I have used Norelco shavers for ages. I bought this model before reading any of the reviews posted here and I'm glad I did.

This is the best Norelco shaver yet. It's built solid, has a great grip, and shaves as close as one gets to razorblade.

It's best feature is maneuverability of the head that shaves the toughest areas, especially under the chin and the upper neck area. I used to have a standard razor for this but no more.

It has a slick stand and a tough carrying case. It's 20 or so shaves per charge gives you at least two weeks without having to recharge which is great for those of who travel much. I got the 1060 instead of the 1090 since the price-performance point was much higher for the 1060: for $45 less, I can live with a bar graph for battery level.

Bear in mind that I have a tougher skin and a heavy beard. I use the shaver wet with a bit of soap on my face.

I've been using this product for the past handful of months and I'm just consistently disappointed at the shave time length. I'm a weekly shaver and so I let it grow to a significant length and I'm finding that this razor more often than not misses many splotchy patches of hair and invariably leaves these singular hairs that I just have to break down and pull out the clippers to shave off a bit before I hit it with the blades hoping that they will finally catch and remove the hair. My shave time has just about doubled using this clumsy device, its slow and it leaves a mess all over the counter. Those catch regions behind the blades they're pretty pathetic for shaving beard lengths on the order of a week. I always have fall off all over the region of my sink under my chin, and the trimmings are all over my hands too, it's annoying. This product is way too expensive for this kind of performance. This model was supposed to be an upgrade from this very basic Norelco model I had with single blade tracks, but even that one did a quicker job albeit with a bit more razor burn, but at least I could impress it into my skin to force a closer shave. This model won't let you do anything comparable because the pressure will just get wasted in the pivoting head mechanism. I'm overall dissatisfied with this product and I wish instead I bought that Braun razor instead that I was comparing this to.

Prior to buying this product I read a lot of bad reviews. I decided to buy it anyway. I am very glad I didn't listen to all those bad reviews. Initially I wasn't very impressed by the closeness of the shave. But after using it for a week or so I noticed that the shave was at least as close as my previous norelco razor. I like the feel of the razor when shaving. The heads get into closer places than my previous razor could get to, like those tricky hairs right below the nose. The trimmer works well and is really neat once you get used to it. The pod case that comes with it fits well in a shoe in my suitcase which is very handy on the numerous trips I make. And after 3 weeks plus of use I still have plenty of my initial charge. Overall a very good razor, I am glad I bought it.

I had an old (5 yrs) Norelco that worked quiet well, but I was deligthed when saw the arcitec's design. Definitely the shaving experience is not even half as good as my old Norelco, although the battery, cleaning system, and display is superior.
I hope it gets better as my face gets used to this new system.

I bought this shaver after I had no luck with the new Braun Pulsonic. I had a Norelco in the past that was ok so I figured I would give Norelco another shot.

I must say I was extremely disappointed. To start out-the feel of the shaver was really cheap and light.The head seemed somewhat like a toy.

Let me also say that I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin.

Although at times it did cut really close it took an unreal number of passes to get all the hairs which is extremely annoying !
Not just one or two passes. And even after I was done shaving I had to use shaving cream and a blade to get the hairs that this shaver would not cut.ANNOYING!!

The over all feel of the shaver is very cheap. I had the Norelco 6885XL which was a must better heavier shaver.

I got rid of this shaver and just switched to the old Mach and shaving cream which is fine.

I am being totally honest in my review and think that Norelco could have put some old time thinking into these new products.

Even on sale this line of shaver is not worth it.

Overall I am satisfied with my purchase, but the arcitec leaves a bit to be desired for sure.

The razor works great on my cheeks, upper lip and also my chin but does poorly on my lower neck. No matter how many times I go over the area of my neck, the razor won't trim those hairs. I have to get out a blade to shave them.

For the price I paid, I expected more. Nevertheless, it's still a good shaver otherwise.

I have used Norelco shavers for 40+ years, and I love the look and weight of this shaver.

I used it for 6 months and was so dissatisfied I finally switched to the Braun Pulsonic.

The Arcitec shaves poorly and harshly. The famous floating heads are gone, instead the heads pivot from the center of the assembly - i.e. they tilt away from your skin rather than into your skin. You end up trying to shave with the middle of the shaver assembly, where there is no cutting head.

Also, they moved the trimmer inboard so it is hidden by your hand if you hold it the way you would normally. This you can adjust to.

They need a major redesign of the detachable shaving head assembly. If they made the cutting heads pivot on their centers instead of from the inside edge, it would probably work and they could sell guys like me the redesigned shaving head assembly. Maybe they could also go back to the Spectra cutters?

