Acer
Acer Switch 7: an ultraportable 2-in-1 PC that doesn't go the distance
Aprox. 1649€ - see price -
See specificationsNintendo is not the only brand to have a Switch in its catalog. The Taiwanese manufacturer Acer also offers a range under this name, the last representative of which is the Switch 7. It is not, however, a game console, but a two-in-one ultraportable computer that seeks to imitate the principle of Microsoft's Surface Pro.
Our review
Presentation
From the outside, the Switch 7 is reminiscent of the Surface Pro, with a semi-rigid keyboard also serving as a cover. But unlike the Surface Pro, it has a GeForce MX150 graphics card, sufficient to run games that consume little power. Unfortunately, if this two-in-one seems convincing at first, Acer has not gone to the end of his ideas and offers us a machine that would have deserved a little more.
Construction
With the Switch 7 Black Edition, Acer offers a similar use to that of Microsoft's Surface Pro. Thus, the logic of the cover keyboard, with a system of magnetic fasteners therefore detachable, is present, as is the foot at the back of the screen - a foot that deploys when the PC is placed in work mode, thanks to dedicated buttons placed on the lower edge. On paper, the idea is good. However, in use, the thing is not necessarily practical in all situations. The foot does not unfold systematically and requires a flat surface to be stable.
The design is sober, but sometimes coarse, especially around the connectors. The edges of the screen are for example much too pronounced; the transition between these and the slices is a little too rough for a model that wants to be high-end. For the rest, Acer has done a good job by offering a machine in brushed aluminum with the most beautiful effect.
The keyboard / touchpad part is very successful. Although cover type, the keyboard is pleasant under the fingers. Acer has chosen to sacrifice finesse on the altar of comfort, thus giving the same striking sensation as on its classic models. As for the trackpad, it is classic and fulfills its contract, without being exceptional.
As mentioned above, the connection is roughly integrated on the edges of the tablet. The Switch 7 thus offers a USB 3.0 port, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5 mm jack and a microSD reader. Note also the presence of a fingerprint reader (far from being discreet) on one of the edges, which allows you to unlock the PC with a single press.
Switch 7 does not emit any noise and does not heat up. This proves the care taken by Acer engineers to the PC. So, after an hour of work on the Unigine Heaven benchmark, the PC does not exceed 40 ° C, which is quite remarkable.
The Switch 7 is therefore a well-designed PC that deserves a little more care. Because if there is not much to complain about on the bottom, it is the shape and the finishes that sin. Acer has indeed neglected the visual aspect of its product, which is a bit of a shame for a high-end.
Screen
The Acer Switch 7 has a 13.5-inch (34.3 cm) IPS screen with a resolution of 2.256 x 1.505 px. Although the edges of the screen give the impression of being thicker than those of the competition, the screen / facade ratio is actually very correct, since it reaches 74%, or only 3 points less than on the HP Specter x360 2017 which focuses on this aspect, for example. This can be explained by the fact that Acer chose to make equal edges on all sides.
Delta colors E = 5 Contrast 1213: 1 Temperature 7475
The slab itself blows hot and cold. The contrast ratio of 1,215: 1 is correct, showing a satisfactory black depth, but this is not the case for the maximum brightness, which is really very low: 193 cd / m². The mean gamma of 2 is offset by a delta E that is too high of 5, which translates into colors that are not very faithful. Finally, the temperature of 7.475 K is a little far from the perfect average of 6.500 K, without being aberrant. In reality, this translates into a screen drawing very slightly towards blue.
Lastly, the remanence is 25 ms; it is high, but not very serious for this kind of product not thought for the game. Acer therefore delivers a screen far from the standards of high-end: there again, it's a shame for a product of this type.
Performances
The Acer Switch 7 is equipped with an Intel Core i7-8550U processor clocked at 1.8 GHz, supported by 16 GB of RAM on our test model. In theory, the manufacturer promises a machine powerful enough to work without difficulty.
And Acer does not betray its promise. In our test protocol, the Switch 7 reaches the index of 135, thus placing itself in the high range of current laptops. It is more powerful than the Surface Pro or the HP Specter x360 versions 2017; on the other hand, it is slightly less powerful than the HP Specter 13 (2017) equipped with the same processor. The Acer Switch 7 is therefore sufficient for advanced office automation and a little multimedia.
Note also the presence of an Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card to support the Intel HD 620. A card sufficient to play games in 3D greedy, but no more.
Mobility / Autonomy
Weighing 1.13 kg (with the keyboard), the Acer Switch 7 is easily transportable and fits easily in a bag. In addition, the Alcantara cover keyboard is insensitive to scratches and effectively protects the screen.
It is on the side of autonomy that the Switch 7 disappoints. During our usual test (Netflix in Chrome, brightness at 200 cd / m², backlight off), it only lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes, which places it in the low range of ultraportables on the market. A huge disappointment on this point.
Audio
Completely devoid of bass and low mids, the sound delivered by the speaker of the Acer Switch 7 is sorely lacking in seat, body and presence. We say the speaker: a single transducer is placed at the back of the screen. The result is not only monophonic sound, but also fully concentrated on the left side. What is more, a strong accentuation of the treble around 7 kHz and an almost omnipresent harmonic distortion generate an acidic and highly distorted effect.
The headphone part is however more successful: our tests reveal an honest headphone jack, offering excellent power, great dynamics, a wide stereophonic field and a distortion completely in the average.
