Acer TravelMate 8103 WLMi

Acer TravelMate 8103 WLMi Review

Overview

Based in Taiwan, Acer ranks among the world's top five branded PC vendors selling a broad spectrum of products, including desktops, monitors, and notebooks. In Europe, Acer commands the notebook market, ranked as the number 1 brand in 2004. Brand recognition in the U.S. market has not reached such ranks, but Acer is certainly on track. As one of the first notebooks to utilize Intel's third-generation Centrino platform ' Sonoma ', the Acer Travelmate 8100 series is designed to impress. Business pros, home users, and even the average gamer will appreciate its sleek design, functionality, and cutting-edge technology. Composed of Acer's Folio design theme, the Travelmate 8100 series is aesthetically stunning, consisting of smooth curves around the edges and leather-like surface constructed of metallic gray graphite polycarbonate, exemplifying elegance and originality.

Inside, the Acer Travelmate 8103 is filled with a robust set of features, including the Pentium M 750 (1.86 GHz with 533 MHz bus) , that runs on the Intel 915PM chipset completed with an Intel dual-band tri-mode 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN solution. Other prominent features include a widescreen 15.4-inch with 1680 x 1050 resolution, modular DVD + RW drive, 100GB storage capacity, 512MB DDR2 533 RAM, and Bluetooth wireless. Users can opt to the more faster but more expensive Acer Travelmate 8104 model, which offers a Pentium M 760 (2.0 GHz Dothan) and 1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM. Avid gamers will be satisfied with the performance from the mid-range ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 graphics with 128MB DDR VRAM. Although the Acer Travelmate 8103 possesses some desktop alternative characteristics, it measures only 1.2 inches thin and weighs 6.3 pounds with its 8-cell battery. While not the most ideal computer for intensive travel, it's still a well-balanced machine suited for moderate toting and actually more portable than other notebooks in the same class. Business professionals will like the smart card access, providing extra security from unauthorized access. For around $1900 the almost perfect Acer Travelmate 8103 is an attractive package: it's powerful, combines a myriad of functions, and is just darn sexy. The matte display could be better, because even the high resolution doesn't make up for the lack of a transreflective screen.

Design

Portability
Although the Acer Travelmate 8100 possesses some similar attributes to a desktop alternative notebook, this is a performance laptop that won't break your back. Measuring 14.3-inches wide, 10.5-inches long and only 1.2-inches thick at the front section and extending 1.4-inches thick towards the back, the Travelmate 8103 is ideal for large sized cases and backpacks. I had difficulty slipping this computer in most of the mid-sized carrying cases, but I found the lightweight Samsonite L35 carrying case to be the perfect companion. I even managed to squeeze the computer on my flight to Europe with just enough room to be used on the reclining table attached to the seat in front of me in economy coach. At 6.3 pounds with the 8-cell battery, the Travelmate 8103 is not intended to accompany you everywhere you go, but rather suited for occasional travel. Unlike the Fujitsu N3510, which weighs a pound more and is .4-inches thicker, the Travelmate 8103 is a well-balanced machine that is feasible for travel while offering a spacious viewing area. The thought of being able to watch a DVD movie on such a large display anywhere I go makes it more appealing to take out and about, where typically laptops with a screen of this caliber are made to be used on the desk and nowhere else.

Case and Design
Acer put together an aesthetically impressive notebook that illustrates originality and style. The instant appeal of the Travelmate 8100 lies in its Folio design theme, which is Acers name for its unique design found in a number of their laptops. The two tone inverted color scheme keeps it clean and simple, with metallic graphite gray constructed from polycarbonate plastic (which is the same material found in bullet-proof glass) wrapping around from the top lid and bottom chassis to the surface around the palm rest and keyboard area, while matte black trim covers around the screen and extends to the sides. The polycarbonate plastic chassis gives the computer extra durability and a more solid build than notebooks with basic plastic. The edges are curvaceous and the clean surface is smooth, resembling the leather-like texture found in a portfolio that gives off a touch of elegance and refines the Travelmate 8100.

Sleek and durable chassis gives it an original style.

Similar to the rest of the Folio series, the shiny metallic Acer logo is emblazoned on the top right of the lid.

Two stiff hinges hold the LCD panel together, located near each corner of the display. The LCD panel contains dual latches that assist in keeping the lid securely closed, preventing any type of movement when shuffling the laptop around. When shut, the screen hovers slightly over the keyboard and palm rest area reinforced by eight rubber pads to prevent the screen from touching the keyboard and wrist area.

