Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook (Core i7-2637M 1.7GHz) - Anorexic Knight
The Core i7-equipped Acer Aspire S3 is the first Ultrabook to hit the market. At first glance, it sure looks like everything we'd hope for in an ultraportable notebook, but does it live up to the Ultrabook moniker? Read on to find out!
Anorexic Knight
Anorexia is generally frowned upon, though in this case, you really have to make an exception because we really like our notebooks to be as skinny as possible. Adhering to Intel’s recommended specs for Ultrabooks, is the 13.3-inch Acer Aspire S3, which is only 13mm thick, and weighs 1.33kg. Because of its weight, lifting the machine is a breeze. If you're used to carrying a laptop in excess of 3kg in your backpack, after getting the S3, there's a chance that you might forget that it's even there.
The Core i7-equipped Acer Aspire S3 is a handsome machine, and it raises our expectations for future Ultrabooks.
The S3 is the first “real” Ultrabook to land in our labs and we couldn’t be more pleased. Our test model has a Core Intel i7-2637M (1.7GHz) ultra-low voltage (ULV) processor, 4GB of embedded RAM and a 320GB hard disk drive (the normal spinning kind). It's a pity it doesn't come with a solid state drive (SSD). But, according to a Acer representative, the test machine on our hands isn't available for sale yet.
Pricing for the S3 starts from S$1,198 (up to S$1,798) which is just barely in line with Intel’s sub-US$1000 rule. Specs-wise, the SSD sporting Core i5 model (S$1798) isn’t really different from the previously reviewed Samsung Series 9 that costs more than S$2,500.
The brushed metal lid is not only very easy on the eyes, it also repels fingerprints. Its Zen aesthetics make it suitable for both the office and the local cafe.
Looks-wise however, the S3 reminds us of a knight clad in magnificent aluminum alloy armor, which is really quite different from the dark anti-hero (in a James Dean kind of way) look that the Samsung Series 9 sports. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it also reminds us very much of another product which we’re very impressed with - the Apple MacBook Air, which for better or for worse, has become the notebook to look at when styling an ultra-thin and portable notebook is concerned.
Does it look similar to the MacBook Air? We think it does, and we wouldn't have it any other way (for now).
Thankfully, Acer has added some touches to differentiate themselves, plus references to the MacBook Air do get quite old no matter how inevitable. The lid of the S3 is pretty sparse, with only an Acer logo smacked right down the center. The matte textured aluminium alloy gives the machine special fingerprint-resistant powers, something which we’re pretty sure would sit very well with those readers with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).
The bottom of the machine is also fairly clean, with only a couple of holes for screws and a metal plate with logos printed on. The material here is slightly different and doesn't feel cold to the touch. We reached out to Acer, and they confirmed that it was magnesium alloy, which explains why it doesn't make the machine feel any less solid.
The bottom of the machine is the most chaotic part: it hides the speakers and the screws. There is also a metal plate with lots of logos printed on it.
Just like other ultra-thin and light notebooks, the Acer Aspire S3 has done away with the optical drive. The connectivity ports - a HDMI and two USB 2.0 ports (what? no USB 3.0?) - have also been moved to the back of the machine, a move which we’re quite divided about. On the upside, there won’t be cables sticking out from the side of the machine, causing your workstation to look like a forest with cable vines crawling all over the place.
There are only four ports at the back: two for USB 2.0, one for HDMI and another for power. Alas, there is no support for USB 3.0.
But we also find it a little less convenient to look at the back of the machine when we want to plug something in. While it isn’t a big issue, we’d just like to point it out because there may be some people who are particular about the location of the ports. The heat vents are also found at the back of the machine, similar to the MacBook Air, except they aren’t hidden from view. This will ensure that the heat coming out from the machine would be going away from your precious bits.
We’re also particularly disappointed with the lack of USB 3.0 ports on the Acer Aspire S3. I mean, the last time I checked, we're in 2011, and all of the notebooks that came our way featured USB 3.0. We’re not sure why Acer chose to leave USB 3.0 out of the Aspire S3, but if we had to guess, it must have something to do with power consumption.
On the right of the machine lies the vent for dispersing heat away from you, which is a good thing when you have it on your lap.
When Less is More
Lifting up the lid of the Acer Aspire S3, is a two-handed affair. Likely due to its light weight and tight hinge, the bottom of the machine follows your hand if you try to lift the lid with just one hand. This in itself isn't a big issue, but since we've seen the 2011 Sony Vaio Z feature this bit of engineering thoughtfulness (you can open it with just one hand), we thought we'd like to see it more often in notebooks from other manufacturers.
The color of the interior is almost exactly the same as the exterior, which gives the machine a pleasing uniform look, even if they aren't of the same material.
Once you open up the notebook, you will notice three things. Firstly, you have the chiclet keys and a nice big trackpad. We at HardwareZone love big trackpads, and would throw a hissy fit every time we see anything less, so no issues here, though there seems to be enough space to make it even bigger. Another thing which impressed us is the fact that Acer didn't skimp on materials here. The interior of the machine is also fully decked out in a magnesium alloy with a matte texture, making it look real classy.
