Google has Project Ara. Razer has their crazy Project Christine. Now Acer is getting into modular computing, too, with the compact Revo Build.
At its core, the Revo Build is like most mini computers out there based on Intel’s NUC design. It measures about five inches square and two inches tall, and it will be available with a variety of Intel chips inside. For now, Acer has only announced models with a Celeron N3050, Celeron N3150, and Pentium N3700.
Where the Revo Build sets itself apart is its upgradability. Adding extras to the base system is as easy as popping an expansion module on to a magnetic connector. They’ll snap in as smoothly as a Type Cover on a Surface.
Initially, Acer’s only offering a pair of storage modules. You’ll be able to upgrade your Revo Build with an extra 500GB or 1TB of storage. The drives appear to have a USB 3.0 connector on the back, too, so you should be able to toss them in your backpack and use them as portable storage.
Later, Acer will be releasing some more interesting expansion options for the Revo Build. They’ll include a projector, an audio module with built-in speakers, and one with an AMD GPU inside.
What will be really interesting to see is if Acer has long-term plans for the Revo Build. It’s a very cool idea, but if you can’t find expansion modules in two years or they release a new base that can’t accept your old ones then it’s just another quirky PC design that no one will remember.
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