Acer unveils space-saving ME mini tower and XC desktops for (low) power users
The arrival of Windows 8 is a good excuse for the PC industry to flood the market with so much hardware, consumers will be blinded by so much choice. Acer's jabbing its digits into your eyes with its new lineup of low-end desktops for the casual user. The ME micro towers will take an Intel Core i5 or I7, 2TB HDDs and up to 16GB of RAM. If you don't have anywhere else to stash your smartphone, the chassis comes with a recess desk on top with a USB port for easy charging. Those looking for something a little less demanding can pick up an XC desktop, a space-saving unit that will take an Intel Core i3, a 1TB HDD and up to 6GB of RAM. Prices for the ME begin at $700, while the cheaper XCs will set you back a much more modest $400.
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Acer's Newest Consumer Desktops; Big Power, Smart Ergonomics
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 18, 2012 – Acer America today has delivered savvy new consumer desktops for customers in the U.S. These new Acer Aspire ME and XC Series have been refreshed to feature Windows 8, a savvy new ergonomic design and innovative features that provide all the essentials for personal productivity and digital entertainment.
Available in two sizes, the Acer Aspire ME Series micro towers are made for those desiring a power-packed workhorse with ample room for upgrades, while the Aspire XC Series small form factor (SFF) desktops are built for those looking to save space.
Acer's latest desktops sport an aesthetically-pleasing black chassis that provides handy cable management. All buttons are located on the front or top of the system for easy access and making the system both left and right hand neutral.
"We've retooled our latest Aspire desktops to deliver ample power and practical features in a stylish, understated chassis that will appeal to a wide range of users," said Irene Chan, senior business manager of consumer desktops for Acer America. "Combined with Windows 8, the new Acer desktops are ideal for use as a central entertainment hub for an entire household as well as a student requiring a robust system for homework and social media."
Acer Aspire ME Series – Expandable Workhorses
Featuring leading technology, components and performance, the new Acer ME Series desktops offer room for expansion and excel at handling advanced applications, including rich HD entertainment. The new chassis design has a convenient recess desk on top with a non-slip surface for charging smartphones and cameras. This recess desk also provides two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, handy cable management and microphone and headphone jacks.
Powerful features, including Intel® Core™ i7 or Core™ i5 processors harness speed and efficiency. Combined with up to 10GB DDR3 memory that can be expanded to 16GB, these systems deliver excellent system response for multitasking and running the latest multi-threaded applications. The series also boasts up to 2TB(1) hard drives and on some models, discrete graphics.
Ample expansion is available with two open PCI-E x1 slots for adding a sound, graphics or RAID card and an open PCI-E x16 slot for a video card. The systems have two 3.5-inch "easy swap" expansion bays, which can be accessed without opening the chassis or using a tool. There is also an available optical drive bay. Offering excellent connectivity, this series is outfitted with Bluetooth® 4.0 HS for wirelessly connecting peripherals and digital devices. These models also come with a total of four USB 3.0 ports and 8 USB 2.0 ports. Both an HDMI and VGA port are provided to enable connection to two displays simultaneously.
Acer Aspire XC Series – Slim Space-Savers
Just one third the size of a traditional PC, the Acer Aspire XC Series desktops take up little space while providing flexibility and scalability. Perfect for home computing and entertainment, the Acer XC Series desktops offer a space-saving form factor and excellent ergonomics. The optical door flips open when the eject button is pressed to protect the drive from dust and potential damage when not in use.
This practical series offers up to an Intel® Core™ i3 2130 processor and 6GB memory, plenty of power for enjoying the latest movies, editing videos, touching up photos and even playing casual games. These slim desktops offer up to 1TB(1) hard drives for storing a huge archive of applications and data. There is an HDMI port for connecting to a display with just one cable and up to 8 USB 2.0 ports for connecting to printers, external storage, digital cameras and more.
Both Series – All the Essentials
The systems provide high-definition audio with 5.1-channel audio support to enhance music and movies with crystal-clear sound. The convenience of a SuperMulti optical drive is provided for backing up favorite photos and data. They also come with two stereo speakers, a keyboard and mouse.
As with all Acer systems, both consumer desktop series come with AcerCloud, enabling users to share music, photos, videos and documents on the PC with all other devices. If the PC is in sleep mode, the AcerCloud wakes it up. The PC is always connected, so content can be accessed via AcerCloud anytime, anywhere.
Pricing and Availability
Both desktop series feature a one-year warranty.(2) The manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP) for the Acer Aspire ME Series begin at $649.99 and for the Aspire XC Series start at $399.99. Both series will be available at leading retailers in the U.S. on Oct. 26, 2012.
