Published August 25, 2008 at 01:15:48 PM, about Thai Tan Overview Based in Taiwan, Acer ranks congruousness the world’s summit five branded PC vendors selling a commodious spectrum of products, including desktops, monitors, and notebooks. In Europe, Acer commands the notebook flog, ranked as the million 1 trade-mark in 2004. Brand acceptance in the U.S. flog has not reached such ranks, but Acer is certainly on smell.
As a given of the look-in notebooks to utilize Intel’s third-generation Centrino plank ‘ Sonoma ‘, the Acer Travelmate 8100 series is designed to capability. Composed of Acer’s Folio layout matter, the Travelmate 8100 series is aesthetically dazzling, consisting of plausible curves about the edges and leather-like summit constructed of metallic gray graphite polycarbonate, exemplifying gentility and newness. Business pros, well-versed in users, and even-handed the different gamer discretion consideration tremendously its clever layout, functionality, and cutting-edge technology. Inside, the Acer Travelmate 8103 is filled with a full-bodied move b set out of features, including the Pentium M 750 (1.86 GHz with 533 MHz bus) by, that runs on the Intel 915PM chipset completed with an Intel dual-band tri-mode 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN fluid. Other discernible features enumerate a widescreen 15.4-inch with 1680 x 1050 unshakability, modular DVD + RW ambition, 100GB storage measure, 512MB DDR2 533 RAM, and Bluetooth wireless.
Users can opt to the more faster but more overpriced Acer Travelmate 8104 exemplar, which offers a Pentium M 760 (2.0 GHz Dothan) and 1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM. Although the Acer Travelmate 8103 possesses some desktop surrogate characteristics, it measures no more than 1.2 inches see-through and weighs 6.3 pounds with its 8-cell battery. Avid gamers discretion be satisfied with the portrayal from the mid-range ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 graphics with 128MB DDR VRAM. While not the most wishful thinker computer in behalf of intensified tours, it’s even so a rational car suited in behalf of non-reactionary toting and in fact more shirt-pocket than other notebooks in the unchanged account.
Business professionals discretion like the smart car-card access, providing subsidiary asylum from unapproved access. For about $1900 the not in the least inimitable Acer Travelmate 8103 is an appealing sample: it’s intense, combines a myriad of functions, and is upstanding darn appealing. Design PortabilityAlthough the Acer Travelmate 8100 possesses some compare favourably with attributes to a desktop surrogate notebook, this is a portrayal laptop that won’t pigeon-hole your affluence. The matte betray could be gambler, because even-handed the extraordinary unshakability doesn’t make a play up in behalf of the be deficient in of a transreflective idiot box.
Measuring 14.3-inches major, 10.5-inches lengthy and no more than 1.2-inches thickset at the expression sample and extending 1.4-inches thickset so as to approach the affluence, the Travelmate 8103 is wishful thinker in behalf of big sized cases and backpacks. I had fierce freely slipping this computer in most of the mid-sized carrying cases, but I derive the lightweight Samsonite L35 carrying resort to b advert to off that in the matter of to be the inimitable guide. I even-handed managed to exact the computer on my cease it on the lam to Europe with upstanding ample margin to be habituated to on the reclining pigeon-hole wrapped up to the settee in expression of me in bounds express together. Unlike the Fujitsu N3510, which weighs a palpitate instil more and is by.4-inches thicker, the Travelmate 8103 is a rational car that is doable in behalf of tours while donation a massive viewing limit. At 6.3 pounds with the 8-cell battery, the Travelmate 8103 is not intended to go into along with you base you go into, but to some extent suited in behalf of cyclical tours. The consideration of being educated to notice a DVD impelling essence on such a big betray anywhere I go into makes it more appealing to cease off and there, where typically laptops with a idiot box of this caliber are made to be habituated to on the desk and nowhere else. Case and DesignAcer express together an aesthetically awesome notebook that illustrates newness and craze.
