Review: Acer 5920 series [Laptops]

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Most people these days prefer to choose the Compaq/Dell counterparts over the Acer laptops (Despite Acer’s insane attempts at publicity by using Hrithik Roshan). But is that always a good decision or should you give Acer a second look? We at woikr review the popular Acer Aspire series of laptops and find out.

The Acer Aspire 5920 is a good  low to mid range laptop aimed at home users and students. The configuration is surprisingly good at this price point and is better than the competitors. Here is the detailed configuration of the model we reviewed:

Microprocessor	2 GHz Intel Core2 Duo processor T5750
Microprocessor Cache	2 MB Level 2 cache
Memory	2048 MB (2 x 1024 MB)
Memory Max	Up to 4 GB
Video Graphics	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Video Memory	Up to 358 MB
Hard Drive	160 GB (5400 rpm)
Multimedia Drive	SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
Display	15.4” WXGA High Definition CrystalBrite Widescreen Display with 8ms refresh rate (1280 x 800)
Fax/Modem	High speed 56K modem
Network Card	Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN
Wireless Connectivity	Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection Bluetooth
Sound	Dolby certified surround sound system with two built-in stereo speakers and one subwoofer supporting low-frequency effect
Keyboard	93 key compatible keyboard with extra Easy-Launch, EasyTouch and MediaTouch keys.
Pointing Device	Touch Pad with 4-way scroll button.
PC Card Slot	One ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
External Ports	– 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader – VGA – 4 USB 2.0 – RJ-11 – RJ-45 – TV-Out (S-video) – S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) support for digital speakers – Headphone out – Microphone in – IEEE 1394 Firewire – Consumer IR – AC adapter
Dimensions	36.4 cm (L) x 27.0 cm (W) x 3.08 cm (min H) / 4.37 cm (max H)
Weight	2.5 kgs (without battery)
Power	-65 W AC Power Adapter -6-cell Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery

Warranty and Support
1 year, parts and labor

The laptop performs really well in the mid range section of the notebook market. It runs  most common applications like web browsers, media players, development tools etc. without any hiccups. The graphics performance isn’t much to speak off but the laptop isn’t targetted at serious or even casual gamers.

It scores highly in the multimedia department. The screen is really bright and sharp.  And the refresh rate at 8ms is the lowest I have seen in laptops in this budget. The best part is the speakers. It has a dedicated subwoofer below it! The bass is not even near to the cheap desktop woofers, but it’s much better than other laptop speakers. The sound is loud and clear. If Acer is to be believed the speaker does surround sound to, but I didn’t find it too good. There is an S/PDIF connector if you want to connect the your Dolby speaker set. The thing is actually Dolby certified! Apart from this you have a VGA webcam that takes decent pictures and videos too. So, you don’t need to hookup a webcam the next time you’re in mood for video chat.

The connectivity options are pretty much standard. It has 4 USB ports which is a good number (I always think the 3 USB ports that most Compaqs have are 1 too less).  The 160 GB hard disk may not satisfy all your needs but external disks are cheap and comfortable to carry around so that shouldn’t be much of a problem.

The keyboard is really nice and comfortable. For a change the Quick keys are very accessible especially the Internet/Multimedia keys. The touchpad is decent but the buttons are a tad hard.

In the looks department the laptop is above average. It looks great from the outside but all the stickers on the neat white inside look clumsy. Also, it looks a bit too big when opened up. The weight is well balanced so it never feels heavy although it actually is on the heavier side. One thing I hated about the laptop is the opening latch, it’s clumsy and feels like it’ll break if used roughly.

The biggest issue that you might face is related to software. Acer has officially stopped supporting Windows XP. So, If you’re planning to use Windows XP on this laptop, you’re in for some trouble. After searching for hours we found drivers to almost all the hardware and Acer management software but some of it was unofficial. On the bright side, the laptop is not loaded with the junk that these companies install on there new systems.

Price:
The laptop can be easily purchased for approx 35500 INR at various shops in Bangalore. At this price, it ‘s arguably the most feature packed laptop and a great deal for almost everyone looking for a budget laptop.

Pros:

– Provides pretty much all the features you’ll ever need
– Faster CPU than competition in the same range
– Better speakers than competition
– 4 USB ports
– Good Webcam

Cons:

– Large size
– The Linux OS installed is really basic
– Clumsy opening latch

Here is how I rate it:

Performance: 4
Features: 4.5
Value for money: 4.5
Build quality: 3.5 (4.5 if the latch wasn’t there)
Looks: 4

Overall: 4.5

As you can see I really enjoyed the laptop despite it’s shortcomings. For all those who are wary of the Acer brand, give it a try. It’s good.