Tag curved

Acer’s latest announcement at CES 2024 has quite a bit in store for gamers. From game-ready 5G Wi-fi 7 routers to some rather whopping displays (including even a 3D one), the company is making some significant strides forward. The unveiling of its new lineup of Predator gaming monitors introduces a series of models designed to cater to a diverse range of gamers’ needs, each combining innovative technology with high performance.

Designer: Acer

Acer Predator Z57

Let’s begin with the crown jewel, the Predator Z57 – a 57-inch behemoth, curved to wrap your vision in a MiniLED display. But Acer didn’t stop at size. They doubled down with a dual UHD resolution of 7680×2160 at a smooth 120 Hz. This colossus offers a 32:9 aspect ratio, making it feel like you’re not just observing the game; you’re part of it. With VESA DisplayHDR™ 1000, the colors and contrasts are so vivid they’ll make reality seem dull. And if the immersive experience isn’t enough, its 1000R curvature, picture-by-picture, and picture-in-picture modes ensure multitasking is as seamless as your gameplay.

Acer Predator Z57

But perhaps you’re seeking something a bit more traditional, yet no less groundbreaking. Enter the Predator X34 V3. This 34-inch curved MiniLED display brings you an ultra-wide QHD resolution of 3440×1440. Its 1500R curvature is like a gentle embrace, ensuring no enemy lurks just out of sight. With a 180 Hz refresh rate and a 1 ms response time, every moment is a fluid transition, with no room for lag or ghosting. It’s not just about speed; it’s about experiencing every detail in a symphony of colors with its DCI-P3 94% color gamut and VESA DisplayHDR™ 1000.

Acer Predator X34 V3

Now, for those who live in the fast lane, Acer’s OLED models, the Predator X39 and Predator X34 X, are the perfect pick. These 39-inch and 34-inch titans offer UWQHD resolution at up to 240 Hz refresh rates. But it’s the 0.01 ms pixel response time that makes these monitors a dream for the fast and the furious gamer. Their 800R curvature and DCI-P3 99% color gamut deliver a visual feast, while the VESA DisplayHDR™ True Black 400 ensures the darkest blacks and brightest whites. And for the marathon gamers, they’re Eyesafe 2.0 Certified, so your eyes are protected even during those all-night campaigns.

Acer Predator X39

Across this lineup, Acer integrates features like AMD FreeSync Premium™ to address screen tearing and stuttering, ensuring smoother gameplay. The inclusion of a USB Type-C 90W PD port and a built-in KVM switch reflects a thoughtful design, aimed at providing convenience and flexibility to users.

Let’s talk brass tacks – pricing and availability. The Predator Z57, the flagship of this fleet, will start at USD 2499.99. For the OLED aficionados, the Predator X39 and Predator X34 X are priced at USD 1499.99 and USD 1299.99, respectively. And for those seeking that perfect balance of performance and price, the Predator X34 V3 is an enticing option at USD 899.99. These technological marvels will start gracing desks in North America and EMEA in Q2 2024, with China getting a head start in Q1 2024.

Acer Predator X34 X

I wouldn’t be surprised if Tesla announced a Cybertruck 2.0 before even delivering the Cybertruck 1 (after all that’s sort of what they did with the Roadster)… however, this redesign comes from the mind of automotive designer Dejan Hristov, who’s probably waiting for his Cybertruck to deliver too.

The Cybertruck 2.0 concept focuses on getting right the few things that the first truck got arguably wrong. The first design was way too polarizing, and according to Musk himself, incredibly difficult to build at mass scale. Rather than focusing on a truck that’s tommy-gun bulletproof, the Cybertruck 2.0 adopts a less aggressively divisive design, opting for the use of gentle curves instead of sharp angles. Musk mentioned that the Cybertruck hoped to shatter the design monotony of the pickup category, and the Cybertruck 2.0 does that too with a pretty eye-catching design that has the potential for being iconic… but those mild curves definitely give the car a more ‘finished’ appearance rather than looking like something you find at the bottom of a box of cornflakes.

