AcerTimeline
Latest
Acer TimelineX AS5830TG-6402 review
When Acer unveiled its first Timeline laptops in 2009, these slim numbers felt like a revelation. Imagine: thin notebooks rated to last hours and hours on a charge and priced well under a grand! Fast-forward two years and that proposition seems a bit quaint, doesn't it? Pretty much every PC maker has been working on slimming down their wares and extending battery life with -- shall we say? -- mixed results. Still, Acer has kept on keeping, and its latest TimelineX laptops carry the torch as thin, long-lasting and inexpensive. As always, the company released Timelines in assorted screen sizes, ranging from 13.3 to 15.6 inches. We took a look at the 15-incher, the $800 AS5830, which promises to last up to nine hours unplugged and also packs a discrete graphics card – a feature many of its competitors have been skipping. But are impressive battery life and a relatively trim physique enough to make this notebook stand out in a crowded field of inexpensive, good-enough laptops? Let's see. %Gallery-131151%
Acer announces redesigned Aspire TimelineX Series laptops, prices start at $599
If Acer's current Aspire TimelineX notebooks look a little too dull for your tastes, have a peek at that industrial-looking number in the picture above. The company just redesigned its line of skinny laptops, and refreshed them with Sandy Bridge processors while it was at it. The 13.1-inch 3830T, 14-inch 4830T, and 15.6-inch 5830T all have that two-tone aluminum design (also available in black), along with USB 3.0, a choice of Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs, and Acer's clear.fi software for sharing media among DLNA devices. The 14- and 15.6-inch versions have onboard optical drives and number pads, and, on select models, you can choose a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT520M or GT540M card. However, the screen resolution is going to be 1366 x 768 regardless of which you pick. The 3830T, 4830T, and 5830T are available now, starting at $799, $699, and $599, respectively, and you can find specs for a handful of models after the break. %Gallery-125362% %Gallery-125345%
Acer developing 'ace in the hole' ultrathin, putting MacBook Air on notice
Acer was perhaps the biggest believer in Intel's Core 2 Duo ULV processors, with its Timeline range running almost exclusively on Intel's lower voltage parts, so it's no surprise to hear that the Taiwanese vendor is investing heavily again in Intel's 2010 ULV variants. We're talking Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs here, so performance should get a nice boost, but the best news is confirmation of something we'd heard earlier: the final product's profile will be an aggressively svelte 1.9cm (0.7 inches) in thickness, which will match the headline feature of Apple's MacBook Air. The plan is to launch "this year," and indications are that this hero machine will figure heavily in Acer's push to oust HP from the top spot in global laptop shipments. To say that we're looking forward to it might be an understatement.
Acer Aspire 3811TZ and 3811TZG get Greenpeace stamp of approval
So Acer's new Aspire 3811TZ and Aspire 3811TZG may not be puke-green like Sony's VAIO W Eco, but that doesn't mean they aren't some of the greenest -- as in eco-friendly -- laptops out there. Part of the company's thin-and-light Timeline series, the two 13.3-inch laptops have been named by Greenpeace as being completely free of those bad-for-the-environment materials, including PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and BFR (brominated flame retardants). Powered by Intel ULV Core 2 Duo CPUs, they are more power-efficient than most and last longer on a charge. There doesn't seem to be an official statement from Acer on availability and price on these models, but we assume like the rest of the Timeline bunch there will be models both north and south of a grand.
Gateway EC18T / Acer Aspire 1420P convertible tablet hits the FCC
We haven't heard much about the Gateway EC18T since we saw all those leaked pics back in October, but it looks like things are starting to move: the convertible tablet just hit the FCC database, complete with some more external pictures. From all appearances, it looks like this one's going to be a family affair, as the machine itself will be sold by Gateway parent company Acer as the Aspire Timeline 1420P, and the FCC docs indicate sister company Packard Bell will have a version as well. Badging aside, inside we're looking at a 1.2GHz SU2300 Core 2 Duo with GMA 4500MHD graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, a 500GB max drive, an 11.6-inch screen, and an eight-hour battery life -- so depending on price, this one could be pretty attractive. We'll wait to see how long it takes before one version or another escapes the government and hits store shelves.
Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT now made to order in UK, estimated for January 25 launch
Australia can't covet it all to themselves forever, right? Acer's Aspire Timeline 1820PT convertible has finally popped up on an UK retailer site with a £529.99 (about $858 US) price tag and a "due for release date" of January 25th, 2010. What's that? You want news about a stateside release? Keep sticking with the teaser, it's the best you're gonna get for now. [Thanks, Andy]
Aspire Timeline 1820PT convertible twists its way onto Acer's US site
Wanting yourself a good old fashioned convertible tablet PC? We've seen Acer's Aspire Timeline 1820PT hit Australia a little under a month ago, and now the US audience is getting its first telltale sign of 1820PT acceptance. The laptop now has itself a product page on the official stateside product page. No price or release date, unfortunately, but at least we know it's on the near horizon. [Thanks, SaintAndrew]
Acer issues recall for some Aspire laptops
Acer's issued a voluntary recall for some of its Aspire laptops -- all of which were manufactured before September 15th of this year. It seems that some of them are experiencing an overheat of the microphone cable after "repeated" and "extreme" pressure is applied to the left palm rest. The affected models include the AS3410, AS3810T, AS3810TG, AS3810TZ and AS3810TZG. Acer's set up a website where you can enter the serial number of your device to see if yours might be one of the affected.
