acer switch alpha 12 keyboard driver
TheAcer 12" Aspire Switch Alpha 12 Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Laptop has a split personality by coming with a detachable keyboard that lets you utilize it as a notebook or tablet. Powering the hybrid system is a dual-core 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5-6200U processor that can handle multiple applications simultaneously and achieve speeds of up to 2.8 GHz when
Tomanually update Acer Drivers: Download the latest Driver file from Acer website. this file may be in the form of an .exe (executable), if so simply double-click on this file. If the file is in another format and you are having difficult installing it then browse to Control Panel > Device Manager. Browse to the Acer Device you have downloaded
Thefunction keys or F keys are lined across the top of the keyboard and labeled F1 through F12. These keys act as shortcuts, performing certain functions, like saving files, printing data, or refreshing a page.. For example, the F1 key is often used as the default help key in many programs. The F5 key is used in an Internet browser to refresh or reload a web page.
Trya different cable and clean the keyboard. Pry the keycap off the unresponsive switch, hold the keyboard upside down, and blow out the switch using canned air. You can also use contact cleaner on the key switch. If your keyboard keys are sticky, turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard.
By May 27, 2015 70. The Acer Aspire Switch 12 is a sturdy built 2-in-1, a fast and efficient implementation of Intel's Core M hardware bundled with a good digitizer-enabled
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Manuals Brands Acer Manuals Laptop Switch Alpha 12 User manual Contents Table of Contents Troubleshooting Bookmarks Quick Links Related Manuals for Acer Switch Alpha 12 Summary of Contents for Acer Switch Alpha 12 Page 1 User’s Manual... Page 2 Regulatory model number N16P3 Sign up for an Acer ID and enjoy great benefits Open the Acer Portal app to sign up for an Acer ID or sign in if you already have an Acer ID. There are three great reasons for you to get an Acer ID •... Page 3 Table Of Contents Taking care of your AC adapter ....8 Charging the battery ......... 43 Cleaning and servicing........ 8 Optimizing battery life ....... 44 Checking the battery level......45 Your Acer notebook tour Battery-low warning ........45 Front view ..........9 Traveling with your computer Rear view..........10 Disconnecting from the desktop .... Page 4 4 - Table of contents Network connections......... 69 Security ............. 71 Surf the Net!..........71... Page 5 • Where to find the power button, ports and connectors • Tips and tricks for using the touchpad and keyboard • How to create recovery backups • Guidelines for connecting to a network and using Bluetooth • Information on using Acer’s bundled software... Page 6 First Things First 6 - First things first I R S T T H I N G S F I R S T We would like to thank you for making this Acer notebook your choice for meeting your mobile computing needs. Your guides... Page 7 Basic Care And Tips For Using Your Computer First things first - 7 • Use the Windows shutdown command Press the Windows key or select the Windows Start button, select Power > Shut down. • Right-click the Windows Start button > Shut down or sign out > Shut down. If you need to power down the computer for a short while, but don’t want to completely shut it down, you can put it to Sleep by doing any of the following... Page 8 Taking Care Of Your Ac Adapter 3. Use a soft, moist cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. If your computer is dropped or visibly damaged, or does not work normally, please contact your nearest authorized Acer service center. For more information, please see Got a question? on page... Page 9 Your Acer Notebook Tour O U R C E R N O T E B O O K T O U R After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Setup Guide, let us show you around your new Acer computer. Front view Icon... Page 10 Rear View 10 - Your Acer notebook tour Rear view Icon Item Description Web camera for video Webcam communication. Allows the computer to function as a Kickstand display. Top view Icon Item Description Internal stereo microphone for sound Microphone recording. Page 11 Bottom View Your Acer notebook tour - 11 Bottom view Icon Item Description Keyboard Connects to the keyboard. connector Left/right views Icon Item Description Press to turn the computer on; press again to place the computer in Sleep Power button mode. Press and hold to turn the computer off. Page 12 Information On Usb 12 - Your Acer notebook tour Icon Item Description Connects to audio devices Headset/ speakers, headphones or a headset speaker jack with microphone. USB port Connects to USB devices. Connects to USB devices that adopt the USB Type-C connector. Supports USB Type-C port USB Type-C, Gen 1 with display,... Page 13 Keyboard Front View Your Acer notebook tour - 13 Keyboard front view Icon Item Description Keyboard Connects to the computer. connector For entering data into your computer. Keyboard See "Using the keyboard" on page Stylus holder Holds the stylus pen. Touch-sensitive pointing device. Page 14 Attaching And Detaching The Keyboard 14 - Your Acer notebook tour Attaching and detaching the keyboard The Acer Snap Hinge Gold makes attaching and detaching the keyboard fast and easy. Detach the computer from the keyboard by lifting one corner to release it from the keyboard to function as a tablet. Page 15 Your Acer notebook tour - 15 Attach the pad and keyboard to function as a laptop. Prop the keyboard up using the magnetic strip at the top of the keyboard for a better typing experience. The adjustable kickstand allows the computer to also function as a... Page 16 Using The Keyboard 16 - Using the keyboard S I N G T H E K E Y B O A R D The keyboard has full-sized keys and a separate numeric keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows, function and special keys. Lock keys The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off. Page 17 Windows Keys Using the keyboard - 17 Hotkey Icon Function Description Turns the display screen + Display off backlight off to save power. Press any key to return. Touchpad Turns the built-in touchpad on + toggle and off. Turns the speakers on and ... Page 18 18 - Using The Precision Touchpad 18 - Using the Precision Touchpad S I N G T H E R E C I S I O N O U C H P A D The touchpad controls the arrow or 'cursor' on the screen. As you slide your finger across the touchpad, the cursor will follow this movement. Page 19 Changing Touchpad Settings Using the Precision Touchpad - 19 Two-finger pinch Zoom in and out of photos, maps and documents with a simple finger-and-thumb gesture. Three-finger press Lightly tap the touchpad with three fingers to open Cortana if your computer supports Cortana or open the Action Center if your computer does not support Cortana. Page 20 20 - Using the Precision Touchpad 2. Select All settings. 3. Select Devices > Mouse & touchpad. 4. Now you can adjust the settings to suit your personal needs. You can change the primary button for left- or right-handed use, turn the touchpad off if you prefer to use a mouse, or set a delay to prevent... Page 21 Using the Precision Touchpad - 21 the cursor from moving if you accidentally tap the touchpad with your palm while working. Scroll down to see more settings. Page 22 Recovery 56 do not help, you can recover your computer. This section describes the recovery tools available on your computer. Acer provides Acer Care Center, which allows you to reset your PC, refresh your PC, or create a factory default backup. Note Acer Care Center is only available with a pre-installed Windows operating system. Page 23 Recovery - 23 2. Select the Backup tab and click Get Started for Create Factory Default Backup to open the Recovery Drive window. 3. Make sure Backup system files to the recovery drive is selected and click Next. 4. Plug in the USB drive and wait for the PC to detect the USB drive then click Next. Page 24 24 - Recovery • Since the recovery backup requires at least 8 GB of storage after formatting, it is recommended to use a USB drive with a capacity of 16 GB or larger. 5. Everything on the drive will be deleted. Click Create to continue. 6. Page 25 Backing Up Your Wireless And Lan Drivers LAN drivers if you install another operating system. 1. From Start, select All apps then Acer. Select Acer Recovery Management in the list of Acer apps. 2. Select the Backup tab and click Get started for Backup wireless and LAN drivers. Page 26 Reset This Pc And Remove Everything 8. When your PC has completed the reset process, Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files. Reset this PC and remove everything 1. From Start, select All apps then Acer. Select Acer Recovery Management in the list of Acer apps. Page 27 Recovery - 27 2. Select the Restore tab and click Get Started to Choose an option. 3. Select Remove everything to reset your PC back to its factory default. This process will reinstall your operating system and remove all of your personal files, apps, and settings. 4. Page 28 28 - Recovery your computer. This process will take longer, but will be more secure. Warning Selecting "Remove files and clean the drive" will remove all of your personal files and accounts, along with pre-existing drivers that may affect your Windows installation. 