Acer is touting the Aspire S5 as the world’s thinnest ultrabook. It is super sleek and small for a 13 incher, but so are most other systems in this category.

What gives the S5 an edge is the innovative way Acer managed to incorporate the ports. It’s reminiscent of the way ports fit on the first MacBook Air and Samsung’s Series 9 — flip-down drawers — but instead of putting them on the left or right sides, it’s on the back of the device. They’ve dubbed this MagicFlip, and the drawer is controlled by a button on the deck, opening and closing smoothly.

When open, the port drawer tilts the back of the system up a bit and it will stay that way until you press the button again.

Acer Aspire S5 MagicFlip Demo

It’s not clear if keeping the port drawer open while you type on and use the notebook is good for the mechanism, but they have to expect people will do since most of the ports are back there. The S5 has two USB 3.0, a full-size HDMI, and a Thunderbolt port in the MagicFlip drawer plus an SD card slot on one side.

The notebook itself has a sturdy magnesium alloy chassis and a tapering design, but it manages not to just look like a MacBook Air clone. It’s also not too flashy, just a dark brushed finish, which we’ve come to expect from Acer laptops in general. At the thickest point the S5 measures just 0.59 inches and the notebook weighs just 2.97 pounds. Though not the lightest ultrabook on the block, it feels lighter than it is and has a nice holdability factor.

Acer Aspire S5 Hands On

Specs-wise the Aspire S5 will come in several SKUs with a range of Intel Core i processors. The one we saw today had either a Core i5 or i7. Either way it opened applications nice and fast due to the SSD inside and the 8GB of RAM. It’ll resume from sleep in 1.5 seconds; sweet. I’m also a fan of the power adapter which has a MagSafe-esque connector.

Acer is also touting their new Always Connect technology with this ultrabook. It promises to get users online faster than “conventional connections” giving information from Facebook, Twitter and Outlook presented right away upon resume. It will also allow users to wake the S5 from sleep using their smartphones, so you can grab data even if you turned the machine off before you left home or the office.

No pricing has been announced yet but Acer reps pegged it to be “around $1,000.” It ships in the second quarter of this year, so not until April at least.

Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook Hands-On Video is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

The Aspire S3 (full model number: S3-951) comes with two drives, one 20GB solid state drive (SSD) where the operating system lives and a 320GB hard drive (spinning) for saving programs and files. The idea is to still offer speed where it counts plus a fast boot up time but also keep costs down. SSDs are expensive.

Granted, traditional hard drives aren’t as fast as SSDs. Even though the operating system will reap the SSD benefits, apps and files will still live on the slower hard drive. The tradeoff here is for space. An ultrabook with a 320GB hard drive is not likely to cost under $1000. If this is going to be your main computer, the space might be necessary.

Even with a hard drive inside the notebook itself is still very thin and light — 0.51 inches thick and 2.98 pounds — and worthy of the ultrabook moniker. It will resume from sleep in 2 seconds, according to Acer, and even when it goes into a deeper sleep (not quite Hibernation) it should only take 6 seconds to resume.

Other specs include an Intel Core i5 processor, intelgrated graphics, 4GB of RAM, a 1366 x 768 13.3-inch display, HDMI out, memory card slot, and Bluetooth 4.0+ HSR. Check out our hands-on for more.

The Acer Aspire S3-951 is available starting this week.

Acer Announces $899 Price For Aspire S3 Ultrabook is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Design

The 15.6-inch Ethos still feels like a large machine even though it’s not as massive as its 18.4-inch counterpart. It measures 15.0 x 10.6 x 1.2 inches and weighs 7.3 pounds, so it’s still not the most portable laptop on the shelf. Thanks to its slick lines and slimming black frame, the Ethos doesn’t come off as bulky. Since it’s not made to tote around easily, who is this laptop for?

Multimedia rigs like this are for consumers looking to create a multitasking entertainment center yet still want the ability to carry the laptop in a normal-sized bag. The Ethos fits into this niche nicely due to the detachable touchpad/media remote (more on that in a bit). It’s good for dorm rooms, small efficiency apartments or bedrooms where having a TV is impractical or not desirable. And thanks to the black, fingerprint-resistant aluminum and magnesium lid, it will make a nice centerpiece to the room.

As is fitting for a multimedia powerhouse, the Ethos comes with a wide array of ports, many of which offer speedy connectivity to peripherals, such as hard drives, so you can play media without a hitch. There are three USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0/Super Speed port, an eSATA/USB 2.0 port, and a Firewire 400 port plus a memory card slot and an Ethernet port. For display output there are both VGA and HDMI ports, so you can play Blu-ray movies from the optical drive on a much larger screen.