JM

I have used previous Norelco electric shaver but I like design for this shaver head. I looked the review and was hesitating to buy this one because of trimmer but once I used it I found that head is detachable and Trimmer works fine. I would recommand this over other electric shavers.

I have bought Philips Norelco arcitec 1060 for "My Valentine" and here is what he said: " I've been using the Norelco Arcitec for about a week and truly enjoy the experience. It's comfortable to handle and use. Very simple to clean. The shave is the closest I've ever had with an electric razor. Great product!"

At 63 almost 64 years old,I have always relied on a blade razor,I have tried differant elec razors and all of them irratated my skin too bad to continue using them,as I got older and not being able to see close up without my glasses I've found it harder to shave with a blade,so I thought I would give an elec razor one more chance.
I have always loved Philips products and when I seen this new razor,the arcitec,even though a little pricy,I took a chance and bought it,and its the best chance I ever took,it does take a little longer to shave than with a blade but no nicks,cuts or irratation and I get just as smooth a shave as with a blade,and I can't believe how long the battery lasts.
I Love this Shaver and if it ever breaks I will replace it with the same.

With a few brief interruptions, I have shaved with Norelco shavers since 1961. Every time the company advances their technology, I have a fit of skepticism and resist buying the new product...for a while. I won't go into the detail of my progression, but I will say that the advancement from Spectra System to arcitec is more interesting than the ones in the recent past.

I really like the balance of the new shaver, and it has given me acceptable--even good--shaves from the very first day. I have taken much longer to adapt to previous advancements in Norelco shaver technology.

I don't care for the shavings collection cups, but I can live with them. I do, on the other hand, like the charging stand and travel case that allow me to recharge the battery without struggling with the tip of an AC adapter. I have retired one Norelco shaver because it eventually wouldn't accept the cord, but this one shows promise.

This razor stinks....I bought this and a Braun Pulsonic to test side by side. I was disappointed by this unit and the Braun walks circles around this thing.

I give Phillips one Star for packaging the product to make it look attractive...THATS IT!!!

I have used Norelco shavers for many years and prefer them to all other models I have tried. This review comes from much experience with the brand.

This Arcitec design looks fancy and works well, but gets three average stars because it really works no better than the previous non-space-age, less expensive designs. The 1050, 1060, and 1090 all operate the same, they just have a different display: none is better than the other, and don't waste money on the Cleaner accessory. It is fairly comfortable to hold (I prefer the feel of the original model because this is one is smaller), and looks fancy sitting on the counter, but it does not do a better job. It requires cleaning after each use as there is no space for the hairs. I have always cleaned my shavers after each use anyway. Unless you just want the apperance, it is not worth the extra money.

Technically: The triple-blade per round head (each cutter has three spinning blade areas) does not do any better than a double cutting blade. Kind of like a Saturday Night Live skit in the 70's, Jim Belushi said, "Buy a triple bladed razor. For those that will believe anything". Lift-and-cut is a ridiculous concept and a marketing ploy, but Norelco's do a nice job. Norelco went back to more diagonal openings with this model, which is good. Many other newer models have lots of little pin-holes which are worthless, as the hairs have no time to enter a small hole with shaving motion. You would have to set it directly on a hair to cut it. The less pin-holes the better.

Feel: The head design feels better on the neck, and has not caused razor-burn if I do not stretch the skin tight like I need to with the original model. It takes the same time to shave as my older unit, and I get no better results, no faster. It takes the same time to get a smooth shave, and the same persistance in some areas.

Function: It is a little bit easier to shave under the nose, above my mustache, but not a major difference. It is much harder to trim my sideburns with this unit as the heads almost cut my hair on my head above the ears the way it is shaped. Very poorly designed trimmer, so I use my older shaver for that.

Battery: Early, new battery life is good, as with most new battery devices. But, it states to not over-charge. Meaning, you need to be around when recharging to unplug it after it is charged; not good for those that shave and must go to work. The other units would shut off after charging.

Cleaner/Charger: Again, one needs to be around when it is finished to not over-charge. The cleaner is not necessary and a waste of time, money, and chemicals. I use a razor brush from an older unit, brush it out quickly over the wastebasket (one can't blow it out without getting hair dust all over the bathroom, and it can't be shaken into the wastebasket as easily as the older models), and I spray it quickly with Remington Silicone Lubricant (I can only find it at Wal-Mart, which is the only thing I ever go there for, by the way).

Overall: Buy it for looks and keep your old one in the drawer for sideburns. Nicer on the neck.

I would return it, BUT, it was a gift, AND I like the look of it. I know, I know!!

