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List Price: $579.99
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I really adore this mobile computer. I am a mobile person and the size is perfect for every day commuting and long-distance travel; it has a small footprint and can fit on any surface be it an airplane seat tray or a lap. The computer does not have a disc drive (which I think is a plus), freeing it to be made very thin; it is not Macbook Air thin, but still very thin. One of my favorite features is the touchpad. It recognizes Apple like gestures and is free from the casing, so that it can physically move up and down when pressed. This gives it a very responsive feel akin to the Apple touchpad. The keyboard has keys separated by the case molding. It is not a full size keyboard, but I find the Chiclet-like keys helps prevent pressing more than one key at a time when typing; it also looks very cool.
I like a fast computer and this Acer has a lot horsepower for its price range since it has an Intel Core i5, instead of a Core i3. This means it comes with Intel's Turbo Boost technology. I believe the Turbo Boost makes a big difference in a laptop where power consumption is directly related to battery life. Most of the time a lot of horsepower isn't needed, e.g. web surfing, so battery power is saved. But when you need to open or run a demanding program like MATLAB (you'll see I love MATLAB) then Turbo Boost really shines and everything will run faster.
I took this computer to another level by upgrading to a solid-state hard drive and highly recommend this. The SSD makes boot up incredibly fast. (Note about installing Windows via USB: Format a USB (>4GB) with FAT32. Then extract a Windows Installation ISO to the USB using 7-zip. Super simple :)(Note 2: or use Clonezilla to clone the Windows that ships with the drive onto the new one.). With this setup the computer is very snappy. The computer boots in about 5 seconds. MATLAB opens on my laptop faster than my desktops!
I did not want to spend more than $800 on a new laptop. This laptop perfectly fits my computing needs and wants without breaking the budget. I think it is as cool as a computer can be without being a Macbook, which this computer clearly used as an inspiration. I don't believe in spending top-of-the-line money for laptops, because the dollar goes further in a desktop and laptops don't have as much longevity due to wear and tear (I'm pretty rough on laptops. They get banged around in my backpack when I bike around or travel). However, being unwilling to spend enough can result in an impotent laptop: more than a Chromebook (which are awesome in their own way, but specialized), yet not quite powerful enough for doing more than surf the web, write docs, and make slides; having a computer powerful enough to run MATLAB (or a similarly demanding program like Photoshop) was important to me. The Aspire V5-171 has met my needs and surpassed my expectations. It represents a fantastic value: it combines computing power and great aesthetics into a very convenient and mobile form factor.
The only caveat I can think of is this is not a "gamer's" laptop. However, it has the best integrated graphics chip Intel offers and will play a lot of modern games on the lowest visual settings at decent frame rates.
Finally, there are a few miscellaneous features that further prove how this laptop is the complete package. In addition to an HDMI port, there is also a VGA port. I think it is great to have both, because there is now the flexibility of giving a presentation on an HD screen or an older projector without needing to tote around extra adapters. There is also a USB 3.0 port to help future proof this machine. Another nice unheralded feature is the power cord, which does not have a "Ghostbusters brick". Instead it has the adapter plug directly into the wall; this seems to have reduced the size of the power cord and represents to me less of a trip hazard. My only wish is that the power cord would connect to the laptop using a magnet ala Apple (the ultimate in trip prevention), but I don't mind so much because this laptop comes in at such a nice price.
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Funny that companies are trying to make these smaller laptops seem like something new. They were everywhere a few years ago; with screen sizes from 7 to 14" and simply called netbooks. For whatever reason, at the time, they bombed and just didn't sell so they were discontinued by most major manufacturers. Skip ahead just a couple years and tablets popped up on the scene and as of the time of this writing (7-14-13) are all the rage. And guess what the screen sizes are...7-10". While I think they are a great form of entertainment (I purchased one myself, an Asus 10.1 Transformer currently their top of the line for almost a year).
