted to configure the first as a Mesh controller. After a few minutes, I was up and running. It was at this point that I performed a factory reset on the router and went through the setup process again using the desktop browser-based WebGUI.

Using this method, I connected to the router via our iPerf3 server, which was connected to one of the 1 Gbps LAN ports. I then logged into the router using the username and password printed on the bottom of the router. From here, the setup process was even quicker, as it automatically detected my internet connection and asked if I wanted to proceed directly to using the router. I obliged and was greeted with the router’s Dashboard. I then clicked on "System" from the left menu and chose "Mesh Controller" for the Operation Mode. The router then performed a reboot to confirm my selection.

My two Predator Connect T7 units came in individual retail boxes, not as a set. This means that they weren’t automatically paired with each other; I had to tackle this process on my own. Unfortunately, it’s not very straightforward. With most modern routers, you can easily add a new satellite to your existing network. Typically, you turn on the satellite and add it using a smartphone app or the router’s web GUI on a desktop browser.

However, with the second Predator Connect T7 node, I had to repeat the entire setup process. This time, I connected to the second node wirelessly using the SSID/password located on the bottom of the unit. I then fired up my web browser and logged in using the administrator username and password. I again had to click on System, but this time, I selected Mesh Agent, and the unit rebooted. Acer next requires that you simultaneously press the WPS button on both nodes for two seconds and then release to begin the pairing process. I overlooked this step at first, so I had to unplug the second Predator Connect T7 from my usual downstairs (living room) testing spot and plug it in next to the main router.

Once it booted, I pressed and released the WPS buttons. After about a minute, the two wireless nodes confirmed that they had paired, as the LEDs on top of both units were gently pulsing blue. I then unplugged the second node, took it back downstairs, and then plugged it back in at my usual testing spot.

It's a cumbersome process that Acer should work to improve – or at least provide customers with two- or three-packs that come pre-paired.

Acer Predator Connect T7 Software

The main Dashboard for the Predator Connect T7 provides a wealth of information. At the top, you'll find your current internet connection status, along with a link to obtain a SpeedTest result. You'll also see current traffic over the WAN. Directly below is a visual representation of your Mesh topology, along with the connection status between the two wireless nodes. According to the Dashboard, the secondary node has a Multi-Link Operation (MLO) connection to the main router with "Normal" signal strength.

At the bottom, you'll see the number of wireless devices connected, current router uptime, and which LAN/WAN ports are active. You can also view the Guest network status and which wireless bands are enabled. By default, the Predator Connect T7 has Band Steering enabled, meaning that the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands are all combined under a single SSID (in this case, T7_Mesh_hIrv), and clients will automatically connect to the optimum band to join. An MLO network is separately available (T7_Mesh_MLO).

Here's another peculiarity I encountered: I couldn’t find a setting in the WebGUI to turn off band steering. However, the setting is available using the smartphone app. When Band Steering is disabled, you can set the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands to each have its own SSID.

Going down the left menu bar, the next stop is Hybrid QoS, which automatically prioritizes data packets for devices equipped with Killer network cards. Even if you don't have a device that can take advantage of Killer prioritization, the Predator Connect T7 can still identify different classes of devices and deliver packets from high priority to low priority: Games, Streaming, Browsing, or Low.

You can choose to use this Hybrid QoS or Max Throughput (enabled by default)

Quick Setup allows you to configure the node in Router, Mesh Controller, or Mesh Agent mode. WAN provides typical settings, including firewall control, the ability to disable or enable UPnP, access to NAT passthrough (for example, if you have an ISP-supplied modem/router gateway), and port forwarding (among other settings). Wi-Fi allows you to set a specific SSID for each wireless band or rely on Band Steering to combine all bands under a single SSID. LAN settings provide the status of connected ports, while IPv6 offers multiple controls for IP assignments.

Home Network Security is a complimentary service offered to Predator Connect T7 users, powered by Trend Micro – you don’t have to pay a monthly or yearly subscription like some other routers. It gives you access to malicious site blocking, network attack blocking, and IoT security protection. They can all be turned on or off all at once, or you can enable only the features you want. There are also comprehensive Parental Controls within this menu.

While testing, I encountered some software issues. Settings configured with the WebGUI would sometimes not show up in the smartphone app. Or I’d sometimes make a change with the smartphone app, and it wouldn’t propagate to the router at all. Rebooting the router would resolve the issue, but I haven’t encountered this problem with the smartphone apps for other mesh routers.

Acer Predator Connect T7 Performance

To say that I was disappointed in the two 1 Gbps LAN ports, especially at this price point, is an understatement. We use the fastest LAN port on the wireless router to connect to our in-house iPerf3 server for wireless throughput tests. Given the 1 Gbps limitation, we observed speeds of no more than the high 900 Mbps range for the Predator Connect T7, even on the 6 GHz band. Even when attempting to run the iPerf3 tests on the test server, using each with a Wi-Fi 7 PCIe card connected via the 6 GHz band, I observed speeds of no more than 1.03 Gbps.

We use an MSI Pro B650M-A Wi-Fi motherboard, AMD Ryzen 5 7600 processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, an MSI Herald-BE Wi-Fi 7 adapter, and Windows 11 Home (with all of the most recent Windows Updates applied) as our wireless client. The server is a Windows 11 machine with a 10 Gbps network card built into the motherboard, connected to the 1 Gbps LAN port on the Predator Connect T7.

All iPerf3 tests are conducted at distances of six feet and 25 feet, with and without network traffic. In the congested traffic tests, we add six wireless clients streaming 4K YouTube videos and 4K Disney+ content evenly across all bands.

Although the Predator Connect T7 was configured with Band Steering to allow each client to connect to the optimum band, I used the advanced setting in Windows 11 for the Wi-Fi 7 PCIe card to manually connect to the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands for each test.

Due to the limitation of 1 Gbps LAN ports, I saw a maximum of 944 Mbps in iPerf3 on the 6 GHz band. To put that in perspective, this was half the performance of the Netgear Orbi 870 and Asus ZenWiFi BT8. The TP-Link Deco BE68 was three times as fast. At long range (25 feet), the Predator Connect T7 closed the gap with the other contenders, although it still trailed the third-place ZenWiFi BT8 by over 160 Mbps.

