Project DualPlay: This gaming laptop's touchpad doubles as a controller
Just in time for IFA 2024, Acer unveiled a concept gaming laptop called Project DualPlay.
This isn't just any ol' gaming laptop. This rig has a touchpad that doubles as a gaming controller. In other words, Acer has conceptualized a gaming laptop with a detachable wireless controller.
And once you're done with it, you can pop it back into its dock.
You May Also Like
Project DualPlay: Everything we know about it
The operative word here is "concept." This gaming laptop that Acer has envisioned here is nowhere near the ready-for-market stage.
In fact, it may never come to market at all, but it's certainly a bold idea.
Users can detach the controller from its electromagnetic lock by placing two fingers on the release button, which is located on the keyboard deck.
If that's not enough, Acer said the controller on this concept laptop will be able to separate into two joysticks. What's one of the use cases for this? "Head-to-head combat on the next evolution of the Street Fighter series," Acer said.
Releasing the controller also prompts two speakers to pop out from the sides of the laptop; this audio system offers "high fidelity," five-watt speakers.
If you're a fan of the flashy gamer aesthetic, you'll love that Project DualPlay is wrapped in customizable, 360-degree RGB lighting on the display bezels, keyboard, and trackpad area.
It's a bit wacky, yes, but it gives us some insight into how gaming laptops may look like in the future.
Alongside Project DualPlay, Acer announced a slew of other laptops that are actually real, including the Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI laptops, as well as some gaming laptops like the Nitro V 14 and the Nitro V 16.
Finally, Acer also unveiled a new Steam Deck rival called the Nitro Blaze 7.
Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
