eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
In the last week, Acer has introduced two new lines of Ultrabooks to the U.S. market. The S5 and S3 feature 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit displays and are being touted, respectively, as the worlds thinnest Ultrabook and one of its most affordable. Also making a U.S. debut later this month are three M5 Ultrabooks, all of them promising a battery life of up to eight hours and a profile just 0.81 inches thin. The two higher-end M5 models, like the S5 and S3, will feature third-generation Intel Core processors.
The things to know about the M5, says Acer, are that it excels at being stylish, slim, lasting the day long and responding quickly. A Green Instant-On feature can wake the M5 units (as well as the S5) from a slumber in less than two seconds or rouse it from a deep sleep in six.
Turn the PC back on, and any Websites, emails or documents that were left open are instantly restored and ready, says Acer.
An Always Connect feature, also speeding things up, enables the M5 to hop online in less than three seconds. All M5 models also feature a two-spindle designthats a DVD drive and a hard driveplus two USB 3.0 ports, backlit keyboards with chiclet key layouts, Dolby Audio, a 1.3MP Webcam and Acer clear.fia feature that lets users manage, store and share media with other clear.fi enabled devicesamong other features.
The starting M5 option is a 14-incher with a high-definition widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit display; a second-generation, 1.5GHz Intel Core i3 processor; 6GB of double data rate type 3 (DDR3) dual-channel memory; Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 128MB of dedicated system memory; and a weight of 4.3 pounds. Its priced at $680.
A second 14-inch version, with the same display, features a third-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost Technology; 4GB of DDR3 dual-channel memory; Nvidia GeForce graphics with 1GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM (thats video random access memory) and a weight of 4.3 pounds. Its priced at $780.
For those wanting a larger display, the lineup is rounded out with a 15.6-inch version, also with the CineCrystal display and the same 1366 by 768 resolution of its peers. It runs a third-generation Core i5 processor, has 6GB of DDR3 dual-channel memory, Nvidia GForce graphics (with the same VRAM as the middle option) and weighs 5.07 pounds. It is priced at $830.
Introduced June 20, the M5 Ultrabooks follow nearly a week behind the Acer Aspire S3 and S5, which Acer is describing as its hummingbirds.
With the S5 you get a black magnesium-alloy and brushed-metal chassis. It measures 0.44 inches at its thinnest point, 0.59 at its thickest and weighs 2.65 pounds. Theres a MagicFlip I/O port panelan Acer firstthat when flipped open reveals Thunderbolt, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and USB 3.0 ports. Theres also a 256GB solid-state drive, an Intel third-generation Core i7 processor and a 1.3MP camera.
The S5 is also Acers first U.S. product to ship with AcerCloud, a remote-access feature that gives users access to the content on the S5 through an Android smartphone or tablet, even when the Ultrabook is in Sleep mode. Beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, all Acer PCs will be bundled with AcerCloud, which will support all Android devices and, eventually, Windows-based devices. As a sidenote: While these Ultrabooks run various versions of Windows 7, between June 2012 and Jan. 31, 2013, users will be eligible to purchase Windows 7 Pro for $15.
The S5 is priced at $1,400.
The S3 comes in a warmer color called Champagne, though its no less serious, with also a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a 256GB solid-state drive. It weighs 2.98 pounds and notably has a starting price of $648.
Expect the S3, S5 and M5 units to arrive toward the end of June.