The laptop market is a busy place, with a huge range of models and specifications from every manufacturer let alone any single company.  Yet the ultra-slim laptop market is not so crowded, probably because it’s not cheap to produce things that are thinner and lighter.  Today in New York Acer took aim at that market with the new Aspire S 13.

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This device is really primarily about design and performance yet it’s been built to hit a price – launching in the US at $699.  Australian pricing won’t be known until it’s available on our shores later in the year, but you can expect it to sit in the lower side of the  $1000-$1500 price bracket.

Under the hood it packs a 6th generation Intel Core processor (the i3 for that entry price) with a claimed 13 hour battery life (on the optional “54 Wh 3-cell” battery).

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Design wise they’ve done a pretty stunning job here, with a patterned cover making it easy to grip, with diamond cut edges on the inside around the whole frame and around the trackpad.

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The screen is full HD, with IPS technology ensuring a wide viewing angle, and there is a ten-point touch-screen option.  The screen is a matt finish which I found to be quite nice in the hands on display area here in New York.

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On the side you’ll find USB C connectivity as well as a USB 3.0 port and HDMI – plus there’s 802.11ac WiFi too.

This thing measures 327W x 228D x 14.58H mm and weighs in at 1.30 kg and comes in two colours,  Obsidian Black or Pearl White.  The White will sell well because it has that somewhat desirable look to it over and above the basic black.

Sadly we don’t know when this will hit Australia, but EFTM expects it to be in the second half of 2016.

Trevor Long travelled to New York as a guest of Acer – Click here for Full details of commercial interests and disclosures 

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