Acer launched a four-pronged attack on Monday, one of which was the official launch of the industry's first 8 inch Windows 8 tablet that will retail for a surprisingly meaty MSRP of $379 USD. The company also announced that it has "enhanced" its flagship Ultrabook, the Aspire S7, updated the Aspire S3 Ultrabook and launched the new Aspire Z3 Series AIO PC.
For starters, Acer said its updated Aspire A7 Ultrabook will be made available in Q3 2013 and sport a fourth-generation Intel Core "Haswell" CPU, a RAID 0 SSD, a refined electroluminescent (EL) backlit keyboard for more natural typing, and second generation Acer TwinAir cooling with less fan noise. It will also support WiDi technology for big-screen entertainment and productivity.
Acer said the updated Ultrabook will include dual-array microphones and Acer's proprietary PurifiedVoice technology. It will measure only 0.507 inches thin and weigh 2.86 pounds, and sport a unibody design made from a single block of aluminum. A dual-torque, T-shape hinge frame design ensures a wobble-free touch use.
As with the current Aspire A7 model, there will be a number of different configurations, depending on your wallet. The Aspire S7-392 will feature a Full HD IPS 10-point touchscreen with 1920 x 1080 resolution which can be opened a full 180° -- the image orientation can be reversed with a simple hotkey combination for easy touch-and-show sharing. Acer will also offer a 13.3-inch model with a 10-point touch WQHD display squeezing out a 2560 x 1440 resolution.
Next in line is Acer's updated 13.3 inch Aspire S3 Ultrabook, slated to hit stores in Q3 2013. It will borrow some core ideas from the company's flagship Ultrabook, the Aspire S7, and weigh a mere 3.63 pounds while measuring just 0.7 inches thin. It will be powered by the latest Intel Core processors and even Nvidia's GeForce GT 735M on the Aspire S3-392G model.
Acer said the Ultrabook will feature TwinAir cooling technology, a light-sensing keyboard that will auto adjust its brightness to ambient light, and Acer Fast Resume which will allow the Ultrabook to resume from Sleep mode in just 1 second, making it 3x faster than other Ultrabooks on the market. Even more, the system will automatically boot up when the display is opened, even if the computer has been shut down.
"When it comes to entertainment, the Acer S3's 1080p Full HD display renders movies, photos and games with exquisite clarity," the company states. "The display with IPS technology ensures vivid and accurate color reproduction, with a 170° wide viewing angle that keeps images bright and clear, even when seen from the side. Users can also wirelessly share their favorite digital content on a big screen with better visuals and sound quality via WiDi technology."
Finally there's the Aspire Z3 Series, a 23 inch 10-point touch all-in-one desktop series designed for "modern homes". It will feature a 1080p Full HD LED-backlit IPS LCD display with a high contrast ratio and a 178° wide-viewing-angle. It will also be equipped with an adjustable HD webcam that can be moved by up to 20°, and world-class Harman Kardon speakers coupled with Dolby Home Theater v4 technology.
Available sometime in June, this AIO PC will be based on the Aspire M3, and cram all frequently-used I/O ports into a capsule-shaped area in front (SD card reader, USB, 2-in-1 combo audio jack, etc). It will include two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI input, and will be powered by an Intel Core processor and Intel HD graphics.
