Hands-on: Acer Aspire Switch 10. 2-in-1 laptop which offers 4 modes at an affordable price

The line that separates laptop and tablet is getting thinner as mobile processors are powerful enough to run full fledged desktop operating systems like Windows 8. The latest Acer Aspire Switch 10 that was just announced yesterday is one of a few perfect examples.

It consists of a compact 10.1″ tablet and an accompanying keyboard which gives you full laptop experience including a full set of function keys (F1 to F12) and a touchpad below. Acer didn’t just stop there as the flexible snap hinge design allows you to flip and fold the tablet screen around for a total of 4 modes – Laptop, Tablet, Stand and Tent. The price is quite reasonable as well at just RM1,399 as it runs on Intel’s new Atom Z3745 Quad-Core (codenamed Bay Trail) processors that’s clocked at 1.33GHz. It also gets 2GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage.

The overall build quality is pretty quite good with a metallic feel and a study docking mechanism that locks the tablet assuringly while it is easy enough to detach from the sides. This design is a huge improvement over its previous hybrid portable, the Acer Aspire P3 where the bluetooth keyboard is attached with a flexible case.

The tablet itself is reasonably slim at 8.9mm thick and weighs around 585 grams. Not too shabby considering it is running on full Windows 8.1 where you can run programs like what you would normally do on a regular laptop. For audio playback, the Switch 10 has dual stereo speakers which are placed ideally at the bottom of the screen. You have the power and volume rocker on the left while the right side you’ll find microSD slot, mini HDMI and micro USB port. The viewing angle on the Switch 10’s 10.1″ display is pretty good but the resolution is on the low side at 1366×768 pixels resolution. For video conferencing, there’s a 2MP camera at the front and none at the rear.

While 32GB storage on the tablet doesn’t seem to be enough for a full Windows experience, the keyboard actually acts as a secondary storage as it comes with a 500GB hard drive. We are told that it is using the standard laptop hard drive instead of SSD which is not bad considering its affordable price tag. You’ll also find a full size USB port on the keyboard which is placed on the right side. With the Switch 10 tablet and keyboard combined, it can get heavy as the keyboard itself weighs 1.2kg. When it’s closed, the back of the tablet looks pretty good with an metallic finish which gives it a study and upmarket feel.

The Aspire Switch 10 is an affordable alternative to other convergence devices that we’ve been seeing from ASUS and even Microsoft. While the Intel Atom processor isn’t on par with its Core i5/i7 rivals, it is decent enough to gets things done while you’re on the go. At RM1,399, it is cheaper than most flagship Android and iOS tablets in the market.

Acer Aspire Switch 10 Hands-on Video

Acer Aspire Switch 10 Hands-on Photos