Acer Aspire S 32 Review: Core i7, iGP, Modular

Take a monitor, put an i7 in there, a trackpad, monitor light, webcam, and a webcam with a ring light. This is the basic makeup of the Acer Aspire S 32, perhaps among the most powerful productivity AIO a user can get. With us, there’s also a mini-me, the Acer Aspire C 24, with more power-efficient design in mind.

Viewing the complete specification, there is one thing that is sorely missing in our eye: a dedicated GPU. Opting to utilize the integrated graphics unit, is it able to keep up with daily productivity needs? Costing RM6,499, can it justify its cost being solely iGP based?

Acer Aspire S 32 Overview

The Acer Aspire S32 showcases a stunning 31.5″ QHD LED display with a 75Hz refresh rate. The color is vibrant and vivid, while Acer still includes the Eye Screen technology.

It is powered by an Intel® Core™ i7-1360P dodeca-core processor with 3.70 GHz and 5.00 GHz boost, 16GB of RAM with a max capacity of 32 GB, and a 1 TB PCIe x4 SSD. The S 32 does not include a dedicated GPU but rocks the Iris Xe Graphics. It might not be much, but it would be enough to handle all office productivity plus some video editing work.

Acer Aspire S32 offers similar connectivity to the C 24, with WiFi AX, Bluetooth 5.0, and Gigabit Ethernet. The desktop boasts a variety of ports, including HDMI, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, providing versatile options for peripheral connectivity.

Specification

Acer Aspire S 32 User Experience

Display

Hoho, where do I start? First off, the S 32’s beautiful screen with a lot of real estate is a sight to behold. At 32″, users can fit multiple windows on the screen in one go, making productivity with S 32 a comfortable one.

Hoho, where do I start? First off, the S 32’s beautiful screen with a lot of real estate is a sight to behold. At 32″, users can fit multiple windows on the screen at once, making productivity with S 32 a comfortable one.

The vivid colors of the S 32 are something I could swear by. Based on DisplayCal, it is capable of 88.5% aRGB and 88.4% DCI P3, with nearly full sRGB coverage at 99.6%. While this might not be optimal for color-critical work, it is still a gorgeous display with no discoloration and whatnot.

Performance

The AIO features a powerful Intel Core i7 1360P processor, among the more powerful GPUs found on laptops and small form factor platforms. In our benchmark, the S32 shows the potential to handle productivity workloads as well as some digital content creation.

Accessories

Acer also features a unique range of accessories unique to some Acer AIO series. It comes packed with a light bar for easy eye reading, a webcam with ring lights, and another simpler webcam too. This trio is extremely useful for the working environment, giving users’ eyes an easier time to read, a webcam for normal environments, and that extra light when needed.

Another unique feature the S 32 has is a detachable OceanGlass™ touchpad. The touchpad functions the same as a touchpad on a laptop, with Acer including some of the common multi-finger shortcuts readily available.

Acer includes an active stylus with it, while not being advertised it is capable of 1024 level of sensitives. At this level of pressure sensitives the stylus is as good as those comes with drawing tablet. This would wow advance or serious drawing table user, and is a good extra touch for everyday user.

Speaking of bundling, Acer bundles a set of basic keyboard and mouse. While I appreciate the extra touch, the keyboard has a cheap build quality and would take some getting used to. Unless users come from a similar platform, we recommend replacing the keyboard and mouse with a better quality one.

Aspire S 32 Conclusion: If you value your time and work

In summary, the Acer Aspire S 32, with its beautiful display, fancy accessories, and a robust processor, can facilitate efficient multitasking and productivity. The vibrant colors, offering almost full sRGB coverage at 99.6%, contribute to a stunning visual experience. The Intel Core i7 1360P processor is capable of handling daily productivity tasks along with minor digital content creation.

Acer’s thoughtful inclusion of unique accessories, such as a light bar, webcam with ring lights, and a detachable OceanGlass™ touchpad with pressure sensitive stylus which enhances the overall user experience. However, the lack of quality in the bundled keyboard and mouse set leaves much to be desired.

To address the initial question regarding the Aspire S 32 primarily using an integrated graphics processor (iGP), it serves its purpose well as an office or home office solution. It is evident that this computer is designed for professionals, and Acer focuses solely on meeting their needs.

So, is it worth spending RM6,499 on the Acer Aspire S 32? To answer this question, you need to ask yourself how much you value your work. For the premium price, you receive a ready-to-go machine with Microsoft Windows and Office preinstalled, a capable device for handling productivity work, and a 3-year onsite warranty. To me, this represents excellent value as I highly value my work and time, appreciating the almost zero setup time and low downtime with the onsite warranty.