There are two sets of status indicators found on the computer, the first is located on the upper-left corner above the keyboard (below the display screen) and the second set is on the front of the computer. The upper-left corner below the display contains indicators for power (power button), hard disk, caps lock, and num lock. All indicators emit a green glow when activated.

Conveniently located on the front panel are a set of highly useful indicator lights which provide a quick glance at the power, battery charge, Bluetooth, and Wireless LAN. Both the power and battery status indicators emit a green glow when active (or amber for the battery when it's charging) while the Bluetooth and Wireless LAN buttons light up a dazzling blue and amber glow, respectively. The Bluetooth and Wireless LAN are buttons used to enable or disable its associated function.

The line-out with SPDIF support emits a red glow.

Located on the upper right hand corner are four launch keys to instantly launch your frequently used applications. Each button has symbols designated for Email, web browser, Acer eManager, and a user programmable option. The Email button is used to launch your E-mail client, such as Microsoft's Outlook; however it is also user programmable to designate other applications. The web browser key is used to launch your favorite web browser, but is also user programmable. The Acer Empowering key ('e' symbol) is used to launch the Acer eManager application (more on this in the software section). Lastly the user programmable button is available for you to assign your favorite application via the Launch Manager software. Unfortunately there are no multimedia hot keys despite the available room around the top section of the keyboard.

Design Continued

Keyboard
The black, full-sized 88-key ergonomic keyboard contains all the essential keys, particularly the Windows and Ctrl keys at the bottom left of the keyboard, where normally some laptops contain only the Fn key. The PgDn, PgUp, Home and End cursor keys are also present and are placed vertically on the right side of the keyboard. The Caps Lock, Shift, Alt, Tab, Backspace, and Enter keys are of appropriate size. Like most laptop keyboards, the numeric keypad is embedded within the keys located near the center of the keyboard and is activated with the num lock key. In addition, there are function keys to adjust the audio volume, alter the screen brightness, put the system to sleep, disable or enable touchpad, and for switching to an external monitor when connected. When toggling one of these function keys, such as the audio for example, it will activate an on-screen volume indicator. This helps you identify exactly which volume settings you want to select. The on-screen indicator applies to other function access as well with the exception to the screen brightness, which is not available.

With respect to usage, the 'Acer FineTouch' keyboard offers decent key travel distance and excellent response. You will notice from the picture the keyboard employs a five-degree curve for a more ergonomic placement, which I find neither an advantage nor disadvantage compared to the straight-laced arrangement keyboards. Some users may need to be accustomed to this unusual layout while others will pick it up immediately. With that note, I can type quickly, accurately, and comfortably with this keyboard. The keys are soft and feel light when depressing them (not as stiff as the ThinkPad T42 but not as soft as the PowerBooks) with a minimal spring to it, allowing it to be quite responsive and exhibiting little noise. The keys depress at a comfortable 2.5mm of depth which feels good to type with. The keyboard is centered nicely with 1.2-inches of room on each side due to the laptop's wide design and there is sufficient room around the palm rest area to ensure a comfortable typing experience on your wrists. This is certainly a solid keyboard that comes close in comparison to the likes of the IBM ThinkPads and even Apple Powerbooks.

Touch pad
To match the laptop's overall wide-aspect design the touchpad is also wide, offering sufficient amount of surface area, measuring 3-inches wide and 1.5-inches in length to comfortably glide your finger. Like the palm rest area, the black flush surface is clean and smooth, accurately sensitive to touch and responds well to movement. As with most touch pads, it also allows for tapping to execute an action if you prefer not to use the click buttons. To the right and bottom edge of the surface area, the touchpad has a function to scroll vertically or horizontally. This allows you to scroll in applications like Internet Explorer when sliding your finger in the appropriate direction. For added convenience, there is a useful center click button that serves as a four-way scroll button to scroll up or down and move left or right within a page. The left and right click buttons are also brushed in gray metallic to match the entire wrist area.

Connectivity Options
Thanks to its wide frame, the Travelmate 8103 is loaded with a multitude of connectivity options, surrounding all sides of the computer. Since the cables are spread out on all sides of the machine, there are no protruding parts that can accidentally break off during transit and helps reduce cable clutter. The computer offers a whopping four USB 2.0 ports instead of the common two ports found in most laptops. For users that prefer to connect their laptop to an external monitor, television or projector, the Travelmate 8103 supplies all available video outputs, including DVI-D, VGA, and S-Video. DVI is an option not commonly found in your average consumer notebooks. This is a must for anyone planning to use an LCD monitor or digital projector.

