Acer Aspire Switch 10 review

Acer Aspire Switch 10 review
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Acer Laptop Battery
Acer has a mixed history in the hybrid PC market. The company’s early attempts, like the Aspire R7 convertible and the Iconia W700, offered quick processors and attractive displays at affordable prices. More recent entries like the TravelMate X313, however, have spoiled that formula by raising the price without providing an equivalent increase in power. Acer’s hybrids, like so many other versatile computers on the market today, are often priced well outside what the average consumer wants to pay.
The new Acer Aspire Switch 10, however, looks like a return to form. This dockable tablet provides a 10-inch IPS touchscreen, a quad-core processor, and 2GB of RAM for just $379.99. Our review unit, which is upgraded with 64GB of internal storage, retails at a still-affordable $429.99.
All of this sounds great, but there’s reason for concern with battery such as Acer TravelMate 7740 Battery, Acer AS10D31 Battery, Acer Aspire 1825 Battery, Acer UM09F36 Battery, Acer Aspire One 521 Battery, Acer Ferrari One Battery, Acer Ferrari 1100 Battery, Acer GARDA53 Battery, Acer TravelMate 3040 Battery, Acer Aspire One D210 Battery, Acer UM08B74 Battery, Acer UM08B73 Battery. The quad-core is a Bay Trail Atom CPU, not an Intel Core, which means performance could be an issue. The display is a compromise too, with Acer featuring a 1366×768 resolution screen, presumably to keep costs down. Let’s see if the Acer Switch 10 is a bargain – or merely cheap.
Acer’s latest is unimpressive at first glance, as its simple silver design is merely a miniaturization of other Windows tablets the company has produced in the past. Little adorns the Switch 10 aside from a small chrome Acer logo, and a glossy black display bezel that contrasts with the rest of the chassis.
Plastic is the primary material found on the Switch 10, but the system’s small size and tight construction prevents it from causing any problems. There’s just not enough hardware here to threaten the strength of the chassis. The Switch 10 inspires confidence when handled, and flex is difficult to find even if you go looking for it.
The hinge holding the tablet to the keyboard dock is solid, yet it does not use a latch. Strong magnets are used instead, and are more than up to the task.
We held the Switch 10 upside down and shook it like a Polaroid picture to no avail. Unintentionally ejecting the tablet onto the floor is not impossible, but requires a quick, deliberate downwards swing that’s unlikely to occur by accident.
On the downside though, intentionally removing the tablet is equally difficult. You must hold the keyboard firmly with one hand while tugging the tablet with the other. Half-hearted attempts will only make passers-by wonder why you’re trying to rip your laptop in half.
The Switch 10 offers two USB ports. A standard 2.0 port hangs out on the dock’s right flank, and is paired with a mini-USB 2.0 port on the tablet’s right side. The tablet also provides mini-HDMI, a MicroSD card reader and a combo headphone/microphone jack. Wireless support comes via an 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter and Bluetooth 4.0.
As the name implies, the Switch 10 has a 10-inch display, the same as many netbooks. This means the typing experience is best described as cramped and may, in fact, become painful for those with large hands.
Acer makes great use of the space that is available and has managed a solid layout that downsizes important keys as little as possible. However, that doesn’t change the fact that there’s just not enough room. Backlighting is unavailable as well because of the system’s thin profile and low price.
The touchpad, which measures about four inches wide and a tad more than two inches deep, fares better than the keyboard. In fact, it’s almost as large as touchpads found on 13-inch systems. Multi-touch gestures are a breeze to use; you may not feel the need to touch the screen despite the fact it’s only a few extra inches away.
The Switch 10’s spaciousness carries its own compromise, however, because it forces the user’s hands to the extremities of the laptop. There’s nearly no useable palmrest on the left side of the keyboard, and overlapping the touchpad with your palm can cause accidental activation.
The degree to which this will frustrate you depends on the size of your hands. Users with dainty mitts won’t mind, but those with plus-sized paws will never find comfort.