Acer Aspire Switch 10 SW5-011-155X / SW5-011-18R3 (32GB) Hybrid 2-in-1 PC

A new representative of the modern 2-in-1 Windows PCs has arrived. It’s the Acer Aspire Switch 10 SW5-011-155X also listed on retailers as SW5-011-18R3, combining a laptop and a tablet in a single affordable package. The device is capable of running not only in the laptop and tablet modes, but also as a multimedia stand. The screen can be flipped 180 degrees vertically and put on the dock so the display faces backwards. Also, a tent-like mode is possible. That’s another convenient position for movie watching and presentations. The 10.1-inch display and all components are located in the tablet part. Windows 8.1 operating system and the 1366×768-pixel screen with IPS wide viewing angle technology and 5-point multitouch support are empowered by the Intel Atom Z3745 processor and its integrated graphics. Furthermore, there are 2GB of RAM memory and 32GB of internal storage. These components are satisfactory for Internet surfing, emails, word and spreadsheet processing, and multimedia playback. That’s intended use of the Acer’s Switch 10 SW5-011-155X / SW5-011-18R3. It’s targeted at home and home office users and students. To help users with their tasks, a free copy of Microsoft Office 2013 Home and Student edition is pre-installed. Not a trial one, but the full version. The only big constraint regarding computing comfort is cramped internal storage. 32GB is very limited for Windows 8, as described in this article. A 64GB version of the same tablet is expected, but not available yet. It will be a much better solution. At least, a microSD card slot is provided on both versions, so you can expand internal storage.

Keyboard and trackpad are important for productivity and overall use, too. The detachable keyboard deck sports isle-style keys, a single-piece trackpad, and a full-size USB port to accompany a micro USB port on the tablet part. The slate portion also offers a micro HDMI port and the aforementioned micro SD card reader, besides audio combo jack and volume rocker. Many tablets on the market are charged through the micro USB connector. The Acer Switch 10 on the other hand has a dedicate power jack, so the micro USB is on disposal while the PC is charging. Other notable features are a 2MP camera and stereo speakers, both located on the front side.

The battery offers “8 hours” of run time, according to the manufacturer.

The lid is plain, but looks very attractive. It’s done up in brushed aluminum.

Two parts of the SW5-011-155X SW5-011-18R3 weigh in at 2.5 pounds in total and are 0.8″ thick when put together. Therefore, this is a quite portable machine.

The closest rival to the Acer Switch 10 on the market currently is the Asus Transformer Book T100. It looks similar, but the Acer appears to be more flexible. The Asus doesn’t have support for “stand” and “tent” modes and uses plastics for the lid instead of aluminum. Both devices have the same screen size and very similar components.