Acer Spin 5 and Spin 3 combine convertible fun with Intel's 11th Gen chips

Acer Spin 5 Lifestyle
Acer Spin 5 Lifestyle (Image credit: Acer)

What you need to know

  • Acer launched its latest Spin 5 and Spin 3 notebooks at its Next @ Acer event today.
  • Both combine Intel's 11th Gen chips with convertible form factors that feature taller displays than the usual 16:9 panels.
  • The Spin 5 and Spin 3 are expected to launch in the coming months starting at $1,000 and $850, respectively.

Acer is giving its Spin 5 and Spin 3 convertible laptops a bit of a refresh. Debuted at its Next @ Acer event today, Acer revealed new versions of the convertibles sporting Intel's latest 11th Gen processors. The bump also brings Intel's Iris Xe graphics to give each laptop a decent boost to graphics performance.

What makes the Spin series special is its use of taller display aspect ratios, giving you more vertical space than the typical 16:9 laptop. With the Spin 5, you'll get a 13.5-inch 2K screen built on a 3:2 aspect ratio, similar to Microsoft's Surface devices. It also supports touch and inking with the integrated pen, giving you a solid canvas to draw on when flipped into tablet mode.

The 11th Gen Core i7 and Core i5 processors are paired with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage, making for a powerful little convertible. You'll also get modern connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C, along with Killer 1650 Wi-Fi 6 wireless. Acer is also touting an optional antimicrobial coating for the keyboard and surrounding surface to help keep the device cleaner than your average laptop.

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CategorySpec
OSWindows 10 Home
Processor11th Gen Intel
Core i7-1165G7
Core i5-1135G7
RAM8GB, 16GB LPDDR4x
Dual-channel
GraphicsIntel Iris Xe Graphics
Storage512GB, 1TB
M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Display13.5 inches
2256x1504 (2K)
IPS, touch, inking
3:2 aspect ratio
AudioDTS Audio
ConnectivityKiller Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i
BatteryUp to 15 hours
Dimensions11.81 x 9.25 x 0.59 inches
(300mm x 235mm x 14.9mm)
Weight2.56 pounds (1.2kg)
AvailabilityFebruary (NA)
December (EMEA)
November (China)
PriceFrom $1,000

The Acer Spin 3 takes a very similar approach to the Spin 5, opting for a taller display than usual. The 13.3-inch screen is built on a 16:10 aspect ratio, resulting in a nice balance between vertical and horizontal space. It also supports touch and inking with the built-in pen for getting creative with its many positions.

Acer Spin 3

Source: Acer Acer Spin 3. (Image credit: Source: Acer)

You'll get 11th Gen Intel Core i7 and Core i5 chips here, paired up with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, and Killer 1650 Wi-Fi 6 are also available.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
CategorySpec
OSWindows 10 Home
Processor11th Gen Intel
Core i7-1165G7
Core i5-1135G7
Core i3-1115G4
RAM8GB, 16GB onboard LPDDR4x
Dual-channel
GraphicsIntel Iris Xe Graphics
Storage256GB, 512GB, 1TB
M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Display13.3 inches
1920x1200 (FHD+)
IPS, touch, inking
16:10 aspect ratio
AudioDTS Audio
ConnectivityKiller Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i
Dimensions11.89 x 8.76 x 0.63 inches
(302mm x 222.5mm x 15.9mm)
Weight3.31 pounds (1.5kg)
AvailabilityMarch (NA)
December (EMEA)
PriceFrom $850

Acer says that it built the Spin 5 for professionals who need to jump into creative tasks on the go. The Spin 3, meanwhile, is built to appeal to both professionals and students. You can see that in the pricing, which starts at $1,000 for the Spin 5 and $850 for the Spin 3.

The Acer Spin 5 is expected to launch in North America in February, EMEA regions in December, and China in November for 2020. The Spin 3, meanwhile, is expected in March 2021 in North American and December 2020 in EMEA regions.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl