Acer ES Series 4 Select vs Hiboy MAX Pro - Which "Almost-Premium" Commuter Actually Earns Your Money?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The Hiboy MAX Pro is the stronger overall package: it rides softer, goes further, feels more planted under heavier riders, and suits longer, door-to-door commutes where comfort and range matter more than portability. If you want a scooter that can replace a chunk of your car or public-transport use, the MAX Pro fits the brief better.

The Acer ES Series 4 Select makes more sense if you're budget-sensitive, have shorter, flatter commutes, and care about safety tech like turn indicators and a slightly lighter, more compact build. It's the "office-friendly" choice, while the Hiboy is the "I actually ride every day" choice.

Both have compromises, but they solve different problems - keep reading to see which set of trade-offs matches your reality, not the marketing brochure.

Electric scooters in this price band love to call themselves "premium commuters". Most of them are about as premium as instant coffee. The Acer ES Series 4 Select and the Hiboy MAX Pro sit exactly in that crowded middle: better than entry-level toys, far from proper performance machines.

I've put real kilometres on both - the Acer on typical city centre duty with tram tracks, bike lanes and too many potholes; the Hiboy on longer suburban loops with mixed asphalt, dodgy patches and the usual "shortcut" gravel paths. They're clearly gunning for the same kind of buyer: someone who actually wants to use a scooter as transport, not just to do laps of the car park on Sundays.

In a sentence: the Acer is for the tidy commuter who wants a safe, respectable gadget that happens to have wheels; the Hiboy is for the rider who cares more about how their knees feel after twenty kilometres than how easy it is to carry up the stairs. The interesting bit is where they overlap - and where they very much don't - so let's dig in.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters live in the mid-range price bracket where most adults realistically shop: not cheap enough to be disposable, not expensive enough to be a guilty pleasure. They compete for the same rider: someone who wants a practical, reasonably quick commuter with real-world range, decent comfort, and a brand name they've actually heard of.

The Acer ES Series 4 Select leans towards the "tech brand commuter" crowd - think laptop bag, office building, and short to medium urban hops. It prioritises safety gadgets, sensible power, and a familiar consumer-electronics feel.

The Hiboy MAX Pro steps one size up. It targets heavier or taller riders and those with longer daily routes. Big tyres, big battery, big comfort. It's less about portability, more about making that 10-20 km one-way commute something you can stomach every day.

They're natural rivals because on paper they don't look that far apart. On the road, though, they give very different answers to the same question: "How much scooter do I really need?"

Design & Build Quality

Park them side by side and the design philosophies are obvious. The Acer looks like a polished piece of tech: matte black, clean lines, tidy internal cabling, and a stem that wouldn't look out of place next to a gaming monitor. It has that "engineered by a laptop company" vibe - not exotic, but neat and relatively refined.

The Hiboy MAX Pro goes for industrial sturdiness. Wider deck, chunkier frame, thicker stem, and those big 11-inch tyres filling the arches. It looks less like an accessory and more like a tool - the kind of scooter that shrugs when you're a bit rough with it or throw a heavy backpack on.

In the hands, the Acer feels slightly more compact and a touch lighter. Joints and hinges are acceptably solid; there's not much creaking or flex, and the folding hardware, while not tank-like, is reassuring enough for a daily commuter. Still, the overall impression is "good for the price" rather than "wow, this will last a decade".

The Hiboy feels denser. When you lift it, you immediately notice the extra kilos. The deck rubber, stem clamp and general hardware feel a bit more overbuilt than the Acer's, closer to what you'd expect from scooters creeping towards the enthusiast segment. There's still some cost-cutting if you look closely - this is not a boutique machine - but it feels more like a small vehicle than a gadget.

Design verdict: the Acer wins on sleekness and office-friendly looks; the Hiboy wins on "this thing feels like it can take a beating".

Ride Comfort & Handling

This is where the gap really opens up.

The Acer's ride is a pleasant upgrade if you're coming from a basic, unsuspended rental clone. The front fork suspension and 10-inch tubeless tyres take the sharp sting out of rough asphalt and small potholes. After a few kilometres over broken city paving, you'll still feel the surface, but your hands don't immediately regret your life choices. The scooter steers predictably, the deck is stable enough for city speeds, and the relatively modest weight means it's easy to change direction quickly in traffic.

However, hit a stretch of angry cobblestones or patched-up tarmac at full commuter pace and the Acer starts to show its limits. The front end does its best, but the unsuspended rear reminds you that this is still a mid-tier single-suspension scooter. Your knees and lower back will be telling you about it after a longer ride.

The Hiboy MAX Pro, by comparison, is noticeably softer. Large 11-inch pneumatic tyres already smooth things out more than most mid-range scooters. Add dual suspension front and rear, and it soaks up everyday abuse - expansion joints, small curbs, tram tracks - with far less drama. I've done double-digit kilometres over mixed surfaces on the MAX Pro and stepped off feeling much fresher than I had any right to.

