New Acer AIO Can Be Desktop, HDTV Combined

On Friday Acer officially announced the Aspire Z5801, a 24-inch all-in-one (AIO) desktop PC sporting an Intel Core i5 processor and HDMI inputs for connecting game consoles and cable boxes. The compact rig first made an appearance last month during Computex 2011 as one of Microsoft’s 130 new Windows devices slated to hit the market this year.

"Gamers will appreciate the two HDMI-in ports and HDMI-out port, which enable the system to be connected to a game console, cable box and external display simultaneously," the company said in a press release. "This way, users can simply switch from game console to TV to PC mode with just a press of a button."

Outside the HDMI connectivity, the new AIO sports a 24-inch HD 1080p LCD touchscreen with a 1000:1 contrast ratio and a 5-ms response time. Behind the screen, the rig features a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5-2400S processor featuring Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, 6 GB of DDR3 SDRAM, Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11 b/g/n connectivity.

Although Acer didn't specify the AIO's storage capacity, other features include audio provided by Dolby Home Theater v4, an eSATA port, two USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, a wireless keyboard packed with an integrated mouse and media touch controls, optional Bluetooth 2.1, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

"Our new 24-inch AIO leverages speedy Core i5 processing and is built entirely with desktop components for superior performance and value," Acer said Friday. "Created for multimedia enjoyment, the 60 degree backward tilt capability combined with the multi-touch display, enable friends and families to more easily and comfortably play casual games and collaborate on travel plans, school projects and digital photography. Plus, the convenient ability to toggle between game console, TV and PC modes saves time and fuss."

The Acer Aspire Z5801 is currently shipping in Canada starting at $999.99 CAD. So far there's no word on when the AIO rig is slated to find its way down into the States, so stay tuned.