Why it matters to you
PC gamers on a budget who are looking for an inexpensive pre-built solution have several new options from Aspire based on a new processor from AMD and Nvidia’s GeForce graphics cards.
Just ahead of the E3 2017 gaming convention in Los Angeles, Acer introduced a new affordable desktop for PC gamers, the Aspire GX-281. Currently, it’s served up in several configurations starting at $800, packing AMD’s new Ryzen 5 1400 processor, and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1050 and GTX 1050 Ti graphics cards. There are slight differences in the configurations to meet the needs of all PC gamers on a tight budget, such as a secondary SSD with 256GB of storage.
AMD’s Ryzen 5 desktop processor family launched in April. The chip used in Acer’s new desktop is at the bottom of the quartet packing four cores, a base speed of 3.2GHz, and a boost speed of 3.4GHz. It retails for around $170 on its own, falling in line with AMD’s goal of cramming huge amounts of performance into small price tags. By contrast, AMD’s current top-of-the-line CPU is the Ryzen 7 1800X with eight cores, a base speed of 3.6GHz, and a boost speed of 4.0GHz for $460.
Currently, we know of three configurations: the GX-281-UR17 for $800, the GX-281-UR16 for $850, and the GX-281-UR11 for $800. Here is the hardware foundation:
Processor:
AMD Ryzen 5 1400
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (w/2GB GDDR5)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (w/4GB GDDR5)
System memory:
8GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (supports 64GB max)
Storage:
1TB hard drive (7,200RPM)
1x DVD-RW optical drive (8x)
1x 256GB SSD (depending on model)
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Ports (front):
1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C
1x Microphone jack
1x Headphone jack
1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x SD card reader
Ports (back):
1x Gigabit Ethernet
2x USB Gen2 Type-A
4x USB 2.0 Type-A
1x DisplayPort 1.4
1x HDMI 2.0b
1x DVI-D
Audio:
High Def Audio with 5.1 Surround Sound
Power supply:
500 watts
Expansion slots:
1x M.2 slot for stick-shaped SSDs
1x PCI Express 3.0 x16
Dimensions (inches):
6.89 (W) x 18.24 (D) x 15.67 (H)
Included peripherals:
USB keyboard
USB optical mouse
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Overall, there’s definitely lots of love here for the money. The use of the GTX 1050 or the GTX 1050 Ti card will depend on the model, such as the GX-281-UR17 sporting the GTX 1050 and the GX-281-UR16 providing the GTX 1050 Ti. The vanilla GTX 1050 has 640 CUDA cores and a base speed of 1,354MHz while the GTX 1050 Ti packs 768 CUDA cores and a base speed of 1,290MHz (the more cores you have, the better).
The two USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A ports are an added bonus, providing transfer speeds of up to ten gigabits per second. By comparison, the “blue” USB 3.1 Gen1 ports (formerly USB 3.0) only does up to five gigabits per second while the old-timer USB 2.0 port only achieves up to a slower 480 megabits per second. USB 3.1 Gen2 is capable of supporting additional displays, storage devices, and more. Too bad this PC doesn’t provide Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, though.
“The armor-shaped black chassis is highlighted with red arrow-like design features and red front LED lights for a commanding look and appeal,” the company says.
Acer is rolling out its Aspire GX-281 desktops now, starting at $800. They will be available on Amazon, Micro Center, Newegg, and other online retailers.