Handling-wise, the wider handlebars and beefier frame give the Hiboy a more planted, "grown-up" feel. It's less twitchy at higher speeds and inspires more confidence when you're dodging potholes at the last second. The trade-off is agility in tight spaces and that extra weight when you have to muscle it around at walking pace.

If your daily ride is short and mostly smooth, the Acer does an acceptable job. If your city infrastructure is... aspirational, or your rides creep beyond a quick hop, the Hiboy is clearly the more comfortable and composed partner.

Performance

Neither of these scooters is going to melt your face off, and that's fine - they're commuters, not drag racers. But there is a noticeable difference in how they get you moving.

The Acer's rear motor has enough grunt to feel like a legitimate upgrade over the usual underpowered 250-300 W crowd. Off the line, it pulls with a confident, linear surge that lets you keep pace with bikes and nip ahead of slow traffic. In its fastest mode, it reaches its top legal speeds without feeling strained on the flat, and on moderate inclines it holds on better than you might expect at this price point. It does, however, start to run out of enthusiasm on steeper hills, especially with a heavier rider; you'll make it up, but you won't be bragging about it.

The Hiboy's motor has a bit more muscle and benefits from a higher-voltage system. In practice, that means stronger mid-range pull and less of that "I used to be fast but now my battery is half empty" feeling towards the end of your ride. It gets up to its slightly higher top speed briskly enough that you don't feel like an obstacle in traffic, and it holds that speed more confidently on gentle climbs.

On steep hills, the Hiboy doesn't magically become a mountain goat - it's still a single-motor commuter - but it grinds its way up with more determination than the Acer. Where the Acer starts to feel like it's begging for mercy, the Hiboy merely sounds mildly annoyed.

Braking performance follows the same pattern. The Acer's combo of front disc and rear electronic braking is strong and easy to modulate, with the eABS helping to prevent embarrassing rear-wheel lock-ups on wet surfaces. Stopping distances are respectable as long as you keep your weight balanced.

The Hiboy's dual drum brakes plus electronic brake are less "sharp" than a well-set-up disc, but they're consistent in all weather and require less fiddly maintenance. The larger tyres and more planted chassis also help you stay stable under hard braking, which matters just as much as raw stopping power.

In everyday riding, the Hiboy feels like the more relaxed yet more capable performer; the Acer is nippy enough but doesn't have much in reserve once the road gets demanding.

Battery & Range

Manufacturers love optimistic range claims; riders love reality. In this case, reality is fairly clear-cut.

The Acer's battery will comfortably get most people through a typical urban day of riding - say a few shorter trips or a moderate return commute - as long as you're not sitting in the fastest mode with the throttle pinned everywhere. In mixed conditions and sensible riding, you're looking at a practical range that covers a mid-length round trip with a bit in reserve. Start riding like you're late for everything, or throw in lots of hills, and you'll see that buffer shrink quickly.

The Hiboy plays in a different league. Its battery is significantly larger, and the higher-voltage system tends to feel "livelier" for longer into the discharge. In real-world use, I've had no trouble doing long commutes plus errands and still having enough left to not obsess over the last bar on the display. That's a mental load off: you stop planning your day around wall sockets.

The obvious catch is charging. The Acer's pack refills in a reasonable workday or overnight window - roughly the norm for its capacity. The Hiboy's big battery, unsurprisingly, takes longer; this is very much an overnight job. The flip side is that with the Hiboy, many riders won't need to charge every single day.

So: Acer is fine for short to medium daily use with regular charging; Hiboy is the choice if you want genuine "forget about it for two days" range and dislike range anxiety.

Portability & Practicality

Both scooters fold, both can be carried, and neither is what I'd call "fun" to lug up several flights of stairs. But there are important nuances.

The Acer sits just under the psychological twenty-kilo line. You absolutely feel that weight, yet for short lifts - into a car boot, up one flight of stairs, onto a train - it's tolerable. The folding system is straightforward: drop the stem, latch to the rear, grab the stem and go. Once folded, it's reasonably slim and not ridiculously long, so stowing it under a desk or in a corridor doesn't feel like parking a motorcycle indoors.

The Hiboy MAX Pro is a size up in every direction. The extra mass is immediately apparent the first time you try to haul it up a staircase. If you have a lift or ground-floor storage, no issue. If not, you'll either get very fit or very annoyed. The one-step folding system is well thought-out and feels robust, but no folding mechanism changes physics: this is a chunky scooter with big tyres and a wide deck, and it takes up real space when folded.

For multi-modal commutes with frequent carrying and tight spaces, the Acer is clearly more workable, even if it's not exactly a featherweight. The Hiboy is better seen as a "door-to-door" or car-boot-to-destination machine: fold it occasionally, move it in and out of storage, but don't plan on sprinting up metro stairs with it twice a day.

Safety

Both brands have ticked most of the modern safety boxes, albeit with different emphases.

The Acer scores big points for integrated turn signals. Being able to indicate without flapping your arm around at city speeds is not just pleasant - it's genuinely safer, especially in dense traffic or at night. The headlight and brake light are bright enough for urban use, and the IPX5 water rating is a small but meaningful edge if you get caught in heavier rain. Its 10-inch tubeless tyres grip well and handle wet manhole covers and painted lines with reasonable composure, as long as you're not doing anything silly.