5. Page 29 Using A Bluetooth Connection Using a Bluetooth connection - 29 S I N G A L U E T O O T H C O N N E C T I O N Bluetooth is a technology enabling you to transfer data wirelessly over short distances between many different types of devices. Page 30 30 - Using a Bluetooth connection 3. Select the device you wish to pair from the list of discovered devices, and select Pair. 4. A code displays on your computer, which should match the code displayed on your device. Select Yes. Then, accept the pairing from your device. Page 31 Connecting To The Internet Windows will detect and display a list of available networks during setup. Select your network and enter the password if required. Acer notebook computers feature an Airplane mode hotkey that turns the network connection on or off. You can use the network... Page 32 32 - Connecting to the Internet management options to turn your wireless network on/off or control what is shared over the network. To connect to a wireless network, please follow the steps below. 1. Ensure you have a wireless router/access point and current internet connection through the ISP of your choice. Page 33 Connecting to the Internet - 33 4. Select Network & internet. 5. You will see a list of available wireless networks. Select the one you wish to use. Page 34 34 - Connecting to the Internet 6. Once you select a wireless network, select Connect. 7. If required, enter the network’s password. Page 35 Connecting With A Cable Connecting to the Internet - 35 Connecting with a cable Built-in network feature Plug one end of a network cable into the network port on your computer, and the other end into a port on your router. Refer to the image below. Then, you'll be ready to get online. Page 36 36 - Acer Bluelight Shield To configure Acer Bluelight Shield, Search for ’Acer Quick Access’. From here you can toggle Acer Bluelight Shield on or off, and you can choose from four different modes to fit your needs No. Page 37 - 37 Keeping your computer and data safe... In this section you will find • How to secure your computer • Setting passwords • What you need to prepare when you’re traveling • How to get the most out of your battery... Page 38 Securing Your Computer 38 - Securing your computer E C U R I N G Y O U R C O MP U TE R Your computer is a valuable investment that you need to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your computer. Using passwords Passwords protect your computer from unauthorized access. Page 39 Securing your computer - 39 • Type the User Password and press to use the computer. If you enter the password incorrectly, a warning message appears. Try again and press . Important You have three chances to enter a password. If you fail to enter the password correctly after three tries, the system halts. Page 40 Bios Utility 40 - BIOS utility B I O S U T I L I T Y The BIOS utility is a hardware configuration program built into your computer's BIOS. Your computer is already properly configured and optimized, and you do not normally need to run this utility. However, if you encounter configuration problems, you may need to run it. Page 41 Power Management Power management - 41 O W E R M A N A G E M E N T This computer has a built-in power management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any activity involving one or more of the following devices keyboard, mouse, hard disk, peripherals connected to the computer, and video memory. Page 42 42 - Power management 5. Select Change settings that are currently unavailable. 6. Scroll down and disable Turn on fast startup. 7. Select Save changes. Page 43 Battery Pack Battery pack - 43 A T T E R Y P A C K The computer uses an embedded Lithium battery that gives you long use between charges. Battery characteristics The battery is recharged whenever you connect the computer to the AC adapter. Page 44 Optimizing Battery Life 44 - Battery pack Use this conditioning process for all new batteries, or if a battery hasn't been used for a long time. Warning Do not expose battery packs to temperatures below 0° C 32° F or above 45° C 113° F. Extreme temperatures may adversely affect the battery pack. Page 45 Checking The Battery Level Battery pack - 45 Checking the battery level The power meter indicates the current battery level. Rest the cursor over the battery/power icon on the taskbar to see the battery's present charge level. Battery-low warning When using battery power pay attention to the power meter. Important Connect the AC adapter as soon as possible after the battery-low warning appears. Page 46 Traveling With Your Computer 46 - Traveling with your computer R A V E L I N G W I T H Y O U R C O M P U T E R This section gives you tips and hints to consider