Acer shows new high-end gaming notebooks Predator 15, Predator 17, and the Predator Gaming Tablet

With the label "Predator" coinciding with Acer's current high-end desktop lineup, three new devices will soon complement Acer's portfolio. Two 15-inch and 17-inch notebooks were shown, as well as an 8-inch gaming tablet that is optimized for gaming. The announcement of the products at the next@acer event in New York was probably a short-term decision since the manufacturer was hesitant to reveal any detailed specifications of the devices. The following overview lists the first known details based on our hands-on look.

The two notebooks will likely have the designation Predator 15 and Predator 17, although the final decision has yet to be made. The devices will not be available until the fourth quarter of this year, so there is a lot of room for speculations about the components. Acer at least wants to deliver the absolute maximum in respect of the performance and the latest technology. The CPU will probably be a Broadwell quad-core CPU, which should be available soon, but the repeated note about a "next generation CPU" may suggest Intel's Skylake processors. There was no information whether the CPU will be a mobile or a desktop component, which leaves room for speculation.

Dual GPU solutions, like Nvidia SLI, were ruled out. The prices of the products should be more than competitive based on Acer's current pricing strategy. One GPU solution would be the Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M. Both models will support integrated G-Sync, so the choice of a Nvidia GPU is pretty certain. It is questionable, however, if there will be a big update of the current GeForce 980M before the fourth quarter.

Both mockups of the 15-inch and 17-inch devices had matte display surfaces. The resolution should exceed Full HD according to Acer employees. The operating system should be the upcoming Windows 10 when you consider the launch date.

The announcement of the Acer Predator Gaming Tablet was very secretive as well. Confirmed specs so far are a display size of 8 inches with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, four front speakers, and an Android operating system. The four speakers are supposed to create very good sound, which will also automatically adjust accordingly to the position of the user's head. Inside the chassis will probably be an ARM processor and because of the necessary powerful graphics unit, it could either be sourced from Nvidia or Qualcomm. The announced Q3 launch window could mean a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 or 820, respectively, or Nvidia Tegra K1 or Tegra X1. The latter could also be used for the next generation of the Nvidia Shield Gaming Tablet.