The Ultrabooks Acer Lineup is one of the most diverse in the market. The company still continues to release their first model Aspire S3 (though a bit refreshed), which became in time one of the world's first ultrabook.
Not forgotten and the second generation of ultrabook - the Aspire Timeline Ultra M3, which is replicated on a large number of variants, and in the spring of this year, it was one of the first laptop in the world with the NVIDIA-based architecture Kepler .
However, they were replaced by Acer Aspire S5 and Aspire Timeline Ultra M5. Information about these models appeared in the beginning of the year, and so do M5 flashed in the news along with M3. But sales appeared only recently.
Today we tell about one of the modifications of Timeline Ultra M5. This range consists of three ultrabooks, two of which is 15.6-inch laptops, much like their counterparts of the previous series of M3. But we went to the third - the most interesting. Its main difference - the 14-inch screen, and correspondingly smaller size and weight. In addition, together with discrete graphics that ultrabook received and optical drive, which, combined with the small thickness of the shell looks very tempting.
Design and Ergonomics
Acer company is known for domestic consumers, primarily as a producer of relatively low-cost notebooks. Typically, it offers good Soup configuration at a lower than competitors price. Of course, these laptops are not always able to surprise the design or materials of the shell. Acer Timeline Ultra M5 on such a background is clearly highlighted.
What is remarkable about it?
First, the extraordinary appearance.
Second, the use of metal in the body materials. And third, more advanced configuration SSD, discrete graphics and an optical drive.
Of Acer laptops and most of its competitors, he clearly stands outside. Laptops have a thin, elegant, but the widespread use of dark gray and black makes it a little boring.
Computer if noticeable from a distance, it is primarily because of its shape, but not because of conspicuous coloration. However, someone such ostentatious severity will be just like.
Inside the decor is the same monotonous, although several elements are unusual - for example, the ledge below the screen, as well as a small depression on the side of the keyboard.
But the wide bottom frame of the screen does not look very presentable and like laptops from the past, when the broad scope displays were very much in fashion. However, the opinion of her improved when it turns out that it is made, as well as the laptop lid, made of aluminum. This, by the way, for all the whole "gray" part of ultrabooks.
But the flip side is the most common, plastic, that spoils the experience. That did not stop to hold the assembly Timeline Ultra M5 high. The computer does not squeak, play well there. All items are well adjusted to each other.
The main advantage of the 15.6-inch laptops, including ultrabooks - it is their keyboard. She often has a numeric keypad.But the 14-inch model so can not boast, though the rest of the designers Acer use the available space to the maximum.In particular, the more room for the column with the keys [Home], [PgUp], [PgDn] and [End]. 13.3-inch ultrabooks such companies can not offer - they have the keys partly carried and partly combined with dial unit. Here, the ergonomics of the keyboard was not affected, which is fine. And the basic layout is very easy to use. Is not that the [E] too narrow, as well as [Ctrl], [Fn], [Win] and [Alt].
Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5-481TG
Backlight keyboard
At first a little bit unusual small key travel, which is a common feature of many ultrabooks. But the keyboard boasts quality LED lighting. This is another sign of a top model.
Touch panel for current fashion made besknopochnoy. Because of this, it has a large area. But if you have not worked with before this, it will take some time getting used to. However, the typical "disease" besknopochnyh touchpads are not peculiar to it - in the lower part of accidental clicks happens. The motion of the finger is captured clearly.
With additional buttons situation is typical - they simply do not. Even more than that - at first blank panel above the keyboard causes some confusion. There's not that there are no additional buttons there, so it is not clear how to turn even the ultrabook. Usually, the power button is located somewhere above the keyboard, but in the case Timeline Ultra M5 it is all on the front end. By the way, the same thing happened with the model M3.
The reverse side of ultrabooks Acer consists of a single solid plastic cover. It is completely flat, but with a number of vents. But they help a little - heat and noise, especially under load, felt, though not critical.
Since upgrading from ultrabook situation usually sad. In large models it is better, but still far from ideal. In our case, in order to reach an internal Timeline Ultra M5, had to unscrew the screws on the back of it, and then remove the top panel with the keyboard. Inside, we found only one memory module, the adapter Wi-Fi, SSD-drive format mSATA. It's nice that the bar of RAM, as well as SSD, you can replace yourself. Given the 2 GB of memory, empty seats directly on the board, for a total in the computer can be a maximum of 6 standard GB.
Another of the interesting things to note the fit 2.5-inch hard drive. But has not led connector SATA, so that your own "upgrade" will not succeed. In addition, the design allows only 7 mm hard drive that are not very common. Obviously this place is left for another modification Timeline Ultra M5.
We would also like to say about the cooling system. CPU and GPU are cooled with a single, albeit large, heat pipes and turbines with a radiator. How will this affect the performance of the tests, we know, but for now we can only repeat that the laptop will load noticeably warm and quiet. You can also recall ultrabooks ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31 and Samsung NP900X3C.
They have similar characteristics (CPU Intel Core i7-3517U, digital video not, use the CPU GPU Intel HD 4000), but different from the cooling system. ASUS have used one tube to the radiator, while the Samsung - twice.
On the processor tests the distinction slightly affected, but in the gaming tests ultrabook Samsung got a good advantage through better thought-out CD. But, again, that it is too early to say what will happen to our test subject, this we know from testing it.
Connectors, Screen and Sound
Specifically designed the Acer Timeline Ultra M5 with an eye on the Timeline Ultra M3. They have a similar number of connections, and, in addition, they are separated at the ends on the same principle.
