After getting our hands on the affordable Nitro 5 gaming laptop, we got a chance to try out Acer’s other newly launched budget-friendly product at Computex, the Spin 1 convertible.

It looks like a regular laptop at first

But you can spin it all the way into tablet mode

Making it flat is possible, too

As well as converting it to tent mode

The 1.25kg build is pleasantly light and solid all over

Although the hinges don’t feel as sturdy

And both the squishy keyboard and mediocre trackpad aren’t that responsive

Power port, HDMI, USB 3.0, microSD slot, and speaker on the left

USB 2.0, audio port, power and volume buttons, and second speaker on the right

How well does it perform?

With a low-powered Intel Pentium N4200 processor, 4GB of memory, and 128GB SSD storage, there isn’t much muscle behind this convertible, but that’s to be expected. The Spin 1 is geared towards users who simply want to surf the web, write emails, and do really light photo editing on the side. Multitasking is cumbersome, although I found the boot-up and wake-up times to be quite fast thanks to the SSD.

And while I did mention the keyboard and trackpad being on the soft and slow side, the Full HD 1080p touchscreen is easy to maneuver on. I spent more time swiping through the interface and apps than forcing myself to adjust to the other controls.

I also appreciate how well-equipped the sides are. Having a physical volume rocker should be mandatory on all convertibles since they can be treated like full-fledged tablets; the microSD card slot it owns has become such a forgotten feature; and the side-firing stereo speakers seem like a better placement compared to all the down-shooting speakers I’ve been experiencing.

My first impressions

I just love how there’s no clear deal-breaker on the Spin 1, and it retails for only $329. The only possible drawbacks I foresee are the keyboard-trackpad combo wearing out through time and the battery endurance being too weak despite the efficient chipset. Acer promises up to eight hours of usage on a single charge for this thing, so we could expect endurance a little lower than that.

Let us know in the comments section if you’re interested in a full review.

SEE ALSO: Acer Nitro 5 hands-on review: No cutting corners

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