Acer's New Desk-Bike Can Help You Stay Fit And Charge Your Laptop While Your Work

Acer wants to rethink how workstation warriors glued to a PC all day take care of their physical health. The solution it came up with is the eKinect BD 3, an exercise bike attached to a desk that will keep your legs moving to burn calories while the upper torso gets some work done. 

Make no mistake though, as this is a full-fledged exercise bike that lets you make resistance adjustments, change seat positioning, and adjust the desk height as well as the attached handle to suit the exercise intensity. There's a small display on the desk to keep an eye on the activity metrics, while the companion app will give you a more detailed breakdown of the workout session such as exercise duration, calories burned, speed, and more.

The Working Mode offers a more natural position with the user's back resting straight as if they were sitting on a regular chair and desk setup. In this position, the desk is at an elevated position and closer to the body. When Sports mode is enabled, the desk part moves further, allowing users to lean forward and get more legroom for an intense round of cycling. The mode switch happens by simply adjusting the desk position closer or further. The magic, however, happens inside the Acer eKinect BD 3's frame.

As users pedal their way through a much-needed workout, the kinetic energy generated by their exercise is harnessed to power up the devices lying on the table. Acer claims that one hour of cycling at 60 RPM will be enough to generate 75 watts, which is then supplied via two USB-A ports and a Type-C outlet on the desk to charge items like phones and laptops.

In addition to seat and table position adjustments, Acer's athletic take on a workstation also has a mug holder on the desk area and a bag hook, as well. Users can create multiple profiles for other people sharing the machine, letting them add information like height and weight for a more accurate workout breakdown. Taking some inspiration from its own laptop line, Acer says the casing around the bike and the desk are made out of post-consumer recycled plastic material.

Acer says the eKinect BD 3 desk-bike hybrid will go on sale in the U.S. priced at $999. It will be up for grabs in June, and will also be making its way to markets in Europe and Asia, as well. Acer's machine sounds like a bargain, considering more famous alternatives like those made by Peloton cost over $1,800, without factoring in the health service subscription.