We got to spend some time with the Acer Aspire R7 at the launch event. The notebook boasts of a touchscreen, and a unique design with 'Ezel' hinge, which helps the display to move into different positions.
At the launch event, the showstopper for Acer was the Aspire R7. The device is a notebook but with a difference. The Aspire R7 has what Acer calls the Ezel Hinge, which lets the user place the display of the notebook in various positions. The R7 has a price tag of Rs. 74,999 but as an introductory offer, the device will be available for Rs. 69,999.
Looking at its specifications, we see the Aspire R7 runs on Windows 8 (64-bit) and shows off a 15.6-inch full HD display. In terms of its connectivity options, the device has the power button along with the charging port, volume rocker, one USB 3.0 port and the SD card slot on the right. The left houses the headphones jack, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI out and a display port.
Now, coming to what we think of the R7. To start with, it is a beautiful machine to look at. It has a metallic grey finish and looks like it flew straight out of a Star Trek movie. Oh, wait, there is a real Star Trek edition of the R7.
Coming back to the Aspire R7 in its normal notebook mode, the most obvious thing that you will notice is that the trackpad is above the keyboard rather than below it (which we are normally used to seeing.) The biggest disadvantage of this is that there is no palm rest below the keyboard and our initial typing experience on the device felt bizarre.
Thanks to the unique hinge, the Aspire R7’s display can be pulled closer to you, eliminating the use of the trackpad, forcing you to use the touchscreen. This position of using the R7 will take some getting used to as touching the screen hasn’t yet become a very natural user gesture. You can also fold the display on the machine to use it as a tablet.
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The R7 also boasts of Dolby Surround Sound. The unique thing is that when you shift the orientation of the display, the channels of the audio output also change. For example, if I have the notebook facing me, the left and right channel for the audio is normal. But if I flip the display so that it faces you across the table, the audio channels for the speakers to shifts so that it is on your right and left respectively.
The cool thing about the Acer Aspire R7 is that it can be positioned to look like the starship enterprise from Star Trek.
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Overall, the design of the Aspire R7 is something different and attractive. From the looks of it, it is a well-built device too. What remains to be seen is how it performs in the real world. The lack of a palm rest is a bummer and you will be forced to use the touchscreen more than you’d like. Nonetheless, this is a notebook worth checking out. Stay tuned for out detailed review of the Acer Aspire R7, which we are expecting for review soon.
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