I have owned the previous model Acer Aspire TimelineX AS4830TG-6450 and upgraded to this model in the past few days -note that this review pertains to the same laptop I purchased from another retailer, although I did purchase a second one from Amazon for a friend.
I will post various technical specs that are not specified in Acer's specifications first:
Battery: Internal, same battery as in Acer Aspire M3 ultrabook, model AP12A3i (31CP7/67/90) 11.1V 4850mA, 54Wh
Hard disk drive (HDD): Western Digital Scorpio Blue, 2.5" SATA, WDC WD5000LPVT-22G33T0, 7mm height, not 9.5mm -replacement SSD must be 7mm height!!!
Optical disk drive (ODD): HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GU61N (9.5mm height), easy to swap with a UJ-232A or UJ-242A for Blu-Ray burning.
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M LE, Optimus-based, 384 shaders/CUDA cores, clocked at 500MHz, memory clocked at 10000MHz. v296.32 stock driver
SSD (mSATA PCI-E): Shows up as "SATA SSD" w/ firmware S5FAM014. Same as used in Acer Aspire M3 ultrabook -Acer P/N: KN.0200Q.002, also identified by SSE020GTTC0-S51 AM014
Webcam: "HD WebCam" VID_18CF PID_2C19
Touchpad: Synaptics -ACPI SYN1B60, compatible IDs: SYN1B00, SYN0002, PNP0F13
Ethernet: Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet -PCI\VEN_14E4 DEV_1692 SUBSYS_07121025
WiFi/Bluetooth: Qualcomm Atheros AR5BWB222, driver version 10.0.0.42, dated 2/23/2012, PCI\VEN_168C DEV_0034 SUBSYS_E052105B
Onboard audio: Realtek High Definition Audio ALC269 (82801G) chipset, driver date 4/10/2012, version 6.0.1.6612, VEN_10EC DEV_0269 SUBSYS_10250713
A/C adapter: LITEON PA-1650-69, output: 19V DC, 3.42A, 65W max, either blocks vents slightly or ports a bit due to right-angle connection.
Backlit keyboard can be enabled/disabled via Fn+F9 key.
Processor Tj. Max is 105 C.
The 20GB SSD has a 4GB hibernation partition (which will have to be changed if RAM is upgraded) and a 14.64 GB partition used for caching via installed ExpressCache software from Diskeeper. There is a 16GB hidden recovery partition on 500 GB HDD from which DVD recovery media and drivers DVD can be created via Acer eRecovery Management.
Acer's free 'Theft Shield' solution seems to only provide an audible alarm if laptop is carried away more than a few feet from a connected Wi-Fi hotspot -I am assuming it used WiFi signal strength as a trigger, and if it detects a noticeable change (caused from movement), it sounds an audible alarm from the system speakers.
In order to use the hardware-based Intel Anti-Theft (AT) feature, activation codes may be purchased separately (~$25 1yr, ~$40 3yr). The item descriptions/part numbers for US market are:
BXIATSC1YRENG Intel Anti-Theft Service Activation Code Card 1YR English Retail
BXIATSC3YRENG Intel Anti-Theft Service Activation Code Card 3YR English Retail
In addition, Acer included a URL link on the Windows 7 Start Menu for a trial of McAfee branded Intel AT service, which I just enrolled in. The way it works is that the downloadable software client that gets installed upon activation via your web browser synchronizes with the server to check for the existence of a lock activated via web browser or (good luck with this one!) phone support. After a few painful phone conversations with phone representatives -first at McAfee support, then at Intel Anti-Theft support, one stated that the activation period for the service was for the duration of ownership of the product. I still doubt that, given that the terms & conditions I revisited when I signed up mention that if no term is given it would be for 1 year, so I am assuming that is how long it will really last, but we'll see.
Anyway, so if the anti-theft software syncs with the server and finds an existing lock in place, it immediately powers off the computer and sets the lock flag. When powering up the computer again, you are greeted with a screen that it is locked. The web interface permits you to customize with a short message with (presumably) contact information to return the laptop to you, but you could put any text in that field. In addition, via the web interface, you can set a pre-defined lock time choosing from disabled or 3-30 days in 1 day increments -so if the PC does not sync with the servers via an internet connection for that amount of time, it will lock itself the same way as explained before. By default, the pre-defined lock time is 21 days.
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Now for the actual review -I purchased this because I needed/wanted a portable NVIDIA Kepler based workstation for developing CUDA code. Currently (as of 07/12/2012), NVIDIA has a Verde 304.79 driver that supports CUDA 5 Preview -there will eventually be a non-beta driver, but in the meantime this driver works for my purposes. Access to the DDR3 memory slot requires removing all the back screws and using a platic pry tool in order to open up the top case, in addition to removing at least 3 Zero-Insertion Force (ZIF) connectors for keyboard, keyboard backlight (KB) and touchpad (TP), which are all in the bottom part of the case, so pry and lift from the LCD side. Be very careful, as it is VERY easy to break these type of ZIF locking connectors. Disconnect the battery cable also, just to be on the safe side. Replacing the HDD with SSD is possible, but also requires taking the daughterboard (DB) that contains the SD slot/headphone/mic port out -held by two small screws, as one HDD screw is underneath it.
Replacing the ODD is easy, just one screw holds it in. However, I suggest being VERY careful while removing/replacing the ODD, the standoff holding the drive became loose on the laptop I purchased from the previous retailer -it is held down poorly to a thin piece of metal attached to the bottom of the palmrest, boo Acer! I successfully used super-glue to re-attach it, but it is not an easy task, it took a few tries. If you are replacing the drive with another one, check the thickness -if it is just a little bit more thick, remove the top cover entirely, put the drive in place with the screw bracket over the standoff, and screw everything back together. That way the standoff does not have force applied to its side, and is MUCH less prone to breaking off. In fact, I'd say loosed all the other bottom screws before attempting to take the ODD out in the first place. It's a tight fit... that's what she said! ;) For that matter all the clearances/lengths of FFCs/ZIF sockets are very close and not much give is left, it is good to keep in mind if you decide to open up the system for upgrades/repasting or some other reason.
I figured this hardware review would help any tech-inclined people that want to try to Hackintosh this or use Ubuntu/some flavor of Linux.
Unlike the previous TimelineX generation that throttled the CPU to avoid overheating, the M5-481TG seems to throttle/downclock the GPU to 270 MHz. This proved acceptable in my initial testing with Heroes of Might and Magic VI and Metro 2033, as gameplay was decently responsive, even at the highest settings. (Caveat, New Game/Load/Quit screen of Metro 2033 had black bands when using DirectX 11, changing to DirectX 10 fixed this -probably a driver issue). In my opinion throttling and not the greatest ever panel are the true downfalls of this laptop, and account for my 1 star deduction. Other than that, I think this one is a keeper for a while!
Not-so-technical review -The touchpad can be very fluid, especially with a lighter touch. I'm still getting used to physical buttons being part of the touchpad, so I cannot comment much. There does not seem to be any flex on the keyboard -it is screwed into the palmrest/top cover from the inside with plenty of small screws. There is, however, some slight flex along the top part of the palmrest, but nothing that creaks/cracks. Viewing angles for the LCD screen could be better, but for a laptop that's about 1/3 of the price of a MacBook Pro model with Kepler graphics there had to be some compromise.
The SSD hard drive caching the HDD is nice if you're not used to SSD speeds -I am, and it feels slow. ;) I mistakenly ordered a regular form factor (9.5mm height) SSD to use, only to realize that the HDD is a low-profile 7mm height. I was able to return it and purchase SAMSUNG 830 Series 2.5-Inch 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7PC256B/WW, given it is a 7mm height, and will fit. I have used Crucial M4s and Plextor M3s, but this Samsung sounds quite promising, and faster write speeds compared to the others, so it's a worthwhile upgrade.
I like Acer as they usually make very solid products for the price and have much better support that Lenovo... But sadly there is just something very wrong with the 14 inch M5-481TG-6814 model.
While the notebook is still good value for the money, playing some of the more recent games at higher settings will utterly destroy it AND there seems to be no sort of built in overheat protection. Planetside 2 and The Secret World, while not too graphically intensive will bring this ultrabook to it's knees.
Using it as an actual laptop (the way it's meant to be used) results in damaging the system, however these problems go away with a very cheap add on. This is one of the few notebooks where I absolutely MUST suggest that you also get a decent laptop cooler.
The Good:
About 6-7 hours playtime when doing anything but gaming.
USB 3.0.
Third gen Intel CPU + GPU.
HDMI.
SSD for (almost) INSTANT on!
Full sized back-lit keyboard!
14", lightweight form factor.
Great price if purchased elsewhere (I got mine slightly cheaper and with a $100 gift card).
Good sound for such a small notebook.
RAM can be expended to 10GB (with an extra 8GB stick).
Fairly powerful Nvidia GPU.
The Bad:
Only ONE slot for a RAM upgrade (the other 2GB is built in).
Comes with a lot of pre-installed useless software (bloatware).