Performance on the 5 GHz band was also subpar. Even though the other three competitors easily surpassed 1 Gbps, the Predator Connect T7 couldn't even achieve half that amount. Ideally, the router should have achieved maximum throughput from the 1 Gbps LAN port, as it did during the 6 GHz test.

2.4 GHz performance was more or less in line with the other routers, achieving 100 Mbps at 6 feet and 61 Mbps at 25 feet.

Performance with congested traffic mirrored that of the uncongested tests, with the Predator Connect T7 occupying a space at the rear of the pack in all the tests (except the 2.4 GHz congested tests).

Bottom Line

Although it’s billed as a gaming router, it’s hard to feel excited about Acer providing just two 1 Gbps LAN ports for devices. For $329 per node, I’d expect at least one 5 Gbps (or 10 Gbps) LAN port along with two 2.5 Gbps ports. 1 Gbps ports are likely a non-starter for a lot of enthusiasts, especially given that many enthusiast-class desktop motherboards are coming with 2.5 Gbps LAN ports at a minimum.

We also encountered software bugs, where settings wouldn’t sync between the app and the desktop WebGUI. The process for adding a satellite is more complex than that of competing mesh routers. Additionally, Acer doesn’t currently offer the Predator Connect T7 in discounted multi-pack sets. If you want a two-node system, you must pay the full $329 price twice. Even if we disregard the performance limitations, the pricing is a significant downer for the Predator Connect T7.

For $699, you can get a TP-Link Deco BE68 (3-pack) that would absolutely blow the doors off the Predator Connect T7 ($660 for two units), and you’d have even greater coverage. Better yet, the Deco BE68 includes 10 Gbps WAN/LAN port, a 1 Gbps WAN/LAN port, and a 2.5 Gbps LAN port per node. If you don’t need three nodes, a Deco BE65 Pro (2-pack) will cost you just $349.99, which is just $20 more than the cost of one Predator Connect T7. The Deco BE65 Pro will give you two 5 Gbps and one 2.5 Gbps auto-sensing LAN/WAN port(s).

No matter how you slice it, it’s hard to recommend the Predator Connect T7.

Two of the fastest-growing sectors in gaming monitors are OLED panels and high-refresh rate displays – and sometimes, monitors that combine both. Acer was on hand here at IFA 2025 to announce several new gaming monitors with Nitro and Predator branding. The monitors cover a broad range of price points and bring some enticing features to the table for gamers.

Acer’s Nitro gaming monitor lineup adds four new members

We kick things off with the Nitro family, which welcomes four new monitors. The largest member of the family is the Nitro XZ403CKR, measuring 39.7 inches across with a 1000R curve. It utilizes a VA panel, which provides a class-competitive native contrast ratio of 3,300:1. VA panels can't compete with OLEDs and their infinite contrast, but they generally are far superior to their IPS counterparts in this metric.

The Nitro XZ403CKR panel features a 5120 x 2160 resolution with a 180 Hz refresh rate. You can maintain that resolution and refresh rate across HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C interfaces. If you're willing to drop the resolution to 2560 x 1080, the maximum refresh rate jumps to 288 Hz. Acer claims that the 8-bit panel offers typical brightness of 350 nits (400 nits maximum) and covers 95 percent of DCI-P3.

The remaining three Nitro monitors, the Nitro XV275K V6, Nitro XV273U W1, and Nitro XV270X, all feature 27-inch panels. The Nitro XV275K V6 sports a 4K IPS panel, which makes for a dense 163 pixels per inch (PPI). Its refresh rate maxes out at 180 Hz, and the panel boasts a 1 ms response time (enhanced by Visual Response Boost Pro). Dropping the resolution to 1920 x 1080 doubles the maximum refresh rate to 360 Hz. The native contrast ratio is an IPS-typical 1,000:1, while peak brightness comes in at 1,000 nits (600 nits typical).

The Nitro XV273U W1 features a native 2560 x 1440 resolution at 240 Hz via DisplayPort. When using the overclock function, the refresh rate increases slightly to 275 Hz. If you prefer using one of the two HDMI 2.1 ports, be advised that the refresh rate tops out at 144 Hz at native resolution. Typical brightness is dialed in at 400 nits, while peak brightness in HDR mode is 500 nits.

The final entry is the Nitro XV270X, using an atypical 5120 x 2880 resolution and a not-so-gamer-friendly 72 Hz refresh rate. You can achieve a maximum of 144 Hz if you dial down to a 2560 x 1440 resolution, though. The 27-inch IPS panel boasts a native contrast ratio of 2,000:1, doubling the result of typical IPS monitors, while peak brightness is 400 nits.

Acer’s new Predator X27U F8 gaming monitor

If Acer’s Nitro line is targeted more at a mainstream audience, the Predator monitors are after the elite gaming enthusiast. With that in mind, the Predator X27U F8 is an attention grabber, with a 26.5-inch OLED panel. 500+ Hz refresh rates were once the domain of IPS and TN panels, but Acer is pushing those same boundaries with OLED. The Predator X27U F8 features a native 2560 x 1440 resolution and hits 540 Hz over HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C. If you're willing to reduce the resolution to 1280 x 720 (which wouldn't be my preference), you're looking at a maximum refresh rate of a mind-boggling 720 Hz (if your CPU and GPU can push pixels at that rate).

The rest of the Predator X27U F8's specs are in line with what we'd expect from a competent OLED gaming monitor, with a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio, 0.03 ms response time, and peak brightness of 1,500 nits with a 1.5 percent window (600 nits with a 10 percent window).

The Nitro XZ403CKR, Nitro XV275K V6, Nitro XV273U W1, and Nitro XV270X will launch in the first quarter of 2026, priced at $999, $699, $299, and $899, respectively. The

Predator X27U F8 will also arrive in Q1 2026, priced at $1,299. Note that both LG and Asus have announced monitors with seemingly identical specs. Considering LG is a leader in OLED tech and the company announced its monitor first, it’s almost certain that all three of these laptops are using an LG panel.

