Acer Predator G1 review – hands on with Acer’s pint-sized VR PC

Have you ever wished your gaming PC could be just a little bit smaller? Well, Acer might have just the rig for you, as it’s just unveiled its tiny Predator G1 at its global press conference in New York.

This pint-sized powerhouse measures just 114x348x418mm, but still has enough room for a full-sized Nvidia graphics card in the base. Entry level models will have a standard VR-ready GTX card, but the top spec can even accommodate a Titan X, making this miniature desktop a real force to be reckoned with. These cards will also be paired with one of Intel’s 6th gen Skylake processors and up to 64GB of DDR4 2,133MHz RAM, and you’ll have the choice of up to either a 4TB dark disk or a 512GB SSD.

^ The Acer Predator G1 next to its considerably larger sibling, the G8

This isn’t just a PC you’re buying either, as the case model will also come with a 17.3in Full HD IPS monitor that supports Nvidia’s G-Sync technology. If Full HD isn’t good enough for you, there will be a 4K G-Sync monitor available, too. Likewise, a Predator-branded keyboard and mouse are included as standard, but serious gamers can opt for Acer’s mechanical Predator keyboard instead, which comes replete with fully customisable LED backlights.

Speaking of which, you can also customise the LED lights on the front of the PC thanks to Acer’s built-in PredatorSense software. There’s even a slide-out headset cradle for hanging up your headphones.

You’re well-catered for with ports on the back, too, as you’ll find five USB 3.1 ports, a USB 3.1 Type-C port, an SD card reader, headphone and microphone jacks, audio in and out connections and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Unfortunately, all that power does come with a not-so-small cost. While UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, Acer’s said the Predator G1 desktops will be available in Europe from June with prices starting at a whopping 1,199 Euros, which works out as roughly £945.

Accompanying the G1 launch was news that the Predator 17, one of Acer’s excellent gaming laptops, would be getting an even more powerful sibling, the Predator 17X. Like the G1, this laptop has been designed with VR in mind, as inside its massive chassis you’ll find a full-sized Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 graphics card and an Intel Core i7-6820HK processor.

Overclockers should have a field day with the Predator 17X, as Acer was keen to stress it had managed to get the laptop’s CPU running at clock speeds up to a massive 4.0GHz.

To help keep it running at this kind of speed, Acer’s introduced a new triple-fan cooling system, which involves one fan at the front, allowing cool air to pass right over the main components and out through the back of the laptop, and another located right next to the GPU. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see how the 17X fares in our benchmarks first, but it certainly sounds promising for those who like to get the very best out of their gaming systems.

Meanwhile, the 17X’s 17.3in IPS display will be available in either Full HD or 4K resolution configurations, but both will support Nvidia’s G-Sync technology to help games appear smoother and eliminate tearing.  

However, if you thought the G1 was expensive, then your eyes will definitely start watering at the price of the Predator 17X. While UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, European prices are set to start from a whopping 2,499 Euros when it launches this June, putting it closer to £1,970. That’s a serious amount of money for a gaming laptop, but if you really want a portable gaming system that is fully VR-ready, the Predator 17X might well be worth the investment. We’ll bring you our full reviews as soon as we can.