Acer Aspire 5755-6647

Pros: Solid performance; Vibrant display; Decent battery life; Runs cool

Cons: Narrow mouse bar; Mediocre graphics performance

The Verdict:The 15.6-inch Acer Aspire 5755-6647 laptop offers solid performance and a vivid display at an affordable price

The $599 Acer Aspire 5755-6647 is out to prove that you don't need to fork over a bundle for a good multimedia experience. With its rich 15.6-inch LED display, Core i5 processor and 6GB of RAM, this has the power to handle everyday tasks as well as entertain. But does this Aspire have what it takes to win your hard-earned dollar?

Design

The Aspire 5755-6647 has a low-key, but handsome, look. The glossy black plastic lid reveals a subtle striped pattern that shimmers in the light along with a chrome Acer insignia logo. The interior uses has a slate gray deck with a long black speaker grille that runs above the keyboard. A brushed metal power button sits in the upper left corner. Black strips run along each side of the deck, giving the Aspire 5755 a nice two-tone look.
Although the 15 x 10 x 1.3 inch Aspire 5755-6647 is slightly wider than the 15 x 9.9 x 0.9-1.3-inch Gateway NV55S05u, they both weigh in at 5.6 pounds. The 5.2-pound HP Pavilion g6-1c77nr is slightly smaller than both notebooks at 14.7 x 9.7 x 1.4 inches, but it lacks a dedicated number pad.

Acer Aspire S3

Pros: Thin and light; Less expensive than competition; Good performance

Cons: Very short battery life; Cheap plastic chassis; Slow hard drive; Stiff keyboard; Limited viewing angles; Poor audio

The Verdict:The Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook costs a lot less than the 13-inch MacBook Air but cuts too many corners to make it worthwhile.

Ever since the MacBook Air came out, consumers--and other notebook makers--have been lusting after that ultra-slim design. The 13-inch Acer Aspire S3 parrots this sexy aesthetic with a brushed aluminum lid, 3-pound weight, and half-inch thick chassis. And, at $899, it's $200 to $300 less expensive than competing systems such as the upcoming ASUS Zenbook UX31 and the Air, making it all the more appealing to those looking to save a few pennies. But are the trade-offs worth it?

Design

It's pretty clear that every Ultrabook maker is gunning for the MacBook Air, and the Aspire S3 is no exception. However, Acer had to make some sacrifices to keep its price low--no duralumin or unibody designs here. The lid of the S3 is a brushed aluminum, but the underside and deck are made of a silver-colored plastic, and it's made to look like a unibody design even though it is not. The black hinge area at the rear accommodates the S3's ports as well as an air vent. Four rubber pads on the bottom also keep the S3 from sliding around on a desk.

At just 0.51-0.6 inches thick, the S3 is a shade thicker than the 13-inch MacBook Air, which tapers from 0.11 to 0.68 inches. Weighing 3 pounds even, the S3 is also on a par with Apple's ultraportable. This system easily slipped into a small messenger bag and was barely noticeable as we rode home on the subway.

Acer TravelMate TimelineX 8481T-6440

Pros: Slim brushed-metal chassis; Solid Core i5 performance; Deep security features; Comfortable keyboard with accurate touchpad; Very long battery life

Cons: Weak graphics performance; Lid picks up fingerprints; Battery bulges out the bottom

The Verdict:The Acer TravelMate TimelineX 8481T offers impressive portability, long battery life, and solid performance for workers on the move.

Combining the svelteness of an ultraportable with the screen size of a larger laptop, the Acer TravelMate TimelineX 8481T attempts to deliver the best of both worlds for business users. This sleek system crams a 14-inch display into a 13.3-inch chassis, offers seriously long battery life, and weighs just 4 pounds. Small-business users will also appreciate this Core i5 notebook's solid performance and host of security features. Read on to find out if Acer has what it takes to take on the best small-business notebooks.

