Acer released the specs and pricing for its upcoming Predator-series flagship PC, the ASG7710-A41.

The upgrades to the gaming PC include a 3.06GHz Intel Core i7-950 CPU, which is faster than the 2.93GHz i7-940-based model currently available in the US. The new PC retains the same Intel X58 Express chipset and 1TB hard drive, but ups the ante with two NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 graphics cards with 1GB of RAM as opposed to the US model’s single GeForce GTX 260. Both share 6GB of RAM, however, with a maximum capacity for 12GB.

Otherwise there is a Blu-ray disc drive, 11 USB 2.0 ports, two eSATA ports, a multi-card reader, four DVI-D ports, and two gigabit Ethernet connections. Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit is the preloaded OS, and a G15 keyboard and G9 laser mouse is bundled with the system.

While an exact ship date is not available, the PC will cost the equivalent of $2,730. A US release is expected soon after the European launch.

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Whoops; the Acer Predator line of gaming PCs is well known for its blazing fast speed and high octane graphics capability. But did you know they could potentially “blaze” a hole through your desk? Well, maybe not quite, but they definitely pose a fire hazard, so says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

So what’s the problem, exactly? It seems the insulation on some of the wiring within the computer gets stripped somehow and then leads to a short circuit. Then, the components inside melt or the exterior casing melts. Both things are most certainly not supposed to happen.

The models affected are the ASG7200 and the ASG7700 that were sold between May and December of 2008. If you purchased your Acer Predator during this time frame, contact Acer for a free repair of the problem. Only 215 units are suspected to be affected, but it’s still a hazard gamers should know about.