For some relatively unknown reason, Acer has a negative reputation. Sure, Acer doesn’t have quite the advertising campaigns of Apple or Sony, but that doesn’t mean that this company isn’t producing solid devices. Acer devices don’t always come with the most features or newest developments, but they are affordable and reliable. These positive assets hold true with the newest addition to the Acer lineup: the Acer Inspire S3.

The Inspire S3 is a very thin laptop that can (and will be) classified as an “ultrabook.” If you’re not familiar with that term, I’ll cover this a bit later. What you need to know is that the Acer Inspire S3 is a decent all-around laptop for anyone who’s not looking to cough up Apple dollars for a computer that works.

What’s to Like About the S3

Weight is important when it comes to laptops. Since these computers were meant to be carried around, a laptop that weighs a lot is a laptop that’s hard to handle. Acer didn’t want to create a monstrous laptop that’s too heavy to transport. Instead, Acer created the S3 that weighs a mere 1.3kg (around 2.86 pounds). This is lighter than most other laptops on the market.

In addition to being extremely lightweight the Acer Inspire S3 is very thin at 13mm (.5 inches, so this ultrabook won’t take up room in your backpack either. Built from a solid metal chassis, the Acer Inspire S3 is very sturdy even though it is also very light and thin. Aesthetics aside, the S3 comes with a 13.3-inch screen, the choice between a Core i7, i5, or i3 processor, and a battery that lasts up to seven hours (a lot longer than the standard Vaio or other laptop in its class).

The Deal With Ultrabooks

First there were laptops, the notebooks, and now ultrabooks. The term “ultrabook” was actually coined by Intel to describe small, lightweight, laptops that have very good batteries. An ultrabook can become your best friend if you need to travel with your computer, and an ultrabook is ideal for those people who like to work on a laptop without being attached to a wall outlet.

Sometimes ultrabooks can become very hot during use, which can be a problem. This is mostly due to the fact that ultrabooks have batteries that last for many hours, and a long-lasting battery can mean a very hot outer area, though this isn’t always true. The Acer Inspire S3 reportedly holds up very well to lots of usage, which is one of the reasons why this reviewer says that you should keep your eye on this ultrabook.

Pricing and Availability

As of the time of this writing, the Acer Inspire S3 has debuted in Europe. Acer has not made a formal announcement regarding the S3’s North American debut, but rumor has it that the S3 will arrive in North America this September. Right now, the S3 is retailing for around $1,000.

This price might seem high, but considering the S3’s abilities combined with other ultrabooks in its class, $1k is not a lot to spend for a very light, very solid, ultrabook that can run for seven hours without the need to recharge. If you currently use a laptop that’s heavy and needs to be plugged in every two hours, the S3 is an excellent option.