The Acer Predator Project DualPlay concept is a gaming laptop with a detachable controller

Acer Predator’s latest concept is a gaming laptop with a detachable control pad. Dubbed the Project DualPlay, Acer debuted its latest laptop concept at a press conference ahead of IFA 2024 in Berlin.

And as the headline above suggests, Project DualPlay comes with a wireless controller below the keyboard that is locked down by electromagnets. Acer says this can be unlocked by placing two fingers on a release button. At the same time, a pair of 5-watt speakers will spring out from the sides.

What’s interesting is that the detachable controller can be further separated into two joysticks a’la the Nintendo Switch’s joy-cons. This allows two players to game on the same laptop on titles such as Street Fighter 6. And as you would expect with such a flashy-looking laptop, albeit a concept one, Project DualPlay comes splashed with RGB all over – from the keyboard to the screen bezels.

While this gaming laptop concept looks fun on paper, there are plenty of questions that I have about its practicality: Where’s the trackpad after the controller is detached? Is the centre part of the controller even a trackpad? If it’s a desktop-replacement class laptop, isn’t it just easier to pair it with a more superior PS5 or Xbox controller?

We’ll just have to wait and see if Project DualPlay becomes a real product.