DVI-D & S-Video

VGA

On the front panel, you'll immediately notice the left and right speaker grilles made up of tiny hole-punches that gives the notebook a very distinctive look. The 5-in-1 card reader is capable of reading SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, and xD-Picture cards, allowing to transfer files from a majority of digital cameras. Next to the 5-in-1 card reader slot is a built-in mono microphone that is stationed inside a tiny hole-punch. An Infrared port is available for short range wireless IR devices such as PDAs and printers. The Speaker/Line-out/Headphone jack connects to audio line-out devices such as speakers and headphones and has SPDIF support. Next to it is the Line-in/Mic-in port that accepts microphones, and line-in devices like an audio CD player. As mentioned in the preceding section, there are two backlit buttons for activating Bluetooth and Wireless LAN and to disable them when not in use to conserve battery.

On the rear, there is a DVI-D port that supports digital video connections like modern LCD flat panel monitors. There is also the requisite S-Video port to connect to a television or display device with S-Video input. Lastly we have the huge 124-pin Acer ezDock connector that connects to the Acer ezDocking station for expandability.

The battery pack fits nicely without protruding and is made to offer hand grip when carrying the notebook.

On the left-side: VGA port, ventilation slots, Ethernet 10/100/1000 jack, phone port, one of the four USB 2.0 port, IEEE 1394 FireWire port, Smart Card slot (more on this in the features section of this review) and PC Card slot. Although the Acer Travelmate 8100 is based on the new Intel Centrino ' Sonoma ' platform, it does not include the new ExpressCard format. The IEEE 1394 FireWire port is similar to Sony's S400, which is a six-pin port that provides power to the device.

On the right-side: the remaining three USB 2.0 ports are found positioned horizontally, the Super-Multi DVD+/-RW drive that is hot swappable, power connector and security keylock to connect a Kensington-compatible security lock.

Heat and Noise
Components such as the hard drive and the cooling fan are responsible for generating noise in a laptop. Fortunately, the cooling fan (located on the bottom section) operates quietly during moderate use; however it does remain spinning regardless if the processor throttles down. During general use, like web browsing, E-mail, word processing and with the AC power plugged in, the fan continuously spins but does not emit any pitching or whining noise. With the system plugged in the AC power and during heavier use, such as playing games or using it for extended periods, noise generated from the fan is substantially more noticeable since it spins faster but it is still tolerable. Thankfully, the cooling fan settles down for a bit when running the laptop off the battery for a virtually quiet operation. The fan re-activates again within 5-10 minutes depending on usage but it does not generate as loud as if the system was plugged in the AC power. Mobile meter reported the computer to run around 46-55 degrees Celsius varying on processor clock speed. With the ventilation slots located on the left-side, heat build up is minimal. The system becomes warm, but never reaching discomfort levels. In some areas, like the touchpad and palm rest can become lukewarm. The bottom of the case however can get quite warm during extensive use, but never reaching hot levels like the Fujitsu N3510.

Upgrading and Expansion
Upgrading the Acer Travelmate 8100 is fairly simple, thanks to the accessible compartments located on the bottom side which include the Wi-Fi mini-PCI adapter, memory, and hard drive. There is one RAM module pre-installed in the computer, which is a 512MB stick of 533MHz (PC2-4200) DDR2 made by Micron. CAS latency is rated 4-4-4-12. Upgradeable to 2GB of DDR2, the Travelmate 8100 also has dual-channel memory support. Replacing the hard drive is also incredibly simple with the removal of the hard drive access panel. The AcerMedia Bay that currently houses the optical drive module , allows the option to swap another drive bay, such as secondary battery or hard disc drive. Simply release the latch located at the bottom to detach the optical drive. Although the Travelmate 8100 series contains a wide-array of connectivity options, the optional Acer ezDock is available to transform the notebook to a true desktop computer, with extra connectivity options.

The optical drive bay can be swapped out for another drive bay.

