Acer Unleashes Predator Helios 500 Gaming Notebook: Up to Core i9+, GTX 1070
by Anton Shilov on May 23, 2018 6:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Notebooks
- Acer
- Pascal
- Predator
- Coffee Lake-H
- Predator Helios 500
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Acer on Wednesday introduced its new 17.3-inch gaming notebooks based on Intel’s 8th Gen Core processors. Dubbed the Predator Helios 500, these notebooks feature Intel's latest hex-core Coffee Lake CPUs as well as NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1070 graphics. Meanwhile, unlike the relatively thin and light Predator Triton mobile gaming machines released last year, the Predator Helios 500 laptops are designed for people looking for the highest performance possible in a clamshell form-factor, so, they are rather thick, heavy and expensive.
The flagship versions of Acer’s Predator Helios 500 notebooks are based on Intel’s overclockable six-core Core i9+8950HK processor as well as NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1070 video card. Both key chips are cooled down using Acer’s Dual AeroBlade 3D cooling system that uses all-metal fans offering improved cooling performance and therefore ensures that end-users can overclock their mobile PCs efficiently. Acer will preinstall its PredatorSense app that can control and monitor the notebook’s vitals to avoid overheating.
Moving on, Acer intends to equip its flagship gaming notebooks with up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory, in line with mobile workstations. And in a bid to speed up storage sub-system of the Predator Helios 500 to the max without using RAID (and doubling the storage costs), the systems will come with Intel Optane Memory caching SSDs as well as high-end drives with a PCIe interface. As for connectivity, the Predator Helios 500 comes with a rather standard set of features and connectors: 802.11ac Wi-Fi, GbE, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, three USB Type-A headers, a DisplayPort 1.4, and an HDMI 2.0 output.
Various versions of the Predator Helios 500 will be equipped with display panels featuring a Full HD or an Ultra HD resolution and the G-Sync technology with up to a 144 Hz refresh rate. As for audio, like many other 17.3-inch class gaming notebooks, the Predator Helios 500 feature a 2.1-channel audio subsystem (with a built-in subwoofer) with Acer TrueHarmony and Waves MAXXAudio software enhancements.
A particularly interesting feature of the Predator Helios 500 is that it will be shipped in an optional rugged case (just like the ultra-exclusive Predator 21 X was last year) that can be reused to transport the device to LAN parties and other eSports events safely.
The Acer Predator Helios 500 will be available in the USA this June and will start at $1,999. In Europe, the product will start from €1,999, whereas in the U.K. it will be priced at £1,799.
Related Reading:
- Acer Predator 21 X Laptop with Curved Display Now Available, Only 300 to Be Made
- Acer Announces Predator Triton 700 Gaming Laptop: Core i7, GeForce GTX 10 Series, & 1 TB SSD
- Acer’s Predator X27 G-Sync HDR Display Listed in the USA, to Ship on June 1
- Acer Reveals Predator Orion 9000 Gaming Desktop: Up To 18 Cores, 4 Vega GPUs
Source: Acer
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stephenbrooks - Wednesday, May 23, 2018 - link
This one... actually... doesn't look *too* bad. They've toned down the looks slightly compared to some of the other gaming laptops on here.WinterCharm - Wednesday, May 23, 2018 - link
It's still so fat it looks silly.xype - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
As long as it feels heatlhy and is comfortable with its body image, who are we to judge its poor life choices?Wolfclaw - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
Two problems, ugly and the badge,Acer laptops are not know for a long life before a hardware fault kills it.Ket_MANIAC - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
Lol, traditional gaming laptops are fat and this one is not trying to be anything otherwise. A fat gaming laptop ensures good performance and no throttling. As for Acer, after ASUS they are the biggest gaming brand in the world and with the most number of technological advancements when it comes to laptop features.milkod2001 - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
Agree with others , fat and ugly. Under full load when gaming it will be uncomfortably loud. If one wants gaming 1070 performance it is better to build proper PC. I never got this stupidity to spend 2 grand on laptop and play games on 15 - 17''screen. Don't tell me that it is meant to be portable as this brick will sit on table 99% of times.DanNeely - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
Try taking a gaming desktop to a lan party using public transit, or from one hotel to the next via aircraft because you've got a sales/consulting/etc job that leaves you away from home 80% of the time.Ket_MANIAC - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
These guys don't get what gaming laptops are. To them, everything needs to be less than 2.2 lbs and 18mm thick. As for the laptop, I know its absurdly thick but at least it doesn't profess to be anything otherwise. A thick laptop means better cooling and thermal performance. Thin gaming laptops have their place, this one has its own.Fnnoobee - Thursday, May 24, 2018 - link
I would prefer the specs above (minus the i9 for an i7 Coffee Lake) with 32GB RAM instead of 64GB in the Acer Triton 700 body. I have the Acer Triton 700 and TBH the 1080 Max-Q is OP for 1080p even @ 120 Hz. A good G-SYNC 144Hz monitor with a GTX 1070 would be cooler, cheaper and more energy efficient. The extra 2 cores would also bump up FPS at 1080p where some games are still CPU bound at that resolution.nikon133 - Monday, May 28, 2018 - link
I'd prefer symmetrical rear, but beside that, this is how proper gaming laptop simply has to look - size wise - with today's tech.Yes it would be cool to have this level of performance in Zenbook body... just as it would be cool to have The Jetsons' flying car... but it ain't meant to be, yet.