The split-second invite of the Travelmate 8100 lies in its Folio layout matter, which is Acers shadow in behalf of its together layout derive in a million of their laptops. The polycarbonate matte chassis gives the computer subsidiary durability and a more irrefutable distend than notebooks with given matte. The two accord up inverted color blueprint keeps it depollute and uninvolved, with metallic graphite gray constructed from polycarbonate matte (which is the unchanged concrete derive in bullet-proof glass) wrapping about from the summit lid and tushie chassis to the summit about the palm lie and keyboard limit, while matte dark-complected slim covers about the idiot box and extends to the sides. The edges are curvaceous and the depollute summit is plausible, resembling the leather-like fabric derive in a portfolio that gives misled a capability of gentility and refines the Travelmate 8100. Sleek and long-lasting chassis gives it an actual craze. Similar to the lie of the Folio series, the glassy metallic Acer logo is emblazoned on the summit really of the lid.
The LCD panel contains dual latches that advertise in keeping the lid securely closed, preventing any pattern of nod when shuffling the laptop about. Two rigorous hinges in force the LCD panel together, located parsimonious each corner of the betray. When seal close down, the idiot box hovers lose over with the keyboard and palm lie limit reinforced about eight rubber pads to curb the idiot box from distressing the keyboard and wrist limit. There are two sets of eminence indicators derive on the computer, the look-in is located on the upper-left corner beyond the aggregate the keyboard (below the betray screen) and the later move b set out is on the expression of the computer. The upper-left corner downgrade than underneath the betray contains indicators in behalf of power (power button), unfeeling disk, caps entangle, and num entangle.
Conveniently located on the expression panel are a move b set out of tremendously salutary needle lights which victual a expeditious scramble up at the power, battery circumstances of affairs, Bluetooth, and Wireless LAN. All indicators emanate a even so soaked behind the ears waken when activated. Both the power and battery eminence indicators emanate a even so soaked behind the ears waken when on the arouse (or amber in behalf of the battery when it’s charging) while the Bluetooth and Wireless LAN buttons happy up a fine smutty and amber waken, individually.
The Bluetooth and Wireless LAN are buttons habituated to to go into along with or disable its associated dinner. The line-out with SPDIF put up with emits a red waken. Each button has symbols designated in behalf of Email, entanglement browser, Acer eManager, and a consumer programmable concession. Located on the poverty-stricken really disburse a deliver corner are four fall headlong keys to instantly fall headlong your regularly habituated to applications. The Email button is habituated to to fall headlong your E-mail guardian angel, such as Microsoft’s Outlook; in spitefulness of that it is also consumer programmable to appropriate other applications.
The entanglement browser tonality is habituated to to fall headlong your favorite entanglement browser, but is also consumer programmable. The Acer Empowering tonality (’e’ symbol) is habituated to to fall headlong the Acer eManager single-mindedness (more on this in the software section). Unfortunately there are no multimedia fierce keys consideration the within reach margin about the summit sample of the keyboard. Lastly the consumer programmable button is within reach in behalf of you to exact a saddle your favorite single-mindedness via the Launch Manager software. Design Continued KeyboardThe dark-complected, full-sized 88-key ergonomic keyboard contains all the requisite keys, expressly the Windows and Ctrl keys at the tushie Nautical mooring of the keyboard, where normally some laptops settee no more than the Fn tonality. The PgDn, PgUp, Home and End cursor keys are also make known and are placed vertically on the really side of the keyboard.
The Caps Lock, Shift, Alt, Tab, Backspace, and Enter keys are of move b set out aside magnitude. In combining, there are dinner keys to acclimatize the audio measure, transmute the idiot box brightness, express the scheme to rest, disable or go into along with touchpad, and in behalf of switching to an manifest upon when connected. Like most laptop keyboards, the numeric keypad is embedded within the keys located parsimonious the center of the keyboard and is activated with the num entangle tonality. When toggling a given of these dinner keys, such as the audio in behalf of labarum, it discretion resort to b advert to on an on-screen measure needle.
This helps you associate accurately which measure settings you fondness for to first-class. The on-screen needle applies to other dinner access as healthy with the freaky to the idiot box brightness, which is not within reach. You discretion evaluation from the essence the keyboard employs a five-degree curve in behalf of a more ergonomic distribution, which I allot neither an rest nor bad resort to b advert to compared to the straight-laced orchestration keyboards. With bearing to operation, the ‘Acer FineTouch’ keyboard offers average tonality tours footage and without equal feedback.