While tablets come in a variety of sizes and are very easy to use (their big selling point) they really are suited for entertainment primarily. The public has finally starting noticing this and even through you can add a keyboard to a tablet, it still is very limited using "real world" applications. While many people have written programs (apps) to try to expand their usefulness, a word processor or spreadsheet on a tablet is far more complicated than on a Mac or PC. Thus the resurrection of what people now refer to as "smaller computers" (a.k.a., netbooks).
I write reviews and articles for a variety of blogs and yes, even newspapers (contrary to popular belief they do still exist though the number is dwindling fast). I tried using my top-of-the-line Asus tablet with a variety of word processing applications and while I'm looking for a program with all the features I need, salespeople seem to be programed to talk about nothing but "pinch and zoom" and the gigantic 32 Gig of storage memory they contain. No matter what you ask them they always bring the subject back to that. It's like dangling shiny trinkets in front of a baby and listening to them "oooo" and "ahhh" over the pretty shiny things. Kids, time to grow up.
While tablets certainly have made a place for themselves and at the moment are continuing to grow in popularity they really are most practical for entertainment and not productivity. I'm not saying you can't send off an e-mail or edit a document but to write a 5 or 6 page article (even if you have a keyboard for your tablet as I, myself do) you really need something with a little more power and better design...at least for writing. And that means a fully functional word processor, be it MS Word, Open Office. But many times, in writing articles, when I start in the research phase I might have 20 tabs open in a browser, a word processing program, a drawing program with something as simple as clip art open as well. Guess what happens to a tablet (mine actually has 64 gig of ram). What happens is that it comes to a screeching halt.
I have a quad core, 15" laptop and a quad core desktop that uses wireless keyboard, mouse and even dictation software so when I am home I barely have to touch the keyboard. Oh, and the screen is a 50" diagonal flat panel. There isn't anything I can't do with my home system. Now the problem; I'm not always home. I don't know how many people have tried carrying a 15" laptop (with power brick) and other accessories around all day but by afternoon my shoulders feel like they are going to fall off. Thus the need for something smaller but not too small.
First stop, as always, Amazon to hunt for something more practical for my particular needs. I looked a Chromebooks (those are basically netbooks that use the Google operating system). Problem is that everything has to be done in a browser and Google's word processor isn't very powerful and as I said, I may have 20 tabs open at once. Google's browser answer for this, since it creates a lack of memory, is to close (and no it doesn't ask it it's okay) the oldest tab. And while there are supposed to be ways to bring them back it just doesn't always work. In reading reviews on Chromebooks I kept seeing the same comments over and over. Why does Asus produce netbooks with 4 gig of ram and a 320 gig hard drive since it really has no use for anything that big since it stores almost everything you do on the web. So I wrote the model numbers of a few down and searched Amazon for them. Sure enough, there was the exact same computer that had been used for Chromebooks but with Windows 8 as the operating system.
I made my lists and compared and decided on this machine. While it claims to have a 5 hour battery life, in reality it is more like 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The reason for this however is because they are showing most of the specs of Chromebooks that have very low-end processors that don't need much energy to run while this computer replaced these low-end processors with and Intel Core i5. With the entire line of Intel processors, this is the second from the top of the line. It is fast and even has a turbo mode so that if you are over-taxing the processor it literally kicks in to overdrive and gives a little extra boost as needed. I've been working on it for about a month and with a browser open with 32 tabs, a word processor and a spreadsheet (and playing music in the background) it has only kicked in once! It also has 6 gig of ram to support all those open windows. I may upgrade it to 8 gig but at this point I am not sure it's really even necessary.
The keyboard is also worth mentioning. While my 15" laptop has a full sized keyboard with a separate numeric keypad, this computer has only the full sized keyboard and no separate numeric keypad. But then that cuts about 3-4" off its size. I have been asked why I didn't just get a Macbook Air (super slim and lightweight + another $1000). So I decided to opt for the Acer V5. I even purchased an external DVD drive since this computer doesn't have one built in and contrary to the "knowledgeable" salespeople who tell me that no computers will have them in another year since everything can be downloaded, I disagree. The drive is 1/2 inch thick and runs right off the power from the usb port you plug it in to. A couple people also said that software would be delivered in thumbdrives (usb sticks). I reminded them all that people have been saying that one for about 2 years. Other than a couple programs, everything I've seen that isn't a download comes on that other thing that will be discontinued if you listen to them...a DVD! As I said, no keypad but the rest of the keys are the "chiclet" style keys with ample space between them that your fingers don't hit the wrong keys (some chiclet style keyboards are so close together that they are more of a solid, flat and connected row of keys and it is difficult to keep track of where "home row" is for typing.
