Acer adds a new Ivy Bridge laptop, the Aspire V5
Reasonably thin, Acer says these new 14- and 15-inch models aim for the "budget-conscious."
- Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
Adding to the growing list of laptops with Intel's new third-generation Core i-series CPUs, Acer has announced the Aspire V5. Not exactly ultrabook-thin, the 14- and 15-inch V5 models are being pitched as thin-and-light on a budget. Acer says they are "great for back-to-school and savvy consumers looking for performance, style, and value."
At 30 percent thinner than Acer's previous budget midsize line, the 14-inch V5 is 0.79 inch thick and weighs 4.6 pounds; the 15-inch model is 0.83 inch and 5 pounds. The design is nondescript, looking a lot like a classic black polycarbonate MacBook. Other colors will be available, including purple, blue, and silver.
Like just about every new laptop, Intel's recently updated Ivy Bridge CPUs are included, in Core i3 and Core i5 versions. Proprietary to Acer systems is the company's clear.fi media management software, which can share music, movies, and photos among compatible devices on the same network.
The Acer Aspire V5 will be available at the end of June, starting at $629 for Ivy Bridge processors, with some models with older second-gen Core i-series CPUs starting at $449.
