eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Acer has launched two new Windows 10 machines—a unique all-in-one PC that features a five-hour battery that makes it a portable device, as well as its latest Aspire R14 convertible that can be used as a notebook or tablet.
The Aspire R 14 has a 14-inch display and a 360-degree hinge that allows it to be used in a wide variety of positions, including as a notebook, tablet, lying flat or standing on its edges. The R 14 has a brushed metallic finish and is 0.72 inches thick, while weighing about 3.96 pounds. The machines can be configured with a range of 6th Generation Intel Core processors, up to 8GB of DDR3L RAM and several sizes of solid-state drives (SSDs) for storage. The machines also include the latest MU-MIMO wireless technology for faster WiFi and download speeds compared with traditional 802.11ac products.
The Acer Aspire R 14 will be available in North America in late October and will start at $699, the company announced on Oct. 12 when it unveiled the new devices.
Meanwhile, the new Aspire Z3-700 all-in-one adds a five-hour battery to a traditional all-in-one, giving it portability and allowing its use away from electrical sockets, letting users take it from room to room or anywhere as needed.
The Aspire Z3-700 (pictured) has a 17.3-inch Full HD (1920 by 1080) 10-point capacitive multi-touch display, which also supports stylus use, and weighs about 4.4 pounds, including two kickstands that allow it to stand or lie flat, according to Acer.
The Z3-700 can be configured with a range of Intel Pentium or Celeron processors, up to 8GB of DDR3L RAM and a range of SSDs or hard-disk drives for data storage.
The Acer Aspire Z3-700 will be available in Europe, the Middle East and Asia by the end of the year with prices starting at about $680. Pricing and availability for the United States has not yet been determined.
Both machines feature the latest Windows 10 operating system and include the Cortana personal digital assistant; Continuum, which allows users to share information on their Windows 10 smartphones with a computer and larger display; and the Microsoft Edge browser.
“Acer has a heritage of delivering the best user experience through innovation in technology and design,” Jason Chen, corporate president and CEO of Acer, said in a statement. “With Windows 10, we can now deliver a unique and consistent experience across our comprehensive product portfolio, be it notebooks, desktops, tablets or smartphones, and empower users to do great things with more personal and human technology.”
Both the R 14 notebook/tablet and the Z3-700 all-in-one also include dual-digital microphones and Acer Purified Voice technology that cancels background noise and increases speech accuracy, improving the user experience with Cortana.
Also included in both devices is Acer TrueHarmony Plus technology with Dolby Audio, giving users powerful and immersive audio quality, as well as Acer BluelightShield, which allows users to custom-tune the displays to reduce eye strain.