The Hiboy's trump card is visibility from all angles. The headlight is competent, but it's the side lighting and strong rear lamp that really make you stand out in the urban disco of car headlights and street lamps. From a distance and from side streets, you look like a moving light bar rather than a single, lonely LED. Its larger 11-inch tyres add a welcome layer of stability when you hit unexpected road defects at speed.

Braking confidence is acceptable on both. The Acer's front disc plus electronic rear feels a bit more "sporty" under the fingers, with good initial bite. The Hiboy's dual drums aren't dramatic, but they're predictable and less likely to complain about bad weather or light knocks - a quiet kind of safety via reliability.

Overall? If you ride in dense, car-heavy city traffic, the Acer's indicators are a real plus. If you do a lot of night-time or poor-visibility riding, the Hiboy's all-round lighting and big-wheel stability are hard to beat.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

On pure sticker price, the Acer undercuts the Hiboy. You pay less, and you still get suspension, a stronger-than-entry-level motor, and features like turn signals and app integration. For a shorter urban commute and moderate expectations, it's a fair deal - you're not being ripped off, but you're also not sneaking into a premium tier by accident.

The Hiboy asks for a bit more cash and, in return, delivers meaningfully more scooter: a bigger battery, bigger tyres, full dual suspension, longer range, and a chassis more comfortable for larger riders. When you look at what similar setups usually cost from better-known "big mobility" brands, the MAX Pro starts to look relatively keenly priced.

The question is simple: do you actually need the extra range and comfort? If your daily usage is modest, the Acer is decent value. If you're regularly racking up serious kilometres or replacing a chunk of car/public transport use, the Hiboy justifies the higher price far more convincingly.

Service & Parts Availability

Acer's advantage is obvious: it's Acer. They already have established distribution and warranty structures in Europe, and you're unlikely to struggle to get a response if something fails early on. That said, they are still relatively new to scooters, so dedicated scooter-specific service centres and third-party parts aren't as widespread yet as for the classic big scooter brands.

Hiboy has been in the e-scooter trenches for a while and has built a reputation - a mixed but generally positive one - for honouring warranties and shipping parts. In many European markets you won't find Hiboy-branded service shops on every corner, but independent repairers are increasingly familiar with the brand and its ecosystem.

Neither brand is perfect, but neither is an anonymous white-label from a mystery warehouse either. If you're particularly nervous about support, Acer's consumer-electronics backbone might feel more comforting; if you want a scooter design that repair shops recognise from experience, Hiboy arguably has a bit of a head start.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

Both scooters sit in that "almost there" category: more serious than basic rentals, not quite refined enough to feel truly premium. But they're aimed at slightly different riders - and knowing which one you are matters more than chasing specs.

If your commute is relatively short, you value portability at least a little, and you ride mostly on half-decent roads, the Acer ES Series 4 Select is a reasonable, sensible buy. You get turn indicators, decent comfort for the class, and a well-behaved motor, all wrapped up in a tidy package from a brand that probably already made your screen. Just don't expect miracles on long, rough rides or monster hills.

If, however, you're a heavier rider, you regularly do longer distances, or your city planners clearly hated scooters when they laid the roads, the Hiboy MAX Pro is simply the more capable machine. It rides softer, goes further, feels more secure at speed, and makes those bigger days on the road genuinely manageable. You pay a bit more and wrestle with extra weight, but in return you get a scooter that behaves much more like a small personal vehicle than a tech toy.

In the real world, where comfort and confidence beat marketing claims, the Hiboy MAX Pro edges it as the better overall choice - especially if you actually plan to use your scooter a lot, not just admire it in the hallway.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics answer different questions: cost metrics (€/Wh, €/km, €/km/h) show how much performance or range you buy per euro; weight metrics show how much mass you haul around for each unit of speed, energy or distance; Wh/km tells you how efficiently the scooter uses energy; W/km/h reflects how much motor punch you get relative to top speed; kg/W indicates how hard the motor has to work for every kilo; and average charging speed reveals how quickly each scooter refills its battery in practice.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the ACER ES Series 4 Select scores 3 points against the HIBOY MAX Pro's 7. In the Author's Category Battle, the ACER ES Series 4 Select gets 18 ✅ versus 27 ✅ for HIBOY MAX Pro (with a few ties sprinkled in).

Totals: ACER ES Series 4 Select scores 21, HIBOY MAX Pro scores 34.

Based on the scoring, the HIBOY MAX Pro is our overall winner. In the end, the Hiboy MAX Pro feels like the more complete everyday partner: it rides softer, goes further, and gives you that reassuring sense that it can handle whatever your commute throws at it without complaining. The Acer ES Series 4 Select is a tidy, sensible option that will serve lighter-duty riders just fine, but it doesn't quite step beyond "good enough". If you actually live on your scooter rather than just owning one, the Hiboy's extra comfort and range simply make life easier. The Acer fights back with a lower price and nicer manners around the office, but out on the road, the MAX Pro is the one that feels built for the job.

That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.