Damage
R5 000 – R6 500 depending on the retailer
What you need to know
- 32 bit Windows 8.1, including Windows Office (1 year subscription)
- Intel Baytrail Z3745
- 1330 Mhz
- 20GB RAM
- 32GB Flash
- 500GB Hard drive
- 10 inch 1366 x 768 display
- Touchscreen Technology
- Gorilla Glass
What we think you should know:
I usually begin my reviews with the positive, but the last 2 months with the Acer Switch 10 has been so incredibly frustrating that I am afraid this is going to be a rant.
The Switch 10 first caught my attention because it switches (get it?!) between a tablet and notebook. The spec is pretty great for the price point. The battery life is impressive, having lasted a good 5-6 hours, which is a major win in my book. The tablet/screen connects to the keyboard with a magnetic strip, making it convenient and much sturdier than other hybrids I’ve seen on the market. In a major win for any student reading this, the Acer Switch 10 comes with 1 year free subscription to Microsoft Office. It’s also super cute, fitting comfortably in all my handbags.
However, as Acer must surely know having manufactured a 10inch hybrid – it’s the little things that count. The general user experience, whilst having the potential to be great, is exasperating. The touchpad is not as responsive as we’ve grown accustomed to, and the mouse often goes out for a run on its little mousey wheel leaving you feeling abandoned. Thank goodness it’s a touchscreen so you can get around its disappearing rodent antics. The Wi-Fi often stops working for no explicable reason – the only solution to which is a restart, because apparently its customers are feeling nostalgic for the 90s. And perhaps the thing that brought me closest to throwing this thing off the balcony – my “low battery” warning comes on, I go get my charger, after a minute, I return to my Acer Switch 10. My Acer Switch 10 is now dead.
In short it’s usually slow and sometimes unresponsive. And I haven’t even got to Acer’s notorious rep for flimsy and plastic-y build quality.
Honestly, if you’re in the market for something convenient and affordable, you’re better off with the Asus Transformer or Lenovo Ideapad. It will save you a lot of frustration.
So rad
- Multi-functional and super portable
Makes us sad
- Glitchier than Vanellope von Schweetz on race day
Disclosure: Lauren conducted this review on her own Acer Switch 10… i.e. she went out and BOUGHT it. We’re not sure if we should start chuckling at this point or give her a hug….
