Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3-581TG Review
Author: anglewhite
The Acer Timeline M3 is a study in polar opposites. Its thin, elegant chassis and superb performance for its class suggest that the M3 might be a true category leader, but an painfully poor LCD panel prevents the Acer from achieving that goal.
At 4.5 pounds, the Timeline M3 is very light for a 15-inch laptop, and even with the 65W power brick factored in, it weighs only a scant 5.25 pounds. Acer dubs this machine an Ultrabook, which just goes to show how vague that moniker is. Still the M3 is sleek and quite light for so large a laptop.
It's no slouch in the performance department, either. The combination of a Core i7-2637M low-voltage processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 640M graphics, and a 256GB solid-state drive yields an impressive WorldBench 7 score of 155--one of the highest performance scores we've seen for a machine in the ultraportable laptop category. The M3 also lasted for more than 8 hours in PCWorld's ACER laptop battery life test.
So what's not to like?
The LCD--the most visible component in the system--is a 15.6-inch panel that delivers a puny resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. That might work for a 13.3-inch Ultrabook; but at the M3's larger screen size, you'll notice the "screen door" effect of individual pixels while watching video content. On top of that, the range of satisfactory viewing angles is quite narrow. If you watch content from outside that range, you'll see substantial color and contrast shifting. This system cries out for a true 1080p, IPS LCD panel.
The system incorporates Nvidia's Optimus power-saving system, which allows the Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics to run during normal use, but fires up the Kepler-based GT 640M GPU when the demands of 3D gaming render the Intel graphics inadequate. You can specify which GPU to use in key applications, so we tested both Nvidia and Intel graphics when playing back DVD and HD video. In those tests we noticed distracting levels of mosquito noise while playing our The Return of the King DVD with Intel graphics. The noise disappeared when we switched to using the Nvidia GPU, but the overall image suddenly looked washed out and excessively bright. HD content fared slightly better, but visible noise persisted in our Magic of Flight test clip.
The keyboard isn't top-notch, either. The layout is good, and the keyboard comes with a full numeric keypad; but key travel is very short, and the keys aren't sculpted, which invited frequent typing errors. An overly sensitive trackpad exacerbated the situation, to the extent that the cursor was rarely in a predictable location.
The system ships with all of its key expansion ports located on the rear: Two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, one ethernet, an HDMI 1.4a output, and a lone headphone jack are built into the rear. The SD Card slot and the DVD tray are on the left side. Connectivity is available via 802.11n Wi-Fi or gigabit ethernet; no provision exists for 3G/4G wireless broadband, and the Timeline M3 lacks Bluetooth support.
One other area where the Timeline M3 shines is storage. A 256GB solid-state drive coupled with a DVD burner makes for a good storage combo, and the SSD provides fast boot times and speedy application loading.
Game performance was robust in our tests, with frame rates ranging from 16 frames per second (Shogun II) to 26 fps (DiRT3) to 44 fps (Dawn of War II), all at the full panel resolution, with medium or high detail settings. You'll want to use a real mouse for gaming, however, since trackpads are inadequate for most PC titles.
The Acer Timeline M3 offers excellent overall performance and an elegant-looking package, but with less than optimal input devices and an eye-gouging LCD panel that left us cold. You can adjust to an odd keyboard feel, and you can tweak trackpad settings, but nothing will save your eyes from a display that's not up to snuff.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/laptops-articles/acer-aspire-timeline-ultra-m3-581tg-review-5819375.html
About the AuthorACER replacement batteries:aspire 4730z battery, AS09A61 battery.
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting
More Hardware Information:
Related Articles
How To Purchase A Quality Laptop Computers Case
So you finally have that new laptop you have been drooling over for the past 3 months, only there is one problem -- You don't have a case for it. You've probably already laid down over a grand for the notebook and you're telling yourself that you don't want to spend another $70 for a case.
You Can Prevent Computer Slowdowns & Issues
Most people understand preventive maintenance like changing the oil in your car will help your car run better and last longer. The same principle holds true for your PC.
