It’s that time of year when Acer announces its annual product line up. Alas this year I cannot be in New York to experience it, but I tuned into the virtual press conference via livestream. This is a recap of the product announcement for the consumer side.
Acer Swift 5
The new Swift 5 is ultra-thin and portable, weighing under 1kg. It runs on Intel’s next-gen Core processors and integrated graphics based on Intel Xe architecture with an optional GeForce GPU. It has a 90% screen-to-body ratio, and a fast charging battery; a 30 minute charge yields four hours of usage. It has a 14-inch screen with multi-touch support, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and connectivity ports include USB-C, Thunderbolt, USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. It also has an embedded fingerprint reader and supports Wake on Voice that allows you to activate and query Windows 10 when the screen is off.
Price: Starts R16 999; available Nov 2020.
Acer ConceptD
Acer has new lineup of notebooks, desktops, monitors called ConceptD that are elegantly designed with premium power. The notebooks and convertible notebooks feature Acer’s Ezel hinge, which I think looks great. This range is aimed at creatives on the go, content creators working as a small business or at a studio, or graphics specialists. Acer says there’s something for everyone from design students and YouTube enthusiasts to CAD designers, video editors,
illustrators and animators.
The ConceptD 3 Ezel convertible notebook with versatile hinge will be available in either 14-inch or 15.6-inch touchscreen that supports the Acer Active Stylus. It can be used in six modes like stand mode for drawing or display mode for presenting. It is powered by Intel’s 10th gen Core chips, Nvidia or GeForce graphics, 1TB SSD, and up to 18 hours of battery life. It weighs either 1.68kgs or 1.95kgs.
Price: From R19 9999 and R24 999; available Dec 2020.
Acer Enduro
Acer has a new line of rugged devices under the Enduro brand that is aimed at field workers, first responders and manufacturing workers. The Enduro N3 isn’t as big at the N7 but the former will be coming to SA. The N3 manages to strike a balance between durability and portability and Acer says it is suitable for architects, project inspectors, event managers, agricultural plant personnel or even lovers of the outdoors who want to record their adventures. It is resistant to water and drops with a IP53 rating, weighs 1.98kgs, has a Corning Gorilla Glass display, and offers premium protection against cyber threats (through technology like Discrete Trusted Platform Module, AEMS, and password-protected HDDs). It has a 13-hour battery life, and runs on Intel’s 10th-gen Core i7 processor with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD.
Price: R19 999; project based unit.
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
Acer’s newest Chromebook is the Spin 713, which is part of Intel’s Project Athena programme. It features a 360-degree hinge that can be used in various modes like a laptop, tablet, display or tent. It will run on Intel’s 10th-gen processors, have up to 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, which promises up to 10 hours of battery life (fast-charging). It has a 13.5-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, and can withstand a drop of 1.2m and 60kg of force, however it is around 1.37kgs in weight.
Price: R12 999; available in Sep 2020.
I’ve just covered the regular consumer range and not the gaming stuff.