ACER Switch 11 Pro 2-in-1 Laptop Review

Final Thoughts and Conclusions

If you are looking for an all around good system, the ACER Switch 11 might be a great choice. Running Windows 8.1 Pro (upgradable to Windows 10 when that is released), you can run any software compatible with Windows. In tablet mode it can be used in tight locations or as a light weight system. The addition of the keyboard allows it to be utilized as a great display or a laptop. The Switch 11 is a great option for those that want the best of portability and productivity.

Earlier I mentioned that the screen weighs more than the keyboard dock. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however it does pose a little issue, when the Switch is in laptop mode, touching the screen can make it unbalanced and cause the screen to move a little. Moving the screen when touching it can be reduced with a very light touch, the screen is very sensitive and a light touch is all that is necessary.

The quality of the tablet is top notch, the screen looks great at 1920x1080p and the 10 point multi-touch capability works smoothly. The included Active Pen works great to a certain extent. It can be used to point, select, draw or write. There are limitations though, on the Windows 8.1 “Modern UI” screen, it can’t be used to scroll the screen without using the scroll bar.

For me, the biggest downside to the Switch 11 was the touchpad. In an otherwise great 2-in-1 system, the touchpad seemed to be added as an after thought. There are no physical buttons for left/right click, they are hidden beneath the touch pad along the bottom edge. When you use the trackpad to click on something it is rather noisy and can be a little annoying. It was sensitive and highly responsive, working exactly as it should, it just felt like a cheap add-on to the keyboard.

One thing to keep in mind when looking at the benchmark scores is that the ACER Switch 11 Pro has a suggested retail price of $799.99, but can be found well below that on the retail market. A quick look on Amazon shows that the ACER Aspire Switch 11 starts at $364.99 and a fully loaded model like the one we looked at today can be picked up for $499.99 shipped. For around $500 you get a very robust little 2-in-1!

Legit Bottom Line: The ACER Switch 11 isn’t perfect, but overall is a great value for the money. The battery lasts around 6 hours watching 1080p video, and the screen orientation can be changed on the fly. The biggest downside is the cheap feeling touchpad, otherwise the Switch 11 does everything a laptop should do for business users with the ability to convert to a tablet as needed.