People expect a lot from their notebook computers. If you are looking for a light weight, low-cost computer that works as hard as you do, you don’t need to look further than Acer Aspire AS5349-2899 15.6-Inch Laptop (Gray). Simple, business-like design with built-in 320 GB memory makes this laptop as versatile as you are. Perfect for use at home, at school, and ready to be taken out for a cup of coffee, this Acer notebook may change the way you think of home computing. Running Windows 7 Home Premium with a webcam and multi-gesture touchpad mouse, at a low-cost means you may just need to buy one for every member of your family.
Pros
Pricing – For a MSRP of just under $350, this machine will do just about everything a home communication center needs to do. It is a superior laptop for the price.
Graphics – This model boasts the same graphics qualities as more expensive machines in the Aspire range. Whether you are looking for great visuals for viewing images or movies, or for video calls, this machine goes above and beyond the call of duty for listed price.
Weight – With a weight below five and a half pounds, this laptop can be carried easily, whether it is a home to coffee shop situation or just from one room to another.
Software – Acer has loaded this model with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium. It also comes with Microsoft Office’s Word and Excel programs. This is a steal for the MSRP.
Cons
Sound – For all the great things to say about the graphics and connectivity included with this model, the sound functionality is a little but lacking. However for the price, it is hardly a drawback at all.
Competitive Model – The Acer Aspire AS5349-2635 retails slightly cheaper. The primary difference between the models is that the cheaper one actually comes with more standard memory (4 GB instead of 2 GB). That and it is easier to get your hands on the more expensive model reviewed here.
Build and Design
Closed, this notebook computer has a height of 1.4″, which makes it just slim enough to consider carrying around. 15″ wide by 10″ deep give the Acer Aspire AS5349-2899 a classic feel. The durable casing is made of textured gray plastic. This provides a bit of design detail, but its main benefit is to hide minor scratches and marks after a couple of months of hard use.
The mouse pad is centered under the qwerty part of the keyboard on the left hand-side. Although a minor design feature installed to allow for a number pad on the right, this makes it easier to have paper and on the left of your computer for ease of use when studying or working with other materials. Jacks for headphones and microphones are found on the far left, so as not to inhibit the built-in multi-gesture mouse. With the DVD drive on the right hand side of the computer, setting up a home based work space makes perfect sense.
Display and Speakers
The screen is a comfortable 15.6″ as is standard in most of Acer’s Aspire models. Active Matrix TFT Color LCD screen type displays a 16:9 aspect ratio with HD CineCrystal display. It has an Intel graphics controller and runs DDR3 SDRAM, just as many of their other models do. For all the breath they spend discussing the superior graphics of this laptop, not even the Acer website cares to mention that this model has only two built-in stereo speakers. What this means for the average user is that you can watch movies, play games and make video calls, but if you have even trace elements of audiophile in your blood, you either need to plug in some speakers or look for a different model.
Ports and Features
The DVD drive does everything from playing DVDs to writing them. HDMI, VGA, fast ethernet and IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi make connections easy and manageable. An HD webcam is built in with a microphone to enable easy communication. This laptop also includes a 2-in-1 card reader and three USB 2.0 ports pick up the slack for anything you may want to plug in. Two extra memory card slots allow for easy updates at a later stage.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The laptop features a standard keyboard, with keys in straight lines, making it easy for your fingers to find the keys beneath. The qwerty part of the key board is positioned off to the left, with the mouse centered beneath it to allow for a number pad on the right. This is a useful feature for students as well as those trying to balance home budgets. The touch pad includes a scrolling function to make it easier for browsing websites and reports. Left and right-click buttons feature as one unit at the bottom of the touch pad.
Performance
A dual-core 1.60 GHz Intel Celeron B815 processor powers this machine. It comes with a 2 MB cache which is adequate for a laptop with these specs. The HM65 Express chipset is manufactured by Intel and 64-bit processing runs Windows 7 Home Premium. Along with the HD capabilities of the monitor and the built-in communications features, this model is nothing special, but unless you are a heavy gamer, you won’t notice.
Battery Life
6-cell lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 4400 mAh allows for a 4-hour run time off a fully charged battery.
Heat (and Noise)
As with all the models in the Acer Aspire series, this model is almost noise free. You may not notice it at all unless you are someone who hears electricity in the air. Certified Energy Star Green compliant means the machine was built to keep fan usage at a minimum and is superior at saving on energy.
This is for who?
Acer Aspire AS5349-2899 15.6-Inch Laptop (Gray) is for small families who need to share a laptop computer between multiple members. The 320 GB storage will hold pictures, movies, emails and documents without any problem. It is also great for students who need only basic programs, strong connectivity and a durable machine. The four-hour battery life means you will be able to use it during class or at a restaurant without getting to that critical stage. This is also a great choice for anyone who works primarily off a desk top computer, but needs laptop flexibility for presentations or work outside of the office.
If you are looking for a machine that will offer you more than the basics, but for the low-cost of an entry-level laptop, this is the model for you. With the Acer brand behind it, this machine offers the durability, weight, graphics and connectivity you would expect, but at a low price you can afford. With the guarantees and service that Acer provides on their models, this laptop will give you superior performance for a lot longer than you would expect.
