Just when we thought that this year’s handheld gaming scene was laid up in its sick bed, Acer and Intel have come through with what might just be the antidote we’ve been waiting for. The Acer Predator Atlas 8, announced today, could hold the entire Windows-based mobile scene on its shoulders with a chip purpose-built for PC gaming on the go.
There are two versions of the Atlas 8. One comes with an Intel Arc G3 processor, and the other will support the more powerful Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip. The difference between those processors is whether they include the Arc B370 or the Arc B390 GPU. Regardless, both will support Intel’s XeSS 3 upscaling technology, which can insert AI-generated frames to artificially increase frame rates. The Acer Predator Atlas 8 also includes two back buttons and switches for instant triggers. © Acer Acer’s 8-inch Atlas handheld is yet another Windows-based device. That means it provides a more PC-like experience than you’ll get from the Linux-based Steam Deck and its console UI. Windows on handheld is getting better, especially with recent updates to the “Xbox Mode,” which adds a controller-friendly interface to small-screen gaming devices. Acer said the Predator Atlas 8 will ship with Xbox mode enabled. To manage device settings, like TDP, or thermal design power, you’ll have to rely on Acer’s own PredatorSense app. Once you get into the meat and potatoes of this handheld, it starts to sound all the more interesting. Whereas a device like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X could handle USB 4 speeds for external connections and eGPUs, the Predator Atlas 8 includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports with higher bandwidth. It also supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 right out of the box.
