Acer Predator controller review: a few years out of date
Acer Predator Controller: One-minute review
this Acer Considering the brand’s track record of producing high-quality gaming hardware, the Predator controller is a bit of a letdown. Apparently, this is Acer’s first foray into gaming controllers, as the Predator’s functionality is pretty simple. This, as well as its overall build quality, leave something to be desired.
This would be largely forgivable were it not for the Predator’s retail price. It’s priced similarly to some best pc controller and The best Nintendo Switch controllers,include GameSir Tarantula Pro and Eight Bit Hall Ultimate Edition. But unlike those, the Acer Predator does almost nothing to stand out.
Don’t expect remappable buttons, trigger locks, or even basic features like good overall build quality here; the Predator’s closest analogue is probably Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Even so, Nintendo’s official tablet beats the Predator in both build and battery life.
That’s not to say the Acer Predator isn’t worth a look. It still does a lot of things right. Hall effect The sticks will keep the controller going for years, and it does support Switch-friendly features like a gyroscope for gaming Splatoon 3. It’s a bit of a shame that the Predator requires AA batteries for wireless use, but there’s support for Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity here, and overall battery life is pretty good, averaging around 20 hours.
All in all, if you’re looking for a simple, no-frills controller similar to the official nintendo switch options, the Acer Predator might be just the thing for you. However, when its peers handily surpass it in design, features, and performance — often at the same price or less — it probably shouldn’t be your first choice.
Acer Predator Controller: Pricing and Availability
- £69.99 (approximately US$87.99 / AU$139.99)
- Available from the Acer website in some regions
- Overall availability is limited and the controller does not appear to be available in the United States
While the Acer Predator controller doesn’t appear to be available in the US (at the time of writing), it costs £69.99 in the UK and can be purchased from Acer’s own website. Unlike most other third-party controllers, availability (at the time of writing) appears to be extremely limited. The controller is not listed with a retailer, e.g. AmazonArgos or John Lewis in the UK. Additionally, Acer itself doesn’t have a store page for the controller in the US or Australia.
In terms of price, the Acer Predator is quite competitive when you consider that many other top-tier controllers are in the £60 to £70 price range. But as mentioned, it’s not the most complete feeling controller compared to other pads in the series. I feel that if it sold for £10 or even £15 less than the current retail price, it would be a more attractive purchase option.
Acer Predator Controller: Specs
| price | £69.99 (approximately US$87.99 / AU$139.99) |
| aspect | 6.2″ x 4.4″ x 2.5″/157mm x 112mm x 64mm |
| weight | 0.49 lbs/220g |
| compatibility | Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PC |
| Connection type | Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), wired (USB Type-C) |
| battery life | about 25 hours |
| software | not applicable |
Acer Predator Controller: Design and Features
- Simple but still eye-catching sci-fi style livery
- Lacks build quality compared to competitors
- The direction keys and triggers feel noticeably soft
Starting on the positive side, I really like the aesthetics of the Acer Predator controller. It’s decked out in a cool sci-fi looking pattern, which definitely gives it some unique identity, but it’s understated enough that it doesn’t stand out in a gimmicky way. The top bumper also provides a soft click feel. The thumbstick feels great here too, with a comfortable concavity that allows your thumb to rest securely on it.
Other aspects of the controller don’t perform well, either. The D-pad and face buttons have an overly mushy feel. It doesn’t help that the former’s design is very basic and fairly flat, which does cause occasional misclicks during gameplay. Meanwhile, the triggers did grow on me after a while, but they were quite wide and provided an unsatisfactory spongy feel. Overall a pretty mixed bag in terms of buttons and modules.
It’s also worth noting that the Acer Predator’s 2.4GHz adapter doesn’t come separately in the box. Instead, it’s installed inside the controller’s onboard battery compartment. So if you plan on using it wirelessly with your PC, make sure you remove the AA batteries before inserting them.
It’s a bit of an odd choice for a controller, and does require some effort to release it from the controller slot. But it at least provides a secure way to store the dongle to prevent you from losing it when not in use.
Acer Predator Controller: Performance
- Hall effect joystick is a durable controller
- Carefully designed rumble delivers a powerful and impactful gaming experience
- Battery life is good but may vary depending on the battery brand you choose
Design issues aside, the Acer Predator does perform admirably as a controller, with few glaring flaws. Although the pad feels dated in some ways, the first thing I appreciate is the addition of the Hall Effect Rod. This will make the gamepad durable and resistant to stick drift issues. For this reason alone, the Predator is worth considering if you’re tired of using a controller on a regular basis.
What surprised me the most was the Predator’s extremely effective rumble technology. It’s not quite the PS5’s tactile feedback dual sense Wireless controller, but it feels noticeably less flat than many other controllers in this regard.
Play action-intensive games such as howling waves, No Zen Zone, and Ax: Shadow Dies Twice, I was impressed with how impactful the sword swings and other special abilities were. It’s an all-around vibration that manages to add a nice sense of immersion to any game you’re playing. However, you may still want to turn off vibration for competitive gaming, as I do think that such a strong rumble could disrupt things like aiming or other required inputs.
The Acer Predator controller also matches many of its peers in terms of compatibility and connection types. It works with Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile devices (Android and iOS), and supports 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless connections, as well as USB-C wired connections. Switch compatibility is a particularly big plus here, as I feel the Acer Predator is a decent alternative to the Nintendo Switch Pro controller.
Overall battery life is also pretty good. Acer’s own website claims you can get around 25 hours of use, but this will of course vary depending on the brand of AA batteries used. The controller comes with a pair of Energizer AA batteries in the box. With these I got about 20 hours of playtime before needing to replace them. Again, this will vary depending on the brand and the type of games you play, but overall it’s a good number and means you won’t have to replace batteries very often.
Should I buy an Acer Predator controller?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also considering…
If the Acer Predator proves to be a tough sell, here’s a table where we compare its specs to two other great controllers.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | acer predator | Eight Bit Hall Ultimate Edition | Nintendo Switch Pro Controller |
| price | £69.99 (approximately US$87.99 / AU$139.99) | US$69.99/£59.99/AU$104 | US$69.99/£59.99/AU$99.95 |
| aspect | 6.2″ x 4.4″ x 2.5″/157mm x 112mm x 64mm | 5.8 in x 4.1 in x 2.4 in (147 mm x 104 mm x 62 mm) | 6″ x 4.2″ x 2.4″ (152mm x 106mm x 60mm) |
| weight | 0.49 lbs/220g | 0.54 lbs (245 g) | 0.54 lbs (246 g) |
| compatibility | Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PC | PC, Nintendo Switch | PC, Nintendo Switch |
| Connection type | Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), wired (USB Type-C) | Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), wired (USB Type-C) | Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB Type-C) |
| battery life | about 25 hours | 20 hours | 40-50 hours |
| software | not applicable | ultimate software | not applicable |
How do I test the Acer Predator controller
- Tested for a week
- Test platform: Nintendo Switch, PC
- Compared to Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and 8Bitdo Ultimate
I spent a week testing the Acer Predator controller, switching between PC and Nintendo Switch. By doing this, I was able to test a variety of connection types from 2.4GHz to Bluetooth and wired, while also sampling a variety of great games, including mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition, Star Chain, Wu Zen Zero Zone, and Howling waves.
While it’s far from the best controller I’ve ever tested, it ultimately won me over somewhat thanks to its broad compatibility, powerful vibration technology, and impressive battery life— — even though I personally don’t like relying on AA batteries for wireless playback.
The first review will be in January 2025
