Acer to Launch 15-inch Ultrabook for $699

Acer is reportedly planning to introduce a 15-inch Ultrabook to expand its current line of ultrathin laptops.

So far, all but two Ultrabooks sport 13.3-inch displays. Exceptions include an 11-inch variant of the Acer Aspire S3 and the 14-inch Samsung Series 5. But if you’ve been waiting for a larger screen on a super-thin notebook, you might not have to wait much longer.

DigiTimes reports that sources from Pegatron Technology, which produces laptop screens, say Acer will launch a 15-inch Ultrabook that will cost a mere $699. This is great news, considering laptop manufacturers have been having a difficult time getting Ultrabooks under the $1,000 price point.

We’ve heard that Acer is betting big on Ultrabooks for 2012, so it makes sense that the company will try to expand its current line of 11- and 13-inch ultrathin laptops.

A 15-inch Ultrabook, however, might not meet Intel’s design specifications for weight and thickness. The 14-inch Samsung Series 5 has already been panned by some as being an Ultrabook in name only, since the laptop weighs four pounds and measures 0.82 inches thick. A 15-inch laptop will no doubt have an even harder time hitting the “ultrathin” and “ultralight” benchmarks.

Still, “thin and sleek” appears to be the new standard for laptops. Whether Acer introduces a true 15-inch Ultrabook, or just a thin and light 15-inch laptop like the Dell XPS 15z, if you’re looking for a portable large-screen laptop, then an Acer might be in your future.

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