when moving around or traveling with your computer. Page 47 What To Bring To Meetings Traveling with your computer - 47 You can put the computer in Sleep mode by pressing the Sleep hotkey or by closing the display. When you are ready to use the computer again, open the display and, if necessary, press and release the power button. Note The computer may enter Hibernation or Deep Sleep mode after being in Sleep mode for a period of time. Page 48 What To Take With You 48 - Traveling with your computer What to take with you Unless you have some items at home, take the following items with you • AC adapter and power cord. • The printed Setup Guide. Special considerations Follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling to and from work •... Page 49 Traveling With The Computer Traveling with your computer - 49 Traveling with the computer Important Check with your airline for any special requirements for travelling with Lithium batteries. When you are moving within a larger distance, for instance, from your office building to a client's office building or traveling locally. Preparing the computer Prepare the computer as if you were taking it home. Page 50 Preparing The Computer 50 - Traveling with your computer Preparing the computer Prepare the computer as you would normally prepare it for traveling. What to bring with you Bring the following items with you • AC adapter. • Power cords that are appropriate for your destinations. •... Page 51 - 51 Ports and connectors... In this section you will find • Information on the ports and connectors fitted to your computer... Page 52 Universal Serial Bus Usb Note Two USB standards are currently available on Acer computers USB High-speed USB and USB SuperSpeed USB. USB ports on Acer computers have a black tongue in the port, while USB ports have a blue tongue. For best performance, USB devices should always be plugged into USB ports. Page 53 Memory Card Reader Memory card reader - 53 E M O R Y C A R D R E A D E R Connectivity options Your computer has a card reader and other ports/jacks that allow you to connect peripheral devices to your computer. For instructions on how to connect different external devices to the computer, read the following section. Page 54 54 - Memory card reader 2 TB. Your computer provides an SDHC or SDXC compatible card reader. Note SDXC memory cards can only be used in an SDXC-compatible reader; SD and SDHC cards can be used in either type. Removing a card from a memory card reader 1. Page 55 Video And Audio Connectors Video and audio connectors - 55 I D E O A N D A U D I O C O N N E C T O R S Connect to a monitor with a VGA or DVI port the type of connection supported depends your... Page 56 56 - Got a question? In this section you will find • Frequently asked questions • Tips for using Windows 10 • Troubleshooting information • How to protect yourself while online • Where to find Acer service center contact information... Page 57 Frequently Asked Questions Frequently asked questions - 57 R E Q U E N TL Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S The following is a list of possible situations that may arise during the use of your computer. Page 58 Before performing a restore operation, please check the BIOS settings. 1. Check to see if Acer disk-to-disk recovery is enabled or not. 2. Make sure the D2D Recovery setting in Main is Enabled. Page 59 Requesting Service Frequently asked questions - 59 Note To access the BIOS utility, press when you see the Acer logo during boot up. For more information, see Restoring your computer on page Requesting service International Travelers Warranty ITW Your computer is backed by an International Travelers Warranty ITW that gives you security and peace of mind when traveling. Page 60 Tips And Hints For Using Windows 10 F r e qu e nt ly a sk 60 - Frequently asked questions Tips and hints for using Windows 10 We know this is a new operating system that will take some getting used to, so we've created a few pointers to help you get started. How do I get to Start? Tap the Start button on the lower left-hand corner of the screen. Page 61 Frequently asked questions - 61 To change the background, tap the Windows Start button and tap Settings > Personalization. From here you can • Select a background image for the lock screen • Turn the Slide show on or off •... Page 62 How Do I Set The Alarm 62 - Frequently asked questions How do I set the alarm? Your computer can act as an alarm clock. Start typing ’Alarms’ to search for the Alarms app. 1. Select a name for the alarm. 2. Set the time by choosing the hour and minute. 