Acer announced the Nitro Blaze Link, a streaming-first handheld device designed to pair with the company's gaming PCs, at Computex 2026 [1].
The device marks a shift toward a companion-hardware ecosystem, allowing users to access the power of high-end Predator and Nitro laptops from a portable screen. By offloading the processing to a primary PC, Acer aims to provide a low-latency gaming experience without the bulk or battery drain of a full gaming handheld.
Unveiled in Taipei, Taiwan, the Nitro Blaze Link is a low-spec device intended for streaming rather than native gaming [2]. It features one GB of RAM [3] and eight GB of internal storage [4]. Because the device relies on a host PC to run the actual software, it does not require the heavy processing power found in standalone consoles.
Industry observers have compared the concept to Sony's PlayStation Portal, which functions as a remote-play window for the PS5. The Nitro Blaze Link utilizes a Linux-based environment to facilitate this connection [2]. Acer has not yet released a price tag for the hardware [3].
Beyond the companion handheld, Acer is expanding its broader gaming hardware lineup. Intel recently unveiled its Arc G3 handheld chips, which will be integrated into devices from Acer, MSI, and OneXPlayer [5]. This suggests a dual-track strategy for Acer, offering both high-performance native handhelds and low-power streaming companions.
"Acer has a tantalizingly wide variety of hardware at Computex, including a PS Portal-like companion handheld," HotHardware said [6].
“The Nitro Blaze Link is a streaming-first handheld with only one GB of RAM”
Acer is attempting to capture a segment of the market that prefers the flexibility of a home gaming rig but wants the mobility of a handheld. By launching a streaming-only device alongside high-performance Arc G3-powered hardware, Acer is diversifying its portfolio to compete with both the Steam Deck's native power and the remote-play convenience of console ecosystems.
