Remember the Revo small-form factor and modular PC that Acer demoed last year? Meet its successor, the Acer Revo Build (M1-601), a build-it-yourself computer for those who are allergic to screwdrivers.
Announced at the ongoing IFA 2105 today, the Revo Build comes with two main components, the main unit and the graphics, with other modules capable of being added to them. They connect to one another without wires, just communicating through a series of pins on the top and bottom of each module. Each module is magnetic, so you just stack them on top of each other to build up your ideal living room or casual PC. It’s not quite clear how fast these connections actually are, however, and whether the PC must be powered down to add the new blocks. Acer said that the blocks will include a 500GB/1TB hot-swappable hard drive that will be available at launch, while a “wireless power bank” for wireless charging and an “audio block” with integrated speakers and a mic would be gradually rolled out over time. Inside is either a Pentium or a Celeron, presumably the new Skylake models.
At the bottom of the stack, you have the graphics block, with the main PC section – the only part with an obvious Acer logo – stacked on top of it. Above that, there’s what Acer’s calling the “Voice Block”: effectively the audio section, with a headphone amp and physical volume knob. On top of that there’s the portable hard-drive, and then finally Acer has topped the whole thing off with a wireless power bank. That supports wireless charging for a smartphone or other device, as well as having its own internal battery for use when off the PC stack. If you don’t have the Wireless Power Bank section, there’s a simple blanking plate to keep the top-most piece tidy.
Connectivity obviously depends on what you’re building, though the main PC section has the usual mixture of USB 3.0, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, and memory card slots. Some of the modules – like the hard-drive – get a USB 3.0 connector, too, for standalone use.
The Acer Revo Build will be available in Europe, the Middle East and Asia in October for a starting price of €199 in Europe. Acer does plan to offer the Revo Build in the United States, but pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet.
