Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 11.6-Inch Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Acer 1410 with Intel dual-core SU2300 and Windows 7 is a useful, general purpose mini-notebook. It is small and light enough to be carried around all the time, yet large and fast enough to do most ordinary work. Word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail and Web browsing are all responsive, although there have been reports of some performance limits showing HD video. These units are being delivered with 64-bit Windows and 2GB of memory. For about US$80 one can install 2x2GB of PC2-6400 memory, reselling the delivered 2x1GB of PC2-5300 memory if that proves possible. Speed becomes faster and battery life longer when using the Windows Classic theme and setting "Adjust for best performance" in Control Panel, System, Advanced system settings, under Advanced and Performance. Even with maximum power use the unit remains cool, with only slight warming near left-side ventilation exhausts.
The display provides about 135 color pixels per inch, while the human eye is capable of resolving only about 70-90 per inch. Small-size text will be unreadable without a magnifier. However, all commonly used Windows displays are readable, unaided, for a person with normal to somewhat near-sighted vision. Display software provides an option to boost text dimensions 25 percent at the expense of reducing content of application windows. A 50 percent brightness setting is adequate for indoor use and extends battery life. Even 100 percent brightness cannot overcome reflections from the glossy screen for outdoor use. Visibility angles are limited to around 30 degrees in practice, slightly more from above, and color fade begins at about 15 degrees.
The keyboard design provides full US spacing of 9 inches across a row of 12 keys. Tactile feedback is adequate for fast touch-typing. The touchpad is adequate, but its many options may confuse new users. It is best to start by visiting Control Panel, Mouse, Device Settings, Settings, and disabling all options except Buttons, setting the PalmCheck and Touch Sensitivity options to the second lightest. Later the span of options can be adjusted as familiarity with the unit grows. The touchpad software is unresponsive. Even with options disabled, the pointer movement on the display is apt to surge and freeze. Acer's case design worsens those problems by providing poor tactile feedback for touchpad boundaries.
The WiFi interface performs creditably and connects quickly. WiFi can be disabled by a switch under the front edge to save power when it is not needed. There is also a Bluetooth switch, but the 1410 does not come with Bluetooth. The audio is adequate for typical office use, where most Windows sounds are usually disabled. Battery life in normal use is likely to be around 5 hours. The power adapter delivered provides only 30 watts, maybe because of safety issues and recalls Acer has experienced. Battery recharge time with the computer off is around 2-1/2 hours and twice that with the computer on. Windows 7 performs without the reliability problems and the annoyances of Windows Vista. There are minor functional improvements over Windows XP, nothing that adds much productivity for office use. Utilities like Notepad and Calculator have not changed function since Windows 95.
The 1410's rich cousin, the 1810, is expected to be available in quantity by mid-November, 2009. Its SU7300 processor will be about 20 percent faster, and it will be delivered with 4GB memory and a bigger disk. For most office uses there will be no added benefit to justify a 50 percent higher price. Some customers may be attracted by around a 25 percent increase in battery capacity. Overall the Acer 1410 is a good candidate for performing typical office work in a mobile setting, but no portable computer delivers the productivity of a fast desktop computer with a large display, mouse and freestanding keyboard.
Some reservations: Acer's documentation is unsatisfactory, only available on delivered machines, not on the Web. It consists of a "quick guide" to a category of machines, in this case both 1410 and 1810 models, equivalent to five typewritten pages, and a "generic guide" to the Aspire family, mainly on proprietary software, written in a CYA style and in a British dialect of English. As an example of the low-grade advice, it recommends carrying a spare battery but nowhere specifies appropriate batteries, or for that matter, specifies any other replacement parts or product options. In the case of the 1410, this can be disastrous, because the same 1410 model number was used by Acer for an earlier portable computer, which requires different batteries. The battery is Acer part number UM09E31, but as of October, 2009, there was no source for that battery. Acer's warranty requires a lawyer to decipher, saying to contact a "Call Center" but providing no telephone number.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 11.6-Inch Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 Notebook comes with these specs: Intel Celeron Processor SU2300, Windows 7 Home Premium, 11.6" HD Widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit Display, Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset, 2048MB DDR2 667MHz Memory, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, 160GB SATA Hard Drive, Acer Crystal Eye Webcam, Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, Dolby Sound Room Audio Enhancement, Intel WiFi Link 1000 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N, 3 - USB 2.0 Ports, 1 - HDMI Port, Multi-gesture Touchpad, 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh), up to 6-hours of battery life, 3.08 lbs. | 1.4 kg (system unit only), AC Power Adapter, AC Power Cord, Wireless Setup Card, Registration / Limited Warranty Card, McAfee Internet Security Suite (60-day insert)

Click here for more information about Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 11.6-Inch Black Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium)