Gadgets Weekly: Acer Nitro V series PCs and more

Technology companies Acer, Motorola, BenQ, Lenovo, Samsung, HP and others launched new computers, phones, smart monitors, accessories, and more this week (January 6-12, 2025).

DH's Gadgets Weekly edition lists the latest personal technology products to keep you abreast of everything happening in consumer electronics.

. Acer launched a new line of PCs --Nitro V 17 AI, Nitro V 16 AI, and Nitro V 14 AI at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025.

All the new gaming laptops are powered by up to the new AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, based on the new 'Zen 5' architecture. They can run all new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered applications on devices smoothly and use less power than conventional gaming laptops.

These Copilot+ PCs are powered by an NPU performing up to 50 AI TOPS of processing power and enable generative AI experiences, like Cocreator in Paint. They also come with AI-powered graphics, featuring up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPUs[1] with the latest NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 technologies for lifelike virtual scenes with ray tracing and up to 32 GB of memory and 2 TB of storage.

The Nitro V 17 AI (ANV17-61) gaming laptop features up to a 17.3-inch,16:9 QHD (2560 x 1440) display with up to a 165 Hz refresh rate and DCI-P3 100% colour gamut range. The Nitro V 16 AI (ANV16-61) offers a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) resolution, up to 180 Hz and sRGB 100% support. The Nitro V14 AI (ANV14-62) provides up to a WQXGA resolution and 165 Hz refresh rate, and its white, pearl-like finish goes beyond traditional designs, making this laptop stand out in a market typically dominated by darker colours.

Depending on the configurations the new Acer laptops-- Nitro V 17 AI, Nitro V 16 AI, and Nitro V 14 AI-- are priced between €899 and €1,299.

. Top cyber security company McAfee earlier this week launched the Deepfake Detector application in India.

It is capable of detecting fake audio and video content created using artificial intelligence-powered software. McAfee Deepfake Detector will instantly alert consumers within seconds if AI-altered audio is detected in videos, without relying on laborious manual video uploads, helping consumers discern real from fake content.

McAfee Deepfake Detector is available for English language detection on select Copilot+ PCs in India. The cost for a standalone McAfee Deepfake Detector is Rs 499 and McAfee+ with Deepfake Detector is Rs 2,398.

. Motorola earlier this week launched the new budget phone Moto G05 in India.

It comes with a 6.67-inch HD+(1604 × 720p) LCD screen. It supports 90Hz refresh rate, 20:9 aspect ratio and offers up to 1000 nits peak brightness. The display is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 3 shield.

The new phone also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a 3.5mm audio jack, stereo speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos audio system, triple slots (two for nano SIMs and one microSD card) and a type-c port.

Inside, the Motorola device houses MediaTek Helio G81-Ultra octa-core chipset with ARM Mali-G52 MP2 GPU, Android 15 OS, 4GB LPDDR4X RAM (+8GB of virtual RAM), 64GB storage (expandable up to 1TB), main 50MP (f/1.8 aperture) camera with LED flash on the back, a 8MP (f/2.05) front camera and a 5,200mAh battery with 18W charger.

The Moto G05 comes in two colours-- forest green and plum red-- with a vegan leather finish-- for Rs 6,999.

. It boasts of sleek metal design with two colour options – Ceramic White/Shadow Black – and a premium metal chassis. It includes an optional front RGB light bar and a HyperX-inspired lattice-less, optional per-key RGB keyboard, both customizable via OMEN Light Studio for synchronized lighting effects that enhance the overall gaming experience.

The company is offering device options such as Intel Core Ultra 9 processors or AMD Ryzen AI 9 Mobile Processors.

The device will support up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM, enabling players to handle the most demanding games with ease. The all-new Unleashed Mode in OMEN Gaming Hub allows users to manually control power settings to best suit their unique needs, and make full use of the hardware for maximum performance.

The company has used OMEN Cryo Compound, a hybrid material that combines liquid metal and metal grease to improve heat dissipation and prevent leaks. Paired with OMEN Tempest Cooling Pro architecture, it ensures superior cooling performance. Additionally, Fan Cleaner technology reverses fan direction periodically to prevent dust buildup, reducing performance drop-off over time and eliminating the need for frequent cleaning.