Keyboard

The Ethos sports a full size keyboard and number pad. The island-style keys are flat and slick, but not so much that I made many mistakes typing. Tactile feedback isn’t super springy, nor is it mushy. Overall, it’s a middle of the road keyboard that won’t get in your way, whether you hunt and peck or touch type. The best feature is the backlit keys, which you can turn on and off via a button on the upper left of the deck.

Touchpad / Media Remote

The star of the Ethos line is the detachable touchpad, which also acts as a media remote. It’s bigger than you’ll find on most laptops — 4.25 x 2.25 inches — and very slick on the surface. Due to this I encountered a lot of friction, keeping me from moving my finger smoothly across the screen.

When docked in the machine the touchpad isn’t always super responsive. I had a hard time pulling off multitouch gestures even though it should have been easier with a wider surface. Underneath there’s a single mousebar that’s the same width as the touchpad. It’s thick, so using it without looking presented no problems.

The touchpad has three modes that you can activate whether it’s docked or used as a remote. To toggle between them, tap the button on the upper right.

Touchpad with the second mode active

Normal touchpad mode is what you’d expect and active by default. Press once to activate the Acer clear.fi Music and Video launch icons. In this mode you can still use part of the touchpad surface for moving the cursor, presumably to choose your media. There are also two other icons for navigating the clear.fi library.

Touchpad with the third mode, media controls, active

Press a second time to activate the media controls — forward, back, play/pause, stop, volume up and down – which disables touchpad functions, giving the entire surface over to multimedia. This third mode will activate automatically when you play music or a video.

If you’re used to using your laptop to watch videos, you know annoying it can be to have to get up and go over to the computer when you want to pause, skip, or even select the next video. It’s like the days before TV remotes all over again. So the idea here is a good one. The execution could use some work – this setup isn’t quite as elegant or streamlined as it could be. There are either too few options or too many; the balance isn’t right yet.

Plus, the controls won’t work universally (except volume). They’re designed to work with clear.fi, obviously, and can control Windows Media Player, but not Quicktime or web-based media like Netflix.

The Media Remote / Touchpad will work up to 20 feet away

I was able to use the remote from up to 20 feet away, both as a touchpad and as a media controller, with no signal problems. In small rooms the couch or bed probably won’t be that far away. I wish that Acer offered a way to tap a button to make the cursor much bigger to make is easy to use when a few feet away. Also, the ability to right-click while in remote mode would be nice.

Display

The 15.6-inch LED backlit display has a 1366 x 768 resolution, which is disappointing. A multimedia machine with a Blu-ray drive and a 15-inch screen should have at least 1600 x 900 to take advantage of all that space.

The glossy display offers nice, popping colors and deep blacks. It definitely has the chops to display beautiful video. However, the viewing angles aren’t as wide as I’d like. To get the best angle, especially if you’re a few feet away, you need to position the screen precisely, else you might encounter a darkening/distortion.

Sitting up close this isn’t a problem – three people can comfortably share the screen. But if you’re lying on the couch or bed, you’ll likely have to tilt the screen forward close to a 90 degree angle instead of leaving it slightly tilted back as you would for normal use. Also, make sure to turn off any lights you don’t need, as the gloss reflects light.

Audio

A long speaker bar runs across the deck above the keyboard, aiming sound right at you if you’re sitting in front of the Ethos and up to the ceiling if you’re not. The Dolby Audio enhancements make the audio quality a cut above the average laptop, but the speakers don’t achieve a very deep or rounded sound. Certainly not as good as the Dell XPS 15z.

However, in small rooms it will provide enough volume and quality to satisfy most users when listening to music or watching video. If the room is bigger, opt for external speakers. Thanks to the sound drivers the output is good enough for anyone who’s not a serious audiophile.

Other Features

• Acer includes several media-focused programs with the Ethos. The company’s own clear.fi app is a nice enough media player, but doesn’t offer much that’s different from Windows Media Player (except a better UI. One nice aspect is that it will easily connect to other Acer devices running clear.fi, such as an Iconia Tab, to share media. This only works with Acer products, though.
• The company expects owners to do a lot of reading on the Ethos, so they pre-loaded the New York Times Reader, newsXpresso digital newsstand, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook for PC.
• For extra security (very useful in a dorm room situation), Acer includes a fingerprint reader so users can log on with a swipe.
• The webcam above the display captures images with noticeable noise but not much blur. Good enough for Skype or ooVoo chats but not for those YouTube reaction videos (those need more clarity!).

Specs and Performance

The Ethos may be built for media, but users will need it for more than that to justify the $1399 price tag. Under the hood it’s powered by a 2-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 2630QM CPU, 6GB of RAM (max 16GB), an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M graphics card, 2GB of graphics memory, and a 750GB hard drive.

