Acer is stepping into the much-anticipated handheld gaming PC market with the announcement of the Nitro Blaze 7 at IFA Berlin 2024. To distinguish itself from competitors, this new product boasts unique features. Let’s explore the details of this product, interspersed with an interview with Marc Ho, Acer’s Senior Director.
About Marc Ho
Marc Ho serves as a Senior Director at Acer. With a 20-year career at Acer, he is responsible for launching the company’s new product, the handheld gaming PC “Nitro Blaze 7,” into the market. Ho is confident that this product offers superior specifications compared to competitors, particularly highlighting the use of the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU with a built-in Neural Processing Unit (NPU). His role is to drive the strategy that helps Acer differentiate itself in this competitive market.
Ho has been a key executive in Acer’s entry into the handheld gaming PC market, with extensive knowledge and experience ranging from product development to market strategy.
Why Enter the Market Now?
Ho noted, “We perceived this as the right time to introduce a product with superior specs compared to competitors.” This suggests that Acer’s new Nitro Blaze 7 has successfully attained competitive advantages in its specifications. Specifically, Acer has selected the latest AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, a chipset not yet adopted by other handheld gaming PCs. He explained that this CPU, equipped with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), helps optimize performance and offer unique features. Therefore, Acer determined this was the right time to release a competitive product into the market.
Features of the Nitro Blaze 7
The Nitro Blaze 7 comes equipped with a 7-inch full HD display and adopts the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU and AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics. Its appearance showcases a gaming-like design with a black plastic chassis accented by red and white details.
Differentiation Through NPU-Equipped APU
The core feature of the Nitro Blaze 7 is its AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). Ho explained, “Leveraging the NPU allows us to implement new features like optimization. For example, there is software functionality that optimizes the Nitro Blaze 7 using the NPU.” He also mentioned that other CPUs were tested but did not achieve sufficient performance in some popular games, indicating that the choice of the Ryzen 7 8840HS represents Acer’s effort to define this new gaming era.
Pricing and Market Strategy
Regarding pricing, Ho stated that it was an opportune time to offer a superior product at comparable prices. Although the exact price is undecided, it is expected to range between 70,000 to 80,000 yen, similar to rival products like ASUS ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+.
Battery Life and Optimization
The Nitro Blaze 7 features a 50Wh battery, smaller compared to competitors’ 80Wh. However, Ho mentioned that they are “currently working on power consumption optimization,” aiming to improve battery life through NPU-assisted optimization. The effectiveness of these efforts remains unknown, and real-world usage will be a point of interest.
Reason for Choosing a 7-Inch Display
While other companies are transitioning to larger and clearer displays, Acer opted for a 7-inch full HD display. Ho explained, “Most games can’t even achieve a 60Hz refresh rate on larger screens,” adding, “Using larger or higher-resolution panels significantly degrades performance.” Thus, it appears that prioritizing gaming performance led to the decision that a 7-inch display is optimal.
Differentiation through Software
The Nitro Blaze 7 comes equipped with the Acer Game Space app. Ho explained, “Instead of using the original Xbox or Steam Deck interface, gamers can play directly through a new interface.” The app aims to enhance gamer convenience by integrating game libraries from major platforms like Xbox and Steam into a single main hub.
Summary
The Acer Nitro Blaze 7 enters the competitive handheld gaming PC market with the unique feature of an NPU-equipped APU. While many aspects like price, battery life, thermal management, and performance benchmarks remain uncertain, the product developed with a gamer-first approach is poised to make a significant impact in the market.
The adoption of an NPU-equipped APU is a clear differentiator from other companies, hinting at the possibility that competitors might adopt similar technologies in the future. The journey of the Nitro Blaze 7 into the market is worthy of attention.