Tablet schmablet! Acer pumps processing iron with Aspire revamp

by Steven Mostyn - Sep 27 2010, 12:22

So ultra-portable touchscreen tablet computers are taking over the world, eh? Maybe so, but, after surviving last year's Netbook surge, the humble notebook isn't exactly facing imminent doom in the consumer electronics marketplace.

Case in point, hardware maker Acer has this week refreshed its popular line of Aspire portables, focusing the technical revamp on the areas of entertainment, multimedia, and computer gaming through the adoption of NVIDIA 3D technology, ATI graphics and high-definition Blu-ray drives.

First up, the new Aspire 5745DG comes equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor, a 15.6-inch display (1366 x 768), NVIDIA's 3D-capable GeForce GT4210M graphics solution, and 'one-click' 2D to 3D conversion via the addition of Acer Arcade Deluxe.

It also includes 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, a 1.3 mega-pixel camera, a 500GB hard drive, four USB ports, a multi-in-one card reader, and HDMI out. The Aspire 5745DG will arrive in October and will carry a suggested retail price of $999 USD.   

Next up, the Aspire 5742G comes complete with a 15.6-inch display (1366 x 768), a choice of Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, a 500GB hard drive, NVIDIA Optimus technology and an optional Blu-ray drive for a suggested price of $750 USD.

Then there's the Aspire 7745, which offers a 17.3-inch screen (1600 x 900), a Core i7 processor, up to 16GBs of RAM, the ATI Mobility Radeon 5650 graphics chip and optional Blu-ray support for a starting price of $800 USD.

Leading the pack is the 18.4-inch Aspire 8943G, which caters directly to hardcore gamers and multimedia consumers thanks to its muscular quad-core i7 740QM processor, up to 8GBs of onboard RAM (upgradable to a whopping 16GBs), and the ATI Mobility 5850 graphics platform – which packs 2GBs of dedicated memory.

The 8943G also includes HDMI out, optional Blu-ray, integrated CineSurround 5.1, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, a 1.3 mega-pixel camera, and even a fingerprint reader for enhanced security. The Aspire 8943G notebook is available now and comes with a starting price of $1,500 USD.

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