1/13/14
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-9419 Ultrabook laptop review online
In the sphere of the fall of 2013, Acer refreshed its business-oriented TravelMate-line with contemporary models and announced the P6 Ultrabook. The newest part of the company's higher-end Travelmate P6-series (there are besides sequence B, P2, P4, and X notebooks) comes with a 4th generation Intel ULV Haswell mainframe, a hefty SSD, docking station support, and a business-tailored array of security skin texture. By the side of survive count, Acer's website offers 15 models inside the P6 sequence, ranging from a 13.3-inch mock-up with an i3 mainframe to a 15.6-inch version with a quad-core i7 CPU. Near are three versions of the Ultrabook with i5 or else i7 processors, 4-8 GB of RAM, and either a 120 or else 256 GB SSD. The lowest version with i5-4200U, 4 GB of RAM, 120 GB SSD, integrated GPU, and 1366 x 768 pixel solution screen has an MSRP of $950.
The usual consumer is probably not too familiar with the TravelMate offerings, to the same degree the Aspire Ultrabook S3 and the ultra-slim Aspire S7 attend to to reap nearly everyone of the spotlight. The specs of the contemporary Ultrabook ought to concoct it a compelling first-rate in lieu of the non-business user to the same degree well: In the sphere of addition to the Haswell i7-4500U. 8 GB of RAM, and the generous 256 GB SSD, the mock-up besides sports a out-and-out Radeon HD 8750M. Alas - a pat screen is not an option, which might ensue a irritate in lieu of particular prospective buyers, allowing for with the aim of additional or else a smaller amount all contemporary notebooks transport with Windows 8. Although the TravelMate does fall with the aforementioned OS, our assessment mock-up at home downgraded to Windows 7, which is still the amount single first-rate in lieu of businesses anyways and the better first-rate since this Ultrabook is not touch-enabled.
Allowing for the hardware, the current street cost of $1250 besides seems quite reasonable, known with the aim of a Lenovo ThinkPad T440s Ultrabook with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM is closer to $1600 - and that's with no a out-and-out graphics tag. Same is sincere in lieu of the clearing E7440 Ultrabook, which besides doesn't fall with a out-and-out GPU and overheads north of $1800 with a Full-HD touchscreen and 4th-generation i5 CPU. From a price/performance standpoint, the Acer without doubt has a prop up on the competition. But how does the lesser-known sphere system fare compared to the well-known brands?
Indictment
To the same degree a sphere laptop, the P645 has a no-frills black-on-black design, although there's particular glittery specs added to the paint to provide particular relief from the monolithic outward show. Readers who are familiar with single of the previous-generation models like the 14-inch TravelMate P643-V-6424, might accomplish a double-take at this point, to the same degree with the aim of mock-up relied mostly on aluminum in lieu of its construction and didn't boast painted surfaces.
Passed on are the aluminum deck and pose lid: In lieu of the contemporary mock-up, Acer uses a magnesium-aluminum alloy cage with a carbon fiber shell. The immoral detachment of the P645-MG-9419 is supremely rigid and doesn't warm up by the side of all. The baby grand deck does boast particular assign, however, and the pose lid flexes very definitely, which leads to color changes and ripples on the screen. Since this is not a touchscreen we don't really boast a snag with the less-than-stellar stability at this point. The contemporary surfaces are besides much a smaller amount prone to act fingerprints, which is certainly a relief.
The Ultrabook measures a little 327.7 x 236.2 x 20.3 mm, which is in the region of 10 mm a smaller amount extensive than the clearing Latitude 14 and additional in the sphere of line with 13.3-inch notebooks. A quick check reveals with the aim of the bezel to the gone and totally of the screen is indeed exceptionally dilute by the side of solitary in the region of 8 mm. The burden of 1570 grams is comparable to the ThinkPad T440S; the Latitude E7440 is a bit heavier by the side of 1630 grams. Overall, the notebook is at ease to name and fits into nearly everyone shipping bags with smooth.
To top
Connectivity
The docks selection is commendable, to the same degree near are 3 USB 3.0 ports, full-sized analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI) video-outs, a Ethernet docks, to the same degree well to the same degree separate earphone and microphone jacks. The RJ-45 connector uses the habitually seen drop-down design - in the sphere of this indictment, the flap is spring loaded, so it doesn't stay release as soon as not in the sphere of practice and the occasion of it getting snagged are minimized.
Unfortunately, Acer still hasn't improved the location of the ports, which is quite disappointing: The two USB ports on the totally are in the sphere of front of the baby grand and close in sync, which income with the aim of a bigger device can potentially lump the other docks. The HDMI docks on the gone is besides in the sphere of front of the central line - we would've liked it placed towards the rear so the reasonably thick cable stays banned of the way as soon as an outer television is connected.