Features

Processor/Chipset/RAM
Using the fundamental components of a modern Centrino notebook, the Acer Travelmate 8103 is powered by the new mid-range Pentium M 750 processor clocked at 1.86 GHz and the Intel 915PM Express chipset (code-named Alviso). Compared to the previous generation Dothan models, the new CPU's front side bus, which controls the speed of data flow between memory and CPU, jumps from 400 MHz to 533 MHz; a 33% increase. This also raises the peak bandwidth of the CPU to 4.2 GB/second. The Sonoma platform supports 533MHz DDR2, but a lot of manufacturers choose to use 400MHz DDR2 to save money. It is good to see Acer joining Asus, IBM, and a few others in using the higher speed RAM. Systems in general perform better when the memory and FSB clock speeds are the same. As mentioned in the preceding section, the Travelmate 8103 comes with a single stick of DDR2-SDRAM modules rated at 533MHz (PC2-4200) with a max theoretical bandwidth of 4.2 GB per second. It should also be mentioned that DDR2 modules consumes less power, thus conserving battery life and minimizing heat since they're rated at 1.8 volts, which is about 30% lower than that of regular DDR.

Another major difference with Sonoma is the processor's new thermal design power (TDP), now rated at 27W, whereas the previous Dothan consumed only 21W. This means the new processors have the capacity to use more power, thus negatively affecting battery life. The CPU itself is identical to those used in the previous generation Centrino platform, but uses more power due to the faster front side bus. As with all previous Centrino platforms, Sonoma supports Enhanced Intel Speedstep where the CPU adjusts its speed dynamically based on system usage. However, unlike the previous generation processors that clock down to 600 MHz, the Dothan processors used in the Sonoma motherboards only go down to 800 MHz due to the higher front side bus speed. Even with the processor clocked down to 800 MHz, it is still fast enough to watch DVDs or do general-purpose computing (Web browsing, Word processing) with respectable performance. Clock speed can be adjusted in the Power Options or Acer's ePowerManagement software utility (more in the battery section).

GPU
Part of the Intel 915PM chipset package requires a discrete PCI-Express chip with dedicated video memory. PCI-Express GPUs demand more power compared to the AGP solutions, potentially affecting battery life. Aimed at performance thin notebooks, the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 powers the video of the Acer Travelmate 8100 series, which is ATI's first midrange native PCI Express based mobile GPU. The chip inherits the architecture of RADEON X800 and is similar to its desktop counterpart, the X700. Key features include DirectX 9 hardware acceleration support, 8 rendering pipelines, 7 vertex pipelines, and 128MB of dedicated video DDR RAM. The core clock is rated as 350MHz while the memory runs at 350MHz, or 700MHz effective. The chip includes a number of features made specifically for mobile computing such as new power-saving (POWERPLAY 5.0) and image quality (LCD-EE) technology. The POWERPLAY 5.0 technology monitors system activity and dynamically adjusts clock and voltage based on system usage. ATI's LCD Enhancement Engine (LCD-EE) technology compensates LCD response time and allows better image scaling, perfect for high-resolution widescreens like on the Acer Travelmate 8100 series.

Doom 3 1,024-by-768 and high image quality.

To test the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 GPU, I loaded one of the more graphically intensive games available, Half Life 2.With the resolution set to 1024-by-768 and recommended image settings (mostly all on high) set by the game, frame rates varied between 70-100 frames per second according to the in-game FPS display. Overall I was impressed with the detail and fluidity of gameplay. Moving on to Doom 3, running at 1,024-by-768 resolution on high image quality is very playable and varied between 40-60 frames rates per second. During scenes with heavy action, frame rates varied between 20-30 frames per second. Visually speaking, the graphic detail surrounding the creatures and the environment looked convincingly lifelike. Like in Half-Life 2, gameplay was smooth and purely playable. Stuttering is noticeable only when every graphical option set to the max but for the most part, both Half Life 2 and Doom 3 perform very well and better than I expected. Based on this analysis, the RADEON X700 GPU will certainly satisfy casual gamers, allowing games to run at modest resolution, particularly 1,024-by-768 with image quality features set in the middle. The only drawback I noticed was both games loaded notoriously slow. This was probably due to only 512MB RAM and the lack of a 7200RPM hard drive.

[Note: CPU speed was set to run full performance during game testing.]

Display
One of the great features on this power-thin-and-light notebook is its wide-aspect 15.4-inch WSXGA+ TFT LCD screen. Although it's a transmissive display (as opposed to a transreflective screen), its still bright and clear; but by no means as impressive as transreflective screens. In 2D desktop use, it does offer sufficient brightness and contrast, with colors appearing bright and true. Text is very sharp and perfectly legible despite the high-resolution. The response rate is certainly fast enough to keep up with games and movies without significant 'ghosting.' In addition, scrolling through a webpage full of text does not exhibit motion blur.

