Acer has just revealed a pretty wild concept device offering a party trick even the best gaming laptops can't match: a detachable, Nintendo Switch-style controller that's built into the trackpad. Very cool.
Acer is calling this "Project DualPlay" and it's being shown off at the IFA 2024 tech conference in Berlin. The machine, while only a concept right now, is so intriguing I can't help but hope it becomes a real product.
As well as the controller itself (which looks pretty robust) the laptop also features stereo 5-watt speakers that pop-out from the side. These are activated when the user places two fingers on the electromagnetic lock release button on top of the keyboard to detach the controller. Check out the stylized video below for a look at the mechanism.
Furthermore, the controller itself separates into two joysticks just like Nintendo Joy-Cons, so you can engage in some friendly Street Fighter bouts with anyone that happens to be around.
And, of course, there's the obligatory RGB lighting that we've come to expect from Predator, Acer's gaming sub-brand. The customizable 360-degree dynamic lighting wraps the keyboard, screen bezels, and wider trackpad as well as the joysticks on the controller. There's also an “infinity mirror lighting bar” along the back of the laptop, but sadly none of the images reveal what it looks like.
Acer is clearly, ahem, upping its game at IFA this year. The company has also shown off a new gaming handheld that takes aim at the Steam Deck. It remains to be seen whether Project DualPlay will make it out of the concept stage, but I've got my gaming fingers crossed Acer follows through.
Meanwhile, you can check out all the other great gadgets coming out of IFA 2024 right here.