3. Page 63 What Is A Microsoft Id Account Frequently asked questions - 63 How do I make an app appear on Start? If you're in All apps and you want to make an app appear on Start, tap and hold the app until you see the screen dim. When you release the app, tap Pin to Start from the menu that appears. Page 64 How Do I Check For Windows Updates Tap the Windows Start button > Settings > Update & recovery > Windows Update. Tap Advanced options to configure the settings. Where can I get more information? For more information please visit the following pages • Windows 10 information • Support FAQs Page 65 Troubleshooting Fr eq u en tl y as ked qu es t io ns Frequently asked questions - 65 Troubleshooting This chapter shows you how to deal with common system problems. Read it before calling a technician if a problem occurs. Solutions to more serious problems require opening up the computer. Page 66 66 - Frequently asked questions Error messages Corrective action Keyboard error or no Contact your dealer or an authorized service keyboard connected center. Keyboard interface Contact your dealer or an authorized service error center. Press during POST to enter the BIOS Memory size utility, then press Exit in the BIOS utility to mismatch... Page 67 Internet And Online Security Internet and online security - 67 N T E R N E T A N D O N L I N E S E C U R I T Y First steps on the net Protecting your computer It is vital to protect your computer from viruses and attacks over the internet see Security on page 71. Page 68 68 - Internet and online security internet as the connection speed is low and connection time is typically charged per hour. DSL ADSL DSL Digital Subscriber Line is an always-on’ connection that runs over the phone line. As DSL and phone do not use the same frequencies, you can use your telephone at the same time you are connected to the internet this requires a micro-filter’... Page 69 Internet and online security - 69 Network connections A LAN Local Area Network is a group of computers for example, within an office building or home that share a common communications line and resources. When you set up a network, you can share files, peripheral devices such as a printer and an internet connection. Page 70 70 - Internet and online security services. Read carefully the documentation supplied with your Access point/router for detailed setup instructions. Network cable RJ45 A network cable also called RJ45 cable is used to connect the host computer to the access point see illustration below; this type of cable may also be used to connect peripheral devices to the access point. Page 71 Security You are probably eager to explore everything the internet has to offer. In order for you to be safe online, Acer has pre-installed McAfee Internet Security Suite on your computer. McAfee Internet Security Suite runs quietly in the background to block today’s complex threats and protect your identity when you shop,... Page 72 Note Acer guarantees that your computer was 100% virus free at the time of purchase and does not cover damages due to viruses. What is spyware? Spyware refers to generally unwanted programs that are downloaded onto your computer while connected to the internet, often without you knowing it. Page 73 Internet and online security - 73 would allow it a game connecting to a multi-player server or an encyclopaedia making a content update. How to protect your computer Cybercrime prevention can be straight-forward - when armed with a little technical advice and common sense, many attacks can be avoided. Page 74 A complete version of McAfee Internet Security Suite is pre-installed on your Acer system. It includes a free trial subscription to protection updates. Make sure you Activate it! Choose strong passwords and keep them safe Passwords are a fact of life on the internet today;... Page 75 Internet and online security - 75 of your online accounts, one of the first steps you can take is to change your password. Protect your personal information Exercise caution when sharing personal information such as your name, home address, phone number, and email address online. To take advantage of many online services, you will inevitably have to provide personal information in order to handle billing and shipping of purchased goods. Page 76 76 - Internet and online security not The "s" stands for secure and should appear when you are in an area requesting you to login or provide other sensitive data. Another sign that you have a secure connection is the small lock icon in the bottom of your web browser usually the right-hand corner. Page 77 Internet and online security - 77 Additionally, many banks and services use fraud prevention systems that call out unusual purchasing behavior if you live in Texas and all of the sudden start buying refrigerators in Budapest. In order to confirm these out of the ordinary purchases, they might call you and ask you to confirm them. This manual is also suitable for Sa5-271
