Acer - Aspire 2-in-1 15.6" Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 1TB Hard Drive - Silver

My name is Pedro Ferreira, I work as a 2D animator and Illustrator(I have uploaded a couple of sketches I have done with this device). My background knowledge comes from having a small old model Bamboo fun, followed by an medium Intuos4, then a Cintiq 13HD, and finally a Yiynova 22U. I'm doing this review from an artist viewpoint, with answers to questions I had before buying the computer. First of all, keep in mind I bought this laptop to work as a sketchbook, before that I plugged in a medium intuos4 on a Pavilion laptop when i wanted to sketch something digitally, and it wasnt the most pleasant way to draw something. This computer has 2 main problems. First one being that you have to buy the pen from Acer's website, you cant just buy the laptop and pen from Bestbuy. Second problem is, this device uses N-trig technology, the pen has 248 pressure levels, and it doesnt support pressure on Photoshop, Painter and paint tool SAI. That being said, now the pros: I downloaded Sketchbook pro and Manga Studio pro, the pressure works, and it's wonderful, really. The 248 pressure levels are more than enough to sketch with it in your lap, or even in the ''Azel'' mode, which is firm enough to hold its own when you are resting your palm in it. With some time I might try to do some serious work with this device, you wouldn't really think the pen has only 248 pressure levels. -The hole that looks like a mini display port does work with Mini display port cables, despite not having this name. -Despite being sold kind of like an ultrabook, this is a thin, but very heavy computer. -You have to put the computer to use the most power, or it will be very slow to use.

This is the FIRST laptop or tablet that I've used that hits the mark ergonomically. The Ezel hinge allows placement of the screen at an angle and close position that FINALLY makes a touchscreen laptop practical. (see picture below from Acer website). Acer calls it "touch and type" in their promo video. When left in any position, the screen is stable and can be touched as needed without worry that it will move. With standard hinge configurations, you have to reach across the wrist support area, touch pad and keyboard to touch the screen. It's not comfortable, efficient or practical. Such hinges force me to either use the keyboard or convert to tablet mode with a touchscreen keyboard. Speaking of the keyboard, it is nicely recessed into the frame which prevents "key rash" on the touch screen, a common problem with all clam shell laptops. The key travel is a bit tight for my preference, but still responsive enough for fast typists...just have to adapt over time. I am not a touch pad fan and rarely use them, preferring to use a wireless mouse, so the placement of the touch pad is actually a plus for my use. Note that Acer provides a separate fold-able wrist pad in a leather like pouch if you need the additional support while typing. The 4th generation i5 with latest Intel HD graphics is a plus: supports 3D rendering and modeling. I tried a popular architectural program and it was responsive, considering that an i5 is the minimum recommended configuration. Boot up times are quick once you get the system configured and running, especially quick considering this is a 5400 rpm HD (but it does have 8MB on board cache, which helps) The USB 3.0 and media reader slots are a plus. I can move photographs from my camera to USB key and back quickly, as well as large files. The sound is the best I've heard from any laptop or tablet to date (and I've sampled/reviewed several over the past 2 years) Quality for video conferencing or calling is decent. Wireless connectivity is up to the latest "n" spec, which means you can connect to 5Ghz channels at faster speeds if your router supports it. Colors and clarity on the screen are good to excellent, depending on source, e.g., streaming, jpeg file, document file conference call, etc. Acer provides several add on services which I have not utilized to date. I am not a fan of sending things to the cloud all the time: prefer local networked backup drives, but that is a personal thing. I like the slight angle of the screen in tablet mode and that the keyboard is protected unlike other convertible laptops. Weight is not an issue for me.....come on folks, what's an extra 8-16 ounces in the greater scheme of things???? System works well with standard Microsoft Office Pro products: Word, Excel, Publish, Project and Access. I did have one glitch after I configured and updated the system: when I shut it down, it locked up as if it had gone into hibernation instead. The "secret" was to hold the power button for approximately 30 seconds and the system rebooted. No problems since then. Acer has provided a proprietary port which is supposed to support additional connectivity in the future. Final note: the Ezel hinge is magnetic, which I assume helps with smooth and stable adjustments. So....don't put your credit cards or wallet....or favorite magnetic media on top of the hinge...you may get a surprise.

Researched many 2-in-1 laptops and found this to have the most features and most versatile. Though the keyboard is not detachable like others 2-in-1, this is actually an advantage. Most tablet users/owners end up buying keyboard/stand and this is because the tablet alone is not efficient nor comfortable for typing. Aspire's hinged laptop offers so many viewing positions: the 'podium' position angle makes it ideal for business presentations, the ezel position makes it ideal for watching in bed, and bringing screen past the touchpad and slightly above is the best viewing position for everyday (alleviates neck and eye strain). It has power and capacity (8GB, 1TB) for a lot less than any other. Did not have any wi-fi issues even with our single band router. The positioning of the touchpad is unique and makes the most sense. Since this is a touchsreen it is not really necessary. The positioning allows you to bring he screen closer. Besides, a mouse is still the most comfortable way and most efficient way to navigate. The only 'shortcoming' is the touchscreen sensitivity. Have to tap a couple of times on a few occasions but no big deal at all. However this usually happens when browsing on the net and hyperlinks are small or when clicking on commands that are small. So sometimes I just need to zoom in to pinpoint. I think this is true for any touchscreen so I did not downgrade my rating. Sound is amazing. No need for external speakers when watching movie or listening to music. I love Windows 8 and this laptop is perfect for it. Couldn't be happier with this laptop! I highly recommend it.