This amount of power meant that the Ethos easily handled everything I threw at it. I did some mega-multitasking by working with over two dozen tabs open across Firefox 6 and Google Chrome while playing a Blu-ray movie in the background and editing images with Adobe Photoshop CS5. While editing video with Adobe Premiere Elements 9 I didn’t have to wait for the laptop to catch up to me when I wanted to make a cut, move around, or add an effect. And rendering the final product didn’t take long at all.

While playing Batman: Arkham Asylum both cut scenes and fast movement/fighting moved smoothly without no dropped frames or hitching. The Ethos nicely rendered details on clothes and the environment.

Battery Life

The 8-cell battery is rated to last for 7 hours. However, it lasted for just 5 hours and 10 minutes while surfing on Wi-Fi continuously with the display set at 40% brightness. Granted, you likely won’t carry this around somewhere you might need longer battery life, so this isn’t a big drawback.

Value

For $1,399 the Acer Aspire Ethos AS5951G-9694 isn’t a bad deal given the powerful components inside. However, the Dell XPS 15z has quite a few advantages over it, including a more portable design, better audio quality and speakers, and a better display available with a 1080p resolution. The unit we reviewed cost $1,499, just $100 more, but doesn’t come with a remote or a Blu-ray drive, only DVD. The XPS 15z is configurable, though, and starts at just $999.

If you’re really looking for a multimedia laptop that stays in place most of the time, why not go for something bigger? The Aspire Ethos AS8951G-9600 is $1,599 (less at many stores), just $200 more, and has a big, beautiful 18.4 inch display. You get all the same specs except 2GB more RAM and full 1920 x 1080 resolution.

Conclusion

If you want a multimedia laptop that offers a sliver of portability, the Acer Aspire Ethos AS5951G-9694 is a decent choice, but not the best one in this price range. The detachable media remote is a good idea, but it’s not a very good touchpad, meaning users will need an external one for real productivity. Combine that with the lackluster display and the 15-inch Ethos only gets a so-so from me. Look into its big brother if the media remote intrigues you or the Dell XPS 15z if you want your media with more portability.

Pros

• Powerful overall and graphics performance
• Remote media and touchpad control
• Large port spread

Cons

• Heavy and big
• Underwhelming touchpad
• Narrow viewing angles
• Display needs higher resolution

Acer Aspire Ethos Gallery

Acer Aspire Ethos 15.6-inch Review – Multimedia Chops In A Flawed Package is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Quick Specs:

The system comes with some pretty decent specs like an AMD Phenom II X4 N950 2.1GHz processor, and an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics processor which powers the 17.3″ display with a better than average resolution of 1600×900. It also has 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a spacious 640GB hard drive as well as an empty second hard drive bay that you can use to add another drive, like an SSD to make this system really scream during hard drive intensive work. There is also a DVD combo drive for viewing movies and making videos to share.

Who is the Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 For?

As we said this computer is not for the road warrior, but rather for someone who will use it on a desk or table top most of the time only taking with them occasionally. It is powerful enough to do some gaming. We see this as a computer that will be used in a home environment where mom or dad might want to get some work done while at home and then let the kids use it to play games, watch movies and get online. The large screen will be useful for editing video or pictures. If you need two windows open at once, the large wide display will be a benefit.

This would also make a good computer for a small apartment or dorm where the user wants to have more mobility than a desktop, but large enough to replace an entertainment center in cramped quarters.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Hands On Video:

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Build and Design:

The AS7552G is a solid, beefy system. It is heavy and sturdy with stiff hinges. It is not as heavy as most 17″ desktop replacements at just over 7 pounds. The chassis is solid. It feels like this computer will hold up under average use and even survive getting banged about a little bit while in a computer bag. Don’t drop it, but you also don’t feel like you are using a dainty little notebook.

Notice that it picks up fingerprints pretty easily but they don't stand out nearly as bad as some glossy lids thanks to the pattern

We like the dark conservative black color, but those with more flamboyant interests won’t. The lid has a textured feel that you would think resists fingerprints. Unfortunately, that is not the case. They can show up quickly but won’t stand out nearly as bad as fingerprints do on a smooth glossy cover. The brushed aluminum look of the area around the keyboard is finger print resistant, which is where you are most likely to find fingerprints.

The bezel around the display is glossy and does collect fingerprints, but most people don’t massage that part of the computer. You will touch it to adjust the lid and display. But it is not unsightly.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Features:

The most notable features are the size, the quad core processor and the dedicated graphics. It is not the fastest notebooks we’ve ever seen but it has enough pep making it an above average 17-inch system. Having all that screen real-estate with a decent resolution allows for keeping more than one app open on screen at a time. I often have my word processor and other apps open as I do research. Most notebooks do not provide enough room, but this one does.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Display:

Aside from the size and resolution discussed above, the screen itself is like all other glossy screens. It is horrible in direct sunlight and too reflective unless the room you are in is a little dark. Compared to other glossy screens this one is actually more reflective, making it harder to view even in direct artificial light. If you angle the display just right, it looks good. It takes a little finessing.