Acer has been releasing Aspire Switch devices for quite some time now and we've seen a steady increase in overall usability, design, quality etc. But since their last announcement at [email protected] conference in New York, the Aspire Switch lineup has matured enough to a point when the latest Switch Alpha 12 can actually replace your notebook. It sure is a 12-inch hybrid device but the notebook-class CPU inside puts it in a class of its own. How Acer managed to pull this off? Well, the company's engineer team came up with a clever way to keep the CPU cool during load without the need of a fan. So the cooling design is able to support Intel's ULV ultra-low voltage Core i family with the so-called "LiquidLoop" technology, which we will discuss later in our review. The unit we are currentl[...] Read the full review
My switch alpha 12 keyboard stopped working. Any suggestions on what shall I do? Thank you! 0 Join in, share your experience! It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started. Assistance by Acer This Month's Leaders
Laptop Mag Verdict The Acer Switch Alpha 12 is a 2-in-1 with liquid cooling, strong performance and a bright display, but its battery life is too short. Pros +Useful ports+Bright, vivid display+Strong performance Cons -Poor battery life-Too much bloatware-Lackluster front camera-Warm back Why you can trust Laptop Mag Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. Does your laptop get louder than a jet engine? With the $650 Switch Alpha 12 $800 as tested, Acer is selling you on complete silence; it's the first liquid-cooled detachable on the market. It also happens to deliver strong performance and features a beautiful, bright 2160 x 1440 display. Plus, unlike the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, the Alpha 12 includes a keyboard cover in the box. Unfortunately, this convertible's battery life is even shorter than the Surface' the Switch Alpha 12, Acer opted for a Surface-inspired 2-in-1 design that combines a tablet, a kickstand and a keyboard. The kickstand pulls away from the aluminum rear of the device, which features a brushed motif and Acer's logo, as well as a 5-megapixel front of the device boasts a 12-inch, 2160 x 1440 display surrounded by a thick bezel. The bottom of the tablet features magnets that connect to the keyboard cover, which can be laid flat or propped up at an paired with the keyboard cover, the Alpha 12 measures x x inches and weighs pounds. Without it, the dimensions shrink to 2 pounds and inches thick. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is slightly thinner and lighter, at x x inches and pounds with the keyboard attached. The Lenovo Ideapad Miix 700 is longer, at x x inches, but lighter, at pounds. HP's Spectre x2 is taller, at x x inches, and weighs pounds. MORE Best Acer LaptopsPortsThe Switch Alpha 12 has the most useful combination of ports of any 12-inch convertible we've tested. Its right side is home to a headphone/mic combo jack, a USB port, a USB Type-C port, a power jack and a microSD card slot. Compare that to the Surface Pro 4's lone USB port or the Miix 700, which has two USB ports, but one of them doubles as the charging jack. The Spectre includes a Type-C port but also hosts a slower USB CoolingThere are no vents or fans on the Switch Alpha 12, because it's the first water-cooled 2-in-1 on the market. Competitors that use Intel's low-power Core M CPUs, including the HP Spectre x2, also avoid fans but don't need water cooling because their less powerful processors don't generate as much 2160 x 1440 touch screen on the Switch Alpha 12 is insanely bright and produces vivid, beautiful how effective is the water cooling? The Switch Alpha 12 was able to perform at a high level throughout our tests, but it did get a little warm. After we streamed 15 minutes of HD video from Hulu, the rear of the device reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than our 95-degree comfort threshold. However, you won't notice this if you're mostly using the keyboard and 12-inch, 2160 x 1440 touch screen on the Switch Alpha 12 is insanely bright and produces vivid, beautiful colors, but it's slightly on the warm side. When I watched the trailer for Season 4 of Orange Is the New Black, I was blown away by the rich oranges of the new inmate jumpsuits. I could see little details, such as the tears welling up in Morello's eyes at panel reproduces an excellent 101 percent of the sRGB color gamut, which is higher than the ultraportable notebook category average of 90 percent. The Surface Pro 4 was close, with 100 percent, while the Spectre x2 fell behind, showing