The inside of the machine is also fairly clean, with no fancy buttons, or anything distracting. Just a power switch on the very robust (again MacBook-Air-esque) plastic hinge, and two status LEDs that can be seen even when the lid is closed. On the right you will also see some text that says “professionally tuned”. Acer reached out to us, and pointed out that "Professionally-Tuned" means the speakers below, are professionally tuned to Dolby standards.
The status LEDs indicate the state of the machine, whether it is switched on or plugged in. They are visible even when the lid is closed.
Like we mentioned, the S3 has plastic chiclet keys, but what we didn’t mention was how comfortable we felt using them. We predict that all Ultrabooks will have chiclet keys down the road.
The keys are slightly shallow, but not overly mushy, providing just enough tactile feedback for a quiet and comfortable typing experience. The keyboard is lowered slightly to accommodate the screen when it closes, but it doesn’t present any problems when typing. There was also very little flex when we pressed down hard on individual keys. Also, if you're looking for back-lit keys, you're out of luck; you aren't going to find them on the S3.
No matter how hard we poked and prodded the machine, we couldn't find any area that is particularly susceptible to flex, a testament to the S3's build quality.
Next up, we have the trackpad, or clickpad; it’s a giant trackpad that clicks at the same time. There aren’t any unsightly lines separating the trackpad, neither are there any ugly buttons to ruin that (borrowed) Zen look. It’s made from a single piece of glass, which isn’t shiny nor overly smooth, but slightly textured like frosted glass, which makes it a real pleasure to use. Our only gripe with it however, is that there is a very obvious space between the clickpad and the palmrest. It doesn't detract from the clickpad's usability, but could develop into a problem should things like staples get stuck there.
We couldn't find any mention if the trackpad on the S3 is multi-touch capable. We tried touching it in as many ways we could think of, but to no effect.
The speakers found at the bottom of the machine are commendably loud on such a machine so small. We can't say it's very surprising, since we've seen other similar notebooks sporting speakers that are just as powerful. With speakers like these, you can probably watch movies and listen to music without straining your ears.
The Acer Aspire S3’s glossy LED-backlit TFT LCD screen (1366 x 768) is also a pretty standard one. There isn’t anything really outstanding here: it's not extremely bright, but we feel that's a good thing because it helps save on battery life. As for viewing angles, images on the screen look fine from the sides, but from above, well, let's just say you don't want to do that.
No self-respecting manufacturer would think of shipping a notebook without a built-in webcam these days; the S3 has a 1.3-megapixel one.
On the right of the machine, you will find an SD card reader, good for photography enthusiasts who'd like to review their photos right after shooting.
The left of the machine is where you will find the microphone, as well as a headphone jack on the side.
Even the stickers from Intel and Windows look like they belong. We hope that this is a sign that there won't be any annoying gaudy stickers anymore.
Performance and Benchmarking
For our tests, we have with us the Core i7-2637M (1.7GHz) Acer Aspire S3, which again we need to mention isn't for sale just yet. For reference purposes, we took the scores of the granddaddy of Ultrabooks, an Intel Core i5 Apple MacBook Air, and also a Core i5 Samsung Series 9 notebook. We’d like you to note that scores for the MacBook Air were taken while the machine was running on Windows 7 (off Boot Camp). Another thing to note is that the other two ultra-portables used SSDs.
The Acer Aspire S3's Intel HD 3000 graphics processor may not be good enough for high-end gaming, but it is definitely more than capable to handle high-definition movie playback and flash-based games. Our test unit is also very similar to the mid-tier (S$1,498) model available on the Acer website. The only difference is that our unit is running on a Core i7 1.7GHz processor, while the mid-tier model sports a Core i5 1.6GHz processor.
PCMark Vantage
PCMark Vantage tests the overall performance of the machine, be it in terms of rendering web pages or photographs and other multimedia elements. In this test, the Acer Aspire S3's overall scores were quite abysmal when put beside the other two machines, but that was only because it didn't have an SSD. We briefly compared it to other classes of machines with similar specs, and its results were right on track for what components it had. The integrated graphics may not be very powerful, but will be good enough for non-professional work, like the occasional editing of photos. And finally, you have to remember that the Aspire S3 isn’t built to be an entertainment workhorse or a gaming machine; with that in mind, we’d say that the S3 did pretty well, and would recommend it as an all-purpose business or education machine.
3DMark 06
Let's face it. At this point in time, we already know that the Acer Aspire S3 isn't the machine of choice for playing Diablo 3. However, we decided to run our trusty 3DMark 06 benchmark tool on the S3 anyway. Why? Because games with 3D graphic rendering are increasingly making their way onto browsers. Websites are also getting more graphically intensive. Overall, the S3 fared pretty predictably for a machine of its caliber, showing that it can at least take on browser-based games without any hiccups.
Far Cry 2
Our Far Cry 2 benchmarks are here so that you can roughly gauge how a laptop fares in a real-world gaming scenario. In medium settings, the Acer Aspire S3 managed to keep the frame rate at about 25.88 fps (frames per second). This means it can play the game, but barely. We'd seriously recommend against putting the S3 in a gaming scenario because it simply isn't built for it. The graphical prowess of the machine while gaming is also indicative of how it'd perform when rendering photographs and movies. Simple photo-editing on such a portable machine will be fairly pain free, but anything more intensive than a collage or a short movie clip will result in hair-loss - by your own hands.
