Interested in a laptop with a powerful quad-core processor, a widescreen LED display, and crystal-clear graphics? All of this an so much more is available in a 15.6-inch laptop that weighs less than 6 pounds total. The Acer AS5560-Sb613 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black) is a multitasking user’s dream. Its processor will allow you to play games, watch movies, and surf your favorite social networking sites with ease. There’s 500 gigabytes of memory in the Acer’s light-weight frame. And this laptop insists that it will last longer, with its 6-cell Li-ion battery. You’ll find three conveniently located USB ports in addition to one HDMI port, allowing you to stay connected to all of the devices that you use every day.
The Pros
- Quad-core processor: Let’s face it, speed is one of the most important factors when looking at a laptop. No more waiting five minutes for a website to load. If this laptop had to be described in one word, fast would be it.
- Build: The mesh-textured black body is solid on this laptop. It’s also very convenient for protecting the body from smudges, scratches, and accidental drops.
- Display: The graphics card in this machine makes the display a force to be reckoned with. This will be most appreciated if you enjoy watching movies and playing games on your laptop.
- Software: Windows 7 Home Premium comes standard on this model. It also comes with a Microsoft® Office Starter 2010 program, which is a kind gesture on Acer’s part.
- Bonus features: The webcam, USB ports, HDMI port, multi-gesture touchpad, and dedicated numeric keypad are all added bonuses to this laptop. They really make it an enjoyable experience.
The Cons
- Sound quality: Some people don’t think that the sound quality is up to par on this Acer. If audio is a big factor in your decision while buying a laptop, you may want to test this out for yourself before buying.
- Keyboard quality: The keyboard quality is under fire. It’s actually the only part of the build that seems to be less than excellent quality. If you are a frequent typist, you may want to test out the keyboard before buying.
Build and Design
This laptop is most popular in its mesh black color. The mesh design creates a texture to ward off smudges, fingerprints, and any other pesky marks that glossy finishes show. This impressive machine comes fully equipped with Windows 7 Home Premium and Office Starter 2010. It also has a popular feature in the Acer brand, referred to as Acer Clear.fi™. It allows for easy sharing of media between any other Clear.fi devices in your household. With Clear.fi you can store, manage, and share any of your music, videos, pictures, and files without any wires or extra devices involved.
Acer products have a history of being stylish and practical, and this model is absolutely no exception. Its build and design have a lot of promise.
There’s always a downside to everything though. The power button is located on the side of this machine. The general consensus is that this was a bad move on Acer’s part. If you choose to buy, be aware of the button. Nothing is more frustrating than accidentally powering down your laptop due to the manufacture’s mistakes.
Display and Speakers
You’ll hear very few complaints about the Acer AS5560-Sb613′s 15.6-inch display. It features LED power-saving technology, as well as a high definition CineCrystal widescreen. The resolution is 1366 x 768, resulting in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
The audio quality boasts of excellence. One slight complaint is that simply turning the volume dial up a notch is a big change. The audio gets significantly louder which is not what most people are used to when dealing with laptop speakers. Obviously, this is not a huge downfall. It’s just something to keep in mind after purchasing. However, a more serious complaint is that the Dolby sound system really is not all that great. The quality has been referred to as less than adequate.
Ports and Features
This laptop features three 2.0 USB ports. This is convenient for people that want to hook up their MP3 players, cell phones, and digital cameras. It also has an HDMI port that comes with HDCP support. This is a nice feature to have with all of the technological advances in society.
Of course, the Acer AS5560-Sb613 brings more features to the table then a few ports. It has a 1.3 Megapixel HD Webcam built-in, along with a Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader that goes great with it’s AMD Radeon™ HD 6620G Graphics card that sports 512 megabytes of memory. The Dolby Advanced Audio v2 audio enhancement is another impressive feature. This laptop is perfect for games, video, and audio. It’s an all-around media device.
Keyboard and Touchpad
This touchpad accepts multiple fingers, much like popular smart phones. It’s called multi-gesture, and it allows the consumer to pinch, swipe, flick, swirl, and grab things on the screen. Not all laptops come with a touchpad that is so functional. If this feature is determined to not be for you, it can always be turned off in the control panel.
The keyboard has some impressive features. The large-sized keys are convenient for those that are frequent typists. There is also a numerical keypad on the keyboard, much like the keyboards that are frequently found with personal computers. However, the main complaint regarding the keyboard is that it feels cheap and flimsy. Be gentle with the keyboard, just in case these reports are true.
Performance
You’ll never have to worry about your laptop being able to perform in a cinch. This Acer has a very high quality performance level. It can even be used as a gaming laptop which is surprising when you consider how inexpensive it is. Most gaming laptops cost twice as much as this model.
There is no doubt whatsoever that the Acer AS5560-Sb613 has a quad-core processor. It plays movies better than some DVD players. Multi-tasking on the Internet is a breeze, as is having multiple applications open on the computer at one time.
Battery Life
The 6-cell Li-ion battery offers up to four hours of battery life. The laptop is also great at offering power-saving features, to extend the amount of time that it can go in between charges
Heat and Noise
Ever have a laptop that overheats? And then all you hear is the fan kicking it into high gear to try to compensate? You won’t find that problem here; plain and simple. The fan does its job, and this computer is built to last.
Who is the Best Consumer?
The Acer AS5560-Sb613 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black) is for everyone. It is relatively affordable, making it a great option for students. It is so reliable that it can be used as a main laptop for businesspeople. Additionally, it is fabulous for gamers. This laptop is pretty amazing no matter what your needs are. However, you will want to test it out for yourself before buying if you type a lot or if audio is a main feature to you. The keyboard and sound qualities are questionable.
Why should you buy it?
Buy this laptop if you need a trustworthy, reliable, and solid machine. If you like to use your laptop for gaming, it is a perfect match. If you need something for your school or work assignments, look no further. The Acer AS5560-Sb613 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black) is a perfect fit for most people. The only reason that it may be a questionable choice is if you listen to a lot of music or if you are a frequent typist. But still, give it a chance. This is one of the best laptops in its price range.