Based on its specs, Acer's new gaming laptop, the Predator Helios 18P, sounds like a business workstation. The system, announced at IFA in Berlin, has options for high-end processors with Intel vPro and ECC RAM to prevent data corruption.

But in person, it sure looks like a gaming laptop, with its Predator branding, liberal use of RGB lighting, and aggressive angles. But with vPro for managing PC fleets and ECC memory to ensure data integrity, there's definitely some incongruity there. The RTX 5090, however, at least makes sense in both gaming and workstation use cases.

The system also boasts up to 6TB of PCIe Gen 5 SSD storage, two Thunderbolt 5 ports over USB Type-C, three USB Type-A ports, and an SD card reader.

The 18-inch, Mini-LED display has a 3840 x 2400 resolution (a 16:10 aspect ratio) and can run up to 120 Hz.

The Acer Predator Helios 18P AI is coming to the United States, Acer claims, but it doesn't have a price or release date. In Europe, the system will start at €4,499 (about $5,265.49 as of this writing).

Acer Nitro gets a refresh

Acer is also using IFA to update its budget and mid-range Acer Nitro line. The Nitro V 16 and Nitro V 16S. These are similar to the systems of the same names launched earlier this year, but Acer is adding Intel processor options up to an Intel Core 9 270H and is boosting GPUs up to an RTX 5070.

Booth have 16-inch displays, with 1920 x 1200 and 2560 x 1600 options at 180 Hz.

The Acer Nitro V 16 will start at $999.99 in October, while the Nitro V 16S will launch in November beginning at $1,099.99.

Competition in the sub-$1,500 gaming laptop market is becoming intense, thanks to a steady influx of refreshed systems based on the latest Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs. Acer is among the companies taking a swing at laptops in this segment — its entry at $1,299 is the Nitro V 16S AI.

That price gets you a stout system, as you’ll find an AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an RTX 5060 GPU, and a 180 Hz, 1200p, IPS display. If that wasn’t enough, Acer also throws in some other niceties like a four-zone RGB keyboard, a banging audio system, a plethora of ports, and surprisingly strong storage performance. As a gaming system, the 85-watt RTX 5060can’t hang with the RTX 5070 (or even RTX 4070) competition, but it still offers a lot of bang for the buck at this price.

Design of the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

The Nitro V 16S AI boasts an attractive design, featuring crisp lines and a restrained aesthetic. There's a Nitro logo on the lid, a relatively straightforward keyboard deck, and plenty of ventilation along the sides, rear, and bottom of the chassis. The only true tip-off to the gaming aspirations of the laptop is the four-zone RGB keyboard.

To give the Nitro V 16S AI a more upscale flair, the lid and bottom panel are aluminum. It's a small touch, but it helps differentiate the laptop from competitors in this class that use plastic across the board to meet a lower price target.

On the right side of the chassis, you'll find two USB Type-A ports. The left side brings another USB-A port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a rarity in this class: a microSD card slot. But that's not all, the back panel has even more ports, including a proprietary port for a barrel-style plug (a 135-watt power adapter is supplied), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a single USB-C port. Overall, the system should offer enough connectivity for the average person.

4.555.5 pounds. For comparison, the Alienware 16 Aurora measures 14.05 x 10.45 x 0.89 inches and weighs 5.64 pounds, while the Gigabyte Aorus 16X is 5.07 pounds with measurements of 14.02 x 10 x 1.06 inches. Rounding out the group is the MSI Katana 17 HX at 15.66 x 10.85 x 1.09 inches and weighing 5.95 pounds.

Acer Nitro V 16S AI Specifications

Our Nitro V 16S AI review unit came configured with an AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor paired with 32GB of DDR5-5600 memory (2 x 16GB). The Ryzen 7 260 is a Zen 4-based “Hawk Point” processor with 8 CPU cores capable of executing 16 threads. The chip has a base clock of 3.8 GHz and can boost up to 5.1 GHz. There’s also a GeForce RTX 5060 GPU onboard, which in this configuration has a maximum boost clock of 1,785 MHz and a maximum TGP of 85 watts.

Our system also features a 16-inch display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution that can run at up to 180 Hz.

When testing new gaming laptops, I like to break out Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to get a feel for how the system will perform. At 1200p resolution with the Ultra preset, I averaged around 90 frames per second (FPS), depending on the level of on-screen action. Dropping the resolution to 1080p only saw a slight performance improvement, averaging roughly 95 FPS.

We start our gaming benchmark suite with Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest settings), where the Nitro V 16S AI delivered 98 FPS at 1080p and 91 FPS at 1200p. This performance put it in last place, just behind the 16 Aurora (99 FPS at 1080p) with its 80-watt RTX 5060. The MSI Katana 17 HX delivered the highest performance at 1080p (119 FPS).

Moving to the very demanding Cyberpunk 2077 (Medium settings), our review unit hit 32 FPS at 1080p and 27 FPS at 1200p. This was enough for third place, putting behind the 16 Aurora and Katana 17 HX, which each reached 39 FPS at 1080p.

Far Cry 6 (Ultra settings) also saw the Nitro V 16S AI hanging back near the rear of the pack with 82 FPS at 1080p (79 FPS at 1200p). While this performance edged out the 16 Aurora (81 FPS at 1080p), it was well behind the top-performing Aorus 16X (103 FPS).

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium settings) is another graphically intense game, and the Nitro V 16S AI came in last place at 69 FPS when running at 1080p resolution. The Aorus 16X managed 73 FPS, while the Katana 17 HX led all contestants with 85 FPS at 1080p.

Finally, Borderlands 3 (Badass settings) also saw the Nitro V 16S AI in last place, hitting 82 FPS. The 16 Aurora was just 1 FPS faster, while the Katana 17 HX and Aorus 16X both broke 100 FPS.

Metro Exodus is our go-to benchmark for gaming laptop stress testing. We averaged 76.01 FPS at 1600p across 15 loops using the RTX benchmark preset. The CPU cores averaged 3.71 GHz.

