Acer's Intel Arc-powered Steam Deck rival finally gets a price and release date

Gaming handhelds have become quite capable in recent years. Devices like the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally let you take your favorite PC games almost anywhere. Now, Acer wants a piece of that action, too, but its latest handheld comes with a price tag that might make you think twice.

First unveiled at Computex 2026, the Acer Predator Atlas 8 goes on sale November 1, exclusively at Best Buy. And while we’ve known about the handheld for a while, Acer has now revealed one important detail: it’ll cost $1,300. That’s a lot of money for a portable gaming device, but it hasn’t scared everyone away. According to Acer, the first round of pre-orders sold out last week. If you missed out, online orders will reopen on November 1, when the handheld also arrives in stores.

So, what exactly are you getting for that kind of money? Well, the biggest highlight is Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme processor, which Acer is counting on to deliver a powerful gaming experience without needing a full-sized PC.

And because it runs Windows 11, you aren’t limited to games from a single storefront. You can access your existing PC gaming libraries through platforms like Steam, along with Xbox Game Pass if you have a compatible subscription.

Acer hasn’t skimped on the display, either. You get an 8-inch touchscreen with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and variable refresh rate support. So, games should look sharp, and the higher refresh rate and VRR can help keep gameplay smooth even when frame rates aren’t perfectly consistent.

There’s also an 80Wh battery, TMR joysticks, and dual-mode triggers. The TMR sticks are a welcome addition, especially for anyone who’s dealt with the frustration of joystick drift. Acer has also fitted the handheld with two cooling fans to help manage heat during longer gaming sessions. If you’d rather play on a bigger screen, the available connectivity options should let you incorporate the Atlas 8 into a desk setup.

All of that sounds promising, but a rather large elephant in the room remains: the $1,300 price tag. That’s a serious investment for something designed primarily around portable gaming. And that’s ultimately what makes the Predator Atlas 8 interesting. Acer clearly wants to offer something more powerful than your average gaming handheld, but at this price, it won’t be enough to run your favorite games. It’ll need to run them noticeably better, without sacrificing too much battery life or getting uncomfortably hot in your hands.

Whether Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme can deliver on those expectations remains to be seen. We’ll have to wait for real-world testing to find out. For now, though, the sold-out pre-orders suggest there’s at least some early enthusiasm for Acer’s latest gaming machine.