The viewing angle is good because of the size. Two or three people could easily share the screen for a movie or to show off pictures in a slide show.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Keyboard and Touchpad:

The keyboard is a full-sized keyboard with a dedicated number pad. The keys are spaced well enough apart for comfortable typing, but the feel while typing is a little mushy. It is better than the last couple of Acer keyboards we tested, but left us disappointed.

The keyboard is slightly mushy but better than other Acer keyboards we've tested in the past

I had a friend try it out for a little while and he disagreed. He has an older Acer and is used to the feel of Acer keyboards. I am not. The point is typists who are used to a top of the line keyboard will not be happy with this one. Others won’t have a problem.

The touchpad is just too small making it the computer’s greatest weakness. I am spoiled by the large trackpads of my MacBook Air and Pro. Why can’t PC manufacturers make large sensitive trackpads? The Acer’s is small and below average in its touch and sensitivity. It does offer some gesture control, like a two finger scrolling function, but it is not smooth at all. Like most touchpads it left me searching for my external mouse.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Processor and Performance:

A computer of this size is meant to be a desktop replacement used for multimedia and gaming. And that is where you’d hope it shines. While it is not the fastest machine we’ve tested, it is better than average with the quad-core processor. The hard drive is an average 5400 rpm drive.

The large cover hides the RAM slots and both hard drive bays

If we were using this thing on a regular basis we would add a small capacity SSD to the second drive bay and run the OS on it and then upgrade the internal 640GB drive to a faster 7200 rpm drive. With that configuration this thing would be much faster. As it is most people will be pretty happy with the way it handles games and crunching movies, photos, and large databases. However, hard core gamers should move on to another computer. Serious video/photo pros also should look elsewhere. This is for consumers who do a lot of different things, but none of them very seriously.

We asked a friend who runs an app with a large database to install it and run it. He said it handled it well. The same app was slow on his older Acer with an AMD dual-core processor.

One review we read said that performance in their tests was terrible. The computer did not do well in their benchmarks. But that is one reason that we don’t put a lot of stock in benchmarks. In actual productivity this thing felt like it did fine compared to other systems we’ve seen like it.

To summarize the performance, this computer is slightly above average and nothing more.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Multimedia and Gaming:

If you are looking to replace a small TV in your office or dorm, the 7552G will be a good option so long as you make sure it doesn’t sit in bright light. We enjoyed watching some streaming video on it. The only weakness here was the sound, but with headphones or a decent desktop speaker system it would be pretty good.

We installed Steam and played a few of our collection of games. For casual gaming or last generation games, this computer does well so long as you add an external mouse. For the fastest and most demanding games, it might slow down and become a disappointment.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Audio and Speakers

The speakers on the 7552G-6436 are nothing special. Using this machine for movies and playing games is fine when you talk about the speed and the display. But the audio in these situations is just okay. Plug in a nice set of headphones if you want really good sound. Add a good pair of desktop speakers for when you have it at home sitting on your desk.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Heat and Noise

For a powerful system like this I didn’t notice too much noise. It doesn’t run that hot either, except when working hard. At the size it is not really a computer you hold on your lap a lot so heat is a non-issue most of the time. Since it is a little lighter than most 17″ systems you may use it as a laptop and feel the heat. Those rare times when you will use it on the couch or while in a vehicle on your lap, you shouldn’t get too uncomfortable.

The optical drive was a little louder than most notebooks. They all seem loud but at times I wondered if this thing was going to take off when it was used to install software via DVD.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Battery Life

Battery life is another huge disappointment with this machine. We tested the battery by using it at 50% brightness. For the first half of the test we did some basic computing tasks, checking email, surfing the web, and typing documents. For the last half of the test we streamed video from the Internet, which requires quite a bit more juice both to play the flash content and to constantly access both the hard drive and the Wi-Fi. Our total time running was just 1 hour and 37 minutes.

Granted this is a desktop replacement with an AMD quad-core processor and a 17″ screen. You are not going to see 3-5 hour battery life. But we hoped we could get enough time to watch one DVD. It would have to be a short one. With Wi-Fi off it might get you closer to finishing a typical length movie, but then again the spinning disc might eat any gain from no Wi-Fi.

In addition to the disappointing battery test, the other complaint in this category is the power brick itself. It is huge! We haven’t seen one this big in a long time.

The power brick is large even for a 17" system

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Connectivity:

The 7552G has all the basic ports for a machine of this caliber. A multi-function flash card reader which handles Memory Stick PRO, xD, SD, and MMC cards. There is also an HDMI port, which will be great for hooking this thing up to an HD TV for viewing movies. It only has USB 2.0 ports, but at least there are four of them. There is also a VGA out and a Kensington Lock.

