Acer show off new, tablet-esque ultraportable Aspire S3 laptop to be released later this month

Full-sized chiclet keyboard, fingerprint-proof metal finish – it looks good, right?

As the battle for the tablet and smartphone markets continue, Acer has debuted its new laptop which aims to combine the best of both of these devices. Shown off at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin at the end of last week, the Acer Aspire S3 is set to be Acer’s flagship laptop for this year’s fourth quarter, and it’s not too hard to see why they’d be proud of it.

At 1.3cm height, 1.4 kg weight and with a 13.3 inch HD LED display, the S3 is a very portable proposition, but it’s the combination of lithe, tablet-esque proportions with the performance power of a notebook that is being held up as the device’s USP.

And indeed: there is a function that allows for boot-up in 1.5 seconds from an energy-saving ‘sleep’ mode (six seconds for the ‘deep sleep’ mode), and the Acer Instant Connect feature apparently connects the user to the web in just 2.5 seconds.

The Aspire S3’s CPU options are the 2nd generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors, which should make for fluent office computing, and a choice of either 240Gb SSD or 320/500Gb HDD. A great touch is the inclusion of the newest Bluetooth 4.0 technology – connectivity is hugely important to mobile users, so this is a smart move by Acer.

“The features of the Aspire S3, powered by 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors — including instant on, instant connect, long battery life, and its elegant slim and light design — will satisfy many users’ desire for a free and easy life on the go,” said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the Intel PC Client Group.

The Acer Aspire S3 will be made available in selected regions from September onwards, with a wider release expected in October. Check back for more information on a UK release date and pricing.