Just a while ago the first 4K 144 Hz monitors became available with the ASUS PG27UQ and Acer X27. These $2,000 monitors no longer force gamers to pick between high-refresh rate or high resolution, since they support 3840x2160 and refresh rates up to 144 Hz. However, reviews of early-adopters report a noticeable degradation in image quality when these monitors are running at 144 Hz. Surprisingly refresh rates of 120 Hz and below look perfectly sharp.The underlying reason for that is the DisplayPort 1.4 interface, which provides 26 Gbits/s of bandwidth, just enough for full 4K at 120 Hz. So monitor vendors had to get creative to achieve the magic 144 Hz that they were shooting for. The solution comes from old television technology in form of chroma subsampling (YCbCr), which, in the case of these monitors, transmits the grayscale portion of the image at full resolution (3840x2160) and the color information at half the horizontal resolution (1920x2160).

Acer is providing visitors with an immersive gaming experience at Computex 2018 in Taipei by showcasing its full line of gaming PCs and gadgets, as well as bringing in celebrity gamers to get in on the action with Acer gaming devices. In addition to the company's booth at the Computex exhibition hall, Acer has created product experience rooms, locating them in downtown Taipei and opening them to the public so passers-by can experience Acer's latest gaming PCs and gear, and even compete against celebrity gamers. In line with Acer's vision of breaking barriers between people and technology, this year's exhibit at Computex gives consumers and the media new ways to experience the latest gaming technology.

"Acer is dedicated to bringing breakthrough gaming experiences to consumers through the Predator brand, and this year we are making the latest technology more accessible to the general public by bringing them from the showground to the streets," said Tiffany Huang, President of Corporate Marketing, Business Planning and Operations, Acer Inc. "We hope that through Acer's efforts, Computex 2018 will become more than just an international event for buyers, but an inclusive celebration of technology for everyone to enjoy."

Acer today announced the new Altos R880 F4 GPU server ahead of GTC Taiwan 2018. It can host up to eight NVIDIA Tesla V100 32GB SXM2 GPU accelerators, where every GPU pair includes one PCIe slot for high-speed interconnect.

The Acer Altos R880 F4 is a member of the HGX-T1 class of NVIDIA GPU-Accelerated Server Platforms. It can significantly enhance performance by using parallel computing power for various applications, including oil and gas, defense, financial services, research, manufacturing, media and entertainment, 3D rendering, deep learning, and mission-critical applications.

Acer is preparing one of the first few premium gaming notebooks to pack a combination of AMD Ryzen 7 2700 8-core processor and Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics. Unlike the Intel+NVIDIA original, this Predator Helios variant makes use of desktop-on-mobile processors, as do most desktop-replacement notebooks and portable workstations. The variant benefits from the low TDP and high energy efficiency of the Ryzen 7 2700, and runs it at its stock speeds. This is no small feat, because the Intel+NVIDIA option of the notebook packs a Core i9-8950HK (6-core/12-thread) "Coffee Lake" processor with 45W rated TDP.

The Radeon RX Vega 56 is the other surprising component choice here, considering that the notebook's 17.3-inch display only has Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, which can be hauled by an RX 580, even at higher refresh-rate, and FreeSync thrown in. The Intel+NVIDIA model's GPU option is the GeForce GTX 1070 (which is slower than the RX Vega 56). Other components include 16 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory, 256 GB NVMe SSD storage, 1 TB of HDD storage, and Killer Doubleshot Pro networking.

Acer today unveiled its new Predator Orion 5000 series gaming desktops, designed for gamers who require superior performance and an adaptable chassis for future expansion. The company also released the mid-range Predator Orion 3000 series gaming desktops, as well as an expanded collection of Predator accessories designed to support gamers as they tackle their mission of choice.