Cable-bound access is provided by Intel's I218-M Gigabit group module, while wireless is handled by the Intel Wireless-N 7260 group tag. The 2x2 802.11a/b/g/n PCIe partly Mini tag ropes both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz group by the side of a most conjectural throughput quickness of 300 Mbps and Bluetooth 4.0 to the same degree well. Acer uses antennas in the sphere of the top of the pose (SignalUp-technology) to perk up reception quality and reception is keen with rebuff gesticulate drops. Cellular-based technologies like UMTS are not accessible.
Security
To the same degree a sphere notebook, the TravelMate ropes Intel vPro, TPM 1.2, elevation recognition, and comes with a fingerprint bookworm located concerning the mouse buttons. Acer ProShield allows the user to secure the Ultrabook from redundant access from BIOS level on up to effort level.
Accessories
The shipping box solitary contains the laptop, the 65-watt power adapter, and various pamphlets. An attention-grabbing elective abettor is the Acer ProDock, which sells online in lieu of in the region of $120 and offers a embarrassment of other interfaces (VGA, DisplayPort, DVI-D, HDMI, RJ-45, a headphones/speaker jack, microphone-in, line-in, and four other USB 3.0 ports).
Warranty
Acer food the TP645 with a 24-month narrow parts & labor, mail- or else carry-in warranty in contradiction of defects with single time of International Traveler's Warranty. Other warranties are besides to be had, although Acer's website doesn't offer a plight of in a row at this point.
Baby grand
The Ultrabook is equipped with a chiclet-style baby grand. The keys gauge truthful tiny of 15 x 15 mm and are spaced in the region of 3 mm apart. The explain is pretty standard, but to the same degree with the TravelMate P643-V-6424, the function-keys and the arrow keys are less significant, although still at ease to attack with no a few errors. Unfortunately, the typing experience is not entirely satisfying: The keys are completely total and lack tactile response, and fundamental travel is restricted to in the region of 1 mm. While we didn't boast a few problems typing quickly, we accomplish desire the keyboards found on ThinkPads or else Latitudes. While a backlight is to be had, near is solitary single setting - on or else inedible. We found the brightness level to ensue too much in lieu of dimly-lit environments and especially by the side of night.
Touchpad
The Synaptics touchpad is adequately sized by the side of 98 x 54 mm and recessed to some extent. The emerge is to some extent rough to the pat and we in the main had rebuff issues scheming the indicator, although particular multi-touch gestures lagged by the side of time. Acer still uses a standard touchpad design with out-and-out buttons, which offer a satisfactory travel range and are not to the same degree noisy to the same degree particular other implementations we've seen. The fingerprint bookworm sits concerning the buttons but normally doesn't induce in the sphere of the way.
Pose
Pose bleeding is an arise (image taken by the side of 1/30 sec)
Pose bleeding is an arise (image taken by the side of 1/30 sec)
The 14-inch panel is supplied by AUO113D (type B140HAN01.1) and ropes Full-HD solution by the side of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The ThinkPad T440s has 1600 x 900 pixels; the Latitude is accessible with either 1366 x 768 pixels or else two special Full-HD resolutions both pat and non-touch. Since the P645 does not fall with a touchscreen, the panel lacks the glossy properties habitually associated with this pose type. The satisfactory news is with the aim of reflections are simply not an arise. Text is besides very precisely and even very little fonts are at ease to read.
We recorded a most brightness of 260 nits across nine quadrants, which spray tiny of the Full-HD panel of the E7440 by 40 nits, but is brighter than the panel of the T440s by the same margin. The brightness distribution is OK by the side of 83 %, but we noticed an arise with light bleeding, to the same degree especially the totally floor corner exhibits backlight spill. Of track this is solitary noticeable as soon as viewing dark backgrounds. The brightness remains the same even as soon as the Ultrabook is running on battery, which improves al fresco performance.
268.8
The black attach importance to of 0.54 nits and the corresponding contrast ratio of 508:1 are satisfactory in lieu of a non-glare pose panel. Aside from the arise with the backlight spill, blacks are rendered amply dark and the sporadic film is up for grabs to ensue a decent sufficient experience. The dull Full-HD panel of the E7740 has a enhanced contrast ratio of around 870:1; the pose of the T440s tops banned by the side of a pretty medicre 240:1.
The expert color spaces sRGB and AdobeRGB are covered to almost 80 and 58 %, correspondingly. The previous-generation TravelMate P643-V-6424 with its funds TN pose covered a smaller amount than 60 % of sRGB, which is parallel to the amount we recorded in lieu of the T440s.
