Acer introduced a lineup of notebooks and convertibles -- six in total -- that offer Intel’s latest mobile CPUs. The lineup includes a new Chromebook, a new ultra-slim notebook, a detachable 2-in-1 notebook, a pair of convertible notebooks for productivity, and another one for gaming.
The Chromebook 15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display, which you can get with or without a touchscreen. The new Chromebook is available with Intel’s latest dual-core Celeron or quad-core Pentium processors, and both models are available with 32GB or 64GB of eMMC storage. You can also choose between 4GB and 8GB of memory. The new Chromebook sports a new aluminum top cover and palm rest that reduce the weight of the device. Acer also said that the new model is slightly thinner than previous Chromebook 15 systems.
The new Chromebook is the only device in the group of new machines that isn’t powered by an 8th generation Intel Core processor. The rest of the Acer’s new notebooks come equipped with Core i5 and Core i7 processors.
The Swift 5 is a lightweight ultra-slim notebook equipped with a 14-inch Full HD IPS display. Acer said the new device weighs less than 1Kg (about 2 lbs) thanks to its magnesium-aluminum alloy construction. The Swift 5 is available with the option of an Intel Core i5-8250U or a Core i7-8550U processor. You can also choose between 8GB and 16GB of LPDDR3 memory, and PCIe Gen3 and SATA 6 SSDs.
If convertible notebooks are more your style, Acer's got the Spin 5 convertible, which is available with a 13.3-inch or 15.6-inch display. Both display options feature touch-sensitive IPS panels with Full HD resolution. The larger Spin 5 is available with Intel HD Graphics 620 or with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU. Acer’s new convertible notebooks are available with the same processor and memory options as the Swift 5 notebooks, but they offer different storage choices. The Spin 5 convertible notebooks don’t support the faster PCIe SSDs, but you can get a 1TB or 2TB HDD if you need storage space more than fast access time.
The Acer Spin 5 convertible with the Nvidia GPU would make a good low-end gaming PC, but you may want to consider the Nitro 5 Spin, which features the same specifications as the Spin 5 with discrete graphics while also including the option for an ultra-fast NVMe SSD.
All the Spin 5 and Nitro 5 Spin models feature reversible displays that let you use the computer as a notebook, as a tablet, or as a free-standing monitor in display or tent mode.
Acer also introduced the Switch 7 Black Edition, which is a fanless 2-in-1 notebook that includes a Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce MX150 discrete graphics. The Switch 7 also features a customized liquid cooling system called Dual LiquidLoop, which keeps the internal components cool without drawing any additional power from the system. Acer said the Dual LiquidLoop system dissipates heat “through a continual process of evaporation and condensation,” which is similar to Nvidia’s vapor chamber cooling system found on its high-end GPUs.
The Switch 7 comes equipped with a 13.5-inch IPS touch display, but it features a 2256 x 1506 resolution, which should provide crisp images. The Switch 7 would be an excellent companion for digital artists, as it also includes a stylus featuring Wacom EMR technology.
Acer said the Swift 7 includes an optical-based under-glass fingerprint sensor that supports Windows Hello biometric authentication and Power on Authentication (POA), which lets you power on and log in to the device with one button press.