While the 15.4-inch widescreen offers large and wide viewing estate, thanks to the 1680-by-1050 resolution, the backlight seems to be slightly uneven but by no means would distract you from its overall viewing pleasure. It also offers decent viewing angles; viewing the screen from a slight angle (horizontally or vertically) causes minimal distortion of the colors and brightness. When watching DVD movies, video quality is smooth; pictures and colors look bright but lack the 'true color' vibrancy you would get from a transreflective screen. In addition, an image rendered on screen does not seem to be as crisp as with transreflective screens. Compared to DVD playback on the Toshiba Satellite M45 (which uses a transreflective LCD screen), color rendering is more vibrant and brightness is more consistent. It also has better color accuracy and the viewing angle is slightly wider than what is offered from the Acer Travelmate 8103. But if you want to compare between matte screens, the screen on the Acer Travelmate outperforms the Asus V6V's display in all respects.

Sound
Replacing the standard AC'97 audio specification is RealTek's High Definition audio codec to handle more channels at higher qualities and supports the latest audio content. It has capabilities to enhance sound experience by offering a more simulated 3-dimensional sound effect through regular stereo such as headphones or the built-in two speakers (requires DVD application to support this feature). High Definition audio now supports new formats, such as Dolby Digital Surround EX (7.1) and DTS ES. In addition, high definition audio enables power savings during audio activity.

The RealTek HD audio utility to select various audio effects and settings.

The on-board stereo speakers are positioned in the front panel behind the distinctive hole-punched grills. Although the speakers produce loud and clear sounds, it lacks bass, a common trait among most laptop speakers. Like the Sony VAIO notebooks, the Travelmate 8103's on-board speakers can reach high volumes without becoming distorted. Dialogue in movies sounded clear and the surround sound effect was impressive but bass was non-existent. Sounds and vocals were crisp but once again, bass was lacking during MP3 playback. The gaming environment sounded impressive. I was immersed with the sounds from Doom 3 as the audio's 3D sounds amplified the atmosphere and feeling of isolation. Overall, the sound capabilities produced from this machine are above par compared to most notebooks with a non-branded set of speakers (ie. Harman Kardon). It should be noted that an optical cable with a mini-jack adapter on one end and a toshlink on the other is required if you want to connect the notebook to a receiver with Dolby Digital enabled.

Features Continued

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
As part of the Sonoma trio, the Acer Travelmate 8103 comes with the Intel Pro Wireless 2915ABG card, which can connect to 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a wireless networks. Acer employs its own SignalUp technology to enhance the wireless signal strength and range. According to Acer, their SignalUp feature can boost up to 25% in wireless signal strength compared to wireless notebooks from Dell, HP/Compaq, and Toshiba. For added security, it has support for Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). As mentioned earlier in the design section of the review, the Travelmate 8103 includes the now common wireless hot key to turn on or off the Wireless LAN Card located on the front panel, which helps conserve battery when Wi-Fi is not needed.

In regards to wireless performance, signal strength and download speeds were excellent overall. My tests mainly consisted of connecting to a home 802.11b/g wireless network with no difficulty to speak of. Signal strength was reported between 'very good' to 'excellent' while using the laptop in my home network, even when being about 30 to 40 feet away from the wireless base station.

The Acer Travelmate 8100 series also features integrated Bluetooth wireless technology to wirelessly sync with Bluetooth enabled devices such as printers, mice, keyboard, PDA, and cellular phones. I connected the Logitech MX900 Bluetooth mouse with ease, thanks to the Add Bluetooth Device Wizard that detected the mouse immediately with no software drivers needed in order for it to operate. The MX900 Bluetooth mouse felt responsive and precise without ever loosing connection. Although Bluetooth works within a smaller scope, it is useful for connecting multiple devices simultaneously. If that wireless option is not enough, the Travelmate 8103 comes with infared (IrDA) communication that allows you to synchronize with PDAs or mobile phones.

Optical Drive
The Super-Multi DVD+/-RW Dual Layer drive is capable of burning DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, CD-R/RW and reading DVD-ROM & DVD-RAM discs, compatible with virtually all disc formats allowing reading, burning and backing up an easy task. The drive loads incredibly fast, as soon as I insert a disc the movie or application loads almost instantly. Made by Panasonic, the drive is modular or 'hot-swappable', meaning it can be removed from its drive bay. This allows another module such as a second battery or hard disk drive to be placed inside the bay. The drive burned a system backup DVD and a couple of audio CDs with no problems to report.

