Acer next to the Windows 7/multitouch all-in-one party

Joining Sony, HP, and its own subsidiary Gateway, Acer has announced a new Windows 7-based all-in-one this morning, complete with a multitouch display. The Acer Aspire Z5610 will go for $899 when it goes on sale "this holiday season" (according to the press release), making it one of the most affordable all-in-ones we know of with an expansive 23-inch, 1,920x1,080 display.

Specs for the Aspire Z5610 are humble, but also in keeping with its price tag. A 2.6GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core chip, 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, and a 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4570 anchor the system, with a 320GB hard drive, 802.11n WiFi, and a DVD burner rounding out the primary features.

Like the Gateway One ZX6810-01 we've already reviewed, the Aspire Z5610 will come with a rudimentary collection of multitouch-ready apps, but nothing on par with what we saw from HP's new TouchSmart 600 earlier this week. We can't feel too disappointed if the Acer's touch apps lack depth given its price, but it's worth noting that touch input is only as useful as the software that comes with it. Fortunately for Acer, the value inherent to a 23-inch all-in-one for under $900 is more immediately apparent.