This computer has a 500 gig hard drive in it. I have considered swapping it out for a SSD however the speed that this computer has at start up is actually quite fast for a standard hard drive and from the time I hit the power button, while an SSD might have it up and running in 15 seconds, it has never taken more than a minute to be up and ready to use. And for the cost of a 500 gig SSD, I can wait another 45 seconds longer.
It does come with the usual assortment of partially cripples games, trial period software for the major programs. But I always make my first project on any computer to 1st, make a back up of the operating system in case something should go wrong (forgot to tell the salespeople about that one no DVD or usb stick and if the computer dies, you can't go on line to download the operating system). The 2nd thing I always do is delete all the garbage software and finally, the 3rd thing to do before adding my own software is to defrag the hard drive after just erasing so much junk.
The screen is bright and clear. You would have a hard time counting pixels. For those who don't like non-reflective screen, you'll need to buy one of those clear, plastic non-glare screen covers because this screen, as beautiful as it looks is almost impossible to see in a brightly lit room. Not because the screen is dim but because it is so highly reflective. But you can get an anti-glare screen on line, almost anywhere. They go on like the clear plastic screen protectors do. Just slide them on and try not to get air bubbles under them.
While this doesn't have a DVD drive built in, it does have a network port, 3 usb ports, a SD card slot and an HDMI port. At the rear of the PC (where the hinge for the screen is located) the height when closed is just under an inch and at the front it's about a little more than a half inch. I put my 10 inch tablet on top of it and it was 3/4 of an inch longer and 3/4 of an inch deeper. So size-wise it's almost the size of my tablet. I actually carry both in my computer bag.
Lastly, a friend asked if it got hot sitting in my lap? Answer is: warm. It's never gotten so hot (like my larger laptop) that I thought I would burn my legs. And besides, for convenience sake I also have a small stand that folds flat (also fits the computer bag) that is designed to put the computer on if you are in bed or sitting in a chair. That allows a little air to flow beneath it. It has a fan built in but it is barely noticeable, especially if you are playing music.
Actually, this is the last thing: the speakers are mediocre at best. You have 2 choices really. You can use a set of headphones and the sound is full and clear. I'm not big on wearing headphones while I work so I spent $18 (also found here on Amazon) and purchased X-Mini II XAM4-B Portable Capsule Speaker. Strange looking. I looks like a small pod/half a ball (hard to describe) but it is a small external speaker that you just plug into your headphone jack (it has a built in battery and I've used it on a single charge for 11 hours one day) and while you aren't going to get Bose quality sound out of it, the highs and lows are nice and clear. If you want to spend about 1/2 to 3/4 more $ you can also get it in a blue tooth version so you don't have to play with an extra wire. The only reason I didn't get that one myself was because while it pairs up to your computer with no problem and sounds as good as the wired version; again, it has a built in battery but since the battery has to power bluetooth as well as the speaker, it only runs for about 5 hours before needing a recharge. My career is built around the computer so I use it much more than most people so I liked the less expensive model, not because it cose less but because I get 11 of play time out of it.
Hope this has been of help to someone looking at it, one way or another. It is a great little computer but is just big enough that you don't feel like your trying to work on a toy. And with a core i5 processor, 6 gig of ram and a 500 gig hard drive if you are looking for a physically smaller computer (something that can produce real work), it's a great machine.
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It might be helpful to describe my PREVIOUS computer. For the last two plus years I have been using an Acer one, 10.5" notebook. I had upgraded the ram to 2 GB. I never had anything that small before, but really I liked the size, and also the ACER quality (for the price).