| Model | Switch 7 Black Edition (SW713-51GNP) | Swift 5 (SF514-52T) | Spin 5 (SP515-51N / SP515-51GN / SP513-52N) | Nitro 5 Spin (NP515-51) | Acer Chromebook 15 (CB515-1H / CB515-1HT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit | Windows 10 Home 64-bit | Windows 10 Home 64-bit Windows 10 Pro 64-bit* | Windows 10 Home 64-bit Windows 10 Pro 64-bit | Chrome OS |
| Screen | 13.5”, FHD+ (2256 x 1504) IPS display | 14.0" FHD (1920 x1080) IPS display, with multi-touch | 15.6”, FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display 13.3”, FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display | 15.6”, FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display | 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS LCD; Acer ComfyView™ (CB515-1H) or Acer CineCrystal™ touch screen (CB515-1HT) |
| Processor | Intel® CoreTM i7-8550U processor | Intel® Core™ i7-8550U processor Intel® Core™ i5-8250U processor | Intel® Core™ i7-8550U processor Intel® Core™ i5-8250U processor | Intel® Core™ i7-8550U processor Intel® Core™ i5-8250U processor | Intel® Celeron® dual-core processor N3350 Intel® Celeron® quad-core processor N3450 Intel® Pentium® N4200 |
| Memory | 16 GB of onboard LPDDR3 memory | 16 GB / 8 GB of onboard LPDDR3 | 8 / 16 GB of onboard DDR4 memory | 8 / 16 GB of onboard DDR4 memory | Up to 8 GB LPDDR4 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA® GeForce® MX150 | Intel® HD Graphics 620 | Intel® UHD Graphics 620 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 (SP515-51GN only) | Intel® UHD Graphics 620 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 | Intel® HD Graphics |
| Storage | 512GB SATA 6 Gb/s SSD | 512 GB / 256 GB SSD (PCIe Gen3 8 Gb/s or SATA 6 Gb/s) | Solid state drive • 256 / 512 GB, SATA 6 Gb/s Hard disk drive* • 1 TB / 2 TB | Solid state drive • 256 / 512 GB, PCIe Gen3 8 Gb/s, NVMe Hard disk drive • 1 TB / 2 TB | eMMC: 16 / 32 / 64 GB |
| Dimensions | 329.4 (W) x 229.7 (D) x 9.99 (H) mm (pad only) 329.4 (W) x 236.4 (D) x 15.29 (H) mm (pad and dock) | 329 (W) x 228 (D) x 14.9 / 14.9 (H) mm | 15”: 381.5 (W) x 258.1 (D) x 17.9 (H) mm 13”: 324.4 (W) x 226 (D) x 15.9 (H) mm | 381.5 (W) x 258.1 (D) x 17.9 (H) mm | 378 (W) x 256 (D) x 18.95 (H) mm |
| Weight | 1.15 kg (tablet only) 1.55 kg (with pad and keyboard) | 0.97 kg | SP515-51N: 2 kg (4.41 lbs.) SP515-51GN:2.2 kg (4.85 lbs.) SP513-52N: 1.5 kg (3.31 lbs.) | 2.2 kg (4.85 lbs.) | 1.8 kg (3.97 lbs.) |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours | Up to 8 hours | 15”: Up to 10 hours 13”: Up to 13 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 12 hours |
| Wireless | 2x2 802.11 ac | 802.11ac/a/b/g/n featuring 2x2 MIMO technology | 2x2 802.11ac with MU-MIMO technology | 2x2 802.11ac with MU-MIMO technology | 2x2 802.11 ac |
| Webcam | Rear Camera: 5MP, 1080p Full HD audio/video recording Front camera: 720p HD audio/video recording | HD webcam supporting High dynamic range imaging (HDR) | HD webcam supporting High dynamic range imaging (HDR) | HD webcam supporting High dynamic range imaging (HDR) | 1280 x 720 resolution, High dynamic range imaging (HDR), 88 degree wide angle lens |
Pricing & Availability
The products that Acer announced today aren’t yet available. The company plans to stagger its product releases over the next few months, but the notebooks and convertibles will be on the market in time for the holiday season.
The Acer Spin 5 convertible will be available in September in North America and overseas. In the US, the 13-inch and 15-inch models both start at $799. In Europe and Asia, the 13-inch model should be available for €899, and the 15-inch model for €999.
Acer’s new Chromebook 15 should be available worldwide in October. In Europe, you’ll pay €499, in the US you’ll pay $399. The Acer Nitro 5 Spin should also arrive in October. In the US, it should sell for $999, and in Europe you’ll find it for €1,199.
The Acer Swift 5 and Switch 7 Black Edition systems should hit store shelves in December, just in time for the holidays. Acer said the Swift 5 will sell for $999 in the US and €1,099 overseas. Acer also plans to bring it to China in November for ¥7,499. The Switch 7 Black Edition carries a higher asking price of $1,699 stateside and €1,999 overseas.
