Acer announces ultra-flexible Aspire R13 and R14 hybrids
The Aspire R13 and R14 can be used in up to six different modes
Acer has announced two brand new convertibles at IFA this morning: the Aspire R13 and Aspire R14. The Aspire R13 has Acer’s unique Ezel Aero hinge, a similar kind of hinge to the one we saw on the Aspire R7-571 last year. This means the display can swivel 180 degrees, not unlike the Dell XPS 12, and can be used in six different modes, according to Acer.
There’s traditional laptop mode, stand mode, tent mode, display mode, tablet mode and Ezel mode, the latter of which brings the screen parallel with the keyboard as shown below.
As its name implies, the Aspire R13 has a 13in screen made with Gorilla Glass 3 and will be available with both Full HD 1,920×1,080 and 2,560×1,440 resolution displays. The Full HD model will use an IPS panel, while the 2,560×1,440 model will have an IGZO panel. The displays will have anti-fingerprint technology, too, as well as anti-glare which Acer claims will improve contrast and eliminate around 90 per cent of reflections.
The laptop weighs 1.5kg and measures 25.4mm thick. It will come in either Intel Core i5 or Core i7 configurations with up to 8GB of RAM and up to a 1TB SSD. Acer says the R13 will also have an advanced dual air-intake system to help keep noise to a minimum.
The Aspire R14, meanwhile, has a 360 degree dual torque hinge similar to those seen on the Lenovo Yoga, and can be used in four different modes: laptop, tablet, tent and display mode. The torque hinge should eliminate any signs of wobble when the screen is being used as a touchscreen, and its zinc alloy and soft rubber chassis should give it a premium look and feel.
The R14 will have a 14in display with a 1,366×768 resolution and will be available in configurations with Intel Pentium processors right up to Core i7 models, with up to 12GB of RAM. Select models will also include a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 820M graphics chip. Storage will be split between 500GB and 1TB hard disks.
You won’t have to wait long to get your hands on these devices either, as both the R13 and R14 will be available in the UK from October 2014 with prices starting at £629 for the R13 and £429 for the R14.