Acer's New Gaming Handheld vs Steam Deck: 5 Things to Know

Acer has entered the premium handheld gaming market with its Predator Atlas 8, positioning it against established devices such as the Steam Deck. The new handheld runs Windows 11 and uses Intel's latest Arc G-series processors. Its hardware focuses on delivering PC gaming performance in a portable form.

The Predator Atlas 8 uses Intel's Arc G3 Extreme processor with Arc B390 graphics in its top configuration. It includes 12 Xe3 graphics cores and supports Intel XeSS 3 AI-powered upscaling. The Steam Deck, in comparison, uses a custom AMD processor with integrated graphics for portable PC gaming.

Display size is another major difference between the two handhelds. Acer's Predator Atlas 8 features an 8-inch WUXGA touchscreen with a 1920 x 1200 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The Steam Deck OLED offers a smaller 7.4-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, giving Acer more screen space.

Acer's handheld runs Windows 11, providing access to PC games through different platforms and launchers. It also supports Xbox Game Pass and includes Xbox Mode for easier navigation. Valve's Steam Deck uses SteamOS, which is designed around the Steam gaming library and offers a console-like interface.

Battery capacity is another important consideration for portable gaming. The Predator Atlas 8 comes with an 80Wh battery option and a dual-fan cooling system. Acer has also introduced a metal AeroBlade fan to improve airflow. The Steam Deck OLED has a smaller 50Wh battery and a different cooling design.

The Predator Atlas 8 includes up to 24GB of LPDDR5X memory and up to 1TB of expandable internal storage configurations. It also features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The Steam Deck OLED offers 16GB of LPDDR5 memory and supports microSD storage expansion.

 Acer's Predator Atlas 8 is priced at $1,299.99 in the US and became available through Best Buy on November 1, 2026. Its premium hardware comes at a considerably higher price than the Steam Deck. Buyers will need to weigh performance, operating system preferences and budget before choosing either device.

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