Acer’s New Spin 1 Puts a New Twist on Hybrid PCs

In the two-in-one hybrid computer market, affordable models with nice features are hard to come by. But Acer is trying to change that with the newly announced Spin 1. The device, which can be used as a tablet and a notebook, has a starting price of just $329. Although the lower price means Acer had to select some cheaper options for certain components, such as the Intel Celeron processor, the Spin 1 still offers several nice features, including a large display and support for stylus input. The Spin 1, which runs on Windows, also includes a few surprises, such as a blue light shield that could make a nice choice for customers who need a screen that goes easy on the eyes. Read on for more about Acer’s new Spin 1 hybrid PC.

The Acer Spin 1 is a two-in-one hybrid at an affordable price. The device can be used as a notebook, with its attached physical keyboard, or as a tablet, thanks to its touch-screen. The device is also capable of being propped in tent mode for watching video and other content.

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To keep the price down, Acer cut a few corners. And processing power is one area where it did that. The Spin 1 will come in several versions, with the cheapest option using Intel Celeron chips. Higher-end models will ship with Intel Pentium processors. Neither are as powerful as Intel’s more-capable Core i7 chips.

Acer’s Spin 1 will ship with Windows 10, though the company didn’t say which version, Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro. The Spin 1 will be compatible with all major Windows applications, including Cortana and Windows Defender, but might also include some Acer bloatware.

The Spin 1’s battery life isn’t that long. Acer said the hybrid will offer up to eight hours of battery life on a single charge, which is several hours fewer than that of some of its top competitors.

The Spin 1 has a touch-screen that works with Acer’s Active Stylus digital stylus technology. Armed with the stylus, users can to digitally annotate and take notes in Microsoft’s Windows Ink platform.

Acer didn’t skimp on storage in the Spin 1. The hybrid’s base model will offer 32GB of storage, which can be boosted to 64GB or 128GB. All Acer Spin 1 models will offer 4GB of onboard memory.

Acer included some of its own technologies in the Spin 1. The screen, for instance, is outfitted with Acer’s BluelightShield, a blue light filter that can help reduce eye strain. Also included is Acer’s TrueHarmony technology, designed to optimize sound regardless of the position the computer is in.

Acer’s Spin 1 comes with several important features worth noting. The device supports 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. It includes one USB 3.1 port and one USB 2.0 port for slower data transfers. Users also will find one HDMI port and a microSD card slot for additional storage and data access. The Spin 1 is a little on the hefty side, weighing 2.76 pounds.

The Acer Spin 1 is slated to hit store shelves in North America in July. The hybrid will come with a starting price of $329, and models with faster processors and more storage will cost more. Acer hasn’t announced an exact release date or exact pricing on higher-end models.