Acer Aspire S3 Gets Intel Core i7 Upgrade & SSD

Tweet

Acer has recently released its S3 Ultrabook computer amid mixed reviews. The company now also has an upgraded Core i7-powered variant of its MacBook Air challenger to include a better processor and a solid state drive.

The Acer Aspire S3 launched to lukewarm reviews, especially when compared to more established thin-and-light notebooks like the MacBook Air. But with a price tag of $899, it’s certainly a bit more attractive than other Ultrabooks and the Air in terms of price. For spec-conscious buyers out there, Acer has released a new variant of the S3 Ultrabook that packs more punch.

The Acer Aspire S3 now comes with an “energy efficient” Intel Core i7 processor and a 240 GB solid state drive. Still weighing in at 3 pounds, the Acer Aspire S3 likewise has an “instant on” feature common among Intel Ultrabooks, which Acer calls “Acer Green Instant On,” which lets users wake up the computer from sleep in at most two seconds. Acer also offers its instant connect feature, which connects to known WiFi networks in less than 2.5 seconds. Hybrid Standby also offers standby time of more than 50 days.

But with a faster processor, expect the i7 variant to have a shorter battery life than its i5-powered counterpart, though. Acer rates it at 6 hours, which is almost a third less than the MacBook Air’s 9 to 11 hour rating on a single charge. Priced at $1,299, the S3 sits smack within the price range of the equivalent MacBook Air 13 inch.