Product Reviews

Acer calls its new TravelMate 800 a desktop replacement, but it has surprisingly little in common with the concrete slabs of yore. It helps that it doesn't weigh the same as a large encyclopaedia, and it's also only 31mm thick. With this in mind, you'd expect it to lack any serious power, but Acer has made this the fastest notebook we've seen. The question is, how?

The answer's straightforward enough, and it involves Intel's latest Pentium-M processor - an integral part of the Centrino brand. After realising that most people just call the processors Pentiums anyway, Intel has returned to its original post-486 brand with no model number. Plus, in a bizarre twist, it has also gone back on its 'gigahertz matters' philosophy that went with the Pentium 4.

The TravelMate 800's chip may only be clocked at 1.6GHz, but the overall 2D benchmark score of 1.46 is faster than any other notebook we've reviewed. It won't disappoint 3D gamers either. With its 64MB ATi Radeon Mobility 9000 inside, 3DMark2001 SE returned a score of 6,963 in 32-bit XGA. Not even the Dell Inspiron 5100 (see p61) with its 2.8GHz desktop Pentium 4 CPU can compete.

And since the Pentium-M doesn't generate as much heat, Acer can get all this power into a much smaller chassis. Weighing just 2.75kg, the TravelMate 800 is almost 1kg lighter than the 3.7kg Dell Inspiron 8200 (see issue 97, p124).

What's more, you'll get good battery life. A 4,400mAH lithium ion battery is supplied, which, in conjunction with the new processor, was enough to make the TravelMate 800 last for more than four and a half hours under light use, and almost two hours in our intensive test - certainly enough power for a good train journey.

You're not losing out on any key features either. Like the Dell, the Acer comes with 802.11b WLAN, and even Bluetooth will be part of the bundle later this year. It also boasts a removable 8x DVD-ROM and 10x/8x/24x CD-RW combo drive, a 40GB hard disk and a sizeable 15in SXGA+ screen.

But the screen, if anything, is the only real disappointment. It's a sharp, high-quality panel, and the 1,400 x 1,050 resolution

ADVERTISEMENT

is better suited to the 15in panel than the Dell's 1,600 x 1,200 resolution. However, it's in need of some stronger backlighting, as it's nigh-on impossible to get an even vertical viewing angle. It's also nowhere near as bright as the Dell with its ASV (Advanced Super View) technology.

That really is our only complaint, and it feels almost trivial in what's otherwise an expertly designed notebook. Everything from the port layout to the keyboard has been intelligently thought through, and it makes for a refreshingly ergonomic experience. The keyboard curves slightly round the chassis, which together with the well-sized (and firm) palmrests, makes it easy to type on.

It's also quiet when typing, and this can be said for the machine itself, with no annoying erratic fan noises. The rest of the chassis is sensibly designed too. On the left, you'll find a four-pin FireWire port, along with four USB 2 ports. Not only are these much easier to access than having to fiddle round the back, but the four ports mean you won't have to buy a hub to accommodate an array of external peripherals.

The audio jacks are also sensibly mounted on the left near the front of the machine, which will be ideal for short headphone cables. And that's not all - there's a single Type II PC Card slot (which is all most people need with WLAN, a modem and 10/100 Ethernet already) along with Acer's smart card security system underneath.

To top it off, the Acer even looks better than the Dell - the sleek chassis and minimalist design give it an air of professionalism. Plus, while it's made from plastic, the palmrests feel reassuringly solid, especially when compared with the Inspiron 5100.

Our only issue with the build quality is the lid, which flexes unnervingly and won't provide optimal protection for the screen - we advise buying a padded bag if you plan on carrying it around a lot. But it's otherwise well designed for transportation, with a DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection) pad underneath the hard disk.

There's even a certain amount of future-proofing with this machine. The hard disk caddy slides out after removing two screws, and there's a SODIMM socket underneath too. Our review system only came with 256MB hard-wired to the motherboard, but this socket will contain an additional 256MB on the shipping version. Both the combo drive and battery are also easily removed and replaced via a couple of sliding catches.

The most amazing thing, however, is that this power and design effort doesn't cost the earth. The ï1,299 asking price even includes a two-year, collect-and-return warranty as standard. The Acer TravelMate 800 not only redefines the desktop replacement, it makes it affordable.