The supported disc formats, read and maximum burning capabilities are as follow:

• Read: 8X DVD+R, 8X DVD-R, 8X DVD-ROM, 4X DVD+RW, 4X DVD-RW, 3X DVD-RAM, 2.4X DVD+R DL, 24X CD-RW, 24X CD-ROM, 24X CD-R
• Write: 8X DVD+R, 8X DVD-R, 4X DVD+RW, 4X DVD-RW, 4X CD-RW, 2.4X DVD+R DL, 2X DVD-RAM, 24X CD-R

Hard Drive
The Acer Travelmate 8100 series does not disappoint when it comes to storage capacity as it includes a massive 100GB Seagate Momentus 5400.2 (ST9100823A) hard drive with 8MB data buffer and a reasonable 5,400 RPM rotational speed. Thanks to the SoftSonic FDB bearing motor, the drive is virtually silent when operating. When the drive seeks, it exhibits only a slight crunching noise that is just barely audible. Although the drive provides 100GB of storage space, it is not contiguous. The drive came formatted (FAT32) with two partitions: C and D drives. Acer included a hidden restore partition reserved on the C: drive so that users can restore the operating system, drivers, and utilities to original factory state using the eRecovery utility. In respect to performance, the drive outperforms the Hitachi with 60GB storage capacity spinning the same 5,400 RPM in our performance test. This has everything to do with the areal density of the platter. Areal density refers to the amount of data per square inch that can fit onto the disc platter. Since there is an arm that physically moves around the drive to read data at different points, the more data you can fit in a square inch means the less movement that arm has to do. The less 'seeking' the arm has to do, the more data it can read in a given period of time. The Seagate drive has a 21% greater areal density, allowing it greater performance despite the same spindle speed and cache.

Battery
The rated capacity and voltage of the 8-cell lithium ion battery is 4,800 mAh and 14.8V, respectively. During general use like web browsing, word processing, and MP3 playback, the battery lasted approximately 3 hours with the power scheme set to 'Portable/Laptop'. This correlates with the results from the BatteryMark test (more in the performance section). With the brightness setting set to the middle and power scheme set to 'Portable/Laptop', the DVD movie 'The Notebook' played through the entire duration with 26% remaining (47 minutes remaining). On my trip across the Atlantic to Europe , the battery lasted about 3 hours and 25 minutes with the brightness dimmed down and all Wi-Fi, LAN, FireWire, Bluetooth functions disabled to maximize battery life even more. The physical shape of the battery makes for an excellent carrying handle when toting the notebook around by hand.

Designed to offer grip-support when carrying with your hands.

The bundled Acer ePowerManagement application utility allows for you to control all the computer's power schemes and battery efficiencies. You can toggle between various power saving modes designed for entertainment, presentation, word processing, or for travel. The software can control the CPU speed and the various functions to maximize battery performance. Selecting the mode to 'Maximum Battery Life' for example will underclock the processor down to 800MHz and shuts off Wireless LAN, Cardbus, and Firewire to maximize battery life even further. According to Acer, the ePowerManagement offers 20% more battery life over the standard Windows power scheme profiles. The reason for that is Acer's ePowerManagement allows for you to fully-customize the power saving or performance setting you prefer, with choices to adjust the CPU speed, LCD brightness, standby, or disabling or enabling components (Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, Cardbus, LAN, & FireWire).

You can adjust various settings based on the various power saving modes.

AC Adapter
The AC Adapter is a commonly overlooked part of a notebook's features, even though it is the most important part! The included AC adapter measures 4.2' long, 2' wide, and 1.2' thick, which is much more compact than most AC adapters compared to ones from Sony or Dell. The AC adapter is extremely light and can easily slip in a carrying case or backpack pocket. Unfortunately, it is missing a strap or some form of cable management around the adapter to organize the lengthy power cables.

This AC adapter is nearly identical to the adapter found on the Asus V6V.

Software
Acer included a wide array of software applications to streamline your computing experience. The Acer eManager is comprised of four software utilities to manage the system:

• Acer eSetting to control and modify your device settings, passwords (SmartCard) and boot sequence.
• Acer ePresentation software helps make connecting the notebook to a projector quicker and simpler.
• Acer ePowerManagement allows for you to select and control a range of power schemes as mentioned earlier in the battery section of the review.
• Acer eRecovery can backup and restore your system.

