Acer Predator Helios 700: Top-Notch Specs with a New Gimmick for $2,699

Acer announced a slew of new laptops at their Next event at New York yesterday, including the Acer Predator Helios 700. Intel’s VP, Steve Long refers to it as the machine that gamers want. We will let the specs and the features do the talking. Oh, and the Helios 700 also comes with a sliding “HyperDrift” keyboard that is meant to make typing more comfortable and improve cooling.

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Let’s start with the X-Factor: the keyboard and trackpad slide towards you, the latter turning into a wrist-rest. Doing so reveals the 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D underneath. The keyboard itself comes equipped with MagForce Linear switches (per-key-RGB is obviously included) which sounds a lot like a membrane version of the analog keys on the Wooting One. The mechanism also improves the cooling which we’ll talk about in detail later on.

Acer Predator Helios 700 Specifications:

• CPU: Intel 9th Gen Core i9
• Memory: 64 GB of RAM (4×16 GB)
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 2070/ RTX 2080
• Storage: 1 TB SSD + 1 TB HDD
• Display: 17.3-inch 1080p IPS at 144Hz and NVIDIA G-SYNC
• Network Card: Killer Wi-Fi AX 1650 and E3000
• Price: USD 2,699

The Helios 700 incorporates a 1080p panel at 144Hz and 3ms response time which is much more sensible than a 4K 60Hz panel found on a lot of modern laptops. However, the 3ms response doesn’t make sense given that Acer CEO, Jason Chen is marketing it to the e-sports community. Acer puts emphasis on the fact that it is fully overclockable, although there is no mention of any proprietary software. Moreover, it also features true 5.1 surround sound with 5 speakers and a subwoofer.

For sound thermal performance, it comes with 5 heat pipes and a vapor chamber on top of the 4th-Gen AeroBlade 3D fans below the keyboard. A Turbo hotkey is also included which overclocks the CPU on command. It also features Intel’s Optane Memory which probably accounts for the 1 Terabyte SSD.

The Acer Predator Helios 700, even though being marketed as a gaming “laptop” is more along the lines of a portable desktop. It’s bulky, and according to some reports, weighs north of 4 Kilos (9 pounds). There isn’t any news on upgradability as it’s set to launch this July. The Helios 700 sits in an awkward position between a portable laptop and a desktop. Moreover, the $2,699 price-tag is a bit too much to justify a sliding Keyboard, no matter how ergonomic it is or how much it helps in cooling. But, hey, if you’re looking portable PC with a decent display, this might be of interest to you.