Acer throws down 13 new Merom-based laptops

Acer isn't really messing around with their rollout of Core 2 Duo laptops. They've got 13 new ones, including six TravelMates and seven Aspires, and they've even managed to get Blu-ray or HD DVD drives into a few of them. The headliner of the bunch is the new TravelMate 8210, which runs the full range of Core 2 Duo chips, boasts of the Windows x64 OS, and tops it all off with a Blu-ray drive. You can upgrade the RAM to a max 4GB to really get the use out of the 64-bit Windows, and there are plenty of other perks like 802.11a/b/g WiFi, ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics with 256MB of VRAM, a built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, and even an option for a Bluetooth VoIP phone. As for the rest of the TravelMates, it's just model number soup, with the 14-inch 3270 and 3290; 15.4-inch 8210, 4230 and 4280; and the 17-inch 5620 all rocking the Merom. The Aspires include three HD DVD capable laptops in their midst, the 9120, 9520 and 9810. The bottom of the barrel is the 14.1-inch 5590, followed by the 15.4-inch 5630, 5680 and 9120. Finally there's the 17-inch 9420 and 9520, along with a 20.1-inch monstrosity, the 9810. As generous as Acer is with laptop releases, they're a bit stingy on prices and release dates, but we expect to be seeing most of these laptops -- at least the ones that don't get stuck waiting around for a blue laser -- before long.

Read - Acer's Merom lineup
Read - Acer TravelMate 8210

[Ed @ Sep 4th 2006 6:32PM]

I do love my Acer TravelMate C310. Now if only the paint job would be doing as well as the rest of the laptop.

[PMX @ Sep 4th 2006 7:37PM]

"Acer throws down 13 new Merom-based laptops"

Why? What did the poor Merom-based laptops did to Acer?

I mean, seriously, it took me a while to get used to "drops" in Engadget-speak, now "throws down"? :P

[mccarron @ Sep 4th 2006 7:40PM]

I have to say I'm a bit surprised this wasn't picked up earlier. I've been looking at them for a week and posted it on the NotebookReview.com forum last week. Oh well I guess you guys DO have lives.

[tpcguy @ Sep 4th 2006 7:40PM]

Hmmm...what about the tmc 210 tablet pc with core 2 duo... second tablet pc I know of with the capability...but oh so heavy, no?

http://global.acer.com/products/tablet_pc/tmc210.htm

[Scooter @ Sep 4th 2006 9:27PM]

I get it already. PC makers now have new Intel chips. We are official swamped with this news. Wake me when they get affordable.

[nikster @ Sep 4th 2006 11:06PM]

Acer needs to get their design dept. into gear, Acer now look decidedly dated next to Sony, Asus, not to mention Apple.. even Toshiba has pretty decent design nowadays. Maybe Engadget could have a laptop design ranking.. not how good a laptop is but rather how well designed, the ranking is pretty obvious to me:

Apple (untouchable)
Sony
Asus, giving Sony a run for its money
Toshiba (?)
...
...
(bottom)
Acer
Dell
HP

I have an Acer TM 8204 which is fast and good and reliable, but not especially pretty. A carbon back does not a design make.

I am waiting for the Apple versions...

[Tom @ Sep 5th 2006 2:01AM]

Hey, i would of agreed with you about 6 months ago on hp's design sucking, but there new series, the dv2000 is quite the looker, they play on releasing the same style in 15, and 17in

[Tom @ Sep 5th 2006 2:06AM]

[url]http://www.circuitcity.com/IMAGE/product/enlarged/hp/EC.HP.111302.JPG[/url], i work in retail so ive had first hand experience w/ this unit, and also am a BIG apple fan and i would have to put hp at number 2 on the style chart

[sigh @ Sep 5th 2006 6:13AM]

Agreed. 'Throws down','drops'? Just say 'releases' please. Apart from the fact that

[Company x] drops [random electronic product]

means it's no longer producing it, these are just getting annoying. At the very least save the slang for the body text, not the title. Apart from that, keep up the good work :)

[Charles @ Sep 5th 2006 1:47PM]

I LOVE TREES