One of my favorite programs is Acer's GridVista that helps organize and manage the numerous open application windows so I can have two, three or four windows in plain view when I work, eliminating the need of minimizing and maximizing each application window and reducing screen clutter. Simply run the program and select the number of windows you want to view simultaneously: double, triple, and quad.

Simply drag and drop each window into the appropriate grid to view all of them simultaneously.

Smart Card
Security and sensitive data are critical concerns for not only business users but all users. Mobile computers are prone theft or unauthorized use. As mentioned in the preceding section, the Acer Travelmate 8100 series comes integrated with a SmartCard access feature (SmartCard and reader). This feature enhances data security, stores passwords and encryptions, and gives authorized access to an assigned user. The SmartCard uses a microprocessor embedded on the card to store & process data, manage files, and execute encryption algorithms. There are two SmartCards bundled with the computer: emergency card that acts as the 'master key' and the access control card. The emergency SmartCard has access to unlock the system, access secured information, and restore the system to normal use. After setting up the SmartCard access, I enabled the Supervisor Password setting which prevents unauthorized access to my laptop. Upon turning on my notebook where typically the bios boot screen would appear, a prompt requested for me to insert my SmartCard into the reader. After inserting the authorized SmartCard, it asked for my password. After verification, the system continues its normal boot process through the bios check and then Windows.

The SmartCard is controlled via the PlatinumKey software.

Setup Method

The Acer Travelmate 8103 was set to run at full performance by setting the power scheme set to 'Home/Office Desk' with the AC plugged in, meaning that the CPU will not underclock while running the tests. For the battery performance test, the power scheme was set to 'Portable/Laptop'. This activates SpeedStep technology, which lowers CPU speed when not needed, thus increasing battery life. Screen brightness and audio were both set to 50% and Wi-Fi & Bluetooth were turned on. Each test was repeated 3 times to ensure accuracy. Before each test was run, the laptop was rebooted and its hard drive defragmented.

Business Winstone 2004 runs business related applications through a series of scripted activities and uses the time a PC takes to complete those activities to produce its performance scores. Each application runs 5 tests through a series of demos and activities. Business applications include:

• Microsoft Access 2002
• Microsoft Excel 2002
• Microsoft Frontpage 2002
• Microsoft Outlook 2002
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2002
• Microsoft Project 2002
• Microsoft Word 2002
• Norton AntiVirus Professional Edition 2003
• Winzip 8.1

Multimedia Content Creation Winstone 2004 is a single large test that runs multimedia applications through a series of scripted activities and returns a single score. Applications include:

• Adobe Photoshop 7.0.1
• Adobe Premiere 6.50
• Macromedia Director MX 9.0
• Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 6.1
• Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 9 Version 9.00.00.2980
• NewTek's LightWave 3D 7.5b
• Steinberg WaveLab 4.0f

Business Winstone 2004 Batterymark measures a laptop computer's battery life by simulating real-world usage. The program measures the time it takes to drain the battery by running applications such as Microsoft Office XP, Norton AntiVirus, and WinZip through a series of scripted activities to drain the battery in a realistic way.

3DMark 2001 SE PRO build 3.3.0 measures graphics performance by benchmarking the CPU, memory, and graphics through a series of 21 tests, including simulated games, theoretical tests, DX8 feature tests, and image quality tests. Resolution was set to 1024x768 with all default settings.

3DMark 2003 build 3.6.0 measures DX9 performance through a series of 3D game based sound, graphics, and CPU tests. Resolution was set to 1024x768 with all default settings.

PCMark 2004 build 1.3.0 uses real life application tests to generate a combined score by running specific tasks like application loading, game tests, 3D rendering, multimedia encoding, and more. Resolution was set to 1024x768 with all default settings.

Doom 3 (Version 1.1) using the built-in time-demo, initiated with the console command 'timedemo demo1 precache'.