Productivity Performance on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

As previously mentioned, our review unit uses an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 260 "Hawk Point" processor. Our configuration pairs that processor with 32GB of DDR5-5600 and a 1TB SSD (WD SN5000S).

Geekbench 6, the synthetic CPU benchmark, wasn't a strong point for the Nitro V 16S AI. Our review unit brought up the rear of the pack, with a single-core score of 2,659 and a multi-core score of 12,837. While the single-core performance was comparable to the other laptops, its multi-core performance lagged by 700 to nearly 2,000 points. The top performer in the test, the Aorus 16X, features 16 physical cores (8 performance, 8 efficiency).

However, the Nitro V 16S AI turned things around in our storage benchmark, where we copied 25GB of mixed-media files. Here, our review unit torched all the competitors running at 1,838.88 MBps. The next-closest system was the Aorus 16X at 1,500.98 MBps. The Katana 17 HX (1,224.05 MBps) and 16 Aurora (1,179.12 MBps) were well behind.

The Ryzen 7 260 again showed some softness in its number crunching capabilities (at least in this crowd), finishing our 4K to 1080p Handbrake transcoding test in 4 minutes and 32 seconds. This performance put it in last place by 2 seconds behind the Katana 17 HX. The Aorus 16X was well out in front, completing the task in 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

Display on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

The Nitro V 16S AI uses a 16-inch IPS display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution and a relatively speedy 180 Hz refresh rate. The panel has a matte finish, which helps reduce, but not completely eliminate, glare that can appear on the display.

The 1200p maximum resolution is just a slight step up from the 1080p on the Katana 17 HX, but well behind the 16 Aurora and Aorus 16X, which both feature 1600p displays. However, we have to remember that those two displays feature lower 120 Hz and 144 Hz refresh rates, respectively.

I found the display to be bright in my testing and didn’t notice any backlight bleeding across the entirety of the panel, which is a good thing. In our instrumented tests, the actual maximum brightness was measured at 391.8 nits, putting it in second place behind the Aorus 16X (477 nits). For me, text on the screen (i.e., Word and Excel documents) and games were adequately bright under varied lighting conditions indoors.

If we're going strictly by the numbers, the Nitro V 16S AI came in third place behind the Aorus 16X and 16 Aurora. It registered 77.4 percent coverage of DCI-P3 and 109.3 percent of sRGB. You probably wouldn’t choose this panel for color-critical work, but it’s a fair compromise for its primary mission: gaming.

Every game that I tried on the display looked great, including Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel’s Avengers, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I spent the majority of my time playing the latter and was enthralled by the visuals in the Shanghai and Vatican missions.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

The 16-inch chassis of the Nitro V 16S AI allows for a large keyboard and an accompanying number pad. While you won’t find per-key RGB lighting, the keyboard is split into four user-configurable zones. There’s nothing remarkable about the keyboard, although you’ll notice that the WASD keys have a clear border around the keycaps and there’s a dedicated button on the number pad that opens the NitroSense utility.

Using the online keyhero.com typing speed test, I averaged around 90 words per minute with 95 percent accuracy across three tests. That’s on the higher side for me, and is a testament to how comfortable my fingers felt dancing around the keyboard. As I’ve mentioned, I’m by no means a maniacally-fast typist, but the 90 WPM result surprised even me.

The Windows Precision Touchpad measures roughly 5 x 3.5 inches and offers a smooth gliding surface for navigation in Windows 11. Clicks are satisfying, and I was able to register a click over the majority of the touchpad, save for the top quarter of an inch of its surface (where it’s hinged).

Audio on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

The Nitro V 16S AI is equipped with two speakers, which are located near the front of the chassis where your palms naturally lie. Given the value-laden roots of the Nitro V 16S AI, I wasn’t expecting much from the small speakers, but I was reasonably impressed with the volume output. With the volume cranked to 45 percent, the speakers were loud enough to fill my home office and were already overwhelming my senses – I had no desire to go any higher.

I played “Today” by Zero 7 and was amazed at how clear and vibrant Jose Gonzalez’s vocals were on the track. Bass was a little lacking, but the instrumentals were on point. For a nostalgia kick, I also played “Off the Wall” from Michael Jackson’s 1970s disco-infused solo album. The album showcased Jackson’s maturity as an adult singer and laid the groundwork for a masterpiece, "Thriller," which would be released three years later. I found myself bouncing around in my gaming chair as I marveled in not only Michael’s vocals, but the haunting background vocals that pop in and out during the track.

Bass was not a high point, and it never usually is with laptops, particularly in the mainstream segment. But the overall audio quality was stellar.

If you want to tweak the audio system further, you can do so with the included DTS:X Ultra app.

Games also sounded great with the onboard speakers, with Cyberpunk 2077 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Everything from gunfire to vehicle sounds, to in-game dialogue was crisp and clear. However, for the best audio experience, I’d suggest checking out the best gaming headsets.

Upgradeability on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

The bottom aluminum panel is affixed using 10 Phillips head screws. Then a few well-placed fingernails allowed me to pry the panel off and reveal the inside of the chassis. You’ll notice the black monolith that is the 76 WHr battery at the bottom of the chassis, flanked by the stereo speakers.

Directly above are two M.2 slots (each accommodating up to 2280 SSDs). One of the slots is occupied (in our case, with a WD SN5000S SSD), while the other is empty for further expansion. Two SO-DIMM slots are located under a plastic thermal pad, with each occupied by a 16GB DDR5-5600 module. The only other user-replaceable item is the RZ616 Wi-Fi 6E M.2 PCIe module. If you want a performance upgrade, check out our handy guide on upgrading to Wi-Fi 7.

Battery Life on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

AMD’s Hawk Point processors are built on a TSMC 4nm FinFET process node, and they tend to be quite efficient when it comes to power consumption. That was definitely the case with our Nitro V 16S AI review unit, which is powered by a 76 WHr battery.

