We got this Acer Aspire S3 ultrabook this morning. It was a prize from last week’s raffle by Acer Philippines during the launch event of the Aspire S3, one of the first ultrabook to be released in the country.
The Aspire S3 took some design pointers from the Macbook Air with its brushed aluminum finish, curved corners, tapered edges and that signature chiclet-type keyboard.
It’s thin, it’s light and definitely sexy. It’s not as thin as the 13-inch MBA but within range. And unlike the Air’s tear-drop design, the Aspire S3 is flat from tip to base.
Except for the SD card reader on the right and the 3.5mm audio port on the left side, all the other ports are found at the back — 2 USB 2.0 ports and a full HDMI port aligned neatly at the back end.
Back in Singapore, I saw all of the PC stores in Sim Lim had this unit on display and came with 3 configurations — a Core i3, i5 and i7.
In the Philippines, I am told this is the only configuration available at the moment:
Acer Aspire S3 specs:
13.3″ LCD display @ 1366×768 pixels
Intel Core i5 2467M 1.6Ghz dual-core
4GB DDR3 RAM
320GB SATA HDD + 20GB SSD
Intel HD Graphics 3000 w/ 128MB RAM
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
1.3MP webcam
2-in-1 card reader
USB 2.0 port
HDMI port
Windows 7 Home Premium
This is almost the same configuration as the Php60USD 1INR 87EUR 0.97CNY 7+k Macbook Air, sans the HDD. In a way, if you just look at the specs and form factor, you’d say the S3 is cheaper than the MBA by about 25%.
The trackpad is smooth and easy to use, multi-touch works great, and the full-sized keyboard is comfortable to use. It’s just been a day so far so we can’t really make any solid conclusions.
So far, the Windows Experience Index shows really good numbers. Give me a week for the full review.
Suggested retail price of the Aspire S3 is Php44,900USD 765INR 64,863EUR 729CNY 5,572.
YugaTech.com is the largest and longest-running technology site in the Philippines. Originally established in October 2002, the site was transformed into a full-fledged technology platform in 2005.
How to transfer, withdraw money from PayPal to GCash
Prices of Starlink satellite in the Philippines
Install Google GBox to Huawei smartphones
Pag-IBIG MP2 online application
How to check PhilHealth contributions online
How to find your SIM card serial number
Globe, PLDT, Converge, Sky: Unli fiber internet plans compared
10 biggest games in the Google Play Store
LTO periodic medical exam for 10-year licenses
Netflix codes to unlock hidden TV shows, movies
Apple, Asus, Cherry Mobile, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Oppo, Samsung, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, Lenovo, Infinix Mobile, Pocophone, Honor, iPhone, OnePlus, Tecno, Realme, HTC, Gionee, Kata, IQ00, Redmi, Razer, CloudFone, Motorola, Panasonic, TCL, Wiko
Best Android smartphones between PHP 20,000 - 25,000
Smartphones under PHP 10,000 in the Philippines
Smartphones under PHP 12K Philippines
Best smartphones for kids under PHP 7,000
Smartphones under PHP 15,000 in the Philippines
Best Android smartphones between PHP 15,000 - 20,000
Smartphones under PHP 20,000 in the Philippines
Most affordable 5G phones in the Philippines under PHP 20K
5G smartphones in the Philippines under PHP 16K
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2024
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2023
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2022
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2021
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2020
Soul Annihilator says:
For some reason, I’m always attracted to Acer and Asus laptop designs. I hope the price will get lower soon (though the price is pretty reasonable at this point)
Iyan Sommerset says:
Nice, except for the fact that I really hate chiclet keyboards. I like my keys as big as possible, with little-to-no space in-between them. How does that trackpad work? I don’t see any buttons.
Jay says:
hi yuga, hope you would be able to review the new lenovo e120. just got mine. good for everyday use. i am curious on your views about it.
Ehdanne says:
This is a good chance for the Filipinos especially those who are Apple enthusiasts. A model that resembles that of Apple will definitely boosts the confidence of its owners.
daddyjoey says:
MBA with white keyboards. :D
garz says:
I smell a lawsuit from Cupertino.
Stu says:
Hi Iyan… Maybe this trackpad works like Mac’s. The trackpad itself is the the button (press-able). Just guessing. :)
jcruze057 says:
they had a lot of give-aways last week like a digital camera, dvd reader and free wireless mouse. i almost bought one but so sad, i was not able to bring my atm with me
tiffany@home theater says:
Nice. I love the specs and the fact that it looks like Apple. The price is high though but it’s worth it. I wanna have one. ;)
jego207 says:
Not bad though, the price is reasonable. But please, another iCopied design. I hope manufacturers come up with something orignal that will set them apart from Apple.
jojo says:
Asus also has a similar product
Name: Ariane says:
Saw a unit of this earlier today at Octagon and got VERY interested! It’s way cheaper than the MBA and the Samsung Series 9. I’m definitely looking forward to more contenders for my next laptop upgrade. ^_^
ako pinoy says:
wow..amazing..i love it..more…i have some collection like this but i need more…please more..
SpiderWak says:
Nice.. for some reason this doesn’t attract me like Asus’ and Toshiba’s ultrabooks.
@Abe, will you do a review for Toshiba z830 once it’s available?
jumperman says:
I just got a hands-on with this laptop and I’m disappointed to tell you that this does not have a unibody metal construction. The only part that’s attractive in this ultrabook is the lid…the rest is just cheap plastic that’s made to look like a metal. Not to mention, someone at laptopmag.com criticized the cheap plastic feel of the Acer Aspire S3.
If you want the best ultrabook in town, just get the Asus Zenbook UX31 because everything else in that ultrabook is made of metal…even the keyboard is made from metal too.
jakerazog says:
I just bought one recently and it frequently crashes. Wifi connection is also selective. Very poor product. looking forward to yugatech’s review; i want to know if he had the same experience.
Niches says:
I thought this one could really amaze me. I am planning to buy one Acer laptop but upon reading all the comments here, I am quite confused now whether to pursue on buying it or not. I am right now here in the Philippines and I don’t want my money to go to waste.
Danny says:
Here’s a review of the Zenbook, no performance benchmarks though.
http://easonfandom.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-asus-zenbook-real-ultrabook.html
I got to see the Acer S3 in their roadshow in SM north and the feel is really plastic all over.
Plus if I would buy an Ultrabook I would make sure its a true SSD since acer is just using smart cache technology.
Jazz says:
It seems that as laptops got thinner, the space for creativity in designs got narrower. :P It’s always nice to finally have competition for what used to be a niche product category, but it’s everyone trailing Apple all over again.
review center says:
This is really nice! I’ve got one for myself and am so satisfied with its features.