TEST: Acer Aspire Timeline X 3830T

MANILA, Philippines - When it comes to laptops, I have always been the bigger-is-better type. My current everyday notebook is a 6.5-pound (with adaptor) 15.6” desknote that I actually lug with me even on trips.

Every time I arrive from an overseas trip, I’d have blood clots from where my computer bag’s shoulder strap rubbed into my shoulder.

Netbooks? I was gifted with one a few years ago. It was one of those early-generation 8-inch models. Needless to say, everything about it - screen size, keyboard, trackpad, palmrest, etc. - was just too small for me.

The current 10” netbooks are better, but I still find their relative lack of processor power a deal-breaker. (I’ll be giving the latest dual-core 11.6” notebooks a try very soon.)

Which means that I find the new generation of ultraportable sub-14-inch notebooks the perfect compromise.

A fine example of this is Acer’s new P37,900 Aspire Timeline X 3830T. It’s an ultra-slim ultraportable, weighing in at four pounds and measuring less than an inch at its thinnest point.

It has a 13.3” HD (1080p) LED screen which boasts brilliant graphics. The 3830T is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor running at a brisk 2.3 GHz (and an even speedier 2.9 GHz with the aptly named Turbo Boost).

It has 2GB of RAM and a generous 640GB hard disk drive (HDD). The brilliant graphics come from Intel’s HD Graphics 3000 card and a Dynamic Video memory of up to 821 MB.

Overall, Acer’s Aspire Timeline X 3830T is not gaming computer-fast but still fast enough for heavy multitasking loads (i.e., multiple open MS Office apps with simultaneous videos and social networking on the side). And it doesn’t get hot one bit even after extended use.

The 3830T features Acer’s patented Nplify 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity, which indeed, makes hooking up with a Wi-Fi hotspot easy and almost instantaneous.

It also has a six-cell Li-Ion battery which delivers seven hours (Acer claims 8+ hours) of battery life from a full charge. Charging it back to 100 percent power takes less than three hours.

Brilliant videos deserve equally brilliant audio, and in this regard, the 3830T does not disappoint. It sports professionally tuned 3D Sonic Stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater technology positioned just above the keyboard.

Connectivity is via HDMI port, three USB ports (including a USB 3.0 port that can charge devices without booting up the notebook), Bluetooth 3.0, a Kensington lock port, headphone and mic jacks, and a multi-card reader.

The full-size Chiclet-style keyboard is well-spaced while the multi-touch trackpad has just the ideal size and sensitivity. On the outside, I like the matte finish, which resists fingerprint smudges even after bingeing on French fries (not that I’d do that, heaven forbid - wink, wink).

Acer claims that the latest Aspire Timeline notebooks’ PowerSmart long-life batteries have a four-year life cycle. That’s just about right because while most laptops’ batteries are good for three years or less, the Aspire Timeline X 3830T is definitely a keeper - even four years on.

Hot:

• Brilliant HD display

• Fast processor speed/memory

• Large 640GB HDD

• Generous port, I/O connectivity

• Compact and lightweight

Not:

• No optical disc drive

• Pricey

The Verdict:

A superbly spec’d notebook for the road warrior.