The left side: Power, Ethernet, Vent, HDMI, 2xUSB 2.0, Audio Jacks

To get online you have a Gigabit Ethernet port and 802.11n for Wi-Fi. They performed as expected.

Right Side: 3xUSB 2.0, DVD Tray, Kensington Lock

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Webcam:

Webcam is nothing special

The webcam is decent. It can take shots with a resolution of up to 1280×1024 and video up to VGA (640×480). It does okay for a webcam. Here is a sample picture.

This image is slightly blurry - webcam is more for video than pictures

The image is a little soft, but you won’t be taking very many portraits with this thing. Increasingly, I use my webcam as a quick scanner. So I took a shot of a magazine cover that published an article of mine recently.

I've started using a webcam as a mobile scanner - it would be okay but not for OCR

If I planned to actually use this image I would have imported it into some photo editing software and cropped it and fixed the color and exposure. Notice that it does a good job for what it is. I won’t likely use it for OCR though. Here is a sample video taken in relatively good light.

Again, the image is pretty soft. What is worse is the sound. The built-in mic is picking up a lot of strange noise. The streaming version of this video is much worse than the offline version we made due to the compression needed to make it streamable. But the original sound was still pretty bad. You will want to use a headset with a mic for Skype or recording video podcasts, if that is your plan.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Software:

The software bundle is nothing special. It has Windows Home Premium 64-bit edition. Other than that is as the typical bundle of software like NTI suite for the DVD burner, PowerDVD for watching movies, and Acer’s basic junk. It also comes with security software. Do yourself a favor and get the PC Decrapifier (step 1 in that link) and install better software.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Value:

Right now this model is on sale at Amazon for a good price of $669.99. We think that is a good value. A large screen computer with acceptable multimedia and gaming chops is likely going to set you back $600-$700 for one of this quality. It is not a top of the line system, but it has a lot to offer as a desktop replacement and that is light enough to make it an occasionally mobile system.

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Conclusion:

We liked this system, despite the weaknesses. After showing it off to a friend who helped us a little with this review, he plans to get one. People who demand top-of-the-line computers won’t be happy with the Acer Aspire 7552G-6436. If your expectations are modest and you wallet is not fat, this 17.3″ system will be a good choice.

Remember that the keyboard is a little mushy and the trackpad is way too small. Just get an external mouse and you will be happy. Keep it out of direct light and don’t expect too much from the speakers. It should run most of what you throw at it without setting records but getting the job done.

What is really disappointing is that Acer is really close to having an excellent desktop replacement. If they could figure out how to make a nice keyboard and trackpad and add a matte screen, then the Acer Aspire 7552G would be an incredible value even if it cost $100 more.

Pros:

• Decent performance
• Extra hard drive bay for expansion offering great potential if an SSD is added
• Easy to upgrade
• Looks nice
• Strong case and hinges
• Full-size keyboard
• Decent price
• Display has faithful color
• Good resolution useful for dual window panes at once

Cons:

• Fingerprint build-up on lid and around bezel somewhat a problem
• Glossy display is far too reflective
• Keyboard is mushy
• Trackpad too small and not very smooth
• DVD drive a little loud
• Disappointing battery life
• Huge power brick

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Gallery:

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Detailed Specs:

• AMD Phenom II N950 Quad-core 64 bit processor with 2MB Cache running at 2.1GHz (RS880M chipset)
• 17.3″ WSXGA Active Matrix TFT Color LCD 16:9 display with 1600×900 resolution
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 6650 with 1GB of graphics memory
• 4GB of DDR3-1066/PC3-8500 SDRAM (up to 8GB in 2 slots)
• 640GB Serial ATA Hard Drive
• DVD-DL R/RW (+/-R/RW)
• Memory card reader – Memory Stick PRO, xD, SD, MMC
• Acer InviLink Nplify IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi
• Gigabit LAN Ethernet port
• HDMI, 4 x USB 2.0, VGA, Kensington Lock
• Full size keyboard with dedicated number pad
• Touchpad
• Webcam
• 6-cell Lithium Ion battery (4400 mAh, 48.80 Wh, 2.2 hour (1.5 real world)
• Height = 1.35″, Width = 16.3″, Depth = 10.8″ Weight = 7.26lbs
• 1-year limited warranty
• Energy Star compliant

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Review [Video] is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Visit this link for a full list of Best Buy Black Friday Deals.

Here of our favorite Best Buy Black Friday deals available on Best Buy right now:

$249 Acer Aspire Laptop (AMD V-Series Processor / 15.6″ Display / 2GB Memory / 250GB Hard Drive – Mesh Black). This is a basic full-sized laptop that is a decent solution for those with basic computing needs. It’s far from a multimedia power house, but at $249.99, after a $130 discount, it may be hard to pass up.

Many of the hottest Black Friday deals from Best Buy will only be available at retail stores in limited quantities.

