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With the launch of its new Predator range of tablets, notebooks, desktops and monitors, Acer says it is workiing with gamers to give them the choices they want.
An Acer spokesperson told PCR that the firm is the only vendor today who offers a cross-product platform to gamers (tablet, notebook, desktop and peripherals).
“We are working with gamers to gain insights into what they really want, in collaboration with eSports teams, such as TeamAcer,” explained the spokesperson.
“Our go to market strategy includes creating attention, creating engagement and maximising impact and loyalty.”
Acer’s new Predator range includes the following products:
The Predator G8 tablet: An 8-inch gaming tablet powered by the Intel Atom x7 processor, running Android 5.1 on a FHD display (1920×1200). It is available in the UK from November with prices starting at £249.99.
The Predator 15-inch notebook: Featuring 6th Gen Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX980M graphics, up to 32GB of DDR4 memory and enterprise level 512GB NVMe PCIe solid state drives. It is available in the UK from December with prices starting at £1229.
The Predator 17-inch notebook: This notebook has the same specs as above but with a 17-inch screen. It is available in the UK from December with prices starting at £1499.
The Predator G3 desktop: Powered by 6th Generation Intel Core, NVIDIA GeForce GTX or AMD Radeon graphics and support for UHD 4K2K (3840×2160) display, this desktop is available in the UK from November with prices starting at £699.99.
The Predator G6 desktop: Powered by latest 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700K processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 and up to 64GB DDR4 dual-channel memory, it is available in the UK from November with prices starting at £1499.
The Predator Z35 monitor: This monitor contains 35-inch 21:9 Ultra Wide Full HD (2560×1080) panel with a curvature of 2000R and is available in the UK from December with prices starting at £799.99.
PCR asked Acer if the firm plans to introduce or sponsor a League of Legends team: “We already have a female LoL team in place which is currently competing at EWSC, the official World Championship,” said the spokesperson.
“It is not easy to find additional LoL teams to compete at the top level. First of all, it only makes sense to add a team before the start of a new season. Secondly it also depends on the rules of Riot (a player focused game company) for adding a new team. We and TeamAcer actively monitor the scene for new developments in this area.”
The spokesperson also talked about why eSports in the UK and other Western European countries is only just starting to pick-up compared to Central and Eastern Europe.
“It’s not because our players are less talented, but more because of the conditions for players and gaming organisations. If you see the top player, especially in the big team categories like CS:GO, LoL, Dota there are more or less only Asian and Eastern European ones,” they explained.
“The reason is simple. It is much more affordable for them to play fulltime in some of those countries. And playing full time is more or less mandatory to play at the highest level. The only exception seems to be FIFA. In this game, the UK always produces some of the top players.”
We recently spoke to Riot Games’ Jason Yeh about the increase in demand for competitive PC gaming in the UK.
Yeh believes the UK one of the fastest-growing, larger markets in Europe for League of Legends.
“Especially in countries like the UK where sports is such a big part of the culture, I think the competitive element of eSports makes a ton of sense, so we’re definitely interested in figuring out how to bring everything from the professional level like Worlds, down to more local competitions in the UK to players,” he said.