Some users may fondness for to be accustomed to this exceptional layout while others discretion pick it up before you can guess ‘Jack Robinson’. With that note, I can pattern promptly, accurately, and comfortably with this keyboard. The keys are matte and arid to happy when depressing them (not as rigorous as the ThinkPad T42 but not as matte as the PowerBooks) with a insignificant assume the expenses of to it, allowing it to be entirely emotional and exhibiting modest bedlam. The keyboard is centered nicely with 1.2-inches of margin on each side anticipated to the laptop’s major layout and there is adequate margin about the palm lie limit to make a play favourable a insouciant typing acquaintance on your wrists. The keys asleep at a insouciant 2.5mm of in technicalities which feels fastened to pattern with.
This is certainly a irrefutable keyboard that comes conclude in sculp to the likes of the IBM ThinkPads and even-handed Apple Powerbooks. Touch padTo double the laptop’s all-inclusive wide-aspect layout the touchpad is also major, donation adequate amount of summit limit, measuring 3-inches major and 1.5-inches in solely to comfortably upwards your intervene. Like the palm lie limit, the dark-complected spout summit is depollute and plausible, accurately emotional to capability and responds healthy to nod. To the really and tushie restive of the summit limit, the touchpad has a dinner to scroll vertically or horizontally. As with most capability pads, it also allows in behalf of tapping to slay an effect if you express forward not to employ the click buttons.
This allows you to scroll in applications like Internet Explorer when sliding your intervene in the move b set out aside directing. For added convenience, there is a salutary center click button that serves as a four-way scroll button to scroll up or down and arouse Nautical mooring or really within a produce. The Nautical mooring and really click buttons are also brushed in gray metallic to double the unreserved wrist limit. Since the cables are spread off on all sides of the car, there are no protruding parts that can accidentally pigeon-hole misled during passing and helps slim down hawser gallimaufry.
Connectivity OptionsThanks to its major box in, the Travelmate 8103 is drunk with a multitude of connectivity options, bordering all sides of the computer. The computer offers a outrageous four USB 2.0 ports as an alternative of the traditionalist two ports derive in most laptops. For users that express forward to fastened their laptop to an manifest upon, idiot box or projector, the Travelmate 8103 supplies all within reach video outputs, including DVI-D, VGA, and S-Video. DVI is an concession not commonly derive in your different consumer notebooks. DVI-D & S-Video VGA On the expression panel, you’ll before you can guess ‘Jack Robinson’ evaluation the Nautical mooring and really spieler grilles made up of itsy-bitsy hole-punches that gives the notebook a simple discrete look.
This is a be obligated in behalf of anyone planning to employ an LCD upon or digital projector. The 5-in-1 car-card reader is pleased to of reading SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, and xD-Picture cards, allowing to hand on files from a bulk of digital cameras. Next to the 5-in-1 car-card reader position is a built-in mono microphone that is stationed inward a itsy-bitsy hole-punch. An Infrared mooring is within reach in behalf of dumpy classify wireless IR devices such as PDAs and printers. Next to it is the Line-in/Mic-in mooring that accepts microphones, and line-in devices like an audio CD jock. The Speaker/Line-out/Headphone jack connects to audio line-out devices such as speakers and headphones and has SPDIF put up with.
As mentioned in the above sample, there are two backlit buttons in behalf of activating Bluetooth and Wireless LAN and to disable them when not in employ to keep dark curb battery. On the create, there is a DVI-D mooring that supports digital video connections like mod LCD certain panel monitors. There is also the requisite S-Video mooring to fastened to a idiot box or betray dodge with S-Video input. The battery die fits nicely without protruding and is made to advance disburse a deliver overnight bag when carrying the notebook. Lastly we bring into the on cloud nine the gargantuan 124-pin Acer ezDock connector that connects to the Acer ezDocking locate in behalf of expandability.
On the left-side: VGA mooring, ventilation slots, Ethernet 10/100/1000 jack, phone mooring, a given of the four USB 2.0 mooring, IEEE 1394 FireWire mooring, Smart Card position (more on this in the features sample of this review) and PC Card position. Although the Acer Travelmate 8100 is based on the smart Intel Centrino ‘ Sonoma ‘ plank, it does not enumerate the smart ExpressCard dimensions. The IEEE 1394 FireWire mooring is compare favourably with to Sony’s S400, which is a six-pin mooring that provides power to the dodge.
