Acer presented a concept gaming laptop with a removable gamepad

Gaming laptops are not much different: a standard form factor, a backlit keyboard (sometimes mechanical), a large touchpad, loud speakers and, of course, productive hardware inside with powerful cooling. However, Acer decided to stand out from the rest and presented a new concept for the DualPlay gaming laptop at IFA 2024 in Berlin. It has a detachable wireless controller that also serves as a touchpad.

Image source: Acer

The laptop’s DualPlay controller halves are a bit reminiscent of the JoyCon joysticks on the Nintendo Switch. Between the controllers there is a touchpad, which is used to control the laptop when the peripheral device is installed in a special recess in the laptop. The controller is held in this cavity thanks to an electromagnetic lock that opens when you press one button.

On the sides at the bottom of the laptop there is a pair of retractable speakers with a power of 5 W. They are designed to provide an even deeper immersion into the game, compared to non-game mode when the controller is in the laptop.

If you want to play together on one laptop, the joysticks can be detached from the central part with the touchpad and each used separately. Acer does not specify how many buttons each joystick will offer in this case, but published images of the controller show that each side has at least six physical buttons.

In addition to the unusual built-in controller, the DualPlay laptop is generously dotted with RGB lighting. It has a light strip running along the sides, as well as several backlit elements on the keyboard side. The latter’s keys also have RGB backlighting.

Acer hasn’t shared any details about how DualPlay works. For example, it is not clear how things will work with battery life if you have such a game controller. It is also unknown whether the controller can be charged outside of the laptop. The characteristics and weight of the laptop are also not reported.

At the moment, DualPlay is just a concept. The details are less important than the overall idea. Acer also does not say when such a laptop will appear on sale (or whether it will appear at all), or how much such a system might cost.