- Intel Core i5-3317U 1.7GHz
- 500GB HDD + 20GB SSD
- NVIDIA Geforce GT 640M LE
Very Fine Acer PC
08/06/2012
This review is from: Acer TimelineU M5-481TG-6814 14" Ultrabook
Pros:
Great Hardware. GPU plays SC2 on high settings fluidly @70+ FPS. No overheating what so ever. 20 GB SSD is a perk, but that will be elaborated on later, in the cons. Strong processor w/ 6.8-9 Windows experience rating. Sleek design, lighter than expected. Not an Mac Air, but lighter than a book of the same width (it is thin). Nice screen, though the borders of the screen itself (not the trim) are a little took large for my liking (not a serious flaw, by any means). This is my first PC with an LED backlit keyboard, and I find it rather handy for nighttime typing.
Cons:
Loud Hard-drive. This irks me, since I will be leaving the country shortly for 9 months and any returns for faulty hardware will be tedious. The 20 gb SSD doesnt show up in "My COmputer" I would really have appreciated if it was dedicated for Windows, and was visible. Maybe it is, but I'm still in the early days of tweaking this machine.
The RAM was 4gb, with only one slot accessible, so in the interest of adding a few minutes of productivity, I added a 8gb GEIL 1066 mhz stick to the mix by removing the one slot's 2gb stick. Having to take apart the computer to do so was cumbersome and proved more difficult on either of the ASUS laptops I have had. Keep in mind that this is deemed an ultrabook, so the design isn't meant to be user-friendly in terms of serviceability for the end-user. After removing almost a dozen screws, the touchpad and keyboard had to be removed from their ribbon sockets (please message me if you have an answer for why they are so pervasive- they seem flimsy).
Overall Review:
BLOATWARE ALERT. Acer packs a lot of junk into its computers, but it's to be expected (~30 min for removal of all bloaters, including IE and WMP). RAM upgrade worked flawlessly after struggling with screws and ribbons. Review will be amended in a week or so. Lost one star due to difficulty in RAM upgrade, lack of clarity in SSD use/location, NO DRIVER CD(??, going to recheck all the boxes and manuals). I would have really liked to have replzced the 500gb 5400 RPM HDD and put in my momentus XT, but I'm scared of conflicts between the invisible SSD and the integrated SSD in the Momentus (seagate). Other than those nerdy issues, this computer is a welcome upgrade from my ASUS N81 Vg. Cheers to Acer for putting together some very nice components into an affordable case.
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- Peter R.
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Verified Owner
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Owned For:
1 day to 1 week
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