Acer has relaunched Packard Bell, the once-ubiquitous 1990s PC brand, unveiling a colourful new product range at IFA 2026. However, the revival is limited to Europe, the Middle East and Africa, meaning American consumers hoping for a nostalgic return of the brand will be disappointed, as Acer has given no indication of a US launch.

The flagship product is the DotBook, a 14.5-inch laptop with a 1,920 x 1,200 display, an Intel Core 3 N355 processor, up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, priced from €499 (about $580). The range extends well beyond laptops to include a suitcase turntable, a 4G feature phone, audio glasses, headphones and even a connected mini-steamer, all under the "Tech it easy" tagline promoting affordable, no-frills tech. Packard Bell was once the third-largest PC maker in the US, holding an 11.5% market share in 1994 before fading from view; Acer acquired a 75% stake in its parent company in 2008 and has previously revived another dormant brand, Gateway, in the US in 2020.