Aspire to new laptop heights, with Acer’s mid-level release the Acer AS5552-7474 15.6-Inch Laptop; a 15.6” screen with CrystalBrite screen technology, WiFi ready, web camera and microphone, packaged with gigabit Ethernet, this is a powerhouse wrapped up in under six pounds. Host a podcast, or chat with family and friends the Aspire AS5552-7474 is ready to go with AMD’s 64-bit Phenom II quad-core processor, sporting speeds of 2.2 Ghrtz and 2 Mb of cache. Watch your favorite movie between classes, or make a winning sales presentation, all simplified by the built-in DVD player and speakers. Sleek and professional, affordable, portable, and functional; this laptop is ready to go from dorm room to boardroom.
Pros
Screen – The CrystalBrite ant-reflective screen, not to be confused with lessor technology anti-glare screens, is superior in viewing quality. The added feature of the dedicated number pad enhances user performance and flexibility.
Memory and Media – The expandable 4 GB SD Ram memory and two multimedia card slots enrich the multi-media enthusiast’s experience; creating single presentations from multiple sources is fast and uncomplicated.
Price – Big on value the Acer Aspire series is designed for the active user with a limited budget. The quad-core processor combined with dual-channel memory and its moderate price, this well-featured unit compares to similarly configured units priced at $600 and up.
Cons
No Bluetooth – Acer did not provide for Bluetooth connectivity at this level; however, other features outweigh this small inconvenience.
No TV slot – Offering the increasingly popular TV card slot was not included at this price on the Acer AS5552-7474 model.
Web Cam – The 1.3 megapixel web-cam offered on this model is serviceable for the overall design of the unit.
Build and Design
The Acer AS5552-7474 is a sleek compact design with a big punch in a lightweight offering. The Black Mesh pattern accompanied by a satin finish interior is stylish and prevents the common fingerprint and smudge issues with glossy exteriors. This unit feels solid for its lightweight design; the top of the clamshell opens smoothly, and does not appear to have the flex so commonly found with lighter weight units. The screen is nicely protected even with the small surrounding frame, affording maximum visible screen area in a comparatively small footprint. The 8 X DVD-SuperMulti double-layer drive, combined with the front loading 2-in-1 digital media card reader slot simplifies multi-media access.
Rounding out the design a Kensington lock slot offers mobile and business users added security for hotel conference rooms or office lobbies. The full keyboard accompanied by a standard number key pad makes for a quality portable business machine.
Display and Speakers
Enjoy quality graphics with the CrystalBrite LCD screen technology; with the ATI Radeon™ HD 4250 graphics, movies, games and business presentations are crystal clear. The advanced LCD polarization used in the CrystalBrite screens is a smooth chemical polarization layer applied to the viewing screen glass; absorbing more external light waves. This allows for the incredibly sharp images, with improved color brilliance, high contrast ratio, and greater viewing angles; in short, a better image with reduced eye fatigue is produced with anti-reflective capabilities in a high-gloss display.
The name Dolby is synonymous with quality; the Aspire offers Dolby® Advanced Audio® v2 Audio Enhancement boosting your music listening to near theater quality. With high definition audio support all your HD games and movies will have the sound quality they deserve.
Ports and Features
The 2-in-1 digital media card reader is easily accessed in the left front of the unit making quick media changes a snap. Offering two memory slots for Secure Digital (SD) card and MultiMediaCard (MMC), enhances media access. Two of the units three USB 2.0 ports are on the side on the unit, with the third on the back with the single HDMI™ port; making tangled cords a thing of the past.
The 10/100/1000 gigabit Ethernet LAN port on the left of the machine adds additional connectivity for the corporate user.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The full function keyboard has a nice feel similar to other Aspire units. The positive feel and the lower click noise adds to the overall comfort and usability of the keyboard. Acer managed to squeeze in a full dedicated 10-key number pad complete with plus and minus buttons; making this a great traveling companion for the financial business person.
The multi-directional touchpad reduces key stroke fatigue and enhances the overall user experience.
Performance
The 64-bit AMD Phenom™ II quad-core processor provides the user with unmatched performance at this level unit. Paired with 4GB DDR3 memory expandable to 8GB the unit responds well to the demands of ever increasing performance needs, including system consuming tasks such as music downloads, chat, video streaming and movie start-up. Stay connected with your choice of wireless connectivity with the internal wireless card, or the advanced capabilities of gigabit Ethernet LAN. Pre-installed with Windows® 7 Home Premium, and Microsoft Office Starter 2010, ensure productive work on the go and at home. Store all your hard work on the 320GB SATA hard drive.
Battery Life
Offering 3.2 hours of battery life in a six cell battery, working away from a power source is not a problem. This unit charges quickly, and with the rear charging port keeps cords easily organized.
Heat and Noise
Heat dissipates quickly through the hardened plastic shell. Noise at idle is imperceptible; the user may notice the fan cycling but not obtrusively.
This is for whom?
The highly functional, no-frills Aspire series, similar to the Acer TravelMate group, is designed for the active and progressive user. Students will appreciate the battery life, multi-media access, web-cam, and styling; parents will appreciate the cost. The budget mined business professional will benefit from the Microsoft Office Starter bundle, comfortable keyboard with number pad, and the high-quality anti-reflective display. Measuring a slim 1.3” in height, and a 10” by 15” footprint, Acer has created a highly portable and packable user-friendly unit.
Why should you buy it?
If you are looking for a workhorse, that won’t bog down under pressure the Aspire AS5552-7474 is the ultimate in mobile computing. The three USB ports combined with a HDMI port, a wireless internal internet card, and a gigabit Ethernet port, Acer creates the definitive in connectivity. With the quad-core 64-bit processor comparable to higher priced units, quality construction, and backed by a one year warranty, Acer offers a complete package for a reasonable cost; quality and performance that far outreach its price.
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