What you need to know
- PC gaming handhelds have become a popular new category in the last couple of years with the likes of Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw.
- Today, Acer announced its own Windows 11 gaming handheld in the form of the Nitro Blaze 7.
- In addition to the usual controls and features, this new device offers Hall Effect joysticks, a fingerprint reader, and an on-screen keyboard pop-up button.
- It runs on an AI-boosted AMD Ryzen 7 CPU capable of reaching up to 39 TOPS along with an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, 16GB RAM, and up to 2TB SSD.
- As with many of its competitors, it features a 7-inch IPS display. But unlike some competitors it is capable of 144Hz and is compatible with AMD FreeSync Premium.
- The exact release date and price have not been revealed yet.
As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I must admit that the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed. Having tested numerous gaming devices and witnessed the evolution of portable gaming, I can’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment when I look at the Nitro Blaze 7.
Over the past two and a half years, various new portable PC gaming devices have been introduced to the market, including the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and the unsuccessful MSI Claw. Although there are already several options available, other manufacturers continue to try their hand in the handheld gaming sector. Now, Acer, a well-known electronics company, is joining the fray with the Nitro Blaze 7 (GN771) gaming handheld device
Introduced at IFA today, the Nitro Blaze 7 laptop features an enhanced AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU that can reach a peak of 39 TOPS (TeraOps per second). It also comes with an integrated AMD Ryzen 780M GPU, 16GB of high-performance LPDDR5x RAM, and up to 2TB of ultra-fast M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD storage
Regarding its features, the Blaze 7 offers Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) through AMD FreeSync Premium technology, reducing screen tearing and stuttering during gameplay. This feature is similar to what’s found on devices like ROG Ally and Steam Deck but is not supported by Legion Go. The Blaze 7 provides two USB4 ports, one each at the top and bottom, for connecting accessories or a charging cable. A microSD card slot for easy storage expansion and a headphone jack are positioned at the device’s base. The handheld connects to the internet via Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for peripheral connections. New users of the Blaze 7 will receive three months of PC Game Pass as a starting bonus for gaming
In terms of controls, the front layout of the Blaze 7 resembles previous gaming handhelds quite closely. It sports two Hall Effect joysticks, ABXY buttons, a D-Pad, bumpers, triggers, volume and power buttons, View, Menu, Quick Access Menu, and main program keys. One distinctive aspect is a dedicated on-screen keyboard button to facilitate text input in games. Unlike some competitors, it lacks back buttons; instead, the back showcases a Nitro design and ergonomic grips for better handling
As an enthusiastic admirer, I’d put it this way: On my beloved Acer Blaze 7, the software known as Acer Game Space functions as a swift gateway to my favorite games across multiple platforms. Although Acer hasn’t disclosed the release date or pricing for the Nitro Blaze 7 just yet, they’ve hinted that the cost may vary depending on the region I reside in
A handheld that lacks any compelling reason to buy it
Beyond my frequent gaming sessions on portable PC consoles, I’ve interacted with all the leading handheld devices currently available such as Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go, multiple AYANEO models, and MSI Claw. At present, the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 fails to pique my curiosity or make a strong argument against these alternatives. If the Nitro Blaze 7 is markedly cheaper than other Windows 11 handhelds or boasts superior battery life, that could be worth mentioning. But I’m not holding my breath on either count
Regarding its battery, the Nitro Blaze 7 sports a 50 Wh power source, bigger than the ROG Ally’s 40 Wh and almost identical to the Legion Go’s 49.2 Wh. Given the battery life of similar devices, it’s probable that the Nitro Blaze 7 won’t outperform one to two hours when running demanding games, which isn’t ideal
In terms of setup, the handheld most akin to the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 is the MSI Claw. However, it’s worth noting that the MSI Claw has received less-than-impressive reviews in the world of PC gaming handhelds. Unlike devices like the Legion Go and ROG Ally which house the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, the Nitro Blaze 7 utilizes one of AMD’s AI CPUs. This means it shares a neural processing unit (NPU) with the MSI Claw, which is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H AI CPU. For more information on these processors, you can check out my NPU guide or our AI PC guide
To date, AI processors featuring NPUs have been effective for commercial devices, yet they often fall short when it comes to gaming systems (with some rare exceptions). Therefore, this CPU setup doesn’t spark any curiosity about the Nitro Blaze 7’s gaming performance in my opinion
In summary, it was found through comparison that the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H in the MSI Claw performs better than the AMD Ryzen 7 8804HS within the Nitro Blaze 7. This indicates a potential disadvantage for the Nitro Blaze 7. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the MSI Claw is already less efficient than both the ROG Ally and Legion Go in terms of gaming performance. Therefore, the idea of a handheld device with an even weaker CPU isn’t particularly attractive. (Credit: UserBenchmark)
Moreover, the graphics card of the Blaze 7, specifically the AMD Radeon 780M, can match up with the Intel Arc GPU found in the MSI Claw. Consequently, graphical performance between these two devices is expected to be roughly equivalent. However, there’s a chance that Acer has optimized the overall system performance of the Blaze 7 beyond the MSI Claw, but it’s not guaranteed
Among several new handheld devices, Acer’s and MSI Claw share a common feature: they both come equipped with Hall Effect joysticks. On the other hand, the ROG Ally, Steam Deck, and Legion Go do not have these joysticks. It’s worth mentioning that Hall Effect joysticks are preferable due to their non-drift characteristics, setting them apart from other joystick technologies. However, having just a Hall Effect joystick doesn’t necessarily make a handheld device a must-buy, as demonstrated with the MSI Claw
Acer’s choice of naming their gaming handheld as “Nitro Blaze 7” is a bit confusing. The number “7” might lead people to believe that there are already six other devices in the series, which isn’t the case. This is actually the first Nitro Blaze device. Acer uses ‘Nitro’ for its budget gaming line (while ‘Predator’ represents their high-end gaming line). The number “7” might refer to the AMD Ryzen 7 processor or the 7-inch display, but it makes the name longer and more complex, which isn’t really necessary
In simple terms, I anticipate reviewing the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 soon after its launch, but I don’t foresee it outperforming other existing options. Given its specs, it seems likely that it won’t surpass the ROG Ally and Legion Go in performance, putting it on par with the MSI Claw
If you’re considering purchasing a portable gaming device, I recommend taking a look at my curated list of top-tier handhelds. Essentially, if you seek an experience similar to a Steam console, the Steam Deck would be ideal for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something more like a powerful computer, I suggest considering the ROG Ally
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2024-09-04 16:19