The laptop was an excellent performer on our battery test (for a gaming rig, anyway), which consists of web browsing, video streaming over Wi-Fi, and conducting OpenGL tests with the screen brightness set at 150 nits. The Nitro V 16S AI lasted over 10 hours and 17 minutes, which was an impressive showing in this assembly of laptops.

The next closest competitor was the 16 Aurora (9:41), followed by the Katana 17 HX (6:21).

Heat on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

The Nitro V 16S AI uses a twin-fan cooling system that draws air from the bottom of the laptop and through the keyboard and expels it out the vents on the sides and back. Although the fans ramp up the RPMs relatively quickly under load, the sound output is not objectionable. Even during the 15-run Metro Exodus stress test, the noise levels were low.

With that said, we measured 79 degrees Fahrenheit (F) at the touchpad and 109 F between the G and H keys. The underside of the chassis was much warmer at 110 F. However, the hottest part of the chassis was at the bottom of the case, right of center, which measured 127 F.

During the Metro Exodus stress test, the CPU package measured 60 degrees Celsius (C). Meanwhile, the RTX 5060 ran at an average of 1.92 GHz at 66.5 C.

Webcam on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

We were on an upward swing regarding moving swiftly from 720p webcams to 1080p, especially during and past lockdowns. However, we’ve seen manufacturers of newer entry-level and mainstream gaming laptops again opting for 720p webcams. Unfortunately, Acer is among them with the Nitro V 16S AI.

Overall image quality is grainy, with poor color reproduction. My facial hair appeared as a blurry mess of black on the screen. Since I’ve been spoiled by the 1080p webcams on most new laptops, taking a serious step backwards to 720p was a stark contrast. Additionally, the Nitro V 16S AI doesn’t include an IR camera, so you can’t take advantage of facial recognition for signing into Windows 11 via Windows Hello. (With no fingerprint reader, that means there are no biometric options at all.)

Software and Warranty on the Acer Nitro V 16S AI

With most laptops available today, you’ll find at least a handful of apps that the manufacturer installs from the factory. In the case of the Nitro V 16S AI, there were over a dozen apps/shortcuts occupying space in the Start Menu. There were four Acer-specific apps, including Acer LiveArt (an AI-powered image editing tool), Acer Purified Voice Console (which uses AI to reduce background noise during calls), Acer QuickPanel (for webcam and mic controls), and NitroSense (an all-in-one utility for managing system performance, keyboard lighting, updates, etc.).

Other preinstalled software/shortcuts include App Explorer, Elvenar (a free city-building game), Express VPN, Forge of Empires, Google Play Games Beta, DTS:X Ultra, Killer Intelligence Center (for the Killer Ethernet E2600 network adapter), and Planet9. If this were my laptop, the majority of these apps would be junked upon the first boot.

The Nitro V 16S AI ships with a one-year limited warranty from Acer.

Acer Nitro V 16S AI Configurations

Currently, Acer is only offering one configuration of the Nitro V 16S AI (ANV16S-41-R2AJ), which is the same as our review unit. The system features an AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor, 32GB DDR5-5600, a 1TB SSD, GeForce RTX 5060 GPU, 16-inch 180Hz 1200p IPS display, Wi-Fi 6E, 1 GbE, and Windows 11 Home. The system carries an MSRP of $1,299, but isn't yet available for purchase either at Acer's online store or from Amazon (although the product page is active).

Bottom Line

The Acer Nitro V 16S AI is a well-made machine with plenty to brag about.. The laptop is well constructed, it's relatively lightweight in this class, the display is vibrant and bright, and you get a large assortment of ports (including a microSD slot). At $1,299, the price is also attractive, undercutting the similarly-performing Alienware 16 Aurora by $200.

If all you care about is outright performance, for the same $1,299, the MSI Katana 17 HX runs the tables against the Nitro V 16S with its more powerful RTX 5070 GPU. However, the Nitro V 16S is by far a more complete package when considering the display, audio system, and overall build quality.

Acer has a sizable range of new monitors at Computex 2025, and the new products sprawl across nearly all monitor segments, covering professional content creators, gamers, and digital road warriors. Thus, there are several new high-spec monitors introduced to Acer's ProCreator, Predator, and portable monitor portfolios. We also took a look at several new Nitro displays, which pack Google TV smart features.

Acer ProCreator monitors

Leading its new professional pack, Acer showcased the ProCreator PE320QXT at Computex. This is a 32-inch monitor with a 6K screen with 6,016 x 3,384 pixels. It has a smaller brother in the shape of the ProCreator PE270XT, offering an impressive 5K (5,120 x 2,880 pixels) resolution.

Both of these flagship ProCreator monitors from Acer can reproduce 99% of the DCI-P3 gamut and boast Delta E<1 color accuracy. They are VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified, too. The PE320QXT we saw was touch-enabled, but whichever model you grab, you will benefit from an integrated 8M webcam and flexible ErgoStand.

If you want an OLED monitor for your professional workflow, Acer also has the ProCreator PE320QK X monitor on show. This provides a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) QD-OLED panel with true 10-bit color and dual color gamut support for 99% of the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. Again, users will benefit from a Delta E<1, and this one has VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification. Game creators might also be drawn in by the PE320QK X’s AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible technology, 240 Hz refresh, and 0.01ms response time.

Acer Portable Monitors – dual-screen and large

If you make use of portable monitors, either on the road or in a multi-monitor setup, Acer has a few new interesting options for you, all with VESA mounting compatibility. The Acer PD163QT and Acer PD243Y E portable monitors, with wide viewing angles and dual-screen features, are claimed to be ideal for multitasking.

With these models, you get a pair of FHD 16-inch displays in a flexible clamshell form factor. The PD163QT features touch capability, while the PD243Y E may appeal if you prefer a faster refresh (100 Hz).

Acer’s PM191Q E monitor is a more traditional single-screen FHD monitor, except that it ‘goes large’ with a diagonal of 19-inches. It is purported to be ultra-thin, and this 100 Hz monitor has a convenient built-in kick-stand.

