Acer Aspire P3-171-3322Y2G12ass - Fast forward

The Acer Aspire P3 is a 11.6-inch Windows 8 Ultrabook. Well at least that is what Acer calls it. At Php33,900 with a HD display, Core i3-3229Y processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 120 GB SSD, it seems to be a reasonably equipped laptop for the money. What really merits discussion though it the form factor. 

The good. In use design is similar to a slider, but when closed, keyboard really serves as a protective case. What makes this package interesting is its portability. The entire package weighs in at a light 1.74 pounds. That is three-fourth of a pound less than a 11-inch MacBook Air. It is also incredibly thin at 0.4-inchers. Battery life is also rated up to 6-hours. This is pretty much as good as it gets for ultralight 11-inchers.

The bad. For the laptop fan, well the Acer Aspire P3 has no touchpad, so you are really left with just the touchscreen. This type of design which really showcase what Windows 8 is all about. But this is also a bit worrisome. Without the touchpad, it won't be the best option for using it with traditional Windows apps. Software designed for mice and touch pads are not necessarily finger friendly. Things like the Microsoft Surface Pro seem like a better transitional device, with touch for "Metro" and a touchpad for your good old Windows desktop apps.