Design

The Acer TravelMate 8481T-6440 has a modern, minimalist design. Aside from the gray brushed-metal Acer logo, the black matte metallic lid is bare, unless you count the scores of fingerprint smudges it gathered as soon as we touched it. The only other accents are the chrome-plated hinges.
The TravelMate's interior has the same black metallic motif as the exterior. A chiclet-style keyboard sits in a slightly recessed keyboard deck, while the display is surrounded by an impressively slim bezel. A row of buttons for the Launch Manager, InstantView Manager, Acer Backup Manager, Microphone audio control, and power sit above the keyboard in the top right-hand corner.

As with Acer's other TimelineX notebooks, the TravelMate 8481T is defined by its slim profile. At 4 pounds, it's lighter than competitors such as the 4.6-pound pound Toshiba Tecra R840 and the 4.4-pound Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s. The 8481T's petite 13 x 9.4 x 0.9-inch frame is only slightly smaller than the Tecra R840 (13.4 x 9.4 x 0.8-1.1 inches) as well as the E420s (13.7 x 9.3 x 1.2 inches).
The only thing that mars the 8481T's slimness is its battery, which protrudes about an inch out the back of the notebook. However, it tilts the keyboard toward the user, which some may find more comfortable for typing.

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS5830TG-6402

Pros: Powerful Dolby audio; Attractive premium-looking design; Good overall performance and graphics; Long battery life

Cons: Jumpy cursor when using touchpad; Small touchpad buttons; Reflective display

The Verdict:Excellent audio and strong performance make the 15-inch Acer Aspire TimelineX 5830TG-6402 a winner.

Acer's Timeline series has always been a premier sub-brand in terms of design, and the Aspire TimelineX AS5830TG-6402 is no different. This 15-inch laptop features an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia graphics, and excellent Dolby speakers, all inside a metallic blue chassis that's stylish and feels sturdy. Priced at $799, the 5830T is a bit more expensive than budget notebooks, but it's worth the extra dough.

Design

The Acer Aspire TimelineX 5830T shares the same aesthetics as its smaller sibling, the 13-inch Aspire TimelineX 3830T. The smooth blue brushed aluminum on the lid picked up few fingerprints. Unlike the MacBook Pro, the brushed aluminum doesn't extend to the bottom of the machine; instead, Acer opted for a more budget-friendly basic black plastic.
Opening the 5830T's lid reveals an attractive combination of brushed silver and a slightly more muted brushed blue. The silver surrounds the black chicklet keys and extends to the Dolby Home Theater speakers above the keyboard. The blue finishes off the palm rest and touchpad before wrapping around the front edge. Measuring 14.9 x 9.8 x 1.2 inches and weighing 5.4 pounds, the 5830T is not really travel-friendly, but it can be easily moved from room to room.

Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G

Pros: Strong performance; Quality HD webcam; Touchpad doubles as remote; Long battery life

Cons: Touchpadremote has limited range requires learning curve; Slow hard drive; Limited viewing angles

The Verdict:The Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G pairs strong multimedia playback with a unique removable touchpad that works as a remote.

 What good is a mammoth 18.4-inch screen on a laptop if you have to sit right in front of it to fire up a slideshow or control movie playback? Acer thinks it has the answer with the Aspire Ethos 8951G, a notebook with a removable touchpad that doubles as a remote control. With a full HD display, Dolby speakers, and Blu-ray drive, the Ethos 8951G packs a veritable home theater into an 8.8-pound chassis. But with a price of $1,599, this system faces hefty competition for your hard-earned cash. Read on to find out if the Ethos is awesome or overkill.

Design

The Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G's subdued all-black chassis won't clash with anything in your living room, but it won't stand out either. The lightly brushed aluminum-magnesium lid resists fingerprints. Inside, an all-black deck with a chiclet-style keyboard, glossy touchpad, and a few status lights completes the plain but functional aesthetic.
At 17.3 x 11.3 x 1.4 inches and 8.8 pounds, the Aspire Ethos 8951G is significantly heavier than such 17-inch competitors as the ASUS G73SW (16.6 x 12.8 x 2.3 inches, 8 pounds) and the HP Pavilion dv7 Quad (16.3 x 10.8 x 1.2-1.4 inches, 7 pounds). We wouldn't recommend toting the notebook with you to school or work, but you can easily move it around the house or put it in a large backpack and haul it across town to a LAN party.

