Acer may have just unleashed one of the most powerful gaming laptops to come to the market, and if its RTX 5090 GPU isn't telling enough, perhaps its 192GB of RAM will get you on board.
For IFA 2025, Acer has announced its Predator Helios 18P AI, an 18-inch machine that's a gaming laptop and workstation fitted into one. How so? It boasts an Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, a whopping 6TB for storage and an even more impressive 192GB of ECC RAM.
What exactly is ECC memory? It actively detects and corrects common types of data corruption, meaning it reduces the risk of system crashes, data corruption and the like. That's what makes it more than just a gaming laptop, as the Helios 18P is targeted at AI developers and content creators, too.
If you thought the MSI Titan 18 HX was a powerful machine, the Helios 18P AI takes that might and runs with it. While its specs alone beat many of the best gaming laptops, this kind of power is reflected in its price tag.
The Acer Predator Helios 18P AI will be available in the U.S., with pricing and release dates yet to be announced. However, we do know it's starting at €4,499, so you can imagine this will be one pricey machine.
Acer Predator Helios 18P AI: Specs
Acer Predator 18P AI |
|
Price |
From €4,499 |
Display |
18-inch 4K WQUXGA (3840 x 2400) Mini LED, 120Hz, 16:10 |
CPU |
Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX |
GPU |
Up to RTX 5090 laptop GPU |
Memory |
Up to 192GB ECC |
Storage |
Up to 6TB PCIe Gen 5 |
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 |
Dimensions |
15.7 x 12.1 x .0.68~1.16 inches |
Weight |
7.7 pounds |
Acer Predator Helios 18P AI: What you need to know
While I've found desktop replacement laptops still can't quite match the power of a gaming PC, the Predator Helios 18P AI aims to close that gap. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor paired with an RTX 5090 laptop GPU alone makes for a monster machine, especially when playing the best PC games, video editing, graphic design and coding.
But it takes it all a step further with its 192GB of ECC memory, which is a wild amount of RAM. The most RAM that general users need is 32GB, and that's already for gaming or editing and rendering 4K videos. Top that off with its up to 6TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD for storage, two Thunderbolt 5 ports (along with three USB-A, HDMI 2.1 and SD card reader), Killer Ethernet E5000B and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and this laptop aims to do it all on the go.
Cooling it all is Acer's AeroBlade metal fans, which are the "world's thinnest" cooling fan blades at 0.05mm, liquid metal thermal grease and vector heat pipes.
Design-wise, it's not unlike the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI I tested, fitted with an RGB-lit strip on its edge and frame, along with its bright per-key RGB keyboard. This time, with a boatload of more power under the hood.
Then there's the display, offering up an 18-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400) Mini LED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 16:10 aspect ratio. That means 4K gaming, but it's also been built for 3D rendering and video editing, with its HDR mode offering 1,000 nits of brightness and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut.
That's just like the MSI Titan 18 HX's display, and that means you can expect a vivid, colorful, buttery smooth visual experience no matter what's on screen,
The Acer Predator Helios 18P AI is clearly a premium laptop, not just for gaming, but for everything in between. Will it be worth its expensive price tag? We'll wait to see when we get our hands on it. But otherwise, this is a laptop that sets the standard of how powerful mobile computing can be, even if it's only on paper.
For a significantly less pricey 18-inch laptop worth looking at, take a look at the Asus TUF Gaming A18.
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