This year has been good for gamers, and things got better at the IFA and PAX West 2016
Tech enthusiasts from all over Europe and the world have gathered this week in the city of Berlin, Germany to experience the latest advancements in technology at the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA) 2016.
Major players in the tech industry have presented new products, with LG, Samsung, Acer, Sony, and more showcasing their latest devices. The Taiwanese company Acer made waves earlier this week by revealing its new Predator 21 X gaming laptop.
On the other side of the world, the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) 2016 also saw some exciting unveilings, including the last-generation of Razer’s Blade gaming laptops. Razer is known for making gaming gear, and Acer’s Predator is one of the fan favorites, but which is best?
Design and Display
Razer’s Blade is very portable with a slim design in line with new-generation ultrabooks, but this is not an ordinary laptop. Razer offers two display options for its 14.0-inch Blades: an IPS full HD Matte display with LED backlight and 1920 x 1080 resolution, and an IGZO QHD+ 3200 x 1800 screen with multi-touch support.
Both Blade black aluminum models weigh just less than 2 kg, a weight nearly quadrupled by Acer’s 7.7-kg Predator 21 X. The 21 X gets its name partially thanks to its unique 21-inch IPS curved display. 2560 x 1080 resolution screen which is the first of its kind on a gaming laptop.
Specs and Features
The new Razer Blade packs an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor with up to 3.5 GHz of Turbo capacity along with 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of SSD storage. For graphic processing, the portable gaming rig features a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060.
A 70-W battery powers the Razer Blade for up to nine hours of continuous unplugged use. The gaming laptop includes a 2 MP webcam, a Thunderbolt 3 port with USB-C compatibility, 2 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port and a dual 3.5 headphone and microphone jack. The Blade’s keyboard features Razer’s signature Chroma lighting with limitless customization options.
On the other hand, Acer’s Predator 21 X will feature next-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors and up to 64 GB of RAM. The 21 X has room for four SSDs, so storage capacity is not an issue on this gaming beast.
Graphics processing is not a problem either, as the Predator 21 x packs not one but two Pascal architecture-based NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards. For that much power, Acer’s beast requires a dual power outlet and five built-in cooling fans under the hood.
The massive laptop also has a backlit mechanical keyboard, and support for NVIDIA’s G-SYNC and Tobii’s eye-tracking technology for enhanced, smooth, and precise gaming experiences.
The bottom line: Price and release date
The all-new Razer Blade will go on sale with a starting price tag of $1,799. Pre-orders are readily available, and shipping will begin as soon as October, the same month that will see the Blade hit the shelves marketwide.
Acer’s Predator 21 X has a TBA release date and retail price, but many speculate since its cutting-edge Intel chipset is scheduled for release next year, the gaming beast will be too. For its monster specs, estimated prices for the Predator 21 X range from $2,500 up to $5,000 once it becomes available.
