Acer Aspire Switch 10

Acer’s Aspire Switch 10 Pro is a hybrid Windows 8.1-based device that’s aimed primarily at the education and business markets. It’s a tablet device first and foremost, but it ships with a keyboard base that allows it to also be used as a notebook or as a display in ‘stand’ or ‘tent’ modes.

The 10.1-inch, multitouch IPS display, running at 1,366-by-768 resolution, won't win any awards, but it's serviceable, with reasonably accurate colors and good brightness; you can view it from a wide range of angles. Plus, the screen is framed by a sturdy, wide border/bezel, so it should stand up to serious abuse.

The Acer Aspire Switch 10 Pro isn’t blessed with the best of keyboards. There’s a fair amount of travel in the keys, which is a plus, as is the spacing between keys which is as generous as could be expected on an 11 inch tablet keyboard. Individual keys have no weight behind them, however, which ends up feeling a little cheap and hollow while you’re typing with them.

Other specs aren’t likely to surprise you either, with the unit featuring a 1.33GHz Atom CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, and just a smattering of ports. On the slate, you’ll find micro USB, HDMI, and SD card slots. On the keyboard unit, an extra (full size) USB 2.0 is added to the mix.

The Acer Aspire Switch 10 is a reasonable tablet for the money, but the overall experience isn't anywhere near as good as the top tablets from the likes of Apple, Samsung or Sony. It doesn't feel as good to hold, and can be quite slow when running full x86 software.