Acer further bolsters Timeline lineup with new 8000 Series
It may seem like only yesterday (or a couple of months ago) that Acer was rolling out its very first Timeline laptops to much fanfare, but it's now already turned things around and kicked out a whole new addition to the line-up: the 8000 series. Apparently aimed at both business users and average folk, this one will be available in 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch variations, and pack the usual Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Solo ULV processors, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, a 160GB or 500GB hard drive (or even an 80GB Intel X25-M SSD, for those looking to go all out), and either some basic Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics or a ATI's 4330 dedicated GPU -- not to mention some bonuses like a multitouch trackpad and optional 3G (at a later date, it seems). No word on pricing or availability just yet, but it seems safe to bet that at least the entry-level models will be sub-$1000, if the current Timelines are any indication.
Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire Timeline 1810T: a netbook we can finally embrace?
We're doing our darnedest to keep our expectations in check, but it looks like the long, painful wait for a halfway potent netbook may be drawing to a close. With Windows 7 just months away, laptop makers are finally able to skirt around Microsoft's Windows XP-netbook limitations in preparation for a better, more refined OS. The just-leaked Aspire Timeline 1810T, for example, shares the same chassis as the underpowered Aspire One 751, though the innards are similar to those found in the Timeline series. We're talking an 11.6-inch display (1,366 x 768 resolution), Intel's 1.4GHz ULV SU3500 processor, GMA 4500MHD graphics, hardware accelerated decoding of HD video, up to 4GB of RAM, an HDMI socket, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, optional 3G / Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and an 8-hour battery. Naturally, this one is slated to ship with Vista Home Premium, but that free upgrade to Win7 makes said pill entirely easier to swallow. C'mon Acer -- dish out the price and release date, won'tcha?
Acer Aspire Timeline review roundup
Acer's range of CULV-based Timeline machines should be trickling out to US stores any moment now, and if you're wondering if any of these are right for you, we've rounded up a trio of reviews that are guaranteed to be relevant to your interests. If you're looking to get the long and short of it, here it is: those seeking great battery life in a relatively affordable package need look no further, but performance junkies should definitely hunt elsewhere. All told, Acer managed to concoct a few machines that'll go eight hours or so under the right conditions, but none of 'em will set any records in the benchmarking department. It's called compromise people -- are you willing to make it? Check the links below to help answer that.Read - PCPro ("Nondescript looks and plodding performance are elevated by absolutely stunning battery life")Read - Laptop ("Lightweight design. Eight hours of battery life. Good-enough performance")Read - ComputerShopper ("Delivers great battery life in a lightweight chassis; however, comes up short in terms of features and performance")
Acer Aspire Timeline found in the wild, chilling in Canada and up for pre-order in UK
Acer's been largely mum about its new Aspire Timeline laptop since its initial unveiling back in early April, but now it looks like the company's getting ready to roll out the portable to the customer base at large, if these spy shots from a from a Canadian-based Future Shop store are any indication. The list of specs is a bit hard to read, but from what we gather, the 14-inch Aspire 4810TZ-4129 is packing a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU2700, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, a DVD drive, WiFi, WAN, a touted 8 hour battery life, and Windows Vista Home Premium. No indication on the price or official street date, however, but if they're being sent to retail, we can't imagine we'll be waiting too much longer. Feast your own eyes on the specs sheet in the image after the break. Update: Reader Oleg has written in to let us know it's also up for pre-order at UK retail site PC World -- 14-inch for £550 and 15.6-inch for £600. [Thanks, waterboy99troop]
Acer Timeline hands-on
We just got all friendly with Acer's new Timeline lineup, and while we couldn't technically grasp at the hours upon hours of battery life they're promising, we could definitely feel the palpable presence of longevity. The laptops are very much an interesting blance; they're thin, but not astonishingly thin, they're heavy for their looks (especially the 15.3-inch), and they're styled aggressively in some ways while incredibly conservatively in others. We're not sure we're sold on the funky trackpad setup -- the right and left buttons aren't articulated, are sunken below the level of the touchpad, and are rather hard to touch -- but we like that Acer is really embracing multitouch here. The chiclet keys have a lot of great travel to them, but the board overall felt a little cheap and "prototype-ey" -- it may very well be a prototype.
