Acer has announced two new additions to its professional laptop range - the Aspire S7 Pro Ultrabook and TravelMate X313 tablet. Both gain TPM and vPro support and will go on sale alongside their more consumer-oriented counterparts. We had a brief hands on with each to bring you our initial impressions.
The Aspire S7 Pro is very similar to the consumer version, which was announced at Computex in June. Weighing 1.3kg, the lightweight chassis is exactly the same so users will get the same high build quality.
The main differences are that the S7 Pro will come with Windows 8 Pro and TPM security features. It's not quite as robust as Acer's more corporate-focused TravelMate P6-45 Ultrabook, but it provides a neat solution for those who want a work laptop with a more stylish design.
The 1,920x1,080 IPS touchscreen display on our demo unit looked sharp, albeit not quite as jaw-dropping as the 2,560x1,440 top-end model. Its Gorilla Glass surface was very smooth and responsive when we flicked through the home menus of Windows 8. Acer said the higher resolution panel will be available as an option, with Full HD otherwise coming as standard.
The S7 Pro will launch with Intel's new 4th Generation Core processors (otherwise known as Haswell), starting with an Intel Core i5 model. This should significantly improve the S7's battery life, but Acer wasn't able to give us an estimated figure just yet.
The TravelMate X313, meanwhile, is an 11.6in tablet running the full version of Windows 8 Pro, paired with keyboard and docking cradles, two stylus pens and an HDMI and VGA converter in the box.
The tablet looks very similar to Acer's other tablet-laptop hybrid, the Aspire P3, but it's much thinner and lighter, weighing a mere 700g. That doesn't mean it's any less fragile, though, as the X313's been subjected to temperature, noise, vibration, shock, free drop and pressure tests to make sure it's as robust as possible.
Its 11.6in Full HD IPS display had superb viewing angles and the touchscreen was quick and responsive despite its scratch-resistant coating.
The X313 doesn't have many ports. Around the sides, all you get is a mini HDMI output, a single USB3 port and a headphone jack. However, the docking cradle has a much more extensive range of connections, including three more USB ports, HDMI and VGA outputs and a Gigabit Ethernet port. The tablet simply slots into the dock from the side and slides out the same way.
The TravelMate X313 won't come with the latest Intel components unfortunately, but it should be more powerful than the P3 as its lowest specification begins with a Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor instead of a Core i3. The only area where the X313 might lose out from its lack of Haswell components is battery life, as Acer also told us the X313 would be able to last 8 hours on a single charge. This is still quite good for a tablet, but it's still not quite as long as a current fourth generation iPad.
With so many new laptops and tablet hybrids around the corner, Acer is certainly poised to make a big impact in the business market. Acer wasn't able to give us rough retail prices during our demo, but if they're as competitively priced as its new TravelMate P6, P4 and P2 laptops, the Aspire S7 Pro and TravelMate X313 could have real potential in the business world. We'll bring you our full reviews as soon as they arrive.
Andoid Games
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