Acer has gone the premium route with its latest Aspire 2-in-1. From its anodised aluminium chassis to top-flight specs like a Gorilla Glass 4 screen, including Thunderbolt 3 on USB-C and a 4K screen option.
The new Aspire Switch 12 S (model SW7-272) has a 12.5-inch display and performs all the usual 2 in 1 contortions: notebook, tablet, display and tent modes. With the keyboard attached, the 12 S weighs 1400 grams, while the screen/tablet by itself weighs only 800g. Acer’s magnetic docking mechanism has been further upgraded, with the Switch 12 S boasting the ‘Snap Hinge Gold” for fast data streaming of up to 6Gbps between the tablet and keyboard to improve responsiveness.
Overall, the design has been streamlined, with the end goal of supporting seamless transitions between the device’s different viewing modes.
All of Acer’s latest tech has been crammed into the Aspire Switch 12 S, including Thunderbolt 3 on USB-C for ultra-fast charging and data and video streaming between devices. You won’t have to rely on the Thunderbolt connection, however, with two USB 3.0 ports, Micro HDMI, a Micro SD card reader and a headphone/speaker jack. On the back of the tablet, the Switch 12 S features the motion-capture and 3D-scan capable Intel RealSense Camera, which can be used by developers to scan objects to 3D models or even capture movement for animating. The Switch also features an HD front-facing camera and will come with either a 4K (3840×2160) or full HD (1920×1080) display, depending on model and region.
Acer isn’t yet sure when The Aspire 12 S is coming to Australia, but did note its February release in North America, Europe and China. US prices start at $US1000 (about $AUD1390 at current exchange rates).