Verdict:
This one's all business, except the price. So businesslike it's a bit dull, but still worthy.
If you were thinking that the Travelmate 5520G looks more than a little utilitarian, well, it's from Acer's business range. But even if you're looking for a personal machine, it still offers a fine selection of capabilities. And what's more, it does so for the lowest price of any laptop here.
The expanse of silvery-grey lid isn't flashy, but it looks good and what's more its well constructed. Dual catches make sure the lid stays shut when it's in a bag, and the whole thing felt sturdy even when we grappled with it. At 2.9kg, the Acer is no featherweight, but at least it should stay in one piece if you do carry it about on a regular basis.
Open up that lid and the Acer looks like a far pricier laptop than it is. The wide, comfy wrist
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rest is finished in the same silvery grey, and the silver detailing above the keyboard and around the trackpad gives it a refined edge. The keyboard itself curves towards your typing position, and while that takes a little getting used to, it bodes well for typing for long periods. The sticking point is the keys themselves which have little feedback and make for a slushy, indistinct feel.
In keeping with the business market, the Acer forgoes the popular glossy screen for a traditional matt finish. This keeps distracting reflections to a minimum and makes for easy visibility even under direct sunlight or fluorescent strips. Image quality isn't as vibrant as on the shiny glazed versions, but if you're more interested in getting work done without distractions it's a better option.
Considering its low price, the Acer acquitted itself well in our performance tests. The AMD dual core processor lags behind Intel alternatives, but with a score of 100% in our application benchmarks, it was still acceptably quick. What's really impressive is that Acer has also managed to squeeze dedicated ATI graphics into the budget. A score of just 7% in our gaming benchmark means modern games aren't really practical, but at least it'll keep up with less demanding stuff with complaining, and for a £470 laptop it's a good result.