off only 72 percent of the gamut. The Miix 700 fared better than the rest, covering 113 our color accuracy tests, the Switch Alpha 12 had a Delta-E score of the closer to 0, the better, tying the Miix but missing the average of The Spectre x2 and the Surface Pro 4 put them to shame, scoring and Best 2-in-1s Laptop/Tablet HybridsHowever, nothing can touch the Switch Alpha 12's brightness. The luminous display had an average screen brightness of 432 nits, which is far higher than the 306-nit category average. The Surface Pro 4 382 nits, the Miix 700 330 nits and the Spectre x2 322 nits were all good but not as bright as the and TouchpadThe Acer Switch Alpha 12's bundled keyboard cover is surprisingly comfortable. The keys have millimeters of travel and require 58 grams of force to be pressed down. That results in clicky keys that have good feedback and are enjoyable to use. When propped up toward the screen, the backlit keyboard buckled slightly, but I didn't have this problem when I laid it the typing test, I reached 110 words per minute - the top of my average range of 100 to 110 wpm - with my standard 2 percent error cover also includes a x touchpad that was a little short for my taste; I often found myself hitting the edge when I was scrolling with two fingers. Otherwise, I had more than enough room for gestures and careful not to dangle metal chains near the right edge of the keyboard deck. As on many laptops and tablets, the Switch Alpha 12 has magnets in its lip that tell the device to go to sleep when you close the cover, bringing them into contact with a magnet in the bezel. However, the keyboard magnets were stronger than any we've ever seen. The stylus stuck to the deck, and our lab tester found her jewelry clinging to the cover as she carried it around. However, some metal objects, including a watchband and some pocket change, didn't stick, so you might not have any issues. Whenever I connected the keyboard to the tablet, I was greeted with a message to "Please eject the device using the Safely Remove Hardware function in the system," from Acer's Quick Access app, but there is no option to eject it. I removed the keyboard without issue dozens of times during the course of reviewing the Switch Alpha 12 by simply pulling optional $50 Acer Active Stylus provides an easy way to draw or take quick notes on the Switch. From a distance, it could easily be mistaken for a regular pen, and it felt like one in my hand. The Active Stylus has 256 levels of pressure sensitivity, which I noticed when I messed with the brushes in the Fresh Paint app; I could easily make heavier or lighter strokes of paint. In comparison, with 1,024 levels, the Surface Pro 4's stylus is more sensitive. The palm rejection was spotty, though; every once in a while, I would lift my hand to see some stray digital ink on my Acer Hover Access software lets you customize the buttons on the stylus to launch apps, and provides quick access to programs compatible with the pen, including Windows Journal, OneNote and Snipping Tool. MORE Best Laptops for College StudentsWhen you're not using the stylus, it fits into a loop attached to the keyboard cover. The stylus is a handy addition, but it's not as accurate as those from Microsoft and audio that emanates from the Switch Alpha 12's two front-facing speakers is clear but not extremely loud. The audio was balanced, and I could easily make out the vocals, heavy drums and guitar on White Rabbits' "Percussion Gun" - but it barely filled our medium-size conference included HD Audio Manager software is mostly meant to help when the 2-in-1 is connected to external speakers, but there are a few presets buried in its settings. I would recommend leaving them alone, as they distorted the music when I tried Intel Core i5-6200U CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD on our configuration of the Switch Alpha 12 make it a fine productivity machine. I browsed the web in Chrome with OpenOffice Writer open in the background and saw no lag, despite having 15 tabs open one of which was streaming 1080p video from YouTube.The Switch Alpha 12 earned a score of 6,398 on the Geekbench 3 synthetic benchmark of overall performance. That's higher than the ultraportable average of 5,157 as well as the Spectre x2's Core m7-6Y75 5,814 and the Miix 700's Core m5-6Y54 5,068. The Surface Pro 4 Core i5 6300U scored higher 6,811.It took 33 seconds for the Switch Alpha 12 to transfer of mixed media files, resulting in a rate of per second. The Surface Pro 4 blazed past it, at MBps, but both of those rates are higher than the category average of MBps. The Spectre x2 149 MBps also beat the average, while the Miix 700 MBps fell you're out and about with the