Acer Aspire One 722

Pros: Sleek slim design; Large friction-free touchpad; Long battery life; Good webcam

Cons: Sub-par keyboard; Mediocre performance; Display isn't as bright as we'd like

The Verdict:The Acer Aspire One 722 offers more power and a bigger screen than a netbook for a very affordable price.

Ever since AMD's Fusion processor made their first appearance in January, the affordable ultraportable category has seen some seriously sweet entrants at enticing prices. Now that Acer has joined the party, along with HP, Sony, and Lenovo, we're seeing a more netbook-like price, undercutting them all with the $379 Aspire One 722. To offer that low price, Acer uses AMD's C Series APU instead of the more powerful E Series. However, this streamlined design (with eye-catching lid) offers more pep than Atom-powered netbooks along with long battery life. Is this bargain machine right for you?

 

Design

The Aspire One line has a look that's now becoming classic, but we're not complaining. The 722 looks sleek, thanks to the tapered edges and clean lines. The ripple effect on the lid, which evokes a pool of water disturbed by a single stone, is a nice touch. It helps the 722 to stand out without being gaudy. Given this effect, we prefer the aquamarine version of the model, especially as the color extends from the lid to the deck. For those who aren't a fan of blue, the Aspire One 722 also comes in black.
Unfortunately, the glossy lid picks up smudges easily (it doesn't help that we were drawn to touch the ripple all the time). This problem doesn't extend to the deck, where the plastic is matte. Even with the eye-catching color, the overall impression of the notebook under the hood is clean, not busy. Aside from the keyboard and touchpad, there's just the power button on the upper left and the status lights on the lower left.
Measuring 11.2 x 7.9 x 1.0 inches and weighing 3 pounds, the Aspire One 722 is relatively light and portable. At almost half a pound heavier than most netbooks, we did notice the weight in our bag, but we had no problem carrying this ultraportable around all day.

Acer Aspire TimelineX 3830TG-6431

Pros: Bold lightweight design; Fast performance; Strong graphics; Long battery life; Dolby audio

Cons: Small touchpad; Runs warm; Heavy power adapter

The Verdict:The metallic-blue Aspire TimelineX 3830TG offers impressive graphics power, portability, and a head-turning design.

You don't find many 13-inch laptops with discrete graphics for less than $800, nevermind one that looks like this. Acer's new $779 Aspire TimelineX 3830TG-6431 (price as reviewed) weighs just 4.2 pounds, yet it packs both a second-gen Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics. Like blue? Then you'll definitely want to take a look at this vibrant metallic chassis. Read on to find out if this Timeline has what it takes to win you over.

Design

One of the most intriguing designs from Acer yet, the Aspire TimelineX 3830TG sports a very unique cobalt-blue metallic lid and matching palm rest. The thin chassis is chiseled in flat planes and blunt edges, held together by a solid cylindrical hinge. Framed in silver, the recessed keyboard has black keys, which match the display's hinge and glossy frame.
This retro-futuristic look isn't for everyone, but we're glad to see someone adding a splash of color to laptops. Like an increasing number of 13-inch notebooks, this one lacks a DVD drive.

Above the keyboard sits a long speaker bar prominently bearing the Dolby Home Theater moniker. A power button glows blue next to the speaker, while the status lights gleam in blue and orange on the notebook's front lip. The undercarriage is a plain black plastic punctuated with slotted vents.
Measuring 12.6 x 9 x 0.9 inches and weighing 4.2 pounds, the TimelineX 3830TG is slim enough to slip into laptop bags and carry around without any trouble. That's the same weight as the ASUS U31JG and lighter than other 13-incher, the Samsung SF310 (4.6 pounds). The 13-inch Toshiba Portege R835 is much lighter (3.2 pounds), but it doesn't offer discrete graphics.
Unfortunately, Acer saddles the TimelineX 3830TG with a big and heavy (1.2-pound) power brick and a three-prong adapter. A small two-prong power adapter would make much more sense for a system this svelte.