Not sure if I really like it but …
The new series, called ConceptD, is the result of a collaboration with IF Design and focuses on four principles: accurate color reproduction, powerful performance, silent fans and attractive design.
The company showed off three new ConceptD notebooks, which it’s also calling “creator laptops” — the ConceptD 9, ConceptD 7 and ConceptD 5. The names are confusing to me, since they don’t actually reference the size of the machines or really mean anything at all. Of the trio, the 17.3-inch 9 is the most eye-catching. It has an “Ezel Aero hinge” so you can pull the screen closer to you over the keyboard. Acer’s used this mechanism before, but it’s still an unusual feature and nice to see.
For a device that’s the result of a partnership with a design agency, the ConceptD 9 doesn’t actually look pretty. It’s clunky, and I could fit two and a half fingers in the display’s thick bezels. The hinge that holds up the screen is also unwieldy, and overall the ConceptD 9 isn’t attractive — just odd-looking.
The ConceptD 5 and 7 will be available later this month, starting at $1,699 and $2,299 respectively, while the ConceptD 9 will cost from $4,999 when it goes on sale in June. As expected, these aren’t cheap rigs, but it’s encouraging to see a company try to make super powerful laptops that look attractive.
