Acer has announced the Predator Helios 18 AI for Computex 2026, and this is clearly being positioned as the company’s new flagship gaming laptop. The system can be configured with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU with 24GB of GDDR7 memory, making it one of Acer’s most aggressive mobile gaming machines so far.
This is not the kind of laptop built around portability first. The Predator Helios 18 AI is a large, high power system aimed at players, creators, and workstation style buyers who want desktop class performance in a machine they can still move when needed. It weighs 3.5 kg and uses an 18 inch display, so it is better understood as a desktop replacement than a regular gaming notebook.
The hardware list makes that clear. Acer says the laptop supports up to 256GB of DDR5 memory and up to 6TB of total storage across three PCIe Gen5 NVMe SSD slots. That storage setup is still rare in a laptop and gives the Helios 18 AI enough room for large game libraries, creative projects, video files, and AI workloads.
The Mini LED display offers 4K detail or faster Full HD gameplay
The display is another major part of the package. Acer is using an 18 inch 16:10 Mini LED panel with a 3840 by 2400 resolution, 1000 nits brightness in HDR mode, 100 percent DCI P3 coverage, Calman Verified color accuracy with Delta E below 2, NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, and NVIDIA G Sync.
The panel also supports dual mode refresh switching. You can run it at 4K 120Hz when image quality matters more, or switch to Full HD 240Hz when you want smoother gameplay.
| Laptop | Main hardware | Display | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predator Helios 18 AI | Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5090 Laptop GPU | 18 inch Mini LED, 4K 120Hz or FHD 240Hz | High end gaming, creators, heavy workloads |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Up to Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU | 16 inch, 2560 by 1600, up to 240Hz | Gaming with stronger value focus |
Cooling is handled by dual 6th Gen Predator AeroBlade 3D fans, vector heat pipes, and liquid metal thermal grease. Acer says each fan has 100 metal blades that are only 0.05 mm thick, with airflow improved by 20 percent compared with generic plastic fans.
Connectivity is also premium. The Predator Helios 18 AI includes two Thunderbolt 5 ports, Intel Killer Wi Fi 7, Intel Killer Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.4, HDMI 2.1, an SD card reader, RJ 45, multiple USB Type A ports, and a 99Wh battery.
Acer also announced the Nitro 16, a more mainstream gaming laptop that can be configured with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU with 12GB of GDDR7 memory. This is Acer’s first gaming laptop option with that Ryzen chip, and it could appeal to players who want strong gaming performance without moving all the way up to the huge Helios 18 AI.
The Nitro 16 includes a 16 inch 2560 by 1600 display with up to a 240Hz refresh rate, up to 100 percent DCI P3 coverage, and up to a 3 ms response time. It supports up to 32GB of DDR5 5600 memory and up to 2TB of storage through two PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD slots. It also includes USB4 Type C, HDMI 2.1, Wi Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 plus, an FHD IR webcam, and a 92Wh battery.
The Predator Helios 18 AI and Nitro 16 are both planned for North America and EMEA in August 2026, while the Helios 18 AI will also reach Australia in the fourth quarter. Acer has not confirmed pricing yet, and that will be important. The Helios 18 AI sounds like a no compromise machine, but its final price will likely reflect that.
For now, Acer’s Computex gaming lineup shows two very different approaches. The Predator Helios 18 AI is the extreme flagship built for maximum specs, while the Nitro 16 brings newer AMD X3D laptop power into a more practical gaming system.
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