Acer announced that it will support Nvidia’s second generation of ray tracing-capable graphics cards, bringing more GPU performance to enthusiast gamers and creatives. Following the unveiling of the RTX 3090 graphics card, Acer showcased a trio of gaming desktops at IFA that feature Nvidia’s latest RTX 3000 series graphics. They are part part of its Predator Orion lineup. These powerful systems provide all the latest silicon needed for gamers to beat out their opponents.
“Acer is excited to be among the first to offer the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs on desktops with our Predator Orion gaming series,” said Jeff Lee, Acer’s general manager, in a statement. “For gamers that demand the latest breakthroughs in performance, the Predator desktops with the latest GPUs will support them to game at their best.”
The company noted that Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3000 series cards “deliver the most realistic” experience when it comes to ray tracing, thanks to cutting-edge A.I. features.
Headlining Acer’s refreshed lineup is the flagship Predator Orion 9000 desktop, which ships with up to Nvidia’s flagship GeForce RTX 3090 graphics paired to Intel’s Core i9-10980XE Extreme Edition processor. To keep things cool, the Predator Orion 9000 comes with three ARGB-infused FrostBlade fans. Gamers will appreciate the EMI-shielded tempered glass side panel that showcases the technology inside, while a more angular design gives this desktop its bold and gaming-forward aesthetics.
And even though the Predator Orion 5000 occupies the midrange slot in Acer’s lineup, this gaming desktop delivers plenty of performance. Matching the Predator Orion 9000’s Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics, this rig scales down to an overclockable Intel Core i9-10900K processor in a midsized tower. It comes with intake and exhaust fans and a CPU liquid cooler to keep things running smoothly.
For an even more affordable desktop option, the Predator Orion 3000 pairs Intel’s 10th-gen Core i7 processor with Nvidia’s midrange GeForce RTX 3070 graphics. The desktop’s compact 18-liter footprint makes it suitable for small spaces, but it still delivers the performance gamers need. Acer has streamlined the front of the Predator Orion 3000 compared to older models, giving it a more modern appearance.
If you need a monitor to complement and keep up with the performance that these new Predator systems deliver, Acer’s new Predator X25 monitor promises to do the job. The highlight of this 24.5-inch 1080p FHD panel is its 360Hz refresh rate, the first of its kind.
Thanks to Nvidia G-Sync technology, the X25 is a screen with ultra-low latency, and game scenes are refreshed once every 2.8 milliseconds, Acer claims.
The Predator X25 monitor also comes with Nvidia’s new Reflex Latency Analyzer, a tool that detects mouse clicks and measures the time it takes for the resulting pixels to appear or change on the screen. The tool gives gamers a more complete understanding of how gaming peripherals, like mice, keyboards, and the desktop, affect display latency.
The Predator X25 should arrive this fall, though Acer did not provide pricing information for its displays. Neither pricing nor release information was available for any of the Predator Orion desktop systems.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
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The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
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