Acer unveils budget and thin-and-light laptops at Computex

Acer has unveiled a series of new laptops at the Computex trade show, signaling a significant push by the PC industry to compete in the revitalized budget and mainstream laptop segments. The company’s announcements, featuring new processors from Intel and Qualcomm, represent a direct response to the market disruption caused by Apple’s affordably priced MacBook Neo.

The centerpiece of Acer’s budget strategy is the Aspire Go 15, one of the first laptops to feature Qualcomm’s newly announced Snapdragon C processor. Designed for entry-tier Windows PCs, the Snapdragon C emphasizes energy efficiency, responsive performance for everyday tasks, and all-day battery life. The laptop includes an integrated NPU for AI capabilities, a feature uncommon in budget models. The Aspire Go 15 sports a 15.6-inch Full HD display, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, and a plastic chassis. While Acer has not announced final pricing or a specific launch date, Qualcomm executives indicated the chip is designed for systems targeting a price point around $300.

For the mainstream thin-and-light category, Acer introduced the Swift Air 14. Starting at $699, this laptop is powered by Intel’s new Core...