Foundation (1976)

Acer was founded on 1 August 1976 in Taiwan under the name Multitech International. The company began with a capital investment of approximately US$25,000 (NT$1 million) and initially specialised in microprocessor consulting, electronics design, technology training and computer hardware distribution. Its original mission was to help Taiwan build expertise in the emerging microprocessor industry.

Becoming Acer (1987)

In 1987, Multitech officially changed its name to Acer. The word “Acer” is derived from Latin and means sharp, able, keen or skillful. The new name reflected the company’s ambition to establish itself as a global technology brand.

Global Expansion

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Acer expanded internationally by opening offices worldwide, manufacturing personal computers, launching notebook computers, entering European and North American markets, and acquiring technology companies. Significant milestones during this period included:

• 1988 – Listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange
• 1990 – Released Acer’s first notebook computer
• 1995 – Introduced the Aspire consumer PC series
• 2000 – Restructured to focus on branding and sales whilst spinning off manufacturing into Wistron
• 2007 – Acquired Gateway and Packard Bell, significantly expanding its global market share

Acer’s corporate mission is “Breaking barriers between people and technology.” The company emphasises innovation, accessibility and sustainability whilst developing products for consumers, businesses, education and gaming.

Laptops

Acer manufactures laptops for various user segments. Popular series include Aspire, Swift, Spin, TravelMate, Extensa and Chromebook. These range from budget everyday laptops to premium ultrabooks and business notebooks.

Gaming

Acer is a major gaming hardware manufacturer. Its gaming brands include Predator for high-end gaming and Nitro for mainstream gaming. Gaming products encompass laptops, desktop PCs, monitors, keyboards, mice and accessories.

Desktop Computers

Desktop product families include Aspire Desktop, Veriton for business use, Predator Orion and Nitro Desktop.

Monitors

Acer produces monitors for office work, gaming, graphic design and entertainment. Popular monitor lines include Predator, Nitro, CB Series and B Series.

Chromebooks

Acer is among the world’s leading Chromebook manufacturers, particularly in the education sector. Its Chromebook lineup is widely used by schools, universities and businesses.

Acer has expanded beyond traditional PCs into AI-enabled computing, cloud services, smart healthcare, smart city solutions, digital signage, virtual reality, electric mobility and sustainability technologies.

• 1976 – Company founded as Multitech
• 1981 – Released MicroProfessor-I educational computer
• 1982 – Introduced Taiwan’s first 8-bit home computer
• 1986 – Released 32-bit PCs before IBM in Taiwan
• 1987 – Renamed to Acer
• 1990 – First Acer notebook
• 1995 – Aspire multimedia PC
• 2002 – TravelMate C100 convertible Tablet PC
• 2015 – Introduced Predator gaming brand globally
• 2020s – Expansion into AI PCs, cloud services, sustainability and smart technologies

Acer has increasingly focused on environmental responsibility through initiatives such as energy-efficient devices, recycled materials in product design, eco-friendly packaging, carbon reduction goals, circular economy practices and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) programmes. The company has received recognition for its sustainability efforts in various global indices.

Acer is consistently ranked among the world’s largest PC manufacturers. It competes with major technology companies such as Lenovo, HP Inc., Dell Technologies, ASUS and Apple. Acer’s strengths include affordable pricing, a broad product lineup, strong presence in the education market, gaming products and wide global distribution.

Acer positions itself as a technology company that aims to make advanced computing accessible to everyone. Its design philosophy emphasises innovation, practicality, reliability, value for money and user-centred experiences. The company continues to invest in AI-powered PCs, sustainable product development and new digital services whilst maintaining its core focus on personal computing.

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