I did a lot of research before I bought this new ACER. I'm a tightwad and I didn't want to pay for any more than I needed. After the first week I am totally pleased.
One of the problems with the previous notebook was the undersized keys and keyboard. The move up to 11.5 inches has allowed for full sized, fully spaced keys. I'm a writer and I need a real keyboard that I can use anywhere. Someone else referred to these keys as "chiclets". Yes, they protrude up individually through the casing. They're very easy to type on. It verges on fun. The only thing that concerns me is that they may accumulate dirt, which may be difficult to get out. But, that can't be any worse than most other keyboards.
I don't do any gaming; So, the 6 GB is really great. The processor and RAM are quite adequate for word processing, spreadsheets, surfing, and watching Netflix.
It is super slim, portable and very light. Note, however, that the power cable is on the right side. I would prefer the left, but it's not a big deal.
The screen quality is very good for the price. The size of the screen is perfect. It is the smallest possible screen for a real keyboard. It is big enough for all the programs to run without size problems.
In regard to software: I was very skeptical of W8. I spent 3 or 4 hours familiarizing myself with it. I finally got it set up. Basically I only see the APPS screen when I boot. I go straight from there to a (more or less) familiar window's desktop. It's working OK, but I'm thinking about defecting to Linux Ubuntu.
I also may install an SSD drive when I do that. This is not because I am dissatisfied with what came in the box. I think it's a great value for what I paid.
Now, a word to the wise about MS office. MS is really trying to rope everyone who needs office into annual fees, high prices, and so forth. I refuse to do it.
I first tried Open Office, but soon learned that they (apache? I think) are not keeping it up. I had trouble with migrating excel files and formatting. But, Libre Office is really great. They're on top of it. It's open source. It's free and it works. It doesn't have all the features of the later versions of office, but for my needs, it is just fine.
Honest reviews on Acer Aspire V5-171-6471 11.6-Inch Laptop (Silky Silver)
I would give this laptop a Four except that its battery life is quite poor. After adjusting the power settings for minimum power, I have trouble getting more than three hours from it. Acer should have give it a larger battery. Acer doesn't have a larger battery available for after market either.
Like the machine, hate the battery!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire V5-171-6471 11.6-Inch Laptop (Silky Silver)
I'm a software engineer and professional Linux user. I was a little nervous about buying this machine, because I have had bad luck in the past with hardware compatibility on very lightweight machines. There was no need to worry, practically everything works perfectly (see notes at the end of the review).
** Fit and Finish **
It looks nice. Actual metal would have been nicer, but it's close enough. The keyboard feels a little sloppy, and you'll notice odd clicking sounds in the keys from time to time. This is most of where the lost one star is. I wasn't expecting much from a chiclet board on a computer this thin, but I know that it could have been done better.
** Battery Life **
With low display brightness, but performing regular tasks, I was able to get about the advertised five hours of battery life. On Windows, I would expect about an hour less.
** Graphics **
The CPU and onboard graphics are very powerful, especially given the size of the computer. I was able to run Counter-Strike: Source with 60-200 FPS on the recommended settings. For a machine I don't expect to do any gaming on, that's impressive. Naturally, this allows for smooth video playback. Display resolution being 1366x768 on the 11" LCD, the pixel density is good. The viewing angle of the LCD is poorer than I was expecting, and may impact your ability to use the computer when it's not directly in front of you.
** Audio **
The speakers are absolutely awful. With how thin the computer is, this is not a surprise. You will need headphones if you want to actually listen to something.
** Overall **
It's a solid machine. Great value for the price, extremely portable and powerful. I would recommend this to anyone.
Technical Notes: Tested Crunchbang Waldorf, with a Debian Jessie (Linux 3.10) base. I needed to modprobe a couple of modules in order to get the wireless card working correctly (see instructions at the bottom of the page here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2124592). The touchpad may need a special input configuration file for xorg in order to enable right clicking/click and drag.