Update 12-29-07
I purchased a Braun 9595 through J&R on Amazon, and it has a 60 day trial return guarantee. This is the first micro-screen razor I have used and it is better in all respects to the Norelco Arcitec except for the fancy styling. It is fast and comfortable, and my face feels razor smooth. I was able to return the Arcitec and am really happy with this Braun 9595 model.

The Shave:
This is a lower-cost version of the Norelco 1090. The major diffference is the display. The floating heads on the Norelco electric shaver really do a good job of conforming to the curves of my face. It takes me about five minutes to shave. The shave is much more uniform than that of the Braun 3615 that I have been using for the past few years. However, the shave is not as close. Before the Braun, I used a Norelco 5801. This model is a big improvement over the old Norelco which was slow and not very close at all. The trade-off with respect to the Braun is one of a closer shave using the Braun vs. a more uniform shave with the new Norelco.

Maintenance:
The clippings are collected in pockets under the shaving heads, This is an advantage in that the clippings are not scattered over the bathroom sink as they are with some electric razors. The pockets have to be cleaned out every shave or two. This is not a big problem. It only takes a few seconds. The manual indicates that the RQ10 shaving head assembly must be replaced every year. Amazon offers the RQ10 for $35. By contrast the Braun cutter and foil assembly which lasts for about one year sells on Amazon for around $24.

I recently purchased teh ARcitec product to replace my Norelco XL shaver.
I have used Norelco electric razors for over 20 years and find that the arcitec razor is the worst performing electric razor that i have ever used.
In particular, shaving around the neck area has been the most difficult area for the razor to take care of.
I would not recommend this razor to anyone

It's one of the coolest electric razors I've seen. I couldn't wait to get this one. I love Norelco's products. I bought this shaver and tried it for a couple of weeks and found it delivers a really harsh uncomfortable shave with lots of razor burn which I never got from my other Norelco. I think one reason for the harsh shave is that it doesn't have the floating heads anymore that easily give to the contours of your face, this seems to plow into curves instead and you also don't get the range of pivoting that the previous models have (I noticed this didn't surround my Adams Apple like my 9160XL does it sits flat on it). It gives a decent shave but not a great shave like I was hoping and you have to go over areas many times. I think who ever designed this razor just went for how sleek and cool they could make it look and the function came second. You can get as good of shave with a 8140XL SpeedXL which has the same cutting head technology and gain the comfort and save $120. It just won't look as cool on your counter. I've sent mine back and I just bought a Braun Pulsonic 9595 and it's the best shaver I've ever owned. Sorry Norelco but when I spend $200 dollars I just don't want something that looks good I want it improved too.

The plusses include and incredibly close shave and and an extremely eficient cleaning system--each rotary blade is complete accessible to running tap water. But--the shaver body is light weight and flimsy feeling and fits slightly awkwardly in my hand--its tapered body always wants to shift downwards and I end up holding it close to the shaving heads and then press too heavily; it sounds like a wind up toy; the trimmer is silly in terms of size, efficiency and convenience. Probably if I'd seen this razor it in a retail store and had the opportunity to get its 'hand feel' I wouldn't have bought it. The Norelco 'Jame Bond' surpasses this model across the board. I have another 40+ days and still may return the 1060, but every time I use it I continue to enjoy it
3+ stars worth and will likely keep it. But I encourage buyers not to forget the easy return policy and hold on to your original sales receipt to keep all options available.

The development of the arcitec shaver began as a challenge from Phillips' management to its engineers to create a razor that would finally convince users of conventional razors to turn electric. Although the shaving closeness does not match that of a Gillette razor 100% (and perhaps no electric shaver ever will), the results are considered stunning and revolutionary for an electric razor. The design and build are also very modern and trendy, and its an overall worthwhile investment for frequent travelers or anyone who dislikes wet shaving.

It's one of the coolest electric razors I've seen. I couldn't wait to get this one. I love Norelco's products. I have a Norelco now. I bought this shaver and tried it for a couple of weeks and found it delivers a really harsh uncomfortable shave with lots of razor burn which I never got from my other Norelco. I think one reason for the harsh shave is that it doesn't have the floating heads anymore that easily give to the contours of your face, this seems to plow into curves instead and you also don't get the range of pivoting that the previous models have (I noticed this didn't surround my Adams Apple like my 9160XL does it sits flat on it). It gives a decent shave but not a great shave like I was hoping and you have to go over areas many times. I think who ever designed this razor just went for how sleek and cool they could make it look and the function came second. You can get as good of shave with a 8140XL SpeedXL and gain the comfort and save $120. It just won't look as cool on your counter. I've sent mine back and bought a Braun 9595 and very happy with it.