"Getting the specs right is just half the fight. Predator Orion desktops provide a well-rounded choice for gamers with a striking chassis, built-in airflow management, expandability, and award-winning software that brings everything together," said Jeff Lee, General Manager, Stationary Computing, IT Products Business, Acer. "We're excited to add the new 5000 and 3000 series to the Predator Orion family, and together with the top-of-the-line Predator Orion 9000, Acer is providing a full lineup of gaming desktops that cater to a wide range of needs."

Acer today introduced two new premium Chromebooks designed for business use - the Acer Chromebook Spin 13 and the Acer Chromebook 13. Both models feature a stylish and durable all-aluminum design and a full HD+ 13.5-inch display in a 3:2 aspect ratio. The new Acer Chromebooks are powered by 8th Gen Intel Core processors providing exceptional performance and battery life for productivity on the go.

The convertible Chromebook Spin 13 (CP713-1WN) has 360-degree hinges for use as a tablet, notebook, display, or in tent-mode. It comes with a Wacom stylus (for pen input) that can be conveniently stored in the device slot. The Acer Chromebook 13 (CB713-1W) opts for the traditional notebook design for keyboard-heavy tasks.

Acer today introduced the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 (CP315-1H), the industry's first convertible Chromebook with a 15.6-inch display. The large touchscreen display pairs with the convertible 360-degree design to deliver a powerful and portable Chromebook with first-rate entertainment and productivity capabilities. In addition, Acer is launching a new Chromebook 15 (CB315-1H/1HT) line that pairs a large 15-inch display and long 14-hour battery life at a budget-friendly price.

"Acer has led the Chromebook market with a wide range of form factors, sizes and designs to meet the needs of our customers, and we're expanding our line with new exciting 15-inch models today," said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business at Acer. "Acer's new Chromebooks with large 15-inch Full HD displays are ideal for collaborating on projects for work and school, enjoying streaming media and running the latest apps. Plus, the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 is the company's first to combine a large 15.6-inch display with a convertible design, so customers can use the device in different modes."

Acer today announced its new Swift 5 notebook designed for users who want superb portability, solid performance, and a touch of style. With a 15-inch display, the elegant chassis weighs less than 1 kg (2.2 lbs), ideal for people always on the go. The Swift 5 is powered by Windows 10, the latest Intel Core processors and features exceptional performance and battery life that lasts through the workday.

"There's been great feedback on Acer's amazingly light 14-inch Swift 5, and we are now pushing the limits with the 15.6-inch model," said Jerry Hou, General Manager, Consumer Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "We've kept the weight under the 1 kg mark by using ultra-narrow bezels and a marginally larger chassis."

Acer unveiled two new Predator Helios gaming notebooks today at the next@acer global press conference in New York. They include the exceptionally powerful Predator Helios 500, featuring up to 8th Gen Intel Core i9+ processors, and the Predator Helios 300 Special Edition that includes upgraded specs from its predecessor and a distinctive white chassis. Both feature VR-Ready performance, advanced thermal technologies, and blazing-fast connectivity.

"We've expanded our Predator Helios gaming notebook line in response to popular demand from gamers seeking extreme performance on the go," said Jerry Kao, President of IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "The Predator Helios 500 and Helios 300 gaming notebooks feature Acer's proprietary thermal technologies and powerful components that, coupled with our award-winning software, deliver unparalleled gaming experiences."

Acer today unveiled new Nitro Series gaming desktop PCs and monitors that expand its Nitro product family, designed for outstanding casual gameplay at affordable prices. The new Acer Nitro 50 Series desktops and Nitro VG0 and RG0 Series monitors easily handle demanding processing and graphics requirements for both content creation and consumption.

• Powered by up to 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processors and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 GPUs, Acer Nitro 50 Series desktops offer performance that exceeds the needs of casual gamers and can easily handle graphic-intensive tasks.
• Sleek and stylish, the new Acer Nitro VG0 and RG0 series monitors both earned 2018 Red Dot Design Awards.
• They feature AMD Radeon FreeSync and up to a 1 ms Visual Response Boost to deliver smooth and tear-free gameplay.

