Ultraportable Acer Ferrari 1000 reviewed

Acer's Ferrari 1000 is likely to be nominated for sexiest ultraportable, but even if not, this 12.1-inch widescreen machine looks pretty impressive; not too far back we announced that this thing was hitting the street, and now it's been properly test-driven. As expected, the Ferrari 1000 utilizes the AMD Turion 64 X2 and comes stuffed with 1GB of RAM, 120GB SATA hard drive, 1.3 megapixel webcam, external DVD+/-RW optical drive (where are the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray drives?), ATI Radeon Xpress 200M graphics chipset, 1,280 x 800 WXGA screen, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi, and reads practically every flash card we've ever heard of. cNews in Russia found very little to grumble about: the 3.7-pound machine wheeled through benchmarks, but apparently left reviewers disappointed by fingerprints showing on the carbon fiber. Going for about $4,000, this notebook ain't cheap, but if you want an ultraportable to match your Enzo, you can take delivery later this month.

[architect.zero @ Jul 14th 2006 10:40AM]

Dear Engadget,

a 12.1" laptop is _NOT_ an "ultra"-portable, no matter what the press release might indicate.

The Averatec 1100 is an ultraportable. This is not.

That is all.

[GadgetTV @ Jul 14th 2006 10:58AM]

Wondering when they will realease the affordable Kia laptop line.

[Andrew @ Jul 14th 2006 11:17AM]

This seems like a great machine, but wouldn't a 12.1" widescreen be hard to read? I mean, for anything other than movies, it would be frustrating.

[Justinwhy @ Jul 14th 2006 1:04PM]

Actually I've enjoyed using my Dell M1210 quite a bit. The 12.1" screen is a definate downgrade from the 24" LCD monitor I have at home but for travelling this little guy is great. Plus I can game a bit too (currently playing Titan Quest with ease).

[Jeff Foster @ Jul 14th 2006 1:22PM]

since when was ACER trying to be a premium brand?

i must not be paying very much attention.

apple-fanboy-time:
This thing nominated for sexiest of the year? bah. i'd still give it to the macbooks. no one in the industry understands elegant simple designs like apple. That thing looks like just another toshiba/ibm/acer/dell PC laptop with a silly car logo slapped on it...

i'm glad to see the webcam thing becoming standard for laptops. I know Sony was sort of doing it, but apparently trends always have to start at Apple before they pick up any real momentum. :)
[read: usb, no floppies, LCDs, CD/DVDR burners, laptop webcams, 17" laptops, heck, even 15" laptops. this silly fanboy list could go on for a long time.]

[David @ Jul 14th 2006 2:30PM]

Um Jeff...Acer has been integrating webcams for quite some time now...

[Michael @ Jul 14th 2006 4:30PM]

What is a ultra portable if a 12.1 screen is not? Before the UMPCs, a 12 inch screen was ultra portable. I prefer the 12 inch portables because they have a keyboard. The UMPCs are too large to fit in your pocket and too small to have useful keyboard. I'll the OQO it's due respect but it's useful in a pinch but not that useful for real high productivity while traveling.


Apple-Fan-Boys: Apple's new macbooks are nice (looks and feel). I am disapointed in the weight though. It feels heavy compared to my Dell X1 which also has a SD card slot and CF card slot. With Macs you get an internal slot DVD drive. What for? Carrying around software that you plan to install while traveling. Watching movies instead interacting with other humans. Just copy the movies to your hard drive and go.

[Jeffrey M Foster @ Jul 14th 2006 6:19PM]

David, i'm talking about widespread trend acceptance...

Acer may have "for a while" but suddenly most manufacturers are now, that's all.

[Steve @ Jul 14th 2006 6:46PM]

That would go well with this:

http://www.sybarites.org/2006/07/12/official-lamborghini-mouse-pad/

[zuricher @ Jul 15th 2006 2:09AM]

why should this thing be sexy... it's an ugly acer laptop with a ferrari logo on it. engadgeteers, it takes more than that to make a product look sexy. i wonder why ferrari gave away their great brand name for something like that. it's like selling an apple branded lada.

i wonder every day why apple seems to be the only brand that actually spends money on designers... can't be that hard! as gadgets / tech stuff become status symbols or fashion items, some companies really should reconsider their design budget.

[Anonymous @ Jul 15th 2006 2:59AM]

If the laptop had an in-built DVD/CD-RW drive (possibly slot loading like the MacBooks), then it should be crowned the sexiest laptop.

Shame you have to carry an extra accessory around, making it less portable.

[Donovan @ Jul 15th 2006 10:07AM]

zuricher, this thing is sexy because of it's design. Your 'Apple is better because they spend money on designers' fanboy rant is just that, a rant. The previous Acer Ferrari design's (3x00, 400x) were sexy (something, presumably, Acer had to pay designers for) and the new ones, including this one are as well.

Just because it isn't your cup of tea (I know, it doesn't have an Apple logo on it), doesn't mean that other people (who are in the majority) can't have different opinions. I've shown the Ferrari design to many people. Not one said "gross" or had anything negative to say about it. Why would they, it's sexy.

