Acer packs latest in graphics technology into its new multimedia laptop lineups
Rather than choosing sides, Acer has decided that the new notebooks it's rolling out for the holiday season will feature new graphics tech from either Nvidia or AMD. Some laptops will make use of Nvidia's 3D Vision feature, some will come with Nvidia Optimus switchable graphics, and still others will feature some of the latest AMD mobile graphics cards.
Acer is helping take 3D laptops to more mainstream price points with the $999.99 Aspire AS5745DG, which will become available in late October. As with many other 3D notebooks, it comes with a 15.6-inch screen with 1,366x768 resolution and uses Nvidia 3D Vision tech via the GeForce GT 420M graphics. It comes with a pair of active shutter glasses and Acer Arcade Deluxe software, which provides one-click conversion of 2D images to 3D. Other specs include Intel Core i5 processor options, 500GB hard drive, HDMI output, and 9-cell battery.
Other new Aspire models offer Nvidia's Optimus technology, which automatically switches between integrated graphics and a discrete card depending on the graphical demand of the application being used. The AS5745 (starting at $649.99) and AS5742G (from $749.99) are based around 15.6-inch LED-backlit displays and have an array of CPU options, including Core i3, i5, and i7 chips.
Meanwhile, the AS7745 is bigger and beefier, sporting a 17.3-inch display, Core i7 quad-core processor options, support for up to 16GB of RAM and a pair of hard drives, and an AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics card. Amazingly, its starting price is just $799.99, though the lack of a full 1080p screen helps keep costs down.
Finally, two new Acer AS8943G laptops will ship with the Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics and 2GB of graphics memory -- and pricing suited for those with fatter wallets. Starting at $1,499.99, these systems pack a Core i7-740QM quad-core processor, 4GB or 8GB of RAM (capable of handling a maximum of 16GB), Blu-ray drive, and a 18.4-inch LED-backlit screen with 1080p resolution. They also pump audio through a handful of built-in speakers and subwoofer, and deliver a touchpad that can support multi-gesture input. With the exception of the 3D AS5745DG, all of these laptops are now shipping.