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Acer’s Aspire V line of notebooks are budget alternatives to the company’s higher-priced ultrabooks. Acer has announced it will offer Windows 8 versions of its 11.6 inch, 14 inch, and 15.6 inch Aspire V notebooks starting October 26t, and prices will start at just $500 for the smallest model.

Acer Aspire V5-171 (11.6 inch notebook)

All three models will be available with Intel Ivy Bridge processors, including Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 options. They all feature 1366 x 768 pixel displays. And all three notebook models measure less than an inch thick.

These notebooks feature 500GB to 750GB of hard disk space, HDMI output, WiFi, Bluetooth, and USB 3.0 ports.

I reviewed the Windows 7 version of the 11.6 inch Aspire V5 this summer, and I was pretty impressed with just how computer you get for $500. The good news is that Acer isn’t increasing that price with the launch of Windows 8.

The less good news is that the laptop itself hasn’t really changed. Acer is just offering it with a new operating system.

If you opt for the 14 or 15.6 inch models, on the other hand, you can choose versions with touchscreen support, letting you interact with the new Windows 8 touch-friendly user interface by touching the screen.

The larger models also have additional USB ports and optical disc drives.

Touch-capable models will start at $749.99 in the US.