Sunday, January 12, 2014
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-9419 Ultrabook Note4book review
Inside the fall of 2013, Acer refreshed its business-oriented TravelMate-line with just starting out models and announced the P6 Ultrabook. The newest limb of the company's higher-end Travelmate P6-series (there are as well cycle B, P2, P4, and X notebooks) comes with a 4th generation Intel ULV Haswell laptop, a generous SSD, docking station support, and a business-tailored array of security skin texture. By the side of keep on count, Acer's website offers 15 models inside the P6 cycle, ranging from a 13.3-inch mock-up with an i3 laptop to a 15.6-inch version with a quad-core i7 CPU. Here are three versions of the Ultrabook with i5 otherwise i7 processors, 4-8 GB of RAM, and either a 120 otherwise 256 GB SSD. The lowest version with i5-4200U, 4 GB of RAM, 120 GB SSD, integrated GPU, and 1366 x 768 pixel outcome screen has an MSRP of $950.
The middling consumer is probably not too familiar with the TravelMate offerings, to the same extent the Aspire Ultrabook S3 and the ultra-slim Aspire S7 look after to gain a large amount of the spotlight. The specs of the just starting out Ultrabook must brand it a compelling high-quality in lieu of the non-business user to the same extent well: Inside addition to the Haswell i7-4500U. 8 GB of RAM, and the generous 256 GB SSD, the mock-up as well sports a committed Radeon HD 8750M. Alas - a contact screen is not an option, which might stay a unwind in lieu of particular prospective buyers, taking into account with the intention of extra otherwise fewer all just starting out notebooks send with Windows 8. Although the TravelMate does go with the aforementioned OS, our periodical mock-up at home downgraded to Windows 7, which is still the digit single high-quality in lieu of businesses anyways and the better high-quality since this Ultrabook is not touch-enabled.
Taking into account the hardware, the current street charge of $1250 as well seems quite average, certain with the intention of a Lenovo ThinkPad T440s Ultrabook with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM is closer to $1600 - and that's lacking a committed graphics license. Same is genuine in lieu of the hollow E7440 Ultrabook, which as well doesn't go with a committed 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 piling up on the competition. But how does the lesser-known question engine fare compared to the well-known brands?
Basis
To the same extent a question 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 look. Readers who are familiar with single of the previous-generation models like the 14-inch TravelMate P643-V-6424, might look after a double-take at this point, to the same extent with the intention of mock-up relied mostly on aluminum in lieu of its construction and didn't retain painted surfaces.
Dead are the aluminum deck and make an exhibition of lid: In lieu of the just starting out mock-up, Acer uses a magnesium-aluminum alloy cage with a carbon fiber shell. The center detachment of the P645-MG-9419 is supremely rigid and doesn't warm up by the side of all. The upright deck does retain particular bestow, however, and the make an exhibition of lid flexes very simply, which leads to color changes and ripples on the screen. Since this is not a touchscreen we don't really retain a unruly with the less-than-stellar stability at this point. The just starting out surfaces are as well much fewer prone to let somebody see fingerprints, which is certainly a relief.
The Ultrabook measures a inadequate 327.7 x 236.2 x 20.3 mm, which is in relation to 10 mm fewer open than the hollow Latitude 14 and extra inside line with 13.3-inch notebooks. A quick check reveals with the intention of the bezel to the gone and amend of the screen is indeed exceptionally gauzy by the side of merely in relation to 8 mm. The consequence of 1570 grams is comparable to the ThinkPad T440S; the Latitude E7440 is a small piece heavier by the side of 1630 grams. Overall, the notebook is at ease to feel and fits into a large amount transportation bags with help.
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Connectivity
The docks selection is commendable, to the same extent here are 3 USB 3.0 ports, full-sized analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI) video-outs, a Ethernet docks, to the same extent well to the same extent separate earphone and microphone jacks. The RJ-45 connector uses the repeatedly seen drop-down design - inside this basis, the flap is spring loaded, so it doesn't stay sincere as soon as not inside wastage 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 amend are inside front of the upright and close organized, which earnings with the intention of a better device can potentially jam the other docks. The HDMI docks on the gone is as well inside front of the inside line - we would've liked it placed towards the rear so the reasonably thick cable stays publicized of the way as soon as an outdoor supervisor is connected.
