These days, the market is brimming with handheld gaming devices for PC enthusiasts, but Acer seems determined to make a splash with its latest offerings: the Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11. With screen sizes of 8.8 inches and 10.95 inches, respectively, these devices boast some of the largest displays in the handheld segment. They both come with a crisp resolution of 2560 x 1600 and while the Nitro Blaze 8 sports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, the Blaze 11 offers 120 Hz—ensuring a visual treat for gamers.
These impressive high-resolution, high-refresh-rate IPS displays will certainly stretch the capabilities of current processing power, especially with demanding AAA titles. However, those hoping for a fresh powerhouse under the hood might be disappointed to learn that both models are built around AMD’s Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, similar to what we see in Asus’ ROG Ally packed with the 780M. So, expect to depend a good deal on AMD’s upscaling technology to keep things smooth across various games.
Acer has provided both devices with a 55 Whr battery, which is a step up from the original Ally’s 40 Whr and the Steam Deck OLED’s 50 Whr, though not quite reaching the heights of the Ally X’s 80 Whr. Alongside this, these handhelds feature 16GB of RAM and storage options climbing up to 2TB. Their touchscreens shine at an impressive 500 nits of brightness. Curiously, Acer is also highlighting the CPUs’ 39 total AI TOPS in its promotional materials. Given these specifications, don’t expect record-breaking frame rates or battery longevity, but what these devices lack in performance pizzazz, they compensate for with sheer size.
The bigger sister, Blaze 11, goes a step further with detachable controllers, making it akin to a supersized Lenovo Legion Go, though it appears to miss out on an integrated mouse sensor. The controllers seem devoid of dedicated cursor controls, suggesting you’ll be navigating a lot with taps and swipes on the Windows 11 Home interface when not utilizing Acer’s Game Space software.
Considering the sizable screens, it’s no surprise that these handhelds carry some weight, with the Nitro Blaze weighing 1.59 pounds, and the Blaze 11 coming in at a heftier 2.31 pounds.
In a quick hands-on session, the Blaze 11’s size wasn’t as daunting as some promotional images suggested, although it’s not exactly a breeze to tote around. This is similar to larger gaming laptops, after all. My main concern with the Blaze 11 would be its battery life—such large and vibrant displays demand a lot of juice. However, given its size, you’ll likely be using it in the comfort of your home, with a USB-C charger not far from reach.
Acer plans to roll out the Nitro Blaze 8 and Blaze 11 sometime in the second quarter, with prices reflecting their generous screen sizes. The 8-inch model will start at $899, while the 11-inch version will begin at $1,099.