Conclusion
The Acer Switch 7 is a luxury product, an alternative with additional graphics power to Microsoft's Surface Pro. If this 2-in-1 can seduce on paper, the illusion is broken once the PC in hand. Rather unkempt in its design, with a screen unworthy of its range and a really disappointing autonomy, the Switch 7 clearly shows itself below the competition, despite good performance and controlled heating. Unfortunately, that is not enough to make it essential.
Specifications
Reviews
Low on Fanfare, High on Quality and Features
The Switch 7 launched with little fanfare last year and was quickly overshadowed by the Surface 6 and the new Yogas. However, this is the best laptop / hybrid I've ever owned. It's the only high-powered tablet to use Wacom EMR, making it dream come true for fine artists and Zbrush sculptors. Despite notebookcheck's tests, it's also the only tablet or laptop within its class not to use pulse width modulation (PWM) to dim the backlight, which means you can stare at the screen for extended periods of time with little to no eyestrain. Acer eliminated PWM in its latest offerings, specifically the Switch 5 and 7. With Acer's liquid cooling, the Switch 7 never gets loud or hot. I owned the Yoga C930 for one week, and could not believe how hot and noisey it got, even while idling. It could have doubled as a space heater and stove. I use the Switch 7 for writing and 3D sculpting and animating, primarily in Maya and Zbrush. Never once has it become annoyingly loud or hot. That said, I can't testify to its performance during heavy gaming.
This thing cost me a small fortune, but I coudn't be more pleased with my purchase.
UPDATE: So after putting the Switch 7 through some heavy use over the last few weeks, I still stand by my initial glowing review, although I will echo the criticism about the battery life leveled by almost every reviewer. It is definitely sub par. If remaining unplugged is a major priority, this is definitely not the machine for you. Hopefully, Acer will consider placing a battery in the keyboard for the next generation, and not resort to eyeball-busting PWM to conserve power. Nevertheless, I believe the battery life is a minor sacrifice for all the other features the Switch 7 offers.
It is a Surface Killer...and More!
I've been playing with my Switch 7 for roughly a month now, and its form factor belies the beast inside. It blazes! The dedicated 2GB GPU matters when working with MS Office apps and streaming apps like Netflix look and perform well.
This is beefy enough to replace your laptop / desktop; especially if you want to use a docking station to take advantage of using larger monitors in your home office (for best results, you'll need to take the tablet out of Tablet Mode to fully realize this).
Specs are better, IMO, than Surface 6, and costs less (especially when you consider that keyboard cover AND stylus are included with the Switch 7).
I have not played games on this device, so I don't know what that performance would look like. While this is a high-end tablet, I don't know how that translates as a "gaming rig." Having said that, this tablet handles productivity and entertainment beautifully. Well done, Acer!
Unique, but bad power management and bad support
What I really want is something like a Surface Book 2 or like my old first-gen Thinkpad Helix: a tablet with a detachable keyboard with a nice hinge, so it can still be used as a laptop most of the time. But fanless like this Acer. Nobody makes something like that with an i7 processor, and I thought that this machine might have better cooling than the Eve 5, so I decided to give it a shot.
I don't really get the whole kickstand movement; don't you always need a table to use it? I need a laptop because I ride public transportation most days, and use it to do something productive on the way to work. You really don't want to try to balance one of these on your knees. One way to mitigate it is to get a work-in case, something stiff enough and with straps to prop itself open. I couldn't find one that I liked, so I got a Pouch-branded one in Berlin and modified it by stitching some straps inside so that it opens to a certain angle and holds the Switch 7 for me. The downside is that it insulates the back side too much, and impedes heat dissipation.
Anyway as kickstands go, the Switch probably has the best design you can find. And there are only two models I can find with an i7 processor and fanless cooling. The cooling on this one is pretty effective as long as the back side is open to the air.
I installed Linux. It went OK, and I used it that way for a couple of weeks. One day on the metro, I was working, and the battery got really low, so I put it to sleep. By the time I got around to charging it at work, an hour or so later, it wasn't asleep anymore and wouldn't power on. So I plugged it in to charge. I'm pretty sure the battery is full now, but it won't power on anymore. My theory is Acer's firmware just can't deal with this situation at all: they were figuring that Windows will power off automatically when your battery level gets too low. But this is a sealed machine: there's no way to unplug the battery and wait a few hours to let the firmware reset. It also doesn't have the pinhole reset button that some Acer models are known for. I contacted support and was advised to hold down the power button for more than 30 seconds to do a hard reset; that didn't work either. Most other brands have more protective firmware in the first place: they shouldn't let the battery get that low. It should eventually power off even if the OS doesn't.
Yes I have a warranty, but only in the US. I live mostly in Norway. Acer refuses to ship it back to me here. So it will be quite some hassle to get this fixed, and I'm suspicious that they probably won't do anything more than detach the battery connector for a while to reset it, wipe the SSD and re-install Windows just as a matter of standard procedure, and then send it back, only to a US address (which will have to be my mom's, so I can pick it up later). And then the whole battery-run-down scenario will repeat again some time in the future.
So in summary: yeah this passive cooling thing is awesome, more companies should do that. But I don't recommend the form factor in general, and especially don't buy an Acer.
High quality but with major deal-breaking features
It was high quality but there no means of ventilation. It's completely enclosed to where overheating hinders performance. An I-7 processor in that type of environment needs to breathe. Also, there aren't any device specific cases to protect the device from falls and lastly, that 2-button kick stand is the most annoying feature to deal with.
Hard Drive failed after 7 months!
Be aware that this is a tablet with a keyboard, not a conventional laptop.
UPDATE: The hard drive failed after 7 months of use!