The Acer Aspire Switch 12 S is a Windows tablet with a 12.5 inch display, a detachable keyboard dock, an Intel Core M Skylake processor, an Intel Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C connector, and an Intel RealSense camera.
It’s the latest in Acer’s Switch line of 2-in-1 tablets which transform into notebooks when you attach a keyboard dock. And it’s one of the company’s first models to be available with an optional 3840 x 2160 pixel display.
All those features don’t come cheap though: the Acer Aspire Switch 12 S is expected to sell for $1000 and up when it launches in February.
The tablet ships with Windows 10 and can make use of Microsoft’s Continuum feature to automatically switch between tablet and notebook user interfaces when a keyboard is attached or disconnected.
While there’s no shortage of 2-in-1 tablets that come with keyboard docks, Acer’s Switch series is reversible: you can attach the tablet so it faces the keyboard or looks away from the keyboard, allowing you to use the dock as a sort of stand.
The tablet is held in place with magnets, so there’s no latch. Acer says the Snap Hinge Gold is the third-generation of its “Snap Hinge,” which features a 6 Gbps data connection between the tablet and keyboard and zinc-alloy connectors to charge the keyboard.
Acer will offer 1920 x 1080 pixel and 3840 x 2160 pixel display options. Both versions have IPS screens with wide viewing angles and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for scratch resistance.
The tablet will be available with 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. Other features include two USB 3.0 ports, a micro HDMI port, a microSD card slot, and the aforementioned Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 Type-C port.
The Acer Aspire Switch 12 S tablet measures about 0.3 inches thick and weighs 1.8 pounds. Add the keyboard and you’ve got a notebook that measures 0.7 inches thick and which weighs 3.1 pounds.