Here are the specifications:
| Screen size: | 15.6 inches |
| Screen type: | In-plane Switching (IPS) |
| Screen resolution: | 1,920 x 1,080 |
| Processor: | 8th Gen Intel Core |
| Graphics: | GeForce GTX 1050 |
| Memory: | Up to 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage: | Up to 512GB PCI Express-based SSD |
| Connectivity: | Wireless AC (MU-MIMO) |
| Ports (right): | 1x USB 2.0 Type-A 1x SD card reader 1x Headphone jack |
| Ports (left): | 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C 1x HDMI |
| Audio: | 2x Front-facing speakers 1x Subwoofer |
| Bonus features: | Keyboard with red backlighting Fingerprint scanner supporting Windows Hello |
| Dimensions: | 15.01 (W) x 10.16 (D) x 0.70 (H) inches |
| Weight: | 4.85 pounds |
| Battery: | 48 Wh 3220 mAh 15.2 V 4-cell Li ion |
| Availability: | October |
| Starting price: | $1,000 |
As the specs show, the Nitro 5 Spin isn’t exactly out to compete with the big boys in the PC gaming market – that’s what Acer’s high-end Predator family is for. But there’s plenty of oomph here to get decent visuals and framerates in League of Legends, DOTA 2, and according to Acer, even Overwatch. The 2-in-1 can definitely power the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets too, but meeting the 90 frames per second requirement for barf-free VR experiences likely won’t happen.
Unlike the regular Nitro 5, the Nitro 5 Spin has a special hinge to accommodate different ways to play PC games. It’s classified as a 2-in-1 PC, enabling you to switch its form factor between four modes: Laptop, Tent, Display (Theater), and Tablet. This should prove useful when you don’t want a gaming notebook heating up your lap. The Nitro 5 Spin includes the same all-aluminum chassis, black brushed hairline finish, and red accents found on previous versions.
Other features packed into the Acer Nitro 5 Spin include BluelightShield, which blue light emissions, an omni-directional ExoAmp Antenna maximizing the Wireless AC connection, and several technologies that provide “improved bass and multi-dimensional sound.” The sound will reverse too, during Tent and Tablet screen modes.
Taken as a whole, the Acer Nitro 5 Spin is arguably the perfect example of what Intel hopes the 8th gen Core will make possible. An entry-level gaming notebook that’s also a 2-in-1 wasn’t feasible with the more powerful 7th gen quad-core chips, but with the more efficient 8th gen models, it’s possible.
We’re eager to see how the Acer Nitro 5 Spin stacks up in the real world, but we’ll have to be patient. It won’t be made available in North America until sometime during October for a starting price of $1,000.
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