Test1:

• 800x600 resolution
• Quality Setting: Medium
• 0xAA
• VSynch Disabled
• High quality special effects enabled
• Shadows enabled
• Specular enabled
• Bump Maps enabled

Test2:

• 1024x768 resolution
• Quality Settings: High
• 4xAA
• VSynch Disabled
• High quality special effects enabled
• Shadows enabled
• Specular enabled
• Bump Maps enabled

Half Life 2 (Source Engine 7) timedemos Coast 05 and Canals 08 from Anandtech.com with the following tests and graphic settings:

Test1:

• 1024x768 resolution
• Medium model detail
• Medium texture detail
• Blob shadows
• Simple Reflection water detail
• Low shadow detail
• 0xAA
• Trilinear filtering
• Low shader detail
• V Sync disabled

Test2:

• 1024x768 resolution
• Highest model detail
• Highest texture detail
• Reflect All water detail
• High shadow detail
• 4xAA
• Anisotropic 8X
• High shader detail
• V Sync disabled

Configurations

System	Acer TravelMate 8103	Asus V6V	Sony VAIO FS550
OS	Windows XP Pro w/SP2	Windows XP Pro w/SP2	Windows XP Home w/SP2
CPU	Pentium M 750 1.86 GHz	Pentium M 750 1.86 GHz	Pentium M 730 1.60 GHz
Bus	533 MHz	533 MHz	533 MHz
RAM	512MB DDR2 533 CL=4 Single Channel	512MB DDR2 400 CL=3 Dual Channel	512MB DDR333 CL2.5
Hard Drive	Seagate 100GB 8MB Buffer 5400RPM	Hitachi 60GB 8MB Buffer 5400RPM	Hitachi 80GB 8MB Buffer 4200RPM
Video	ATI RADEON X700 128MB DDR	ATI RADEON X600 64MB DDR	Intel GMA 900 Shared Memory
Battery	4,800 mAh	4,800 mAh	4,400 mAh

Performance

General Usage (Business Winstone 2004)

Multimedia Content Creation (Business Winstone 2004)

The V6V falls slightly behind the Acer TravelMate 8103.

PCMark04
The V6V and 8103 were neck-in-neck in the PCMark04 tests but the 8103 edges the V6V by a slight margin, thanks in part to the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700 and the fast Seagate hard drive.

Here are the associated scores:

System	8103	V6V	FS550
CPU	3577	3587	3038
Memory	3186	3157	2852
Graphics	3282	2162	781
HDD	3163	2868	2439

and the PCMark04 Overall Score:

3D Performance

The following 3DMark 2001, 2003, and 2005 scores will show the X700's dominance.

3DMark 2001 SE

3DMark 2003

3DMark 05

Gaming Performance

Doom 3

Half Life 2
The Travelmate 8103 scored the following frames per second:

Level	Coast 05	Canals 08
Test 1 - AA/AF OFF	93.22 fps	92.87 fps
Test 2 - 4X/8X	58.02 fps	36.02 fps

Now the comparison with AA/AF OFF:

...and with AA/AF ON:

Battery Performance

Lasting 2 hours and 50 minutes in the BatteryMark conditioning run scripted test, the Travelmate 8103 lasted 10 minutes longer than the V6V and over 20 minutes longer than the FS550.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Sleek, robust and innovative design
• Thin-and-light for a performance notebook
• Excellent keyboard
• Good-looking high resolution 15.4-inch WSXGA+ LCD display
• Fast performance
• Good wireless performance
• Responsive touchpad with center four-way scroll button
• Latest technology: PCI Express, High-Definition Audio, Dual-Channel DDR2
• Handles the latest and greatest games
• Good audio solution
• Large storage capacity
• Modular Dual-Layer DVD burner supporting most available disc formats
• Wireless functions: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth, Infrared
• Wide array of connectivity options: DVI, S-Video, SPDIF support, 4 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro Media Card slot
• SmartCard access
• Excellent software bundle: Acer ePowermanagement software and, Acer GridVista

Cons:

• Lacks Express Card
• Constant running fan
• Limited hot keys; missing multimedia keys
• Computer can become warm quickly

Recommendation
Acer put together an aesthetically impressive notebook that illustrates originality and style, thanks to its Folio design theme. Instead of incorporating magnesium or aluminum materials for the chassis, the polycarbonate plastic still gives the notebook a robust and solid build. The Travelmate 8103 comes in with a myriad of functions packed in a slim design. Business pros, home uses, and even the average gamer will be satisfied with the 8103's prominent offerings. It utilizes the latest technology, including DDR2 with dual-channel support, PCI Express, three wireless formats (802.11 a/b/g), Bluetooth, and a wide array of connectivity options that are normally found on desktop replacement notebooks. Casual gamers will appreciate the smooth frame rates provided by the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X700. It outperformed practically all the notebooks we've tested to date. The SmartCard is a nice addition to prevent unauthorized access. While the 15.4-inch widescreen offers large and wide vie