Acer takes on Asustek with Predator gaming PC line

[Sawada]

Acer takes on Asustek with Predator gaming PC line

2015/09/30 22:41:04

Taipei, Sept. 30 (CNA) Taiwanese computer maker Acer Inc. (宏碁) unveiled its new Predator gaming tablet, laptops and monitors in Taiwan on Wednesday, taking aim at the leading player Asustek Computer Inc. (華碩) in the local market's high-margin PC segment.

Tony Huang (黃鐘鋒), president of Taiwan operations at Acer, estimated that some 3,000 gaming laptops are sold in Taiwan per month and that Asustek holds roughly 50 percent of the overall market.

Jumping into that market segment as latecomer, Acer nonetheless is hoping to sell more than 500 gaming laptops per month in Taiwan when its full-range of gaming products hit local stores in November, and eventually catch up with Asustek, Huang said.

"We hope to reach second place as soon as possible," Huang said at the Taiwan launch of the Predator gaming line, but declined to give a timeframe for that target.

One of the highlights of Acer's new gaming products is the Predator 8, the world's first 8-inch gaming tablet, which comes with four front-facing speakers, a full-HD display and the "TacSense" directional haptic feedback system.

Huang said he expects sales of the Predator 8 to hit 1,000 units per month in Taiwan after the tablet goes on sale in November.

Asked about Acer's revenue target for next year in Taiwan, Huang forecast a 5-10 percent growth from an estimated NT$10 billion (US$304 million) in 2015, helped by increasing sales of consumer notebooks and tablets.

Acer shares ended down 3.01 percent at NT$12.9 Wednesday on the Taiwan Stock Exchange before the announcement of its gaming products.

(By Jeffrey Wu)