Cable-bound access is provided by Intel's I218-M Gigabit set of contacts module, while wireless is handled by the Intel Wireless-N 7260 set of contacts license. The 2x2 802.11a/b/g/n PCIe semi Mini license chains both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz posse by the side of a greatest abstract throughput swiftness of 300 Mbps and Bluetooth 4.0 to the same extent well. Acer uses antennas inside the top of the make an exhibition of (SignalUp-technology) to perk up reception quality and reception is sturdy with thumbs down signify drops. Cellular-based technologies like UMTS are not presented.
Security
To the same extent a question notebook, the TravelMate chains Intel vPro, TPM 1.2, deal with recognition, and comes with a fingerprint booklover located linking the mouse buttons. Acer ProShield allows the user to secure the Ultrabook from superfluous access from BIOS level on up to effort level.
Accessories
The shipping box merely contains the laptop, the 65-watt power adapter, and various pamphlets. An worthy of note discretionary accomplice is the Acer ProDock, which sells online in lieu of in relation to $120 and offers a overabundance of bonus interfaces (VGA, DisplayPort, DVI-D, HDMI, RJ-45, a headphones/speaker jack, microphone-in, line-in, and four bonus USB 3.0 ports).
Warranty
Acer equipment the TP645 with a 24-month some degree of parts & labor, mail- otherwise carry-in warranty in contradiction of defects with single time of International Traveler's Warranty. Bonus warranties are as well untaken, although Acer's website doesn't offer a bunch of in rank at this point.
Upright
The Ultrabook is equipped with a chiclet-style upright. The keys degree precisely small of 15 x 15 mm and are spaced in relation to 3 mm apart. The describe is pretty standard, but to the same extent with the TravelMate P643-V-6424, the function-keys and the arrow keys are less important, although still at ease to rap lacking several errors. Unfortunately, the typing experience is not entirely satisfying: The keys are completely total and lack tactile response, and enter travel is restricted to in relation to 1 mm. While we didn't retain several problems typing quickly, we look after desire the keyboards found on ThinkPads otherwise Latitudes. While a backlight is untaken, here is merely single setting - on otherwise inedible. We found the brightness level to stay 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 vaguely. The seeming is vaguely rough to the contact and we commonly had thumbs down issues scheming the indicator, although particular multi-touch gestures lagged by the side of time. Acer still uses a standard touchpad design with committed buttons, which offer a skillful travel range and are not to the same extent noisy to the same extent particular other implementations we've seen. The fingerprint booklover sits linking the buttons but normally doesn't make inside the way.
Make an exhibition of
Make an exhibition of bleeding is an topic (image taken by the side of 1/30 sec)
Make an exhibition of bleeding is an topic (image taken by the side of 1/30 sec)
The 14-inch panel is supplied by AUO113D (type B140HAN01.1) and chains Full-HD outcome by the side of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The ThinkPad T440s has 1600 x 900 pixels; the Latitude is presented with either 1366 x 768 pixels otherwise two several Full-HD resolutions both contact and non-touch. Since the P645 does not go with a touchscreen, the panel lacks the glossy properties customarily associated with this make an exhibition of type. The skillful news is with the intention of reflections are simply not an topic. Text is as well very abrupt and even very lesser fonts are at ease to read.
We recorded a greatest brightness of 260 nits across nine quadrants, which spray small 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 topic with light bleeding, to the same extent especially the amend floor corner exhibits backlight spill. Of sequence this is merely 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.
The black use of 0.54 nits and the corresponding contrast ratio of 508:1 are skillful in lieu of a non-glare make an exhibition of panel. Aside from the topic with the backlight spill, blacks are rendered amply dark and the rare film is going away to stay a decent an adequate amount experience. The dull Full-HD panel of the E7740 has a arrogant contrast ratio of around 870:1; the make an exhibition of of the T440s tops publicized by the side of a pretty medicre 240:1.
The skilled color spaces sRGB and AdobeRGB are covered to almost 80 and 58 %, correspondingly. The previous-generation TravelMate P643-V-6424 with its funds TN make an exhibition of covered fewer than 60 % of sRGB, which is comparable to the digit we recorded in lieu of the T440s.
