Acer has announced its S5 ultrabook, the thinnest of its kind, measuring only 15mm, ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The device includes a 13.3-inch LCD display, an Onyx Black brushed magnesium-alloy cover and palm rest and weighs 2.97 pounds. It will have 8 hours of battery life. Also it has the Thunderbolt interface, which boasts faster transfer speeds than USB 3.0, FireWire 800 and eSATA.

The Ultrabook is much more than just a product segment, said Jim Wong, president of Acer Inc. It's a new trend that will become the mainstream for mobile PCs, and customers will see the unique features gradually extended across Acer's notebook family, he added.

The Aspire S5 will feature an Intel Core i-series processor. There will also be a solid-state drive (SSD) for storage, Dolby Home Theater audio and a chiclet keyboard.

The Aspire S5 is Acer's first Ultrabook to feature the MagicFlip I/O port panel concealed just below the hinge. This design feature enhances the overall slenderness and streamlined form of the S5. The Aspire S5 will start shipping in Q2 2012.