Further up, someone complained that an ultraportable couldn't have a 12" screen. I, like the other poster, disagree. 12" is perfect in the size/usefulness balance on the road. And no, it's not hard to read at all.

[Donovan @ Jul 15th 2006 10:11AM]

Anonymous, think about it. You don't HAVE to carry an extra accessory (DVD) around. If you had software to install or really had to bring a movie, just copy it to the notebook, using the detachable drive, then leave the drive where it should be, at home.

If the nature of your work involves constantly using CDs/DVDs on the road, then this just isn't the notebook for that, duh. (since glue-gunning the dvd drive to the lip of the screen isn't kosher, lol) :)

[mainframe @ Jul 16th 2006 8:33PM]

er...sexy?....you drunk, drugged, blind and insane?

[Jimmy Daniels @ Jul 16th 2006 10:41PM]

I don't understand the knee-jerk negative reactions by most people. They haven't even seen it or used it. I on the other-hand have seen it in the flesh and used it. And I gotta tell ya, it is one bad*ss notebook. Yeah, it has a 12" screen but so what. It doesn't compromise a thing. This notebook is loaded with high-quality components. The only keep me from buying one of these things is the price tag. But I challenge someone to find a system this size with these features that beats this one. And don't give me that apple bullsh*t - unless you're in highschool or a girl, you just shouldn't own one.

[h00ligan @ Jul 17th 2006 12:39AM]

Dear Architect_Zero,

this machien is ~.3 lbs heavier than the averatec, and much faster.

Thanks for RTFM.
Happy Engadget ready who thinks you shouldn't be an ass.

[mark @ Jul 17th 2006 4:15PM]

Sorry i do not know if im the only one but i do not think this laptop is nice looking at all i think it is pretty ugly if you ask me, now this is what i call a nice looking laptop if you want one related to a car manufacture http://www.cheaplaptops.org.uk/asustek-computers-joins-lamborghini-gallardo-to-produce-super-laptops/#more-36

[Arnel @ Aug 1st 2006 2:40PM]

Stop the Apple bullshit... it's not the topic here anyway.

And, heck, put any Apple notebook side-by-side with this bad-ass notebook, and you'll see how the Apple suddenly looks crap... with the Ferrari's carbon-fiber and glossy finish, plus the sleek lines and the Ferrari-red highlights, only girls and schoolboys would think otherwise.

Peace!

[Arnel @ Aug 1st 2006 2:43PM]

Stop the Apple bullshit... it's not the topic here anyway.

And, heck, put any Apple notebook side-by-side with this bad-ass notebook, and you'll see how the Apple suddenly looks crap... with the Ferrari's carbon-fiber and glossy finish, plus the sleek lines and the Ferrari-red highlights, only girls and schoolboys would think otherwise.

Peace!

[Francisco @ Aug 23rd 2006 12:49PM]

Whether you like the design or not it's a matter of individual taste, but on the technical and functional side of it all, this computer is really outstanding. I live in Taiwan, craddle of most notebooks and gadgets around and I can't tell you how eagerly I awaited the dual core version of the Acer Ferraris. They are from a different level, at a fairly decent price. You have to try the impressive aray of features, all of them usable and functional. Nothing in the AFs seems too much, you just can't get enough of it all. I would have prefered an integrated Optical drive, but there must be a good reason behind not including it (Note that all Acer notebooks of that size lack it) Now that I think about it, I rarely use any DVDs or Cds on the go these days. You can use bluetooth to transfer files, Taipei is a wireless city for internet and in general, you rarely carry a laptop in your barehands, so that external drive won't bother me that much in the end, I suspect. I'm just waiting for my next paycheck to go grab one to replace my faithful but now failing(screen problems) five year-old buddy Vaio FX-503 (another piece of art). Fanatisms aside, let's just admit it is stuff well built.

[Race-pc @ Sep 25th 2006 4:56PM]

Well, i've now driven my Ferrari 1000 for a week, with 2Gb RAM and 160 Gb HD, and it is excellent (after removing all tacky acer software). It is small, but not too small, screen is brilliant and it runs more quiet than a Ferrari car, much more quiet. The only thing I can complain about is two; one big issue - it gets HOT, really hot if you run something heavier. In this case it is not a laptop. The other thing is minor; the glossy surface gets covered with fingerprints - you need to wear driving gloves.

[Suomy @ Nov 4th 2006 10:10AM]

I own a couple of these. They are indeed sleek, sexy, and have sizzle. I get lots of comments when I carry one.

Be aware, however: The Acer Ferrari 1000, however, in particular uses a new Broadcom wireless chip. Something about the implementation seems to fail with one or more common routers (like the Linksys WRT54GX) and you cannot make a connection. Acer has declined to rectify this, but has offered to sell me something that will. Sad.

I do not have this problem with the Acer Ferrari 5000.

[idiot.driver @ Nov 26th 2006 8:58PM]

just cuz yur no fan of ferrari, don't mean that u should degrade it.. checkout the benchmarks against samsung Q31.. this baby got power! forza ferrari!