It will be available first in the US for $1699.99. It will be released in India in the coming months.

. It will be available in two screen options-- 14-inch and 10-inch. It is touted to be 10)—the world’s first available CUD (camera-under-display) laptop.

It comes with Visionary.ai image processing technology, allowing for a razor-thin bezel which houses a 14-inch 4K 120Hz 4 PureSight Pro OLED display. It also comes with TÜV Low Blue Light and Eyesafe Display certification.

It runs Windows 11 Copilot+ and is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor with a 48 TOPS NPU. It also supports Lenovo AI Core, which utilises the NPU to supercharge creative apps, and dynamically adjust settings with real-time adaptive power management.

It houses a 75WHr battery and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports. It costs $ 1,849.

The company also showcased the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i ($ 1,999.), Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition ($1,599)and Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus ($699.99) at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025.

. It comes in a 27-inch QHD IPS display with a 100Hz refresh rate to deliver smooth visuals perfect for gaming and multimedia consumption.

It supports a high 1500:1 native contrast ratio for sharp and immersive content

With 99 per cent sRGB coverage, the objects in the motion picture will appear in natural colours. And, it features dual HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 to enable seamless connectivity with multiple devices.

It has a 5-way adjustable input hotkey for quick access to customised display settings. VESA-certified Media Sync ensures optimal performance and compatibility. It costs Rs 14,990.

. The company unveiled ROG Astral GeForce RTX 50 Series, a brand-new line of high-end graphics cards at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas.

It is tailor-made for graphics-heavy gaming titles. It has special cooling technology to ensure the PC remains stable while playing games.

The newly launched products include the ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080, the ROG Astral LC GeForce RTX 5090, and the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and 5070 from the expanded ROG Strix portfolio.

The Taiwanese company also unveiled the 2025 series ROG Strix SCAR 16/18 gaming laptops.

They come with next-gen Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU.

Asus also showcased ROG Strix G16/G18 models that seamlessly combine powerful specifications with a sleek design. They are available with AMD Ryzen 9 or Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX options, these laptops are ideal for AAA gaming, content creation, and more.

. It features a 1.85-inch AMOLED display with 390x450p resolution. It is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 shield and IP68 rating, meaning it can survive a drop in the swimming pool for up to 1.5 metres (around five feet ) for close to 30 minutes.

It comes with a VC9213 PPG sensor to track heart health. It has Realtek 8773 chipset and the Lava watch can track more than 110 physical activities and sports.

It supports Bluetooth v5.3, and 2.5D GPU Animation Engine, which enhances the overall interaction with the smartwatch through its transition effects, providing an intuitive and seamless experience.

Depending on the straps--Silicone and metal, the ProWatch V1's price ranges between Rs 2,399 and Rs 2,799.

. The new OnePlus 13 and 13R on Friday (January 10) hit stores in India.

The company is bringing the new premium phone in three vibrant colour options — Black Eclipse, Arctic Dawn, and Midnight Ocean.

The OnePlus 13 boasts a 6.82-inch 2K+(3168×1440p) LTPO AMOLED display with a dynamic 1-120Hz refresh rate, supporting up to 4500 nits peak brightness. It also comes with Crystal Shield super ceramic glass protection and an IP68/69 water-and-dust resistant rating.

The phone features dual SIM slots, a type-C port, an infrared sensor and an in-display fingerprint sensor.

The device houses Qualcomm's 3nm class 4.32GHz Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset with 900MHz Adreno 830 GPU, Android 15-based OxygenOS 15, 12GB / 16GB / 24GB LPDDR5X RAM, 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0) storage and a big 6000mAh battery with 100W SuperVOOC fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

The OnePlus 13 features a Hasselblad camera system--main 50MP (1/1.4-inch Sony LYT-808 sensor, f/1.6 aperture, OIS: Optical Image Stabilisation) + 50MP 114 degree ultra-wide camera (with 1/1.27-inch Samsung JN1 sensor, f/2.2, 3.5cm macro) + 50MP periscope telephoto camera (with 1/1.95-inch LYT600 sensor, f/2.6, OIS, 3x optical zoom, 6x in-sensor zoom, up to 120x digital zoom) with LED flash. It can record up to 8K videos.