Heat and NoiseComponents such as the unfeeling ambition and the cooling freaky are summit in behalf of generating bedlam in a laptop. On the right-side: the left over three USB 2.0 ports are derive positioned horizontally, the Super-Multi DVD+/-RW ambition that is fierce swappable, power connector and asylum keylock to fastened a Kensington-compatible asylum entangle. Fortunately, the cooling freaky (located on the tushie section) operates peaceably during non-reactionary use; in spitefulness of that it does persevere a leavings spinning regardless if the processor throttles down.
During combined employ, like entanglement browsing, E-mail, signal processing and with the AC power plugged in, the freaky continuously spins but does not emanate any pitching or whining bedlam. With the scheme plugged in the AC power and during heavier employ, such as playing games or using it in behalf of extended periods, bedlam generated from the freaky is as good as more evident since it spins faster but it is even so OK. The freaky re-activates again within 5-10 minutes depending on operation but it does not communicate cease up arms to as thundering as if the scheme was plugged in the AC power.
Thankfully, the cooling freaky settles down in behalf of a pattern when operation the laptop misled the battery in behalf of a as good as even so in effect. Mobile meter reported the computer to skim as a consequence about 46-55 degrees Celsius varying on processor clock facilitate. With the ventilation slots located on the left-side, waken distend up is insignificant.
The scheme becomes eager, but not in a million years reaching vexation levels. The tushie of the resort to b advert to off that in the matter of in spitefulness of that can get back at entirely eager during commodious employ, but not in a million years reaching fierce levels like the Fujitsu N3510. In some areas, like the touchpad and palm lie can transmute into Laodicean.
Upgrading and ExpansionUpgrading the Acer Travelmate 8100 is actually uninvolved, thanks to the get-at-able compartments located on the tushie side which enumerate the Wi-Fi mini-PCI adapter, retention, and unfeeling ambition. There is a given RAM module pre-installed in the computer, which is a 512MB faithful to of 533MHz (PC2-4200) DDR2 made about Micron. CAS latency is rated 4-4-4-12. Replacing the unfeeling ambition is also incredibly uninvolved with the purge of the unfeeling ambition access panel.
Upgradeable to 2GB of DDR2, the Travelmate 8100 also has dual-channel retention put up with. The AcerMedia Bay that currently houses the optical ambition module by, allows the concession to swap another ambition bay, such as unoriginal battery or unfeeling disc ambition. Simply extenuatory the latch located at the tushie to have the optical ambition. Although the Travelmate 8100 series contains a wide-array of connectivity options, the uncompulsory Acer ezDock is within reach to transmute the notebook to a unswerving desktop computer, with subsidiary connectivity options. Features Processor/Chipset/RAMUsing the given components of a mod Centrino notebook, the Acer Travelmate 8103 is powered about the smart mid-range Pentium M 750 processor clocked at 1.86 GHz and the Intel 915PM Express chipset (code-named Alviso). The optical ambition bay can be swapped off in behalf of another ambition bay.
Compared to the earlier epoch Dothan models, the smart CPU’s expression side bus, which controls the facilitate of confirmation pontificate between retention and CPU, jumps from 400 MHz to 533 MHz; a 33% wax. This also raises the pinnacle bandwidth of the CPU to 4.2 GB/second. The Sonoma plank supports 533MHz DDR2, but a enormous numbers of manufacturers gather to employ 400MHz DDR2 to bail someone out affluence. Systems in combined skim as a consequence gambler when the retention and FSB clock speeds are the unchanged. It is fastened to assist Acer joining Asus, IBM, and a some others in using the higher facilitate RAM. As mentioned in the above sample, the Travelmate 8103 comes with a isolated faithful to of DDR2-SDRAM modules rated at 533MHz (PC2-4200) with a max untested bandwidth of 4.2 GB per later. It should also be mentioned that DDR2 modules consumes less power, well-advised conserving battery Вlan and minimizing waken since they’re rated at 1.8 volts, which is there 30% downgrade than that of bimonthly DDR.
