Acer made a bold statement at COMPUTEX 2025. While most people still associate the Taiwanese tech giant with laptops and Chromebooks, its new product lineup has veered sharply into personal wellness and AI-enhanced communication.
Two headliners stole the show: the Acer FreeSense Ring, a sleek health-monitoring wearable, and the Acer AI TransBuds, AI-driven earbuds capable of translating conversations on the fly. Both are on display at Booth M0104 in the Nangang Exhibition Center. And while pricing details remain a mystery, these launches are clearly more than just a sideshow.
A Health Ring That Ditches the Subscription Trap
Acer’s FreeSense Ring enters a growing ring of competitors—think Oura, Ultrahuman, and even smart rings from giants like Samsung (rumored, at least). But Acer’s pitch is simple: freedom.
The titanium ring tracks core vitals—heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen, and sleep patterns—with no hidden fees. That’s right. No subscription wall. All your health data, insights, and recommendations come through a companion mobile app, free of charge.
It’s rare in wearables. And people are noticing.
The ring itself is featherlight, weighing just 2 to 3 grams depending on size. The matte rose gold and glossy black finishes give it a premium look without shouting for attention.
Here’s what makes it tick:
-
Thickness/Width: 2.6mm / 8mm
-
Water Resistance: IP68 / 5 ATM
-
Material: Titanium Alloy with PVD coating
-
Sizes: 7 in total (#7 to #13)
One standout feature? Sleep tracking that goes beyond “how long you slept.” It breaks down sleep stages, helping users actually understand their rest. That kind of depth usually lives behind a paywall elsewhere.
Real-Time Translation That Just… Works?
If the FreeSense Ring is a slow-and-steady wellness bet, the Acer AI TransBuds feel like a leap into science fiction. Yet they’re real, and they work—at least in controlled demo settings at COMPUTEX.
A tiny plug-in receiver connects to your smartphone or tablet. Once synced, the earbuds use AI to provide two-way voice translation—live. Only one person needs to wear the earbuds, which is perfect for meetings, travel chats, or virtual classrooms.
No fumbling with apps. No awkward pauses mid-conversation.
The buds also support live captioning and transcription, so you can reread conversations later. Acer says it supports 15 languages across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Now, about the hardware itself:
| Feature | Spec Details |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Earbud Size (mm) | 16.5 x 37.7 x 42.5 |
| Charging Box Dimensions | 74.9 x 59.5 x 29.2 |
| Transmission Distance | 10 meters |
| Battery (Earbuds/Box) | 50mAh / 400mAh |
| Weight | 65.1 grams |
| Charging Interface | USB Type-C |
Honestly, they’re not the tiniest earbuds you’ve seen. But if they nail the translation game, size might be a secondary concern.
No Pricing Yet, but Timing Feels Right
Acer isn’t spilling the beans on pricing or release timelines just yet. That didn’t stop the crowd at COMPUTEX from flooding the booth with questions.
With fitness trackers like WHOOP charging $30 per month and translation devices like Pocketalk starting at $299, Acer could really shake things up if it prices aggressively.
One source close to the company hinted we could see a Q3 launch window. That would put the gadgets on shelves in time for the holiday season. But again—no confirmation.
There’s a sense Acer wants to get this right. Hardware is one thing, but syncing real-time translation with AI and keeping health data accurate without subscription revenue? That’s a balancing act.
Why Is Acer Doing This Now?
Some might ask—why is a PC brand dabbling in health and language tech?
It’s actually not that strange. Acer’s core business—PCs and monitors—has seen slower growth. According to IDC, global PC shipments dropped 9.1% in 2024 compared to the previous year. That’s after a pandemic-era boom.
So diversification makes sense.
Acer has dabbled in gadgets before. Remember the Iconia Tab series? It’s still around—Acer also refreshed the Iconia Tab V12 and V11 at the same COMPUTEX event. But these new wearables suggest a more serious shift.
The FreeSense Ring and AI TransBuds both show Acer thinking beyond screens.
And hey, the wearable tech market isn’t small potatoes:
-
Smart Ring Market: Estimated to hit $747 million globally by 2030 (Allied Market Research)
-
AI Translation Market: Forecasted to surpass $14 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights)
Clearly, Acer sees opportunity.
Glimpse of the Future—or Just Hype?
Now for the honest bit: It’s easy to be wowed at a tech trade show. Glitzy booths. Perfect demos. Smiling reps. But once devices hit real-world conditions, it’s a different story.
Health rings have to be accurate—or people stop wearing them. Translation earbuds need to feel effortless—or users go back to hand signals and Google Translate.
And Acer? This isn’t exactly its comfort zone.
Still, there’s something refreshing about these launches. They’re not gimmicky. They’re thoughtful. Focused. Surprisingly polished.
If Acer follows through—nails the software updates, keeps prices reasonable, and stays transparent on privacy—it might actually win some ground in the wearables space.
But let’s not crown any champions yet. There’s still a lot we don’t know.
