Very usable laptop - no problems encountered
Written: Feb 12 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: good price, wireless capability
Cons: probably weak material of display backing
The Bottom Line: Very good performance for a good price, perfect for home, home office or student use.
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| ktorok's Full Review: Acer TravelMate 290Xi (LX.T3505.061) PC Notebook |
I purchased this laptop 6 months ago. I decided to replace my desktop PC because i have started traveling a lot recently, and i need the portability to be able to work anywhere, even on the road.
As I started looking for laptops, Intel started promoting the new Centrino laptop technology very aggressively, and it caught my attention. At first I was most interested in the lower weight and the less warming that the new Centrino processors provide, but the easy integrated wireless networking technology turned out to be the laptops best feature.
Comparing this model to the other Centrino-enabled laptops (other brands) this came out a whopping 40-60% cheaper. I had about $1200 to spend on the laptop, and never imagined i could get the newest technology for this amount. But Acer really put together a great machine for a great price, and so far there have been no drawbacks at all.
Design
This is a 15" laptop with a clean and easy to use design. The latch opens easily, the keyboard is very usable, and easy to get used to even if it's your first time switching from a desktop PC. The only thing i would have changed on the model was the material that the back of the display is made of. i would have made it of a more sturdy plastic. It's not too bad as it is, but it does feel like on slightly bigger pressure it would let the pressure damage the LCD display. With a laptop that you carry around in a bag, pressure can happen any time, so this might be an issue, especially if you use a backpack to carry the computer. So far there have been no problems with the display, but this is my only worry about the computer.
There are 3 USB ports on the laptop, 2 on the back side, and one on the left side, which comes very handy to plug in your mouse or other peripheral without having to close down the display or move the computer. It's a nice touch.
The touchpad is easy to use as there are scrolling sections in it, where you can move your finger to scroll the page just like you would with a scroll on a mouse. It also supports clicking and double clicking by tapping on the touchpad.
Performance and features
This is a fast computer for general home and work use. I have 256MB memory (i have the XVi model), which is enough for office programs and basic imaging and web design that i do. I have never encountered a resource issue with this laptop. It's also fast to start up and shut down.
The wireless networking capability powered by the built in Centrino technology is very impressive. This is my first wireless experience and i will never go back to wired again. It is easy to use, fast and gives you much more freedom than having to hook up the computer every time you want to surf the web or email. The wireless capability worked from the first time i booted up the laptop, and i didn't have to configure or tweak it at all. Very impressive!
Software included
I received Windows XP Home edition preinstalled with the laptop, as well a 90-day trial of Norton Antivirus. The trial has now long expired, but i can still update the virus definitions from the Norton site, and the scan works, it just keeps nagging me to renew the license. :)
Overall verdict
As i said before, i have had no problems with this laptop and i am very impressed by its speed and wireless capabilities. I highly recommend it over other brands and models as its price is very competitive and it offers a lot of features (as well as options to upgrade if you need more memory or disk space).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1200
Operating System: Windows
Processor speed: over 1000
Screen Size: 15 inches
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 21-30
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Epinions.com ID:
ktorok
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Location: Budapest, Hungary
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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