Acer has announced a whole new Ultrabook that will become its first with Intel Ivy Bridge and Thunderbolt. The company bestseller TimeLine will also get a refresh, in an even thinner format than before.
We have been hearing rumors of Acer’s new company structure; fewer and better prepared models than the opposite, which has been the scenario so far. The company started off with a press conference at CES where it showed a total of three new notebooks, which looks very clean and stylish for Acer notebooks.
Acer Aspire S5 – an evolution of S3
Acer Aspire S5 will be the new Ultrabook to replace the current S3, which is currently the cheapest model on the market. Acer Aspire S5 looks like an evolved version of S3, but most news hide inside.
The computer had an unspecified 1.7 GHz processor, which should be based on something Ivy Bridge. The demo sample had 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD. Aspire S5 weighs the exact same as S3 1.35kg, but is only 15mm thick at most. According to those who got a chance to handle it it comes with brushed aluminum surfaces and feels overall more robust than S3. Also, the keyboard and touchpad have been improved.
The special about Aspire S5 is a function called MagicFlip I/O, reports Ultrabooknews. With the slim designs we see today the number of ports; USB, HDMI and others, are limited. MagicFlip I/O hides inside the computer and can be used to get access to a full-size HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports and Intel’s closed Thunderbolt interface. We can also imagine that MagicFlip I/O could be useful for those who wants some more height for the keyboard when typing, but also extra ventilation.
There was no mention of the battery times Acer Aspire S5 will be capable of. The launch of Acer Aspire S5 is slated for Q2, along with Intel Ivy Bridge.
Acer TimeLine Ultra – 20mm with optic reader
Acer also announced two other computers at 14″ and 15″ respectively, both part of the new TimeLine Ultra series. Both will sport an optic DVD reader, and measure as little as 20mm in profile, which is Intel Ultrabook territory. TimeLine Ultra will sport next generation Core i processors, implying Ivy Bridge, but we assume they will be clocked higher than Aspire S5 and not 17W TDP. The battery time will be up to 8 hours says Acer.
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The computers will be in stores with both harddrives and SSD as options, and this should make them very attractive alternatives to Ultrabooks. Both should be in stock in Q2, alongside the new Ultrabook Aspire S5.