On the left is just the optical drive tray. In front of the right end lonely huddle card reader and audio jack. Front also not very many ports, more precisely, they are not there - only the power button. No, to be like the first almost "bezrazemnym» MacBook Air, Acer did not - all the other necessary ports are located on the back: power connector, two USB 3.0, HDMI, RJ-45, Kensington Lock.
In our opinion, Acer several "overdone" with connectors. Ultrabook relatively large, and the port is not enough that a little bit, so they are still all grouped behind.
Of course, Ethernet and HDMI are connected not so often, but occasionally have to turn off the power - is one of the most used plugs, as well as USB. It is always useful to put on one universal port on each of the side ends - is the best option. But there is almost everything is back, which is not always convenient.
As part of the sound no surprises did not bring a laptop. Even more - both speakers are not located on the front end of the bevel, as usual, and on the reverse side. A small speaker has to "chant in the table", muting is already not the best sound. This is despite all the «Dolby-tricks" Manufacturers who flaunts Timeline Ultra M5! Sound - this is clearly not the main ridge of the ultrabook, however, like many others.
When we were dealing with the first Timeline Ultra M3-581TG, he is not particularly surprised us with their screen. Yes, a good matrix, but not outstanding. The same can be said of the Timeline Ultra M5. It sets the matrix TN + Film level slightly above average. She has a good stock of brightness and a relatively wide viewing angles. Color saturation provides including "mirror" coverage, but because of it, the display is too much glare. Resolution as a model - 1366x768 pixels.
Configuration
As we said in the introduction, the range ultrabooks Acer quite big and confusing it can be very easy. This is especially true ruler Timeline Ultra M5, which are available to domestic consumers while only three models: two 15.6-inch and one 14-inch. Differentiate their proposed labeling: M5-581TG - this laptops with screen 15.6 ", and the M5-481TG - Jr. 14-inch. Moreover, their configuration is similar and a little different. So far, all the triple refers to the level above the average and is in price range of more than 30 thousand.
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Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-53314G12Mass
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Screen
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glossy, 14,0 ", 1366x768
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Processor
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Intel Core i5-3317U (two cores, four threads, 1,7 / 2,6 GHz, 3072 KB L3)
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Memory
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1x 2GB (soldered on the motherboard) + 1x 2GB (module SO-DIMM) DDR3; 1333
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Video card
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NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 LE + Intel HD Graphics 4000
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Chipset
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Intel HM77
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HDD
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128 GB, LITEONIT LMT-128M3M
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SSD-caching system
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No
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Ports and connectors
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- 2 USB 3.0,
- 1 RJ-45,
- 3.5-mm mini jack for headphones and microphone,
- Card Reader
- 1 HDMI
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Wireless interfaces
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Atheros AR5BWB222, 1x1 802.11a/g/n, up to 150Mbps / s
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Optical Drive
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DVD ± RW
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Webcam
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1.3 MP
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Built-in microphone
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Yes
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Light sensor
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No
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Battery
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3-cell (54 W * h)
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Power supply unit
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65 watts
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Dimensions (WxDxH), mm
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340x245x20, 7
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Weight
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1.85
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Estimated price, rubles
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In principle, the configuration of the 14-inch Timeline Ultra M5 is outstanding. It really is at a level slightly above average, but mainly due to the SSD and a discrete graphics card. The processor is installed in a laptop is the most common among today's ultrabook - Core i5-3317U. This dual-core 1.7 GHz chip offers a decent level of performance.
As part of our laptop memory a little worse than most peers. First of all, use memory running at 1333 MHz, while many other laptops have already switched to 1600 MHz modules. Although, of course, "the eye" is such a difference in the frequency will be visible when we use the graphics processor in the games, that is not typical of this cooler - discrete graphics easily solve this problem. In addition, according to the manufacturer's website, the maximum amount of RAM can make a total of 6 GB. For ultrabooks it should be more than enough. Dual-channel mode is also available.
One of the most interesting sides Timeline Ultra M5 - this is a discrete video card. These are now available in the main only in the "big" 15.6-inch ultrabook. Acer chose to use NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M LE - some stripped down version of GeForce GT 640M.
As for the differences between the GT 640M and GT 640M LE, then it all depends on what kind of chip is at the core GT 640M LE - NVIDIA is releasing this as an accelerator chip GF108 (architecture Fermi), and with a chip GK107 (Kepler). Differ, they except architecture, graphics core frequency and, consequently, performance. Of course, the faster the chip version GK107, which is what we got. So, if we continue the comparison between the GT 640M and GT 640M LE, we can say that these video cards differ only in the frequency of video core. An ordinary GT 640M is a little (at 125 MHz) above, which has a positive impact on performance in games.
As we mentioned above, another distinctive feature of the Acer Timeline Ultra M3-481TG - is the use of SSD-drive. While alternatives are proposed, although, as we have seen, the design of the board and the housing is designed for the installation of 2.5-inch hard drive height of 7 mm. And will have to "settle» SSD to 128 GB. Of course, no system caching is not provided - it is simply not necessary.
Communications capabilities "gifts" such as 3G-module we are not happy. More than the standard: Wi-Fi-enabled 802.11n, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth 4.0.
It is noteworthy that Acer has decided to set a 14-inch ultrabook and optical drive. Of course, the usual DVD ± RW, but it was he, at times, and the need for most users: the software for Blu-Ray disc is not for sale.
As we said, our Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5 category for sale in 30000. Or rather it is available at an average price of 33-34 thousand. Not so little, if you look. But do not forget that this amount included SSD and a decent graphics accelerator. From this point of view the installed cost is justified and does not seem high.
Supplied ultrabook we were able to meet only with the power supply. In addition to its slightly "rasplyusnutoy" form it is of no interest. Plain black bar manufacturing Delta Electronics 65 W (19 V, 3.42 A).
