Acer has kicked off its CES 2016 with a number of product announcements, including a range of new monitors along with its premium 2-in-1 Aspire Switch 12 S notebook.The monitors comprise its R1 Series, H7 Series and XR342CK Series, each offering distinctive features and “produced with premium design and high-end performance in mind for stunning images and colour capabilities”.
“Featuring IPS panel technology, the Acer displays ensure clear-cut details across 178-degrees viewing angles and supreme colour consistency across the entire screen, enabling users to explore their gaming worlds and watch movies in all their glorious colours without compromising on speed/lag,” Acer states of its new monitors.
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Acer states the R1 series, which will be available in 21.5, 23, 23.8, 25 and 27″ screen sizes, sports the world’s thinnest monitor enclosure under 7 mm, with the ZeroFrame design maximising the view and minimising visual clutter.
Meanwhile, Acer states that the H7 series monitor is the world’s first to support USB Type-C, allowing users to transfer data and display content from notebooks or smartphones while charging them at the same time via the one cable.
The H7 also sports a ZeroFrame design, along with a diamond-cut and brushed-metal stand, and comes in 25″ and 27″ models. The H7 features WQHD (2560 x 1440) display resolution, Acer TrueHarmony and DTS Sound audio and HDMI 2.0.
The XR342CK monitor features an ultra-wide QHD (3440 x 1440) resolution and a 34″ 21:9 panel with a 1900R curvature and 100 per cent of the sRGB gamut support, with 6-axis color adjustment and DTS Sound designed to deepen the audio/visual impact.
Decked out with a base that can swivel from -30 to +30 degrees, the XR342CK also features AMD FreeSync technology, ensuring “variable refresh rates for a smooth, tear-free experience in gaming and video playback”.
– Aspire Switch 12 S
Acer states the Aspire Switch 12 S, sporting an anodised aluminium chassis and powered by 6th generation Intel Core M processors, is “the most premium and advanced model” in its Aspire Switch line of 2-in-1 notebooks
Utilising Windows 10 Continuum, the 12.5″ 4K or full-HD Aspire Switch 12 S can be used in four modes:
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notebook, tablet, display and tent. Acer’s ExoAmp antenna “is discreetly embedded into the metal chassis to provide optimal Wi-Fi performance”.
Acer states its Snap Hinge Gold builds on its secure latch-less magnetic docking mechanism to provide an advanced connection between the tablet and keyboard, with data streaming of up to 6 Gbps between the tablet and keyboard, with the Snap Hinge Gold hooks using zinc-alloy connectors to charge the keyboard.
The Aspire Switch 12 S also features Thunderbolt 3 on USB-C, two USB 3.0 ports, Micro HDMI and a microSD card reader. It is decked out with an Intel RealSense Camera R200 on the rear of the tablet and an HD front-facing camera. Initial models will come with 4-8 GB of memory and either 128 GB or 256 GB SSD storage.
– Iconia One 8
Acer has also unveiled its Iconia One 8 (B1-850) 8″ media tablet, designed for families, children or novice users, delivering performance for web browsing, video playback and casual gaming, with the Acer Kids Center app providing for a child-friendly interface and parental controls.
Running Android 5.1 and powered by a MediaTek quad-core processor, the Iconia One 8 features an 8″ HD IPS display with 10-point multi-touch, 9 hours of battery life (dependent on settings), a 5 MP rear camera and a 2 MP front-facing camera, 1 GB DDR3L RAM, 16 GB internal storage and support for up to 128 GB microSD cards.
The Iconia One 8 is available with white or blue back cover options.
– Chromebase 24
Acer states its Chromebase 24 all-in-one desktop with Intel Core processors combines “powerful
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performance with the simplicity and security of Chrome OS”.
Acer states the Chromebase 24 features the largest screen of all Chrome OS devices on the market, sporting a 23.8″ full-HD IPS display, with up to 178-degree viewing angles.
The Chromebase 24 additionally features VESA mount support and a 10-point multi-touch option. It comes with up to 8 GB of DDR3L RAM, and, optimised for video conferencing, incorporates four digital microphones, with the chassis tilting from -5 to 30 degrees, in addition to the adjustable HD webcam.
– TravelMate P648
Acer’s new TravelMate P648 series commercial notebooks run Windows 10 and are powered by Intel 6th generation Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, and feature Thunderbolt 3 for ultra-fast data transfer and 4K displays.
“Combining a durable, ultra-slim chassis and speedy wireless technology, these notebooks are the ideal traveling companion for even the most active road warriors,” Acer states.
Built to withstand the rigours of frequent travel, the TravelMate P648 series feature a high-strength carbon and glass fibre lid, with the system weighing in at 1.7 kg and measuring 0.83″ thin, with a palm rest and bottom cover, made from magnesium-aluminum, allowing the notebook to handle extreme pressure and
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protect it from drops.
Dust Defender technology safeguards the TravelMate P648 from dust, with a full-sized chiclet keyboard, with LED-backlit keys, providing typing with 1.4 mm travel distance, while a spill-resistant design safeguards the keyboard from accidental spills.
Decked out with 802.11ad multi-band wireless technology from Qualcomm Atheros, Acer states the TravelMate P648 can utilise the 60 GHz band wireless spectrum, delivering speeds up to 4.6 Gbps.
Along with a card reader and HDMI for connecting to an external display, the TravelMate P648 features a Thunderbolt 3 (USB 3.1 Type-C) port and three USB 3.0 ports, with one supporting power-off charging.
The TravelMate P648 models are decked out with 14″ displays, offering choices of up to full-HD with IPS technology and up to Nvidia GeForce 940M graphics with 2 GB VRAM, 4 GB DDR4 memory upgradable to 20 GB, and up to 1TB hard drives or 512 GB SSD.
– Chromebook 11
Acer has also taken the wraps off its Chromebook 11, with “a more durable design that features a premium nano-imprinted cover matched by solid everyday performance and a portable design that makes it an
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excellent computing device for anyone on-the-go”.
Acer states that the Chromebook 11 can handle up to 60 kg of downward force on the top cover, while the corners can tolerate up to 60 cm drops without damage, with a slim and portable form factor (measuring 0.73″ thin and weighing 1.1 kg) making it flexible for use in a variety of places.
Powered by Intel Celeron quad-core processors, the Chromebook 11 features an 11.6″ display with a 1366 x 768 resolution, comes with 2 GB or 4 GB of memory, 16 GB or 32 GB eMMC storage, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports, and provides up to 9 hours of battery life.
– Aspire V Nitro Black Edition RealSense
Acer has introduced the Intel RealSense short-range camera to its Aspire V Nitro Black Edition notebooks.
“As the world’s first to feature the new and improved camera, the Aspire V Nitro Black Edition offers gamers improved experiences with its enhanced 2D and 3D image quality allowing gamers to broadcast their gaming experiences and video chat with background removal,” Acer states.
“Coming soon, gamers will also be able to customise their game experience by scanning their face and putting it on their favourite game’s character and scanning objects to place in their own game modifications.”
The Intel RealSense camera will be available on both the 15″ and 17″ Aspire V Nitro Black Edition notebooks, offering “an improved sensing range of up to 1.5 metres from the device and more precise gesture tracking, control and object recognition”.
Acer has yet to announce Australian pricing and availability of its new products.