Acer Predator OLED gaming monitors

Acer has added a pair of new premium 27-inch OLED gaming monitors to its Predator series. The new Acer Predator X27U F5 offers an ultra-fast 500 Hz refresh rate at 1440p, while the Predator X27 X delivers 240 Hz at a super fine 4K resolution.

Both the new Predator displays benefit from a DCI-P3 99% color gamut, 0.03 ms (GTG) response times, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, great OLED contrast, built-in stereo speakers, and tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustable stands (or use a VESA mount).

Acer Nitro monitors get Google TV

Adding gaming and entertainment flexibility, the new Acer Nitro GA321QK P and Nitro GA341CUR W0 come with Google TV on board, supporting Google Cast and wireless connectivity for screen mirroring from multiple devices.

The 32-inch GA321QK features a 4K UHD display (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) with a 165 Hz refresh rate and up to a 0.05 ms (GTG) response time. Meanwhile, the Nitro GA341CUR W0 has an immersive 34-inch ultra-wide QHD display (3, 440 x 1440 pixels) with a fast 240 Hz refresh rate and 99% sRGB color.

Last but not least, Acer introduced the portable Nitro PG271K. It says 'portable,' but this is an undeniably large 27-inch monitor despite its “ultra-thin and space-saving” qualities. This monitor has a kick stand (and VESA mount compatibility again). An IPS panel is used here, and the screen offers dual-mode 4K at 72 Hz, or FHD at 144 Hz.

Acer says that precise specifications, prices, and availability of the above products will vary by region. So, if you are interested in any of the above, keep an eye on your local Acer retailer(s).

Acer is kicking off its Computex announcements with a pair of 14-inch gaming laptops. The company's two new gaming laptops, the Predator Triton 14 AI and Helios Neo 14 AI, are both being targeted at both gamers and creative professionals.

The Triton 14 AI is extremely sleek (0.68 inches at its thickest point), but to get there, Acer is using a productivity-class processor. The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V is one of Intel's "Lunar Lake" processors with integrated RAM. This chip runs between 30W at base power, which isn't as powerful as most gaming laptop processors. We saw a similar case in the Razer Blade 16, which opted for a 28W AMD Ryzen chip to enable a thinner design.

Acer is using graphene on the CPU to serve as the thermal interface material, which the company says outperforms regular thermal paste by 14.5%.

Acer is pairing Lunar Lake with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU using Nvidia's Studio drivers, which are optimized for creative applications. The system goes up to 32GB of RAM (on the CPU) and 2TB of storage.

The Triton also features a 14.5-inch, 2880 x 1800 OLED touchscreen that runs up to 120 Hz and is Calman verified.There's also a haptic touchpad built into the wrist rest, similar to the MSI Titan and Dell XPS 13, that supports a stylus, which seems limited in terms of writing.

The system looks sleek, with a sparse design and a silver hinge with diamond cut edge designed to reflect different colors from different angles. Despite the slim design, you still get some gaming accouterments, like a per-key RGB keyboard.

If you want a more traditional gaming laptop, the Helios Neo 14 AI is a bit more conventional in its components. Here, Acer is using Intel's H-series "Arrow Lake" chips, going up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, though still using up to 32GB of RAM, up to 2 TB of storage, and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU. It's also thicker than the Triton at 0.82 inches.

The Helios Neo will have two screen options. You get a 14.5-inch panel either way, but one is 2880 x 1800 at 120 Hz with a MUX switch (that typically requires rebooting the system), while a lower-res 2560 x 1600 option is faster at 165 Hz and uses Nvidia's Advanced Optimus to switch between the integrated GPU and the discrete one.

The Predator Helios Neo has a metal lid with an RGB logo that you can customize, as well as a three-zone RGB keyboard.

Of the two laptops, only the Triton is certified as a Copilot+ PC. The Lunar Lake NPU, at 48 TOPS, is far more powerful than the Arrow Lake's 13 TOPS. Microsoft's Copilot+ PC requirements demand a minimum of 40 TOPS.

Acer is also using Computex to update its Predator Orion 3000 to the latest chips from Intel and Nvidia, including up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070.

The company hasn't announced North American pricing or release dates for any of these machines. Acer said it will release that information for the U.S. and Canada "closer to market availability." In Europe, the systems will launch in July, which might give us a rough window of when to expect them elsewhere.

In high-end laptops, thin is always in, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice connectivity. Acer's new Swift Edge 14 AI, leading its ultraportable lineup ahead of Computex in Taipei, is a sleek notebook that weighs less than 1 kilogram (approximately 2.18 pounds) but still has plenty of ports.

The Swift Edge 14 AI will use Intel's "Lunar Lake" chips, ranging from a Core Ultra 5 226V up to a Core Ultra 9 288V, with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. That's all in a chassis that's 0.65 inches thick.

It's notable that Acer isn't skimping on ports here. While many 13, 14, and even some 15-inch laptops have dropped to just a pair of USB-C ports, Acer's got two USB Type-C ports (supporting Thunderbolt 4), a pair of USB Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. That's a lot of connectivity on the go. We saw this with HP's OmniBook 7 Aero, but that much I/O on an ultrabook is still pretty rare these days.

Like many high-end laptops, Acer's chassis is built from a mix of magnesium and aluminum. But unlike those laptops, the company is pushing a "soft-touch" keyboard that the company says has a "unique UV-cured coating that feels like velvet and is wear- and stain-resistant." We didn't get too much time to play with this keyboard, but we're certainly hoping it stays clean in the long term, especially considering this is a white laptop.

Acer is promising up to 21 hours of battery life from the 65 WHr battery, but doesn't say how it got there. If it comes close, that would match the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tested.

Unfortunately, Acer hasn't removed the weird AI indicator light from its touchpad, which glows whenever you use the NPU or use Copilot (which uses the internet and does not run locally). It is, at best, a distraction.

Acer is also using Computex as a launch pad for its Swift Go 14 AI and Swift Go 16 AI, each with OLED displays and media controls built into the touchpad. All of these Swift laptops have 1080p webcams with IR support for Windows Hello.