Acer today announced that several of its popular Windows 10 notebook lines are the industry's first to offer Alexa pre-installed, including the Acer Spin 3 and Acer Spin 5 lines, which are available at retailers now. The news today is the first step in Acer's plans to roll out Alexa across its PC portfolio. Alexa will also be pre-installed on the Acer Nitro 5 Spin convertible gaming notebook line next month. It will also be available on select Aspire, Switch and Swift notebooks, as well as Aspire all-in-one PCs, as they are rolled out to Acer's retail partners over the next few weeks.

Additional product lines already purchased by customers will soon be able to be updated with Alexa via the Acer Care Center. The first Acer notebook lines to receive the update will be the Acer Spin 5 and Spin 3 convertible families on May 23 and May 26, respectively.

Well, so much for April being the month NVIDIA expected its partners to up their game and release their G-SYNC, HDR monitors - that opportunity has come and gone, in another delay for products that were supposed to arrive in 2017. However, as with most launches that fail to meet their timelines, the move is usually to simply shift the goalpost - and that's what's been done yet again. It's still unclear which reasons have led to the delays in launch - whether unrealistic NVIDIA specifications, problems in panel manufacturing at AU Optronics, who have their hands full right now.

However... It now seems (again) we are fast approaching the release date for (at least) two solutions based on the NVIDIA specs (3840×2160 resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, a 1000-nits brightness, a direct LED backlighting system with 384 zones, and feature a quantum dot film to enable HDR10 and coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut). Acer's X27 Predator and ASUS' PG27UQ are the two expected releases, but as you might guess, pricing won't be fair. Here's just hoping that it isn't as much out of court as this preorder page puts it, quoting €2556.50 for ASUS' PG27UQ. It's the extra fifty cents that breaks the illusion, really.

As we reported in March, the first 4K monitors with 144 Hz refresh-rate began showing up in stores. This summer, PC gamers and enthusiasts up for a monitor upgrade, are in for a treat. An increasing number of companies are preparing to launch monitors with not just 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels), but also staggering 144 Hz refresh-rates, and support for adaptive sync technologies, such as AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync. To push 4K at 144 Hz, you'll need your graphics card to feature DisplayPort 1.4 (or above) connectivity, as DisplayPort 1.2, or even the newer HDMI 2.0, lack the required bandwidth.

Among the first blazing fast 4K UHD + 144 Hz monitors, are the 2018 Acer Predator X27 (UM.HX0EE.009) first unveiled in 2017, and soon to be joined by the ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ. Both monitors feature 4K Ultra HD resolution, 144 Hz refresh-rate, IPS quantum-dot panels, and support for the new NVIDIA G-SYNC HDR standard. The monitors take input from DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, although you will need DisplayPort 1.4 to get 4K @ 144 Hz to work correctly. The IPS quantum-dot panels feature DCI-P3 color-standards, 99% Adobe RGB coverage, and 10 bpc (1.07 billion-color) palette, in addition to 384 LED elements backlighting the panel. The ROG Swift PG27UQ starts at 2,445€ and the Predator X27 at 18,475 DKK Sounds good? Get ready to foot upwards of USD $3,000 for either of them, to go with your $3,000 TITAN V, for a 3,000-inch e-p.

News of an upcoming AMD RX 500X series sprung like wildfire yesterday, as users and publications alike tried to quench a thirst for some more GPU solutions from the red camp. However, if recent leaked numbers and information from 3D Mark prove correct, it seems the RX 500X series will likely bring some disappointments to those who were hoping for a refined, Vega-imbued AMD Polaris redesign, or simply push for better clocks and power/performance ratios under a new manufacturing process.

Acer today unveiled the latest addition to its Nitro 5 gaming series, lauded for its refined styling and outstanding performance targeting casual gamers. Powered by up to the latest 8th Generation Intel Core i7 and Intel Core i7+ processors, the newest 15-inch Nitro 5 offers improved speed and threading efficiency to gives users the ultimate thrill as they battle with friends online.

