Acer Aspire S7
Since Acer
introduced the impressive but slightly handicapped S5 (thanks to a low screen
resolution), the S7 is a strong move towards the better with its premium looks
and its Full HD multi-touch display. As an Ultrabook, the S7's design is simply
stunning.
This is also the first Acer machine that completely removes the “cheap”feeling
often associated with the brand. Despite being mostly made of plastic, the S7
feels robust and well-built, thanks in part to a Gorilla Glass-protected lid.
There's no official reason as to why the S7 has Gorilla Glass on the back of
the lid, other than for aesthetic purposed; presumably the toughened glass is
there to protect from scratches and the like. We do like that the display is
able to open up quite a fair distance (over 180 degrees).
Besides gorgeous looks, adding on to the S7's premium status are quality
components like a Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution) display – quite rare
for a 13.3-inch laptop – as well as an SSD, a component often found in
top-of-the-line Ultrabooks.
Despite its premium positioning though, the battery capacity of the S7 is quite
small, taking an unfortunate side effect of having such a thin and light body,
tipping the scales at just 1.3kg. Even though it's easy to carry around,
lasting just over two hours in our battery test means you'll need to be parked
near a power outlet more often than not, when away from the office.
And because of its incredibly thin frame, the chiclet-style keys on the S7's
keyboard are extremely shallow. Fortunately, the keys have plenty of bounce,
which gives users the feedback needed to type fast. Like all premium
Ultrabooks, the Aspire S7 also has a reasonably - sized click pad, though we
did wish it was a little bigger.