Designer: Dejan Hristov

The Cybertruck redesign has a remarkably improved silhouette while still retaining the cyber-ish design direction set by the original. For starters, it still has edge-lines that give the truck definition, along with LED-strip headlights and taillights. The metal used on the redesign is clearly not the same as the one found in the original Cybertruck, given its ability to be formed into 3D curves, and even be embossed (notice the Tesla logo on the front and the back?)

One could assume that either Tesla’s developed a way to bend their bulletproof space-grade metal sheets, or Musk just decided to cave and make the car out of a more manageable metal but provide a solid chassis that gives the car its brute strength. Aesthetically, this just seems like a better direction to go in given that your vision isn’t really clashing with current technologies.

The truck is accompanies by a redesigned Cyberquad that, like back in 2019, fits right in the truck’s bed. The quad’s design borrows from sports bikes with its tank-shaped form, and matches its companion truck with a similar paint job.

In true pickup fashion, the back of the truck has its storage bed that’s ideal for camping, tailgating, or storing a Cyberquad. It comes with its own shutter, just like the original, but look a little ahead and you’ll notice that the Cybertruck’s windscreen now extends all the way to the back, giving you a wonderful vertically panoramic view from inside the car. You won’t want to camp in the back with that view!

A major departure from the original Cybertruck is the presence of color options. Hristov visualized the new Cybertruck with colors to match the rest of Tesla’s lineup, carrying forward the same logic to the Cyberquad too. As interesting as the original Cybertruck was, its lack of color options was probably one of its most noticeable flaws. Musk believed in showcasing the truck’s cold-rolled stainless steel in its true rawness, leaving a lot to be desired in the CMF department. This redesign corrects that mistake with color options that allow the truck to stand out through a stunning color palette, not through that flat-planed design seen on the 1st gen Cybertruck.

In Hristov’s final reimagination of the Cybertruck, he gives it one last feature to blow everyone’s minds away – a frunk! A detail seen on every Tesla car before it, the frunk can now be accessed on the Cybertruck 2.0 concept by opening it like you would a drawer. The hood doesn’t pop upwards like conventional cars; instead, the grille unit on the front slides forward, giving you ample space for storing bags, backpacks, and brewskis. The truck also comes with a retractable spoiler at the back, and a panel on the front that lifts up to reveal the windshield wipers. The redesign also gets sleeker rear-view cameras that share footage to the dashboard, eschewing the archaic rear-view mirror.

As gorgeous as the Cybertruck 2.0 is, it’s probably just wishful thinking for now given how Musk has constantly backtracked on delivery dates for the truck announced in 2019. The Cybertruck is officially (for now) going to start delivery at the end of November, although Tesla hasn’t been clear on how many units will be delivered, or even what its final price is going to be (amid mass fear of a massive price surge). For now, the truck is actually making its way to Tesla showrooms across USA, so maybe that’s one good sign?

As someone who has not used a mouse since I switched to Mac years ago, the idea of mouse fatigue is foreign to me. But I do know a lot of people who spend more than half of their day in front of the screen and with a mouse to guide them most of the time and they testify that it can take a toll on your hand and fingers. There are several ergonomic options out there but this one from Protoarc seems to be unique and even more ergonomic than the usual ones out there.

Designer: Protoarc

The EM11 RGB Wireless Ergonomic Vertical Mouse lets you have a more relaxed position when using the device, especially if you’ll be using it for long periods. The ergonomics vertical grip gives you a more natural position for your hand and will also supposedly give you fatigue resistance because of the way you use it and the way it’s designed. It should be able to reduce the strain on your arm, wrist, and hand and also is more convenient with its back and forward thumb buttons.

If you’re using multiple devices, the mouse is able to switch connection mode through low bluetooth with up to 3 devices and with three different available DPI for high precision control. And if you prefer something a bit more stable, you can also connect it to your computer through a USB receiver. It also has four different RGB light modes to match your mood while working or playing: neon, monochromatic, streamer, breathing. The battery life is also pretty impressive as it can last up to 90 days on a single charge.

With a lot of people staying in front of screens more hours every day, whether for work or for play, it’s really important to have ergonomic devices like these so we lessen the fatigue on our body. If I was still using a mouse, I would probably use something like this as the design seems more natural than your usual mouse devices.