Black Friday: Many Best Buy Black Friday Deals Now Live! is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The Acer TimelineX is known for being a performance system with a thin design and long battery life. These three models all have that. Acer is aiming them at students and professionals who need to be on the go and not connected to the power outlet.

Acer Aspire 5820T

With a 15.6-inch screen and the faster Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, this notebook is for people who still want something slim, but need or want the bigger screen. It comes with 4GB of RAM, expandable to 8. And Users can get either a 320GB or 500GB hard drive. Thanks to its size it has room for a full number pad and wide-screen display. It is a 5.5 pound notebook. There are two configurations available starting at $699.99.

In our review of the 5820T we found that it offered good battery life and power, but suffered from a weak keyboard and speakers; something we hope is corrected in the refresh.

Acer Aspire 4820T

This model has a 14-inch display and offers an option for an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics. This graphics card allows the computer to run in full-power graphics mode for gaming or graphics intense task, but will then run in a lower power mode to save battery life when all that juice is needed surfing the web, document creation, or other simple day-to-day computing tasks. As Acer says, the goal is giving their customers … the best of both worlds maximum performance when connected to power and long battery life when on-the-go.”

The 4820T ships with an Intel Core i5-460M processor and starts at $799.99.

Acer Aspire 3820T

Smaller notebooks are becoming scarce. So it is nice to see the 3820T, which is a 13-inch notebook that is small and has some power. Buyers can get either an Intel Core i3 or i5 processor. There are also options with either 3GB or 4GB of memory, expandable to 8GB. Acer adds 320GB of hard drive space. This is truly a mobile warrior’s machine. It is less than 4 lbs. and .86-inches thick at the front and 1.14-inches thick at the rear.

Other Specs

All of the models in this refresh share a few thing sin common. They are:

• CineCrystal LED-backlit display with 16:9 HD True Cinematic View
• High viewing angles – our test of the 5820T proved that to be true
• 1366×768 resolution
• Intel HD Graphics (except for models that come with ATI)
• HDMI out port capable of 1080p
• High Definition audio support with Dolby Sound Room and two built-in speakers
• Full size keyboard (5820T also has a number pad)
• Multigesture trackpad
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• 1.3 MP HD Webcam capable of 1280×1024 resolution
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet
• VGA port
• USB 2.0 (some models have as many as four ports)
• Multi-format digital card reader
• 1-year parts and labor warranty with toll-free support, upgradable to a 3-year Acer Advantage service plan

Here is our video review of the Acer Aspire TimlineX 5820T.

Acer Refreshes their TimelineX Series Models with 5820T, 4820T and 3820T is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The Acer Aspire 5745DG makes use of 120Hz LCD technology for a full resolution 3D display on the 15.6″ screen that uses a 1366 x 768 resolution. The notebook comes with advanced active 3D shutter glasses with a built-in IR receiver. Acer claims that the setup allows for a wide viewing angle while still delivering, “Premium 3D optics”, that add, “depth to on-screen visuals, text and objects.”

“A complete 3D entertainment center, the AS5745DG features Acer Arcadeâ„¢ Deluxe to convert 2D to 3D images with a single click. Customers can enjoy the latest 3D movies withDolby® Home Theater® v3 surround sound or engage in action-packed gaming, with many PC games easily transformed into stereoscopic 3D right out of the box.”

In addition to the 3D features the Aspire 5745DG can handle your standard tasks thanks to a 500GB hard drive 1.3MP webcam, a/b/g/n WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, a HDMI port and four USB 2.0 ports. Acer claims that the 9-cell battery will provide, “hours of mobile entertainment enjoyment”, but doesn’t elaborate on how long that actually is.

The Acer Aspire 5745DG will be available in late October for $999 at select online retailers.

Acer Aspire 5745DG with NVIDIA 3D Vision Announced is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T-5951 is a notebook computer with a design that was meant to be extreme as in extreme performance, extreme battery life, extreme connectivity and extremely thin design” as Acer advertises. The plan was a notebook that offers no compromises for both work and play. Sadly, both the keyboard and the speakers were less extreme than claimed.  Still, while it falls short in a couple of ways, it could be a very useful machine for the right person.

The 5820T model that we reviewed was the 5951, which is the lowered powered of the two models in this refresh of the Timeline 5810 model. This time around Acer added an X to the name of the line hoping to convince buyers that it is an extreme machine. However, with a few exceptions, it is somewhat average.

Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T-5951 Quick Specs

The 5830T has an Intel Core i3-350M processor running at 2.26GHz. There is also 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive. Acer also throws in a DVD burner combo drive and Intel’s HD Graphics.

Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T Video Review

Who is this Notebook For?

