Acer has introduced a new lineup of Predator hardware in Dubai, led by the Predator Helios 18P AI, a hybrid gaming laptop designed to handle both professional workloads and high-end gaming. The company also unveiled refreshed Orion desktops, a high-refresh OLED gaming monitor, and a new compact keyboard aimed at competitive players.
The Predator Helios 18P AI sits at the top of the announcement. Unlike typical gaming laptops, it is built as a dual-purpose machine for gamers, content creators, and professionals working in AI or data-heavy environments. It features up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 285HX with Intel vPro for enterprise-level security, support for as much as 192 GB of error-correcting (ECC) memory to reduce crashes and data corruption, and graphics powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU with DLSS 4. Storage can be configured with up to 6 TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD, while connectivity includes Thunderbolt 5, Killer Ethernet, and Wi-Fi 7.
The system’s 18-inch 16:10 display caters to creative workflows, with an option for a 4K Mini LED panel offering HDR at 1,000 nits brightness and full DCI-P3 coverage. Acer’s thermal design, combining AeroBlade fans, liquid metal grease, and heat pipes, is intended to keep performance stable under heavy loads.
On the desktop side, the Predator Orion 7000 and Orion 5000 cater to players seeking uncompromised power. The Orion 7000 can be equipped with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and NVIDIA’s new GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, with AI-focused capabilities such as DLSS 4 and support for NVIDIA’s NIM microservices for developers. It also features Acer’s CycloneX 360 cooling system, which the company claims improves airflow and reduces motherboard temperatures compared to prior designs. Configurations support up to 128 GB DDR5 memory, multiple SSDs, and additional HDD storage for large game libraries.
The slightly leaner Orion 5000 offers up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU and an RTX 5080 GPU, while retaining similar DDR5 memory and flexible storage options. Both towers ship in glass-panel cases with customizable ARGB lighting and are partly constructed with post-consumer recycled plastics.
For players seeking ultra-responsive visuals, the Predator X27U F8 monitor was introduced with a 26.5-inch OLED WQHD panel and a refresh rate that can scale up to 720 Hz at 1280×720 resolution. The screen supports HDR, 99% DCI-P3 coverage, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro to reduce tearing and stuttering.
The final product in the lineup, the Predator Aethon 550 TKL keyboard, offers a compact design with tri-mode connectivity (wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz wireless), up to 150 hours of battery life, and hot-swappable switches. Its tenkeyless format saves desk space while offering per-key RGB lighting compatible with Windows Dynamic Lighting.
Pricing positions these devices firmly in the premium segment: the Predator Helios 18P AI will start at $4,499 in EMEA, the Orion 7000 at $3,999, the Orion 5000 at $2,999, the Predator X27U F8 monitor at $1,199, and the Aethon 550 TKL keyboard at $129. The desktops will be available in Q1 2026, the monitor in Q2 2026, and the laptop and keyboard are expected to arrive earlier.
Acer’s latest Predator line shows how the company is positioning gaming systems as tools not only for entertainment but also for professional use cases like AI workloads and content production. With hardware that blurs the line between gaming rigs and workstations, the new devices reflect broader industry trends where gaming hardware increasingly serves as multipurpose performance machines.