"Acer is excited to be among the first to offer the new Intel Core i7+ processors with our new Nitro 5 gaming notebook," said Jerry Hou, General Manager, Consumer Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer. "The new Nitro 5 provides exceptional performance at an accessible price point which exceeds the needs of most casual gamers, and also professional users that need to power through their tasks on the go."

Acer has expanded its all-in-one desktop offering in the United States with the new award-winning 23.8-inch Aspire S24, its slimmest ever featuring a side profile of only .235 inches. Built with a dual focus on design and premium functionality, it makes a stylish, yet practical addition to any room.

A black and matte gold color scheme lends the ultra-slim S24 a luxurious appeal. The Full HD IPS screen delivers a vivid and crisp viewing experience with accurate colors up to 178-degrees. An ultra-narrow .106 inch bezel provides a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio, meaning more viewable space for seeing digital images, spreadsheets, movies and more.

The Predator Helios 500 is Acer's 17.3-inch gaming laptop featuring one of Intel's upcoming six-core mobile Coffee Lake processors. Consumers can choose between a Core i9-8950HK with a 2.9 GHz base clock and 4.8 GHz boost clock or the lower-spec Core i7-8750H that runs at 2.2 GHz base clock and 4.1 GHz boost clock. Independent of processor model, the Helios 500 comes with a Full HD 144 Hz IPS display with NVIDIA G-Sync support. The onboard NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is responsible for graphics duties. The Helios 500's other specifications include 16GB of DDR4-2133 memory and a 256GB M.2 SSD for primary storage. In terms of connectivity options, consumers receive three USB 3.0 ports, two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt support, HDMI port, DisplayPort, LAN port, and two audio connectors. The Intel Core i9-8950HK version costs 1999 PLN ($3500) while the Intel Core i7-8750H version goes for 8999 PLN ($2630).

Acer today unveiled the first education tablet running Chrome OS, the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 (D651N). The new Acer Chromebook Tab 10 is designed for Acer's education customers and will be used in K-12 classrooms to expand and enhance student learning by bringing the speed, simplicity and security of Chrome OS into the tablet form factor.

"The Acer Chromebook Tab 10 combines advances in hardware and application support to enable more meaningful learning for an even wider range of K-12 students," said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business at Acer. "The new Acer Chromebook Tab 10 encourages students to discover new ways of understanding the world around them."

NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 is the company's cheapest and smallest GPU based on its "Pascal" graphics architecture, and is targeted at people who need IGP-replacement graphics cards around $50. Besides fewer shaders, it has a reduced software feature-set, with the notable omission of NVIDIA G-SYNC, the company's proprietary adaptive V-sync technology. We get that someone who pays the $150-200 premium for a monitor that supports it is unlikely to game on a GT 1030, but one user found otherwise.

With the latest GeForce drivers, Redditor "wantkitteh" found that their MSI GeForce GT 1030, when paired with an Acer Predator G-SYNC capable monitor (best guess XB272), was offering G-SYNC controls in the NVIDIA Control Panel. The monitor's OSD settings utility confirmed G-SYNC to be enabled. To meet the requirement, you need GPU and monitor to support G-SYNC, and be connected by a compatible DisplayPort 1.2 (or later) cable. It's something.

It looks like Intel has achieved the design goals of its new Core i7-8705G multi-chip module, built in collaboration with AMD. Combining a 4-core/8-thread "Kaby Lake" CPU die with an AMD "Vega" GPU die that has its own 4 GB HBM2 memory stack, the ruthless duo put similarly-priced discrete GPU setups to rest, such as the combination of an 8th generation Core processor + NVIDIA GeForce MX 150. More importantly, entry-level discrete GPU combinations with high-end mobile CPUs have a similar power/thermal envelope as the i7-8705G MCM, but at significantly higher PCB footprint.

