Hasta La Gadget!

Every company needs a flagship device to keep it going, never mind that the flagship device is never going to sell as many units as their “bread and butter” models so to speak. For instance, Mercedes Benz has their S Class range that is the epitome of luxury for the brand, while BMW has their 7 Series. When it comes to the world of Ultrabooks, Acer’s previous champion, the Acer Aspire S7 has proved itself to be more than a decent performer, especially with its 180-degree display capability. Well, Acer has taken the opportunity this time around at Computex 2013 in Taipei to unveil a next-generation version of their 13.3-inch Aspire S7 Ultrabook which will not only retain the celebrated characteristics of its predecessor, but the brand new Aspire S7 will also introduce improved battery life for all-day computing, a refined electroluminescent (EL) backlit keyboard that delivers a more natural typing experience, and 2nd generation Acer TwinAir cooling that runs quieter than ever before, in addition to having wireless display (WiDi) technology which will offer big-screen entertainment and productivity.

The Acer Aspire S7-392 will boast of Acer’s first 10-point touch WQHD display, where it will be accompanied by IPS technology that squeezes out an extremely impressive 2,560 x 1,440 resolution into a 13.3-inch screen. Not only that, your eyes ought to enjoy consistent and accurate colors at viewing angles up to 170 degrees on the IPS display, and it even comes with the touch benefits that are offered by Windows 8, with the ability to option up the touch-enabled screen on the S7 to a full 180° for those moments when you want to make a presentation across the table.

Other hardware specifications include dual-array microphones, Acer’s proprietary PurifiedVoice technology, a 4th generation Intel Core processor and a RAID 0 solid state drive for fast wakeup and read/write times. The entire shebang tips the scales at a mere 1.3kg, and it measures just 12.9mm thin, being made out of premium materials and features a dual-torque, T-shape hinge frame design that delivers wobble-free touch use. With a Gorilla Glass 2 surface that is smooth to the touch, this Aspire S7 Ultrabook is definitely a thing of beauty, where prices will start from €1,450 onwards this July.

Press Release
[ Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook announced copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Back at Computex, Acer announced the Aspire S7 series — the company’s third line of Ultrabooks, and the first of the bunch to sport touchscreens. At the time, we were told they’d go on sale once Windows 8 started shipping and sure enough, Acer just sent out a press release confirming they’ll be available October 26th, the day Win 8 officially launches. Prices will start at $1,200 for the 11-inch model (the S7-191), but you’ll pay either $1,400 or $1,650 for the 13-inch version (S7-391), depending on which configuration you choose.

For those who missed the initial June reveal, the laptops all have 1080p IPS screens and backlit keyboards. The 13-inch model in particular has a display that can lie completely flat. Another key difference: the 11-inch version has an aluminum lid, while the 13-incher’s is fashioned out of Gorilla Glass. Whichever you choose, the S7 comes with a USB to Ethernet adapter, a micro-HDMI to VGA dongle and a carrying case — a first for Acer. They also make use of Acer’s TwinAir cooling technology and are set up to work with AcerCloud, the company’s free online storage service, which you can use with mobile apps on iOS and Android.

Inside, the SSDs are all arranged in RAID 0 configuration, which means you can expect the kind of absurdly fast I/O speeds we recorded on the Aspire S5. (The lack of redundancy in that RAID 0 setup also means you might want to be extra vigilant about backing up your stuff.) The battery life is rated for six hours on both models, but the 13-inch version will be available with an external cell that can supposedly double the runtime. Meanwhile. RAM is fixed at 4GB, and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics are the standard. All told, just the kind of specs you’d expect on a high-end Ultrabook.

Again, these will ship on October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the smaller 11-inch model. In the meantime, we’ve got a few additional specs after the break, and you can always revisit our hands-on from Computex if you want to re-live the magic of a crowded press conference.

Continue reading Acer’s Aspire S7 Ultrabooks coming October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the 11-inch version

Filed under: Laptops, Acer

Acer’s Aspire S7 Ultrabooks coming October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the 11-inch version originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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