The 20GB of SSD is NOT accessible. Yeah, that's right. No idea behind the reasoning on this one.
It gets hot REAL fast if you start gaming. To the point of actually burning your lap. This is the hottest notebook I have ever owned, and I had plenty.
Flaky wireless. Lots of dropped packets. Fixed easily and cheaply by buying another adapter.
Replacing the HDD, WiFi card, or even RAM requires unscrewing over a dozen screws (around 14 to 16 actually).
Screen resolution is limited to 1366 x 768. This is a WASTE of the powerful Nvidia GPU in this unit (which is good at overclocking, but should not be because of the intense heat the laptop already experiences).
While playing graphically intensive games, this laptop's tiny three cell battery becomes nearly useless. You will get a few hours (at most) of gaming done unless the system is plugged in.
The Ugly:
My first M5-481TG-6814 worked great during my initial Planetside 2 playsession. After about three hours of gaming, it got so hot that it shut down. Turning it back on failed. It just died. Since it was still during my first week of purchase, I contacted the Egg and had them replace it.
This time I bought a single fan, low profile cooling pad to keep it on. My second M5-481TG-6814 still got a bit hot and eventually the screen started to artifact while gaming (at least it didn't shut down by itself). Restarting would fix it for a while, only to have the problems reappear in a few more minutes of gaming.
The third (and I hope final 6814) is sitting on a dual fan cooling pad, which rises quite a bit higher and keeps it relatively cool. No issues so far (for a few weeks now actually), but the trade off is that this ultrabook is now not nearly as mobile as it was designed to be.
Conclusion:
If you are in the market for a laptop that you can use just for browsing the web, watching movies, and word processing do yourself a favor and get something (much) cheaper.
If you are in the market for a gaming ultrabook, the Acer TimelineU M5-481TG-6814 is a good purchase for the price, just do yourself a favor and buy a nice cooling pad...Or you could get a much nicer desktop at a fraction of the cost, since with a giant pad this thing becomes a monster (defeating the ultrabook purpose).
If they just solved the heat issue (by adding more/better fans and better heatsink), this would easily be the best ultrabook for the money.
UPDATE --I ended up returning this ultrabook because the massive cooler prevented it from really being mobile. For $120 more, I got a much better (and cooler) machine. It also came with a GT 640M LE, and I managed to overclock it to 850MHZ (with a simple bios flash), allowing me to play all the games I wanted at maximum settings.
Buy Acer TimelineU M5-481TG-6814 14-Inch Ultrabook (Gun Metal Gray) Now
14" Acer Aspire TimelineU M5
3rd gen Intel i5
4gb RAM (max is 6gb)
Nvidia Geforce GT 640M LE 1gb DDR5
Read Best Reviews of Acer TimelineU M5-481TG-6814 14-Inch Ultrabook (Gun Metal Gray) Here
I stumbled upon this laptop about a month ago after doing some extensive research on laptops. I didn't want to spend too much money, but I also wanted some premium features like dedicated graphics and a slim design. Enter the Acer TimelineU M5-481TG-6814, which was $780 from Amazon. At first, I was a bit hesitant since Acer has never been a brand I've trusted. To me, it's always been synonymous with cheapness. However, I decided to take a risk and purchase it since it had many key features other laptops charged an arm and a leg for. Things like Intel's newest Ivy Bridge proccessors, Nvidia Kepler graphics, and an optical drive. Some features even caught me by surprise, like the backlit keyboard. However, now that I've spent almost a month with it, I can say I've experienced something I never have with any other laptop I've ever purchased: No feeling of buyer's remorse.
When I got this laptop, immediately what struck me was the design. It looked slim and nice enough in pictures, but in person I was much more surprised because of how good the weight felt in my hands and how slim it was, this coming from someone who also owned a (at the time) very slim Sony Vaio SA model by the way. While the whole design isn't unified materials, the bottom being sturdy plastic, the cool, metal lid and deck eschewed any worries I had about shoddy workmanship as it felt far more premium than what I was expecting. Even opening the lid has proved to be very sturdy despite the thinness. In fact, the overall look and feel has really taken me by surprise, as things I had been bummed out on previous laptops, like my aforementioned $900 Sony Vaio SA, like flexing while opening the lid, were nowhere to be found. I was even impressed by the audio quality. Nice, loud, and even sound.