The 5820T is billed as an extreme notebook, but it is really meant for anyone who wants a jack-of-all-trades machine. In other words if you are not someone who is going to be making your living with the keyboard, editing a feature film or entering the latest 3D video game world championship, then this one might be for you. It is a decent system for the average user who needs to do just a little bit of everything.

Build and Design

The body of the computer is a brushed metal texture that is sturdy and feels like it will hold up to average use. The hinges in the lid are stiff and will hold it screen open at any angle. The chassis doesn’t have any bend in it, so it should hold up for most users so long as they are taking normal care of their notebook. One thing users will notice is how thin the notebook is. It is only about an inch think at the thinnest spot and slightly more toward the back.

Screen

The screen is sufficiently bright and looks good. It is a glossy finish so direct sunlight can be a challenge, but it does pump out enough light to be viewable. The viewing angle of the screen is very good. That is one area that is extreme. I could easily make out what was on-screen from the sides. The wide-screen aspect ratio of the 1366×768 resolution display is good for viewing full-screen video and for docking two program windows at each end for viewing at the same time. I often have my word processor open along with other software that I use for my work. I could keep two open all the time easily. Text was clear enough to read and graphics and video are not washed out.

Touchpad and Keyboard

The quality of a keyboard is of extreme importance to me, as a writer. Sadly, the 5820T keyboard is very sub par. It feels mushy and while the keys are spaced well, some of your extra keys are crammed in so that the dedicated number pad will fit.

Also, I had to return the first model because the F6 key didn’t work. That is not a major concern, since I am quite sure it was just a manufacturing anomaly, but the replacement unit also had a minor problem as well. In this case, the left back corner of the keyboard was not totally fastened in place and I had to push it down until it clicked into place. It seemed like someone had taken the keyboard off the computer and didn’t fully reinstall it properly.

The touchpad was actually good enough that I chose not to use my wireless USB mouse that much, and that is saying something. The touchpad is large enough for gestures and normal mousing. The single button, while not my favorite choice since I prefer two dedicated buttons, was not a problem. And the only complaint I have is that some notebooks have the ability to quickly disable the touchpad with a special tap region or a dedicated button. The 5820T doesn’t. As a result, when I was typing, I often accidentally tapped the touchpad with my palms for some strange results. The sensitivity can be changed to fix this, but I like to have a sensitive touchpad when I use it and turn it off when I have my external mouse connected.

Processor and Performance

The Intel Core i3 processor should be sufficient for most duties, unless of course a user plans to do some extreme number crunching or video/photo rendering and game playing. The machine was fast to respond to most clicks and felt like a powerful enough system for my average lifestyle. That said, it does take a long time to boot up without that much software installed. After I put the programs I use on it, it booted in just under two minutes. That feels painfully slow to me. However, the long battery life means that most the time just putting it to sleep, not even into hibernation, will solve this problem.

Audio

This was one area where the TimelineX 5820T really falls down. The speakers on the computer sound fine in a very quiet room, but with much background noise at all I had to plug-in my headphones just to hear the words people were saying in the videos I watched. The speakers are sadly underpowered and way too soft. However, it does have a connection for headphones, with SPDIF support if you need it, and a mic connection.

Heat and Noise

One of the real benefits of a Core i3 processor is efficiency without getting too hot. In fact the 5820T ran cool most of the time. I never felt a lot of heat and the fans only are noticeable in extreme circumstances. So it is a quiet system that will be fine as a laptop in the literal sense of the term.

Battery

The battery life on the machine is also one of its strengths. While I never got the 8 hours it promised, in my personal use test, it lasted over five hours. I use a notebook with the screen set to about 75% brightness and few power saving features turned on. I also usually have a wireless USB mouse receiver plugged into the system. With the screen set at about 50% and power savings set to full and no USB devices plugged in, I got over 6 hours of battery life, and that included about an hour on sleep mode while the computer sat in my backpack. This is one place where the word extreme is more appropriate.

Connectivity

The computer has all the basics network options, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet. That last one is more common, but Acer gets points for including it since some notebook manufacturers cut corners with just 10/100 LAN ports. The machine has a VGA port and HDMI for external video and presentations. The headphone jack will double as a digital audio port as well. There are plenty USB ports with one on the left and three on the right. Also on the right is the optical drive (DVD burner combo drive). One unique thing about the optical drive is that there is no push button on the drive to eject it. Before looking at the manual I struggled to figure out how to eject the drive. But at the upper right corner above the keyboard there are two buttons. One is a program launcher and the other is to eject the optical drive. My first reaction was, That’s dumb!”, but as I used it came to appreciate it. I find myself hunting for the button and on both of my personal laptops the eject button is slightly recessed making it hard to push. This takes away the hunting and is easy to push.

Value

The Acer Aspire TimelineX5820T-5951 can be found for as low as $687 in our Notebooks.com Laptop Finder. Amazon has it for $719. Normally Acer is known for being a low price option, but looking at other notebooks with similar specs, that average $725 price is a little on the high side. For that reason I would call this one slightly over priced.

