Review: Acer Aspire Switch 10 2-in-1 notebook

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

No other PC manufacturer has pushed the boundaries of modern convertible notebooks as hard as Acer. The past few years have seen some really innovative yet strange looking devices that felt like niche products. With their new Acer Aspire Switch 10, they've democratized the hybrid convertible notebook.

Check out high-end Ultrabooks like the Lenovo Yoga which can serve as tablet and notebook and which use clever engineering to morph your device into many plausible use cases. Chances are pricing is pretty high as high-end specs and fancy materials tend to cost a lot. Even Microsoft's Surface Pro 3,  which is considered the pinnacle of 2-in-1 devices, handily shape-shifting from Ultrabook to tablet by the simple addition and removal of its Type Cover accessory, is pretty expensive.

Acer's Aspire Switch 10 is an attractive 2-in-1 device because it is compact, functional and can actually be origamied into four different positions/ use modes. Basically a 10-inch tablet, the Switch 10 runs Windows 8.1 (and soon Windows 10) on a very good touchscreen display. As thin as a Surface Pro 3, the Switch 10's full HD1 (1920 x 1200) display, featuring Zero Air Gap, and IPS technology provides a well-saturated and bright video and images from every angle.

The brushed aluminum design of this device adds a premium feel that's ligthweight and enables good grip for one-handed use. I like how the included keyboard accessory magnetically connects to the tablet portion easily and effectively.

Acer seems to have solved one of the biggest issue with convertible 2-in-1 devices, poor connectivity with the keyboard accessory.

The keyboard itself is just okay, just a few features shy from being great. it isn't backlit, some of the keys are shortened (to fit the smaller 10-inch profile) and the give on the keys may be a bit soft for some users but it is definitely serviceable, can be used on a lap and has a good range of tilting angles for typing.

The included Intel Atom Z3735F Quad-core 1.33 GHz is decent and will suffice for most personal computing and basic image and video editing functions. The Switch 10 starts at CAD $399, also comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, a 64GB model is also available for $449 and this is probably the one most users should be looking at since 32GB at this day and age is the storage standard of a smartphone, not a tablet/notebook hybrid.

You do get microSD expansion and the speakers on this tablet are also pretty loud and clear. You get a built-in camera for Skype and a mic for voice messaging.

I would consider the Acer Aspire Switch over many entry-level notebooks and Chromebooks, it's a traveller's ideal device and will also serve students needing a compact notebook yet wanting a tablet quite well. Acer has packed quality build and an impressive display as well as all the convertible goodness of larger, more expensive Windows tablets into a subportable that's affordable and hits many of the sweet spots desired by users of Windows tablets and notebooks.

Rating: 4 out of 5