Taiwanese electronics corporation Acer today launched a range of new laptops for business professionals, general consumers and students alike.

Announced at the "Acer the next Pinnacle Media Launch" at the Pavilion Hotel in Kuala Lumpur were three new laptop models to join its Travelmate series - namely Travelmate P614, Travelmate X314, and Travelmate P214, as well as two projectors and a curved screen 49-inch monitor.

The Travelmate P614's introduction in Malaysia comes just about three weeks after its launch in New York.

One should not mistake the mere 1.1kg P614 for a poor performer, as within the sturdy magnesium alloy chassis, the machine packs a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 14-inch FHD touchscreen with 72 percent NTSC colour gamut to deliver accurate colours.

The machine also has a fingerprint reader on its power button to enhance security, and the camera shutter can be closed when the webcam is not in use. The laptop's battery lasts up to 20 hours on a single charge and has fast charging capability which enables its juice to be boosted to 100 percent in just two hours.

The Travel P614 retails at RM5,699 and will be available for purchase in the third quarter of the year at Acer authorised resellers nationwide and official online stores.

Enhanced security

Second in the series is the Travelmate X314, which features fingerprint readers incorporated in the power button, as well as a biometric facial recognition system in its webcam. Like the Travelmate P614, the shutter on the X314 can also be closed when the webcam is not in use.

This machine packs a 15-hour battery in an aluminium chassis design that is less than 20mm thin, and weighs only 1.6kg. It is powered by up to 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, coupled with 8GB high-speed DDR4 RAM, and up to 256GB SSD (data storage device) using NVMe technology.

The X314 also comes with a 14-inch FHD IPS display that supports up to 178 degrees of viewing angle, allowing users a clear view of the display, at wider angles, while maintaining the same level of high-quality colour. It retails at RM3,899 and will be available for purchase later this year.

For small businesses

Third in the series is the Travelmate P214, which is developed for small and medium businesses.

The machine, powered by either the 8th Gen Intel i3 or i5 processor with 4GB DDR4 RAM, comes with a 14-inch IPS display, which can also be customised to 15.6 inches. The computer has a built-in DVD writer, and weighs 1.6kg, with 14-hours battery life.

The machine is available immediately at Acer official online stores and selected Acer authorised resellers nationwide in four options with prices ranging from RM2,599 to RM3,099.

For the students

Also introduced at the event was the Chromebook 311 which is ideal for use by students.

The military standard specs machine packs a battery that lasts 12 hours on a full single charge, with 4GB RAM, and supports additional micro SD card.

The Chromebook's "uniquely designed" keyboard drainage also offers protection against accidental spills of up to 330ml of water, which routes the liquid away from internal components and drains out the bottom of the chassis. Its shell can withstand a pressure of up to 60kg and it can handle drops from heights of up to 122cm.

As for the system, the Chromebook 311 runs on Chrome OS and supports Google Play, allowing students to access Android and Chrome web applications for learning, research and fun.

The laptop retails for RM1,299 and will be available for purchase from May onwards.

As for the projectors, the PD1320Wi and PD1520i LED machines come with A-4 sized footprints, which means they can easily fit into a briefcase or a backpack. They come with LED lights which offer up to 30,000 hours lifespan. They can be powered up and shut down in just one second, thanks to the LED lights, without the need to warm up or cool down.

There is also no worry about tangled cables, as the projectors enable users to project from smartphones, or laptops via a wireless signal. They are available immediately, with the PD1320Wi retailing for RM2,999 and the PD1520i priced at RM3,699, respectively.

Last but not least, the E1491CR monitor comes with a 49-inch ultra-wide display.

It allows the users to split the windows by hotkey, split screen setting menu or remote control, making workspace as neat as possible to increase productivity and efficiency.

Users can also switch between preset gaming modes - standard, ECO, graphics, and movie. It will be available for purchase from May onwards, at RM3,399.

Acer Sales and Services Sdn Bhd's general manager of Products, Sales and Marketing, Chan Weng Hong officially launched the products. Also present were Acer Malaysia's Product and Business Development manager Edmund Hoh, and senior product executive Soo Yun Sin.