IFA 2017 may not officially start until September 1, but it's already been quite the day for Acer and ASUS, both of whom have dominated today's pre-IFA 2017 announcements. From a new Windows Mixed Reality headset, to a slew of new PCs, here's what had Berlin talking today.
ASUS' Mixed Reality Headset
Now that Dell, Acer and Lenovo have hogged the Windows Mixed Reality spotlight, it's ASUS' turn to shine. The manufacturer debuted a new Mixed Reality headset that, whether you like it or not, sports a pretty funky design. At $449, it's a little on the higher end of things, but it definitely has the guts to perform.
Acer Predator Orion 9000
Acer always has something excessively powerful on hand at IFA, and the 2017 show is no different. And boy is there power to spare with the Predator Orion 9000, thanks to an 18-core Intel Core i9 CPU, up to 128GB of RAM, up to 44TB of storage, and up to four GTX 1080 GPUs. Of course, with this being a gaming PC, it comes in an appropriately flashy case as well.
ASUS ZenBook Flip 14 and 15
ASUS describes its new ZenBook Flip 14 as the world's thinnest 2-in-1 laptop with a discrete GPU at 13.9mm thick. Usually, you have to give up a bit of power while slimming down, so that's pretty neat if a svelte profile is your top priority. With an Intel Kaby Lake Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, the ZenBook's GeForce MX150 GPU is backed up by power elsewhere as well. And if you need a little more oomph, the bigger ZenBook Flip 15 packs GTX 1050 graphics as well.
Acer Aspire S 24
Acer's latest all-in-one PC, the Aspire S 24, is a beauty that also carries the distinction of being the first with Intel's new eighth-generation processors. The metallic exterior hides Qi wireless charging and a dedicated subwoofer in its base, to boot. It's not due to hit the street until January of 2018, but it's definitely a looker.
ASUS ROG Chimera
If speedy response times on your list of priorities in a gaming laptop, ASUS is vying for your attention with the new ROG Chimera. ASUS claims it's the world's first gaming laptop with a 144Hz refresh rate, and it just so happens to pack NVIDIA's G-Sync tech as well. That's backed up by the kind of power you'd expect, with a GeForce GTX 1080 and an overclocked Intel Core i7 on board.
Acer Switch 7 Black Edition
Acer is taking a swipe at Microsoft's Surface Pro line with its new Switch 7 Black Edition. The machine combines a brushed aluminum exterior with a detachable keyboard and a pretty cool "AutoStand" kickstand. With discrete graphics and Acer's fanless "LiquidLoop" cooling, the Switch 7 Black looks like an intriguing Surface alternative.
Your thoughts?
What has been your favorite announcement from IFA 2017 so far? Let us know in the comments below!