On its front, it features a 32MP camera (with Sony IMX615 sensor, ƒ/2.4). This camera can record 4K video at 30 fps (frames per second).

The OnePlus 13R is an affordable version of the premium model.

It flaunts a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, it comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, Android 15-based ColorOS (in global markets, it will have OxygenOS 15) up to 16GB RAM, 128GB/256GB/512GB internal storage and a massive 6,000mAh battery.

It also features a Hasselblad camera system-based triple camera module--main 50MP sensor with a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a 50MP periscope telephoto sensor with LED flash. It is expected to come with a 16MP front camera for selfies and video calling.

The new OnePlus phones are guaranteed four years of Android OS updates and an additional year of software security support.

Besides the new phones, the company launched the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 in a new colour-Sapphire Blue.

OnePlus 13 comes in three variants-- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage, 16GB RAM + 512GB storage and 24GB RAM + 1TB storage-- for Rs 69,999, Rs 76, 999, and Rs 89,999, respectively.

OnePlus 13R comes in two variants-- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage and 16 GB RAM + 512GB storage for Rs 42,999, and Rs 49,999, respectively.

The company is offering a free lifetime guarantee on greenline issues for OnePlus 13 and 13R series phones in India.

. The new Sennheiser SoundProtex earplugs promise to offer hearing protection and enable wearers to hear the best possible sound at concerts and loud environments without having to worry about damaging their hearing.

Many people will be familiar with that ringing sound in the ears after a concert, and that’s not a healthy thing. Music fans are often turned off from using earplugs as they can make it feel like the band or DJ is playing underwater, which can ruin the concert experience.

Based on several years of research, Sennheiser has developed a technology that can enable SoundProtex to enhance the live music experience in a safe way.

SoundProtex is perfect for Indian consumers – to focus while working, studying, and meditating, even in reducing the stress induced by the constant sounds of traffic and bustling around.

Unlike single-use earplugs, SoundProtex can be used as often as users like. Just wipe them off after use or rinse them under water. Three sizes of ear tips are included in the standard package which also comes with a small pouch bag. It costs Rs 1,990.

. The latest ‘Good Sleep’ mode, is a new feature of Samsung Bespoke AI WindFree ACs. It is being rolled out via update. It will promote pleasant sleep throughout the night by adjusting the temperature according to sleep stages. This mode has now been upgraded to allow users to connect their air conditioners with their Galaxy Watch series and have the ‘Good Sleep’ automatically activated when they fall asleep.

The ‘Good Sleep’ mode fluctuates the indoor temperature over the course of a person’s sleep cycle. Sleep consists of 5 stages – wake, REM (Rapid eye movement), and 3 stages of NREM (Non-rapid eye movement sleep). Each stage of sleep includes variations in brain wave patterns, eye movements, and body temperature. These five stages make up one complete sleep cycle which typically lasts about 90 minutes. Throughout the night, this cycle repeats itself approximately four to six times.

To promote ‘Good Sleep’, Samsung has rolled out a special offer through which consumers can get up to a 42 per cent discount on purchasing select Samsung WindFree Air Conditioners. As a result, consumers can save up to Rs 51,499 along with complimentary installation valued at Rs 1,499 plus taxes.

The applicable models for the Bespoke AI WindFree AC and Galaxy Watch7 Combo offer are - AR60F24D13W, AR60F19D15W, AR60F19D1ZW, AR60F19D13W and AR60F19D1XW.

.Gadgets Weekly: Samsung Smart Monitor M9 2025 series and more. Amazon's new Echo Spot speaker comes in a sleek new smart alarm clock. It supports multiple custom-designed clock faces, colourful display options, and four newly added alarm sounds.

Device users cano set and view alarms, see the time, weather, or song titles at a glance, and experience vibrant sound with its directional speaker.

It houses 1.73-inch front-firing speaker delivering clear vocals and deep bass.

Users can ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, and audiobooks from providers like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and JioSaavn (subscription may be required).

Echo Spot is built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a microphone on/off button and the ability to view and delete voice recordings.