Dell implemented the Core i7-8705G on one of its latest XPS 15 2-in-1 models. The device was compared to an Acer Swift 3 (SF314-51), which combines a Core i5-8250U processor with GeForce MX 150 discrete graphics; and a Dell XPS 13 9370, which implements an 8th generation Core processor that has Intel's workhorse graphics core, the HD 620. The three devices squared off against each other at "Rise of the Tomb Raider" game benchmark. The i7-8705G averaged 35 frames per second (fps), while the MX 150 barely managed 24 fps. The HD 620 ran a bored intern's PowerPoint slideshow at 9 fps.

Acer today unveils its 65-inch Predator Big Format Gaming Display with NVIDIA G-SYNC, introducing big screens to PC gaming. The supersized Predator gaming display builds on the same top-of-the-line specifications that its smaller cousins boast, and integrates NVIDIA SHIELD streaming capabilities to play movies and TV shows in stunning 4K HDR.

Massive yet Nimble
At 65-inches, the Predator Big Format Gaming Display (BFGD) features ultimate gaming specifications that consumers have come to expect from Predator gaming displays. It sports NVIDIA G-SYNC Variable Refresh Rate technology which provides a buttery-smooth, tear-and-stutter-free gaming experience, as well as ultra-low latency at 4K 120Hz. A full-array direct backlight delivers up to 1,000 nits peak luminance, and local dimming provides higher contrast, deeper blacks and brighter whites.

Acer today introduced its new Chromebook 11 line that offers strong everyday performance and a portable design with all-day battery life of up to 10 hours. The new Acer Chromebook 11 (CB311-8HT / CB311-8H) offers an 11.6-inch display in a portable and fanless design, so it's great for consumers and families who will move the device around or use in shared spaces. Plus, connecting peripherals, charging phones and other devices, and even sharing content on a large display can be done thanks to the Acer Chromebook 11's two USB 3.1 Type C ports.

"The new Acer Chromebook 11 continues Acer's tradition of delivering strong performance with all the benefits of Chrome OS at an excellent value," said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "Chromebooks are widely known as a fast, easy and secure way to work and play both online and offline. Customers can play games, stay productive, enjoy content and do even more with the new Acer Chromebook 11 thanks to its support of Google Play."

Acer today launches the world's thinnest laptop, the new Swift 7 (SF714-51T). At just 8.98 mm thin, the new Swift 7 is an always-connected PC running Windows 10 that's designed for mobility, with an ultraportable design packing a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, all-day battery life and a personal, trusted 4G LTE connection.

"We're extremely proud to make the world's thinnest laptop even thinner with the new Swift 7," said Jerry Kao, President of IT Products Business of Acer Inc. "Building on the engineering breakthroughs from the previous generation, the new Swift 7 steps up the game with an even slimmer chassis, powerful performance and always-on 4G LTE connectivity for professionals on the go."

Acer today announced its new Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop, designed for casual gamers seeking great performance in an attractive laser-textured design. Powered by Windows 10, the new 15-inch laptop is targeted towards mainstream users who enjoy the thrill of gaming with friends, and building their own network of like-minded players.

"With performance to effortlessly power mainstream titles, the Acer Nitro 5 houses essential technologies that casual gamers value most," said Jerry Hou, General Manager, Consumer Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "We've developed the Nitro 5 knowing that gamers want powerful specs to enable great experiences on the go. The new Nitro 5 is designed to tackle these needs and features a striking exterior for added uniqueness."

As part of Microsoft's "12 Days of Deals" push towards achieving more and better sales of Microsoft-branded products, the company has pushed a pretty hefty discount for its MR HMDs mere months after their release. The discounts see the Acer Windows Mixed Reality, Dell Visor, HP, and Lenovo Explorer take price-cuts of $200 over the base price, while Samsung's Odyssey HMD sees a much more level $50 price-cut.

With a move so close to holiday season and in the wake of steep discounts from Virtual Reality headset makers Oculus and HTC, Microsoft is pushing as hard as it can towards shipping enough units to build a new VR ecosystem. Consumers are the ones that stand to gain the most here, however. Though if you want to get your hand son one of these, be fast: the Acer and Dell options are already sold out, and the others' supply might also be inferior to the demand. So go there, and grab them while they're hot.