North American pricing and availability haven't been revealed just yet. Acer said that this information will be announced "closer to market availability." In Europe, the Swift Edge will release in June, while Australia has a more vague "Q2" release date. The Swift Go 16 AI and Swift 14 AI will ship in July and August in Europe, respectively.

The export tariffs enacted in April are expected to raise retail prices by 11% to 70% across different categories, cut consumer spending by $123 billion annually, and shrink U.S. economic output by $69 billion, according to a report by Trade Partnership Worldwide (TPW), published by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) on Wednesday.

There are a couple of catches: the report, which evaluates how recent U.S. tariffs will affect prices of 10 widely used technology products in the U.S., assumes that all tariffs will come into effect, and that there will be full pass through to retail buyers.

On April 2, the Trump administration introduced a tariff program under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that included a 10% general rate on all imports and increased rates for 57 countries by between 11% and 50%. A 10% universal tariff went into effect on April 5, while higher rates were applied to specific countries starting April 9.

A pause was placed on the elevated country-specific tariffs on April 10, though the baseline 10% tariff remained. On April 11, electronics and semiconductor-based products were temporarily spared from these new tariffs, but a Section 232 probe into the broader electronics supply chain launched on April 16 brought renewed tariff risks, with early 25% duties already applied to materials such as aluminum and steel, as well as vehicles. Perhaps most importantly, tariffs on goods from China (except electronics) surged to 145%.

The TPW study modeled a scenario where the 90-day hold on tariffs ends in July, and higher rates resume on affected goods. Products not complying with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade rules would face stacking tariffs (i.e., up to 50%), whereas Chinese goods could be hit with combined rates of 145%. The analysis covered batteries, client PCs (desktops and laptops), displays, game consoles, tablets, TVs, headphones, and various computer accessories.

Game consoles and PCs

Game consoles face the steepest projected increase, with average tariffs climbing from 0% to 130%. Because 87% of these devices come from China, which would be subjected to a 145% rate, prices could rise by as much as 69%, or $428 more per unit, the report says. As a result, imports could fall 71%, and domestic production, which makes up only 1% of the market, would rise by just 62%. Consumers are expected to cut back purchases by 73%, resulting in a $12 billion drop in their overall purchasing power. The U.S. economy would lose $10.4 billion annually from this single category alone.

Laptops and tablets are projected to become 34% more expensive. For now, these items are exempt from country specific tariffs, but they could still be taxed under the Section 232 review. Nearly 79% of laptops and tablets are made in China and for now there are no manufacturing capacity in the U.S. to replace gigantic assembly facilities in China.

As a result, TPW expects average price hikes of up to $269 for laptops and $152 for tablets. Imports would decline 47%, while domestic output would increase only 5%. The result would be a $23.8 billion annual loss in consumer spending power and a $12.3 billion reduction in GDP.

Desktop computers are largely sourced from Mexico and other countries rather than China, but they would face a price hike from 0.3% to 42.3% because of tariffs. With limited U.S. production capacity (under 9% growth expected), prices could increase by 24%, adding about $287 to the average retail cost of $1,193. Imports are forecast to drop 53%, and consumption by 42%. The result would be a $13 billion loss for consumers and a $5.1 billion hit to GDP.

TPW did not conduct a research on how tariffs affect computer components. For now, these items are exempt from country specific tariffs, but they could still be taxed under the Section 232 review. However, if graphics cards and motherboards continue to be sourced from China and are not exempt from tariffs at some point, they are are subject to combined U.S. tariffs reaching up to 145% or more — similar to those applied to other China-made tech products such as game consoles and computer accessories. This could raise the retail price of a $500 graphics card to over $1,200 and a $200 motherboard to nearly $500 — assuming full cost pass-through. Given China's dominant role in assembling these components, short-term diversification of supply is limited, meaning most of the tariff burden will fall directly on U.S. consumers. As a result, PC builders and gamers would face significantly higher costs, potentially delaying upgrades or reducing demand across the DIY computing sector.

Taiwan-made graphics cards and motherboards would also face substantial price increases, though less severe than China-made ones, depending on how tariffs are applied. If they do not qualify for duty-free treatment under the USMCA and are not explicitly exempted, they may face a 25% tariff and a 25% Section 232 tariff (if electronics and semiconductors are included), totaling a potential 50% tariff (as these tariffs stack).

This would increase a $500 graphics card from Taiwan to around $750, and a $200 motherboard to $300, assuming full pass-through. Since Taiwan is a major supplier of high-end motherboards and graphics cards, the impact would still be significant but not as extreme as for Chinese products. U.S. buyers would still see elevated prices, but these goods may become more attractive relative to China-made ones, depending on how the final tariffs end up stacking. But can Taiwan satisfy the needs of the U.S. market?

Displays and TVs

Displays are 67% sourced from China, so they would be hit with average tariffs of 43.3% (10 to 25% on all imports and 45% to 145% Chinese imports, so the average is 43.3%) or more, up from 0.5%, raising prices by 32% or $111 per unit. Imports would fall by 48%, and U.S. production would rise by only 10%. This category alone could lead to $5.1 billion in lost consumer power and a $2.8 billion economic decline.

Unlike computer monitors, TVs are largely sourced from outside of China, but they would still see tariffs increase to 22.4% from 1.6%, raising average prices by 11% — or $57 per unit. Imports would decline by 15%, domestic output would rise only 2%, and the resulting loss in consumer spending power would be $1.9 billion, with a $1.6 billion GDP reduction, according to TPW.

Mobile electronics and accessories

As 78% of smartphones are imported from China, they are projected to face a 39.5% average tariff rate under the combined measures. This could push up consumer prices by about 31%, or $255 more than the current average of $826. The absence of domestic production means alternative supply will be difficult to secure quickly. Imports are projected to drop by 48%, and purchases are expected to fall by the same amount. As a consequence, this shift would erase $31.2 billion in spending power and lead to a $17.9 billion economic loss, TPW believes.