Conclusion

The Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T-5951 doesn’t really have any one spec that makes it stand out in a very crowded class of thin wide-screen do-it-all notebooks. It does have above average battery life and a very good screen. The touchpad is decent and for a Core i3 system it is someone powerful while still running cool and quiet. The options for viewing multimedia content like DVDs or streaming video are pretty good. But the weak speakers and sub par keyboard are disappointments. If you don’t plan to do a lot of typing and like to wear headphones for audio, this is a great option even if it is a little expensive. Otherwise there are better choices out there for the money.

Pros:

• Good screen with wide viewing angle
• Long battery life
• Decent multimedia viewing machine
• Large touch pad
• Thin
• Dedicated number pad
• Launch Manager button and placement of optical drive eject button
• Quiet and cool

Cons:

• Poor keyboard
• Speakers too soft
• Too expensive

Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T Detailed Specs:

Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T Review: Less Extreme than Advertised is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Acer sent over the new 5745PG so we could put it through its paces and try to determine how touch fits into your mobile lifestyle in a notebook form factor.

Here’s a look around the Acer Aspire 5745PG and a closer look at the touch interface and how multitouch works on such a large vertical surface.

One thing we will continue to look into is if the multitouch screen remains a fun and productive way to interact with the notebook over the course of our review.

Aside from the touch screen the notebook is a powerful device that is clearly aimed at a user who wants to create and enjoy multimedia. A task made easier thanks to the powerful GPU, Dolby Home Theater sound and generous hard drive. The only thing that is noticeably missing in this first look is a Blu-Ray drive. But, we do appreciate the low price that is likely possible in part due to this omission. The Acer Aspire 5745 can be found under $700 which is pretty impressive given the inclusion of a powerful GPU and a multitouch display.

Acer Aspire 5745PG Detailed Specs:

• Intel Core i5 Processor 2.4GHz
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 1GB RAM with CUDA
• 4GB DDR3 RAM
• 500GB hard drive
• 15.6″ Multitouch display
• DVD SuperMulti Drive
• 6 cell Battery

If you have questions about the device be sure to leave them in the comments so we can address them in our full review next month.

Acer Aspire 5745PG Hands On and First Impressions (Video) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The 1080p screen on this notebook is suited for full HD movies. Of course in order to enjoy those, you will need a Blu-ray drive, which you get, along with the Dolby Home Theatre Audio that we recently shared with you. The dedicated sub-woofer should give you those deep bass sounds in your music or movie/game soundtracks. With an HDMI port you can push your entertainment to your HDTV as well.

Many users of the AS8943G will be playing games on it, which the internals should support. The notebook  has an Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor with Turbo Boost and either 4 or 8GB of memory. If you want, you can max it out with 16GB.

The ATI Mobility Radeon HD5850 graphics with 1GB of dedicated video RAM is capable of running DirectX 11 games. In other words, it should be able to handle just about any game on the market today. Of course the AS8943G would also be useful for doing serious video and photo editing.

If you are going to be loading it up with photos, videos, or music, then having one 500GB SATA drive will help. It would be nice if it had a standard 7,200 rpm drive, but apparently that’s not the case. If you max that out, this desktop replacement supports a second one as well. Max that out and you will want to hook up an eSATA drive to it. It also comes with Firewire ports as well.

The AS8943G doesn’t just have a normal touchpad. It is a dual-mode touchpad with integrated, capacitive touch media controller icons.” That means it works as a multi-gesture touchpad, like almost every other new notebook being released today. But it also functions as a media control device with back, forward, play, and stop functions among others.

At the flick of a finger, consumers can go straight to their favorite movies or music. Integrated into the touchpad, the backlit media console icons glow underneath the pad, providing a clean simplistic design. In addition, a convenient scrolling volume wheel directly under the touchpad makes it easy to control volume levels. (Acer press release)

They keyboard is a chicklet style without the backlight available on its predecessor, the AS8940. This was a cost cutting decision according to one reviewer.

Other attractive goodies include 802.11b/g/n wireless and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Anything less on a powerful system like this would be a shame. It also has Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and an integrated fingerprint reader for both security and quick login.

To get all this in a single package you might expect to pay over $1,500. You would be right. All that power doesn’t come cheap. The retail starting price is $1,549.99 for the Acer Aspire AS8943G-6190 and the AS8943G-6782. You can find the former at Amazon for that price.

What the press release doesn’t tell you is how much you will need to pay your chiropractor after carrying this beast around all day. You’d think that this one must be at least a ten pounder. But it is actually just 8.2 pounds. That’s heavy but for an 18.4-inch desktop replacement it’s not too heavy.

Acer Aspire AS8943G Series for Gamers and Multimedia Enthusiasts is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.