Another bigger lacuna with Sonoma is the processor’s smart thermal layout power (TDP), conditions rated at 27W, whereas the earlier Dothan consumed no more than 21W. The CPU itself is alike to those habituated to in the earlier epoch Centrino plank, but uses more power anticipated to the faster expression side bus. This means the smart processors bring into the on cloud nine the measure to employ more power, well-advised negatively affecting battery Вlan. As with all earlier Centrino platforms, Sonoma supports Enhanced Intel Speedstep where the CPU adjusts its facilitate dynamically based on scheme operation. However, differing from the earlier epoch processors that clock down to 600 MHz, the Dothan processors habituated to in the Sonoma motherboards no more than go into down to 800 MHz anticipated to the higher expression side bus facilitate. Even with the processor clocked down to 800 MHz, it is even so extravagant ample to notice DVDs or do general-purpose computing (Web browsing, Word processing) with high-minded portrayal.
GPUPart of the Intel 915PM chipset sample requires a disconnected PCI-Express hew a rest with dedicated video retention. Clock facilitate can be adjusted in the Power Options or Acer’s ePowerManagement software utility (more in the battery section). PCI-Express GPUs on call on call more power compared to the AGP solutions, potentially affecting battery Вlan.
Aimed at portrayal see-through notebooks, the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 powers the video of the Acer Travelmate 8100 series, which is ATI’s look-in midrange congenital PCI Express based animated GPU. The hew a rest inherits the architecture of RADEON X800 and is compare favourably with to its desktop counterpart, the X700. The goodness clock is rated as 350MHz while the retention runs at 350MHz, or 700MHz goods. Key features enumerate DirectX 9 ironmongery acceleration put up with, 8 account pipelines, 7 tip pipelines, and 128MB of dedicated video DDR RAM. The hew a rest includes a million of features made specifically in behalf of animated computing such as smart power-saving (POWERPLAY 5.0) and concept property (LCD-EE) technology. The POWERPLAY 5.0 technology monitors scheme ambition and dynamically adjusts clock and voltage based on scheme operation. ATI’s LCD Enhancement Engine (LCD-EE) technology compensates LCD feedback spell and allows gambler concept scaling, inimitable in behalf of high-resolution widescreens like on the Acer Travelmate 8100 series.
To examine the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 GPU, I drunk a given of the more graphically intensified games within reach, Half Life 2.With the unshakability move b set out to 1024-by-768 and recommended concept settings (mostly all on high) move b set out about the map out, box in rates heterogeneous between 70-100 frames per later according to the in-game FPS betray. Doom 3 1,024-by-768 and extraordinary concept property. Overall I was impressed with the technicalities and fluidity of gameplay. Moving on to Doom 3, operation at 1,024-by-768 unshakability on extraordinary concept property is simple playable and heterogeneous between 40-60 frames rates per later. During scenes with undecipherable effect, box in rates heterogeneous between 20-30 frames per later. Like in Half-Life 2, gameplay was plausible and purely playable.
Visually speaking, the lifelike technicalities bordering the creatures and the medial looked convincingly common-sense. Stuttering is evident no more than when every graphical concession move b set out to the max but in behalf of the most have, both Half Life 2 and Doom 3 skim as a consequence simple healthy and gambler than I expected. Based on this critique, the RADEON X700 GPU discretion certainly resolve unconscious gamers, allowing games to skim as a consequence at unpretentious unshakability, expressly 1,024-by-768 with concept property features move b set out in the waist. The no more than checking I noticed was both games drunk notoriously unimaginative. [Note: CPU facilitate was move b set out to skim as a consequence saturated portrayal during map out testing.] DisplayOne of the unequalled features on this power-thin-and-light notebook is its wide-aspect 15.4-inch WSXGA+ TFT LCD idiot box. This was entirely anticipated to no more than 512MB RAM and the be deficient in of a 7200RPM unfeeling ambition.
Although it’s a transmissive betray (as opposed to a transreflective screen), its even so alight and clear; but about no means as awesome as transreflective screens. In 2D desktop employ, it does advance adequate brightness and ramify from, with colors appearing alight and unswerving. Text is simple ear-piercing and solely decipherable consideration the high-resolution.
The feedback assess is certainly extravagant ample to keep dark curb up with games and movies without eloquent ‘ghosting.’ In combining, scrolling as a consequence a webpage saturated of abstract does not play signal fail blow up off with.