Connected devices, including smart speakers, smart watches, wearables, and Wi-Fi-connected gadgets, would become 22% more expensive, according to the report. While countries like Vietnam have been gradually increasing production of devices such as Apple's AirPods in the recent years, Chinese companies still produce a substantial share of these items. Consequently, TPW says import reductions of 40% are likely, with a 6% increase in U.S. production. Consumers would pay $81 more for smartwatches, $20 more for fitness bands, and $10 more for speakers. Total loss in consumer power would reach $18.3 billion, and economic output would contract by $7.8 billion.

Speakers and headphones, around half of which come from China, would face 86.6% average tariffs, up from 0.9%, raising prices by 22%, according to TPW. Headphones would cost $5 more, speakers $60 more. Imports from China would drop 99.8%, and total imports would shrink by two-thirds. Production in America would grow by 24%, while consumption would fall 39%, yielding a $2.5 billion reduction in consumer power and a $1.5 billion GDP loss.

Computer accessories like keyboards, printers, mice, and docks would see prices rise by 25%, with average tariffs moving from 1.5% to 39.5%, TPW believes. Imports would drop nearly in half, and production in the U.S. would climb by just 12%. Printers could cost $58 more, and the total reduction in consumer buying power is projected at $13.1 billion. The broader economy would contract by $7.6 billion.

Finally, lithium-ion batteries for consumer electronics, most of which come from China, would see tariffs rise from 5.9% to 117.7% — raising prices by nearly 18%. Imports would fall 71%, and local production would grow by 16% at best. Prices would rise up to $16 per unit, causing a $2.4 billion loss in consumer power and a $2.0 billion impact on GDP.

While the tariffs aim to stimulate U.S. manufacturing, the study shows they'll mainly impact consumers, who will face significantly higher prices amid limited domestic production gains to offset them.

The strengthening of various East Asian currencies vs the U.S. Dollar (USD) has been one of the talking points in financial markets over the holiday weekend. The case of the Taiwan Dollar (TWD) is particularly alarming, as the currency of the 'silicon island' has appreciated over 10% vs the USD in the space of just a few days. This is the strongest Taiwan dollar appreciation in over 30 years, according to DigiTimes.

Crucially, when a trading partner's currency gets stronger, it typically becomes more expensive to buy their goods. Taiwan's chips and manufacturing play a big part in the most coveted PCs and components. So, are we looking at even more upwards pressure on electronics heading to U.S. retail?

DigiTimes shared statements and reports from some of Taiwan's major electronics players like Acer, Asus, Pegatron, Wistron, Foxxconn. It noted that most of these companies hold broad currency portfolios to lessen impacts / shocks when there is turbulence in exchange rates. However, if we are seeing the biggest currency valuation moves in over three decades, it is difficult to be prepared enough. One might hope this 10% dive in USD valuation is a temporary blip on the radar, or else there will be significant pressure on profit margins witnessed.

The source publication, and others, indicate that semiconductor companies have larger profit margins, to afford some flexibility on their part. For example, Focus Taiwan says that ASE Technology Holding Co., the world's largest IC packaging and testing services provider, expects a 1.5 percentage point impact on its gross margin "whenever the Taiwan dollar rises NT$1 against the greenback." It says TSMC and UMC would be hurt similarly by this valuation shift.

Taiwan's Central Bank attempts to steady the ship

PC makers have been preparing to reduce reliance on hardware produced in China for years, and large computer suppliers like Dell and HP seem to have diversified their supply chains. For smaller system integrators, the situation is more complex.

Recent U.S. government-imposed taxes on Chinese imports are driving up the cost of computer parts and there's only so much they can do. Puget Systems published a blog post explaining that while it can absorb some of the price changes caused by tariffs, it will inevitably have to pass the higher costs on to its clients.

China produces a large portion of global electronics, so its impact on the computer market is hard to overestimate even though large companies like Apple, Dell, and HP are expanding production in other countries — including Vietnam, which isn't subject to U.S. tariffs. In early 2025, two separate 10% taxes were added on nearly all goods made in China — one on February 4, the other on March 4 — resulting in a combined 20% increase.

Additionally, goods that were temporarily exempt from a separate 25% charge set in 2018–2019 may lose that exemption on June 1, potentially bringing the total increase to 45% for some items, such as the best graphics cards.

"We absorb initial cost changes on many components," wrote Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems, in the blog post. "We adjust our pricing when ongoing long-term costs are clear, and absorb differences otherwise. This reduces noise and prevents us from making many nickel-and-dime changes."

Starting April 1, Puget Systems will adjust pricing based on updated component costs. Graphics cards and accelerators, due to their high cost, are being hit hardest — prices are going up by 10%, despite already being under a 20% tariff. That rate could jump to 45% on June 1, pending policy changes, Puget warns.

Puget also warns that parts like graphics cards can be expensive to buy at launch due to shortages. When combined with additional tariffs imposed by the U.S. government, graphics cards may get too expensive for many potential buyers.

Network and storage controllers are increasing by 20%, along with chassis and power supplies, as these are generally produced in China. CPU coolers and fans are also expected to rise around 20%, though their overall impact on system pricing is minimal.

For motherboards, initial changes will be held off, as parts come from various countries and it is still unclear how original design manufacturers will handle pricing under the new tariffs, so any adjustments will depend on how costs evolve. CPUs remain unaffected since most are not sourced from China.

SSDs and hard drives are seeing about a 10% price increase, mainly due to shifts in the broader supply network rather than tariffs on core components like NAND chips or media platters. Memory is also expected to rise around 10%, though recent spot market price drops may reduce the impact.

Costs for Puget's own services, such as warranties, will remain at the existing level as the company only changes in response to internal business expenses, typically tied to inflation and staffing.

In addition, some suppliers have raised prices more than necessary, using uncertainty as a reason to drive urgency and increase revenue. This kind of behavior is not limited to one industry and affects prices throughout the entire supply chain. Because the supply network is so layered, predicting costs can be difficult.

There's hope for some future relief if suppliers reduce prices, and those savings would be passed on. But that's something that would happen at a future date. In the meantime, Puget Systems stockpiles hardware, which helps to manage shortages and delay price hikes.