Battery Life and Portability Index
Long story short, Ultrabooks are meant to be super portable, yet offer much better performance than a netbook. In order to squeeze as much battery life out of the batteries as possible, ultra-low voltage processors are used here. In this case, an Intel Core i7-2637M is used in the Acer Aspire S3. And you can stop looking for optical drives on these babies, because last generation formats that suck power and don’t provide any immediate benefits aren’t welcome to the Ultrabook party. To show you how a real Ultrabook performs in terms of battery life and portability, we’ve included quasi-Ultrabooks (quasi only because of their prices or operating systems) in the comparison: the Samsung Series 9 and the Apple MacBook Air.
Battery Life
Battery life is an important feature for an Ultrabook. It’s supposed to last really long, but in our battery test, the Acer Aspire S3 didn't perform out of expectations. In the video looping test, the S3 managed to stay alive for about 3 hours and 47 minutes. This isn't very extraordinary, but if you consider it only packs a 3-cell battery, then it is forgivable. In addition, Acer estimated that it can go into deep sleep for about 50 hours, and would only take 6 seconds to resume from deep sleep.
Power Consumption
As for power consumption, the Aspire S3 is helped plenty by the lack of an optical drive, and an ultra-low-voltage processor - just like all other Ultrabooks. The only differentiating factors here are the model of processor used, as well as how well designed and effective are the machine's power management functions. As the charts suggest, the S3 actually does better than the Samsung Series 9 in terms of power consumption. However, when compared to the MacBook Air (in Windows 7), it trails behind. When the MacBook Air is running on OS X, no machine out there could come close (yet).
Portability Index
Our portability index scores are calculated using the machine’s weight, and battery life, and is a guide on whether or not it's worth your time to even bring the machine out. The MacBook Air scored tremendously well in this regard, especially when running on OS X. The Acer Aspire S3 is right on top with the best of them. With a score of 2.296, it's comfortably in the front of other competitors. However just like in power consumption, it lags quite a bit behind the MacBook Air.
First to Arrive or First to Fall?
Ultrabooks are really the most anticipated machines of 2011, and finally we’ve had our hands on one: the Acer Aspire S3. This anorexic Windows machine is close to what Intel thinks Ultrabooks should be, and quite frankly, while we weren’t exactly blown away by it, we remain very impressed with the Ultrabook promise, and very optimistic about what the future holds for Ultrabooks.
Thanks to the S3, we now know that Ultrabooks will definitely catch on in terms of usefulness compared to conventional notebooks.
The S3 features a very thin body, an equally light weight, good battery life, and fast resume times (yes, even for models without SSDs). To differentiate themselves from other Ultrabooks, we see some fancy power management terms like “Acer Green Instant On” and “Instant Connect”. The former wakes the machine up from sleep almost instantly (1.5 seconds from normal sleep and 6 seconds from deep sleep), the latter prepares the Wi-Fi quickly, allowing you to connect almost immediately upon resume.
Surprisingly enough, these features worked even on our test model, which didn't have an SSD. Hence no matter which model you get, you'd get the instant resume features found on tablets - which are extremely useful to say the least. These features may also appear on Ultrabooks from other manufacturers, although they might be packaged differently. Another feature that Acer wants to highlight is the S3’s ability to sleep and hold its charge for 50 days. However, if other manufacturers can stick to similar power management requirements from Intel, this shouldn't be a unique feature to the S3.
The S3 can be opened up to almost 180 degrees.
Battery life for the Core i7-equipped Acer Aspire S3 was good, but not phenomenal. At 3 hours and 47 minutes, it's probably enough to do some work at the cafe, or catch a movie while unplugged. Other than that, you're likely better off staying close to an electrical outlet. However thanks to its light weight, you're better off with it than anything else, especially if you need to travel for a bit. That being said, if you were to get a Core i5-based S3 with an SSD, you might be able to get better battery mileage. There is also a feature that we'd like to see in future Ultrabooks: a SIM card slot to enable cellular data connectivity.
While the S3 won’t break any speed records, its performance however makes it a very capable school or work machine. Sure, it doesn’t play the latest 3D games well, but that’s only because it’s not built to. The Ultrabook’s game is extreme portability, and in this aspect, the S3 performed almost up to our stringent expectations.
With prices starting at S$1,198 (1.4GHz Core i3 with a 320GB SATA hard disk), and ending at S$1,798 (1.6GHz Core i5 with a 240GB SSD), the Acer Aspire S3 is definitely a machine to consider if you're always on the move and want a mainstream notebook that's also thin and light. Those holding out for Core i7 versions (like the one we have on hand) will have to wait a while longer, because only the Core i3 and i5 versions are on sale at the moment.
The edges of the S3 are slightly rounded, which adds to its overall aesthetics. This means it won't cut fruits, or cut into your wrists or palms, depending on how you use it.
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