10 Solid Reasons To Make Your Next PC A Notebook
Notebook computers are becoming very popular. They seem to be popping up everywhere: on tv shows, on airplanes,in movies, or in your friend's lap.
Understanding Transistor Data and Replacement
If, for some reason, you can't get an exact replacement for the transistor that you want to replace, you can refer to one of the transistor substitution guides or book, and try to identify a "near replacement". Beware, however.
How to Save Money With Cheap Computers
We all know that computers change more then any other type of technology. There constant changing can also leave are wallets completely empty.
Used Laptop Computer: Your Quick Purchase Inspection Guide - Part 4
Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you sift through the mass of available used laptop computers to narrow your search down to the right laptop for you? This fourth and final article strives to give you a few suggestions for your next laptop purchase.
Build Your First Computer from Hardware Scratches
Wow- if you do it first time and have some asset of time in your disposition - then go ahead and purchase motherboard, your favorite processor, memory, video card (probably it is better to purchase it external for advanced quality). You will also need computer case - first computer should probably go to the cheap one - with USB 2 ports from the front side - the only question - you might want to replace noisy cheap power supply with $50 dollars one.
Flash Memory Part 2: MMC and SD
MMC and SDFlash memory is available in so many formats that it can be difficult to know what will work with any particular device. Devices such as MP3 players, PDAs, mobile phones, digital cameras, and personal computers can take advantage of flash memory to bolster their storage capacity, but selecting the right format may be easier said than done.
An Inexpensive Solution to Securing Public Access Computers
Offering secure public Internet access is not as easy as it may seem. As the IT manager for a mid-sized public library, it's become apparent to me that creating a secure network of library workstations for use by the public is more important than ever before.
Your Business versus Mother Nature
Business Consultants earn hundreds of thousands of dollars every year showing businesses how to improve their productivity. All business consultants in the Information Technology area agree that the biggest threat to business survival is data loss.
Motherboard Basics
A recent Tech Tip covered the basics of selecting a computer case and made mention of the various sizes that correspond to motherboards of different form factors. A few people wrote in expressing interest in understanding more about the basics of motherboards, and that's exactly what this Tech Tip intends to address.
5 Tips For Buying The Right Laptop Computer
It's easy to be intimidated by all the laptop models on the market today. There are literally dozens and dozens in every price range.
Choosing a Tape Drive
Tape drives remain the leading technology used by organizations for backup and archiving. However, the plethora of tape drives on the market can make choosing the appropriate tape drive a confusing task.
Computer Network Installation
Computer network installation has become an essential prerequisite for any efficient modern-day business as it allows employees to truly work as a team by sharing information, accessing the same database and staying in touch constantly. For a computer network to give the best results, a lot of detailed planning and foresight is required before installation.
Do You Feel Used by Computers?
Do You Feel Used by Computers?A look at second-user computer equipment.Let's dispense with the myths first.
Laptop Computers Instigate Classroom Revolution!
Have you noticed that laptop computers are beginning to dictate what happens in the classroom? Additionally, mobile technology is changing where learning takes place. This is especially true as laptops are entering the educational arena in ever increasing numbers.
How To Troubleshoot DVD Drives Fast
You really enjoy those dvd movies and games and the last thing you need or want is to experience problems with your dvd drive.To prepare for the possibility of having your dvd drive leaving you out in the cold one morning,we will dicuss problems that may cause dvd failure as well as the procedures you should take to correct these problems.
RAID Disk Recovery
RAID is short for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, a category of disk drives that employ two or more drives in combination for fault tolerance and performance. RAID disk drives are used frequently on servers and increasingly being employed on personal computers.
How To Buy A Printer That Won't Break The Bank
OK I confess I've bought at least 10 inkjet printers in the last 5 years and finally found one that I really like. I'm not going to mention the brand here but I will tell you what the must have features are for me.
A Guide to Refurbished IBM Laptops
IBM boasts a very large array of older and newer refurbished laptops on their website ibm.com.