Acer has recently come up with a premium entertainment notebook, sporting high-definition display and optional Blu-ray disc drive, challenging Hewlett-Packard and Dell for the high end of the mobile computer market.
Known as the Gemstone Blue, the new notebook can also be referred by its model number, 6920G and 8920G. Within the stylish design, Acer has added a variety of entertainment features that would appeal to people looking for more than a business notebook.
The 6920G comes with 16” displays that can run at a resolution of either 1366x768 or 1920x1200 pixels, an 8x DVD or a 1x Blu-ray drive, up to 320 GB hard drive storage, Intel Core 2 Duo processors and Nvidia’s 9500GS graphics chip (with 512 MB memory and up to 768 MB of additional shared system memory). Also included is the usual array of wireless connectivity and a HDMI interface. The upgrade to the 18.4” 8920G will add a second hard drive option (for up to 640 GB) and a 2x Blu-ray drive.
The notebook also includes an integrated TV tuner, six integrated speakers, and support for Dolby Home Theater sound technology. In addition, there's a touch-sensitive media console for navigating menus and adjusting volume without going through the standard Windows menu.
What makes both models stand out in the crowd are a design elements as well as a touch-sensitive control panel on the left side of the keyboard. Acer said that the Aspire Gemstone notebooks come with a multi-layered, shimmering 3D finish, contrasting textures, a blue, black and silver color scheme as well as interior and exterior lighting effects. The “holographic 3D” cover integrates a backlit Acer logo, which “sparkles with varying gradations of black and blue when viewed from different angles,” the manufacturer said.
Even without exact specs for the starting configurations, the prices also look pretty compelling. Acer says they will range from USD 900 for basic models to USD 1,700 for well-equipped systems.