Acer AZ3 and AZ5 all-in-one PC’s announced

If you are in the market for an all-in-one PC but aren’t tied down to Apple’s Mac options, then Acer is a good company to look at with their newly announced next generation all-in-one’s in the name of the AZ3 and AZ5. The cheaper of the two, the AZ3, comes with a 21-inch display, a dual-core AMD A4 APU and two side-mounted USB 3.0 ports to accompany the four extra USB 2.0 ports to the rear of the PC. Much like the AZ3, the more expensive AZ5 features the same specifications USB wise, however has an extra 3-inches of screen real-estate and a minimum Intel Core i3 processor and 4GB of DDR3 memory to keep things chugging along nice and smooth; as for memory, the AZ5 has a more than acceptable 1TB HDD lodged in to its guts.

Design wise, both all-in-one’s feature glossy bezels and adjustable stands, and as with practically all of the all-in-one’s on the market currently both PC’s are multitouch capable, meaning you’ll be able to pan around Windows 7 as you see fit. Price wise, you are looking at $750 for the AZ5 and $650 for the AZ3. PR below.

ACER’S NEW ALL-IN-ONE DESKTOPS FEATURE HD
WIDESCREEN TOUCH DISPLAYS FOR EYE POPPING VISUALS

Both 23- and 21-inch Models Offer All the Essentials for Enjoying Music, Movies, Social Networking and More

San Jose, Calif., Nov. 1, 2011 – Acer is spreading holiday cheer this season with new all-in-one (AIO) desktops that combine the audio/visual excitement of HD with the fun and entertainment of a touch-screen display. The new models include the Acer® AZ5 Series with an ample 23-inch HD monitor and the AZ3 Series, which features a more compact 21-inch HD screen to fit within tight areas. These new AIOs conserve space and make an appealing entertainment hub for the entire family to enjoy.

“A sophisticated appearance and practical design make our all-in-one form factor very popular with consumers,” said Irene Chan, senior business manager of consumer desktops for Acer America. “Our newest all-in-one models feature an intuitive touch screen display for playing digital music, scrolling through images, browsing online recipes and viewing social networking sites. In addition, full HD performance heightens the visual excitement of movies and games.”

With all-in-one touch control, the AIOs come with the Acer TouchPortal to synchronize personal life, PC and the Internet. It provides one-touch access to practical information, music, photos and social networking. Users can switch between applications with quick, finger-tip control. It simplifies photo management – images can be cropped, saved and shared with just the touch of a finger. The Acer Browser Magnifier expands reading areas and retains user preferences for easier web browsing.

Acer® AZ5 Series: 23-Inch Multi-Touch Display – High-Performance Entertainment
The AZ5 Series of all-in-one desktops include two elegant, yet practical models featuring large 23-inch full HD (16:9) widescreen displays with interactive touch-screen technology. Multi-touch capability streamlines navigation.

Acer clear.fi allows media to be managed, stored, shared and enjoyed on any clear.fi enabled devices in the home. clear.fi automatically connects all Acer devices on a network (smartphones, notebooks, desktops, HD media players and storage devices) and then gathers and organizes media files by media type. Users can browse the categories and then drag and drop the media to any of the connected PCs or devices for playback. clear.fi can also be downloaded free from Acer on any DLNA-compliant device.

The AZ5 Series comes with two built-in 2.5W stereo speakers and Dolby® Home Theater® audio to bring digital entertainment to life. It offers 4GB DDR3 memory and processor options include a powerful Intel® Core™ i3-2120 processor with hyper-threading technology to handle multiple applications simultaneously, enabling users to do more with less wait time. An enormous 1TB(1) hard drive provides generous space to store content and an optical drive is included for backing up valuable data.

Acer® AZ3 Series: 21-inch Multi-Touch Display – Fun in a Compact Design
The AZ3 Series all-in-one desktops with compact 21.5-inch full HD (16:9) touch-screens are a convenient form factor anywhere space is limited. These attractive and easy-to-use systems provide an intuitive touch experience for enjoying the latest in entertainment.

Processor options include an AMD Dual-Core A4-3400 Accelerated Processor (2.7GHz, 1MB Total L2 Cache). In addition, AMD Radeon™ HD6410D Graphics provide solid performance for taking advantage of the latest in digital media. There are two 2.5W stereo speakers and optimized Dolby Home Theater audio to deliver rich audio for movies, music and games. A large 500GB(1) 7200RPM SATA hard drive has significant storage space and an optical drive is included for back-ups.

Connectivity and Expansion
All of the new AIOs have a built-in 1.3MP webcam and microphone, which enable face-to-face communication for staying in touch with friends and family. Two USB 3.0 ports (side) and four USB 2.0 ports (rear) allow quick and easy connection to peripherals and digital devices. A multi-in-one digital media card reader conveniently transfers files from digital devices. These sleek PCs also come with an adjustable back stand, 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity and a wireless keyboard and mouse for an uncluttered work area.

Pricing and Availability
Both the AZ5 and AZ3 Series all-in-one desktop PCs come with Windows® Home Premium 64-bit and a one-year warranty(2). The Acer AZ5 Series’ manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP) start at $749.99 and the Acer AZ3 Series’ MSRP starts at $649.99. The new systems are available at leading retailers.