Performance has also been stellar. In casual use, the laptop runs quiet and cool. Using the graphics card can make for some fan noise, but it's nowhere near the levels of other laptops, in particular the Sony Vaio SA series which at times sounded like it was getting ready for liftoff, and can easily be drowned out by the audio coming from the speakers. In most cases from being completely off, it takes about 20 seconds for it to boot into Windows, probably less if I didn't require a password. Resuming from sleep or hibernation is even quicker, and I always seem to be able to jump right in to using applications without any lag. Gaming has also been very smooth. Older games play without a hitch, and the newer games I've tried, like Star Wars The Old Republic, run at medium to high settings at native resolutions in very playable form. It's only when I have the laptop connected to my 1080p monitor that things can get a little slow, but then again for the kind of laptop this is (ultraportable), that's understandable. Battery life has also been within the realm of what Acer states. Most of the time that's about 4-5 hours if I'm browsing with WI-FI and Bluetooth turned on. Gaming nets me 2-3 hours, but that is a given as the dedicated graphics card is getting a workout. Finally, the keyboard is a pleasure to use and the trackpad is surprisingly accurate. Multitouch gestures work well, better than they ever did on my Sony and Asus, and keys click nicely and are spaced well enough.
Now despite what you may think from what I've wrote so far, not everything has been peachy. As much as a I like the design, the LG Shuriken display has a tame resolution that isn't bad, but isn't great like some of the other ultrabooks out there. Everything is bright and vivid, but it doesn't match the 1600x900 resolution of more premium models. Still, it's not awful and since most of the time the laptop is a good 20+ inches away from your face, I doubt anyone will be disappointed by it. One thing that can be called that is the black boarder around the display. It's a bit jarring when you notice it. A flush bezel would've made more sense. Also, as nice as the keyboard and trackpad are, the backlighting can be easily seen in certain angles from the slivers of the keys and can be pretty bright, and the trackpad is slightly off center, which seems like a strange design choice if intended to be that way. Also, sometimes when resuming from sleep the multitouch gestures stop working except for zoom. I'm not sure if this is just something I'm doing wrong on my part, but it seems that sometimes I can't two-finger scroll or do other multitouch gestures unless I reboot the computer.
Port selection is also a bit sparse, with only two USB 3.0 connections, and being aligned on the back of the laptop means when using wireless mouses that have dongles that connect to the USB, the connection can be spotty depending on use. Still, all of this is nitpicking at what is a really a fantastic, premium-laced bargain, and it by no means detracts from the overall impressiveness of this laptop. From the sturdy, premium-like build quality, to the robust features, fast, and quiet performance, this laptop is well worth your money if you don't want to spend $1,300+ on an upscale ultrabook or you're just looking for a great deal without sacrificing anything. Buy it. You'll love it...or at worst, like it. =)
Want Acer TimelineU M5-481TG-6814 14-Inch Ultrabook (Gun Metal Gray) Discount?
I'm not too ashamed to admit that I mostly chose this laptop for it's low price and ability to play Guild Wars 2. The laptop boosts very fast and plays GW2 on medium setting very smooth and nicely. I tried it on the highest setting as well, although the graphics was great, the game play slowed down a lot. The LED lit keyboard makes it great for working in the dark. However, there are a couple of things that really bugs me about this laptop.
1. Connection to Wifi. Compared to the three other laptops in my house (Toshiba, Dell, and ASUS), this computer has issues getting enough wifi signal. I have to sit very close to the router for the wifi bar go to fill up. If I'm downstairs, it's connection will be very weak and sometimes with no signal.
2. Overheating. The fan is located on the top right side of the laptop. It overheats to a point where it burns my skin. I use a cooling pad with it to reduce the overheating, but that greatly reduces the laptop's portability.
3. Only two USB connections and they are both in the back. This is not very convenient at all! My boyfriend got me a USB hub to go with it...but it's such a pain in the butt =(
However, overall, this is a great product! The smooth surface makes it great for laptop decals! :D
Got the brown color just to be different...WOW!! Great looking. Fast, not too much add-on trash software to uninstall. Kinda wish I had gotten the i5 processor (not offered w/Blu-Ray) but this i3 is really a go getter and I'm just as happy. Boots up really quickly, never a blue screen (thanks Windows 7 64bit) and hav had no compatibility issues yet other than difficulty running an old scratchy disk of AOL 9.0. Since AOL on disk didn't load well so I just downloaded it and got the new AOL 9.5 and that runs super. I've had the item for a couple of weeks and placed Word-2003 that works great, my own Norton2010 that I already had (deleted the Norton Trial ware of same name offered). Put my ESPN, NFL, Amazon and EBay and various other web site ICONS up without a hitch. My only issue is the speaker(s) are pathetic. I searched for new drivers but have not found any. Purchased a Case Logic Model R-110 USB laptop speaker and they sound is great although the speaker is kind of awkward.