The Acer R7 All-in-One is a great laptop. If you like the power and storage of a desktop PC but the portability of a laptop and the easy of use of a tablet then this is the computer for you. I love the touch screen and Windows 8.1. The flexibility of the touch screen to move it to the position that is best for you is very innovative. I like the app format of Windows 8.1 and the easy customization of the display. It also has two nice sized Dolby speakers that offer great sound for a laptop. The only downfall is the battery life of about 6 hours max. But it's in the range of most laptops and is an easy issue to work around. Just stay near an outlet to stay plugged in. I highly recommend this laptop. You get a 1TB hard drive and the touchscreen convenience all under $900.

Versatility of the flip screen is fantastic. No fusing with twisting the screen or worrying about damaging the keyboard when positioning the screen. Ability to suspend the screen in midair for a closer look is a supreme advantage. I don't even mind the posiitoning of the mousepad above the keyboard. Even though it is a little bulkier and heavier than a tablet, the convenience of not having to constantly place it in a case to protect the screen or keyboard outweighs any inconvenience from the bulkiness. I enjoy this product.

Where do I start? From the beginning? Maybe not. Lets just say I took the long road to get to the R7. I started with a SurfacePro, quickly outgrew the 64 gig drive, traded in for a 128 gig SurfacePro 2, Loved it. Had a WiFi issue. Geek's did not know it was a driver issue, so I exchanged it for the Yoga Pro, Nice but it had major light leakage. Retuned that for a Dell 8000 slim Laptop. Nice but really needed a tablet not just touch screen.... I tried a Sony Flip 11A, holy cow... what a disaster that was! Touch screen was intermittent, pen would not work and when it did, the cursor would bounce around like someone had remote access....More SurfacePro 2's arrived at Best Buy and returned the Flip in less than twenty four hours... Fast forward four months. I started to have issues with the Pro 2. Nooooo. I don't need to deal with this! First there was the update from hell back in January. This update would cause the Pro 2 to wake up randomly. Normally no big deal, not! If it woke up while in my laptop case? I would not go back to sleep. It would stay on until battery was dead. Bad enough, but it was also hot enough to fry an egg on it. This happened four or five times before I realized what was actually going on. Would put in standby instead, problem solved until new fix..... A few weeks ago, the battery would start to drain real fast. No apps running, over night in standby, there would be a 20% drop in battery life. Basic web browsing would give a max of four hours at 50% brightness.....Add to this the fact that the over heating slightly damaged the screen, molting along the edges and light leaks. Used my repair/replacement warrantee. Exchanged for another Pro 2 since I loved my last one so much prior to update issues. Unit was OK, but light leaks were more than I cared for, exchanged three days later. I wanted the R7, sales clerk talked me out of it. Claimed they got a lot of returns. So! I tried the new and improved Yoga Pro 2! Great 2 in 1 if you don't rely on quickbooks etc. High resolution screen made drop down menus very not touch friendly. Scaling to the point of touch friendliness made the purpose of the Yoga a waste....returned four days later....again wanted the R7 but was talked out of it....assured the Flip 13A was everything I wanted..... WRONG! Screen was so flimsy, it would bend no matter where I grabbed it to flip into tablet mode. The magnets that hold the bottom while in laptop mode were way too strong....screen was degrading by the day. Kept the unit for a week...over all liked it. After seven days... it looked like I was in my garage... the screen had a bright white "fluorescent bulb" running across the entire top. That's it! I went back to Best Buy, started to explain why I was returning yet another device. Before I even got one sentence out, the clerk said "no need to explain, you are well within your 45 day return policy" WOW! That made me feel real good about Best Buy....so much so....I wanted to write this review just for that reason. What I love about the R7 Love the screen, best one ever! Great viewing angles, great resolution, and it is bright! The four speakers are kick butt... nice sound. Touch pad is exactly where it needs to be if you are good with Windows 8. Use the Logitech slim mouse. Best 69.00 I ever spent. The entire surface is like a touch pad. Highly recommend with any convertible or tablet! With the 4th Gen I5, it is zippy not screaming fast, zippy. Wakes from standby with in a second or two. Not bad for a HHD. Fan is audible but never too loud. I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for a cross between a tablet with out giving up the screen realestate. I use the NTrigg Pen from my old HTC Flyer. You can get new ones online for under $10 and they work! If a five pound laptop does not concern you? Give this baby a try.

I was looking for a convertible laptop to replace my tablet that was just not functional enough. The R7 really works out great for me. I can use it as a tablet while teaching but as a notebook at the desk. It is a full desktop replacement "under the hood" wrapped up in a convenient design. It is a full size 15" style notebook so it is not as portable as a tablet but so much more functional. It is both a workstation and means to consume information and media. I love the screen, it is very clear and super responsive to touch. The backlight keyboard is very cool and the whole thing looks very refined and totally premium. I do miss not having a number pad but since I also have a desktop I don't miss it too much. The sound is incredible, full and loud. I did have to return the first unit I received due to a problem with the speakers always making a hissing sound. If you need to return make sure to go through Best Buy and not Acer. Best Buy handled things fairly quickly, all said I did have to wait an extra week to use my cool new machine but worth the wait.

I was wanting a touch screen laptop to replace an older model. After seeing the tap pad being located above the keyboard which would help prevents accidental entries by touching the tap pad with your palms. After using the laptop a few days I have to admit I have found it very convenient to have the tap pad above the keyboard. Being able to swivel the screen or flip it to use like a notebook is great. The only downfall is the fact you have to order the stylus from the Acer site and the site is non-responsive.