Switch, you'll need to bring the power cord Switch Alpha 12 took 4 minutes and 32 seconds to pair 20,000 names and addresses in our OpenOffice spreadsheet macro. Only the Surface Pro 4 411 completed the task more quickly; the Spectre x2 534 and the Miix 700 559 took the Switch's integrated HD 520 graphics can't handle demanding games like Overwatch or The Witcher, but casual fare, such as Words with Friends, will be just fine. Acer's 2-in-1 notched a score of 64,550 on the 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited benchmark. That's higher than the 47,040 ultraportable average as well as the Surface Pro 4 60,424, the Spectre x2 52,450 and the Miix 700 21,995.Battery LifeWhen you're out and about with the Switch Alpha 12, you'll need to bring the power cord along. This 2-in-1 lasted only 4 hours and 49 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi. That's far less than the ultraportable category average of 749. Other 2-in-1s, such as the HP Spectre X2 631, the Surface Pro 4 605 and the Miix 700 543, offered more endurance. MORE Laptops with the Longest Battery LifeCamerasThe 720p selfie camera takes grainy images with inaccurate colors. When I used the camera to take a picture at my desk, my face appeared pixelated, my eyes were pitch black and the lights behind me were blown took the tablet to an area with better lighting, and although I saw a little more detail in my beard and the color of my shirt and eyes was more accurate, the image still had some took the tablet down to the street outside our office to test out the 2560 x 1440 camera on the rear of the device. The resulting pictures were slightly out of focus it had trouble adjusting when I started the camera app, but the colors were accurate. The yellow cabs zipping by and the orange traffic cones appeared bright and vivid. It also picked up little details, like the pebbly surface of the OptionsThe Switch Alpha 12 I reviewed included an Intel Core i5-6200U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a stylus and a backlit keyboard cover. It costs $800 and will launch exclusively at Costco in starting configuration costs $650 and includes a Core i5-6200U CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and a keyboard dock. If you want the stylus with this configuration, you can buy it separately for $50. MORE 10 Tablets with the Longest Battery LifeThe most expensive model is $1,110 and features a Core i7-6500U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a keyboard dock and a and WarrantyThe Switch Alpha 12 has a fair share of bloatware and some useful Acer utilities, which are mostly focused on the cloud. Acer Portal lets you organize files that you create in abFiles and abPhoto. Recovery Management assists in making backups and restoring data, while Quick Access lets you access features such as Bluelight shield and adaptive brightness. The bloatware includes mainstays like Twitter, Flipboard and Candy Crush Soda Saga as well as Netflix, Amazon and Kindle apps, WildTangent games, Music Maker Jam, Firefox and a link to download Dashlane password manager. The 2-in-1 also comes with a 30-day trial of Microsoft offers a two-year warranty with the Switch Alpha 12. See how Acer did in our Best and Worst Brands and Tech Support LineWith a gorgeous display, solid performance and future-proof ports, the Acer Switch Alpha 12 comes frustratingly close to being one of the best 2-in-1s you can buy. But this system falls down hard in one critical area battery get a higher-resolution screen, better battery life and stronger performance, you should splurge on the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. The caveat is that a configuration similar to that on the Switch we reviewed costs $1,150 before a $113 keyboard cover, so it's about $463 the included keyboard cover and, in some cases, a stylus makes the Acer Switch Alpha 12 a pretty good bargain, as long as you don't mind taking the charger with Ultrabooks Thin-and-Light Windows LaptopsThe Best Laptops for Business and ProductivityThe Best Laptops for Every Need BluetoothBluetooth BrandAcer Intel Core i5-6200U CPU Card SlotsmicroSD Company Website Display Size12 Graphics CardIntel HD Graphics 520 Hard Drive Size256GB SSD Hard Drive TypeSSD Native Resolution2160 x 1440 Operating SystemWindows 10 Home Ports excluding USBmicroSD, USB with Type-C, USB Combo Headphone/Mic Jack RAM8GB x x .6 inches with keyboard Touchpad x USB Ports2 Warranty/SupportTwo-year International Travelers Limited Warranty pounds with keyboard, pounds without Wi-Fi ModelQualcomm Atheros QCA61x4A Wireless Network Adapter featuring 2x2 MU-MIMO technology Dual-Band and 5GHz Less Most Popular
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