If you're looking for someplace to spend your tax refund or you want to upgrade your hardware before the next major Windows 10 update, a few companies have new computer options to consider.
Microsoft and Acer announced some new Windows 10 machines at the New York-based next@acer event.
The Acer Switch Alpha 12 Detachable PC provides more fodder for the contention that detachable devices are a quickly-growing product category. The 12" 2160 x 1440 IPS display detaches, and there's a USB-C port that allows the machine to plug in to other displays. It's also got an angled bar for comfortable viewing when the screen is plugged into the body of the machine. The battery life is allegedly 8 hours.
The Switch Alpha 12 starts at approximately $600, but there are plenty of optional features like a backlit keyboard and an Acer Active Pen, which is designed to help users take advantage of Windows Ink when it's rolled out this summer. Consumers can look for the Switch Alpha 12 in June.
Acer also rolled out some machines aimed explicitly at gamers: the Predator 17 X notebook, the Predator G1 desktop and the new Predator Z1 series monitor.
Here are the details for the hardware, all of which will be available in June:
- The Predator 17 X Notebook: It's fast. According to Xbox.com, it's got "class-leading turbo speeds of up to 4.0GHz for the CPU; up to 1310MHz for the GPU; and up to 3.7GHz for VRAM." Prices start at $2800.
- The Predator G1 Desktop: Designed to fit under one arm (perfectly portable for taking to LAN parties), sporting massive storage with up to a 4TB (7200 RPM) hard disk drive or a 512GB solid state drive, plus a plug for VR headsets. Prices start at $2300.
- The Predator Z1 Series Monitor: It's a curved monitor available in 27", 30" and 31.5" model, and it has such vision-friendly enhancements as "AcerVisionCare and BlueLightShield to lessen eye fatigue, as well as GameView, which enables special settings such as dark boost." Prices start at $600.
Finally, Acer's Aspire line is rolling out new color options, and the Aspire F and Aspire R lines now come with 6th Generation Intel Core Processors.
The Aspire E line starts at $400, the F series at $500 and the R series at $700. The new machines will be available in May 2016.
