Acer Windows 8 Ultrabooks: Due October 26

Written by Sandy Berger

The world’s thinnest touch Ultrabooks are here. Reviews Editor Sandy Berger takes a look at the new touch screens from Acer America.

Acer America just announced the October 26 availability of its Acer Aspire S7 Touch Windows 8 Ultrabook Series in North America. Previewed in Europe and Asia, Acer  S7 machines are the thinnest-ever touchscreen Ultrabooks, reps says.

So Acer claims its Ultrabooks are exceptionally thin, light and well-designed. Here’s a look at what Acer has in store. We’ll be reviewing this device for you.

 According to Acer:

  • The smaller S7-191 model has a 11.6-inch touch screen and weighs only 2.29 pounds.
  • The larger S7-391 has a 13.3-inch touch screen display.
  • Features durable all-aluminum unibody design
  • Full high-definition (1920 x 1080) touch screens
  • Rigid lids made of white Gorilla Glass 2 or aluminum to protect the screens.
  • A thin, soft cushion of material has been placed between the aluminum frame and the Gorilla Glass, so if the S7 is dropped, the impact will mainly be absorbed by the system and not the glass.
  • The lid on the S7-391 tilts back a full 180 degrees, allowing it to be used flat against a table or desk.
  • A hotkey rotates the view 180 degrees making it easy to share the screen with others.
  • A unique dual torque hinge design enables the display to stay upright and stable even when used for touch input.
  • Acer’s new thermal design, TwinAir cooling (patent-pending), extends battery life and keeps the Ultrabook cool and comfortable to use.
  • The S7’s light-sensing keyboard automatically detects changes in lighting conditions and adjusts the keyboard backlight brightness.
  • 3rd Generation Intel Core processors
  • Solid state drives
  • An embedded Li-Polymer battery provides up to 6 hours of battery life, and an optional second battery doubles computing time up to 12 hours.

Prices for the Aspire S7 Series start  at $1,199 for the 11.6-inch model and $1,399 for the 13.3-inch model.