Acer ships upgraded Aspire S3 with Core i7 CPU, SSD
updated 11:15 pm EST, Wed November 16, 2011
Notebook steps up battle with MacBook Air
Acer has announced that it is now shipping upgraded configurations for its Aspire S3 notebook, enabling customers to choose a Core i7 processor rather than the Core i5 chip that ships with the base model. The latest offering brings the notebook in closer competition with the MacBook Air, which also provides a choice between Core i5 and i7 CPUs.
The S3s outfitted with the Core i7 processor also integrate a 240GB SSD, stepping up from a 320GB HDD paired with a smaller 20GB SSD. The company claims the notebooks can wake from sleep in less than two seconds.
Aside from the upgraded internals, both models share an aluminum/magnesium chassis that measures just 0.51-inches thick. Other features include a 13.3-inch display with 1366x768 resolution and a battery that is said to reach six hours of continuous usage.
The basic S3 sells for $899, while the Core i7 variant brings the price up to $1299.
