Acer TravelMate Timeline 8471-6306 Review

Acer TravelMate Timeline 8471-6306
  • Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 (1.4 GHz)

  • Intel GMA 4500MHD

  • 4 GB RAM Size

  • 320 GB HDD Capacity

2

Our summary of all reviews

  • Performance

    /100

    At this level, the performance is very low. This limits the user to usual activities e.g surfing the web, writing emails. Using applications like Word or Excel is possible, though at a very low speed. Gaming and other high performance tasks are impossible. People looking for a secondary laptop or using non-complex applications only will be satisfied.

    • 3DMark 06 1024 x 768

      703.5 #

    • PCMark 05

      3275 #

    • PCMark Vantage

      2415 #

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  • Design

    2.0/5

    The reviewers rated the laptop design as below average. The laptop appearance will surely not please everyone’s taste, yet people who do not put a major emphasis on design will be satisfied.

  • Build Quality

    4.0/5

    The build quality provides for high standards to people requiring good protection for the laptop’s inner fragile parts. People on the move will find this laptop suited to handle both everyday life circumstances (putting it in and out of your bag/carrying it around) and significant challenges(falling from the desk to the hard floor, using it in a bus travelling on a bumpy road) very well.

    • Base Unit Flex

       : 

      4.0/5

      The notebook frame can solidly serve for many years without any major problems. Cracking sounds, gaps and loose parts are almost nonexistent. The surface will resist most abuse, however it will show scratches over time.

    • Hinge Stability

       : 

      4.0/5

      The screen hinge, connecting the monitor and the laptop body, is characterized by good tightness and flexibility. The display might slightly wiggle after opening the laptop or when moving around, but it does not cause any real annoyances.

    • Display Panel

       : 

      3.0/5

      Some minor colour distortions might occur under significant pressure on the back of the display, or when moving the screen back and fourth. Hardly any gaps between the different parts of the frame can be found.

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  • Display

    3.0/5

    Generally the reviewers deemed this laptop to be above average. Users could expect this display to provide for average satisfaction with office work as well as multimedia use. Gamers and professional designers might however not find this display to their taste. To get a more comprehensive review of this display, users should check the ratings of the different attributes of this screen.

    • Display Resolution

      1366 x 768

      This resolution is also called HD-ready. Viewing more than one website on the monitor is almost impossible, as one window takes up almost the whole space. Graphic designers might not be completely satisfied with this resolution, as this latter might be too small. High resolution picture and video editing is plainly impossible. This resolution is a good option for gamers as many graphic cards will be powerful enough to support the native resolution of this display. Watching most movies will be possible without any black bars at the top and bottom of the display.

    • Color Reproduction

       : 

      1.0/5

      This level of color reproduction covers a very limited range of the color spectrum. Colors will thus look faded and washed out on all displays. It is a huge source of discomfort for tasks such as displaying pictures or watching movies.

    • Contrast

       : 

      2.0/5

      The contrast between the darkest color -black- and the brightest color -white- is below average in this computer. This results in having the darkest areas being washed out resembling a dark shade of gray, while the brightest areas appear to be of a light grayish color. Movies can be enjoyed provided that the room is completely darkened. Most office workers will find the readability to be sufficient, while some might be annoyed by the close shades of gray characterizing both the dark text and the bright background. The needs of professional designers will surely not be met with this notebook.

    • Contrast Value

      138.5 :1

    • Brightness

       : 

      2.0/5

      The maximum brightness of this computer can be described as sufficient in most indoor settings. Under medium lighting conditions, this computer will provide for reading, watching movies and gaming with no annoyances. Bright ambient light will however not be favorable for any of the activities mentioned above. A positive point with this mediocre range of brightness is that it allows for energy saving. The battery lasts for longer hours compared to when used with a brighter screen.

    • Average Brightness

      180.9 cd/m²

    • Reflections

       : 

      4.0/5

      The minimal reflections on this display allow for comfortable viewing under most conditions both in-and outdoors. Under indoor medium to bright lighting conditions, the display provide for an enjoyable experience. Using this laptop in a park will be no problem, though direct sunlight will cause some reflections.

    • Viewing Angle

       : 

      2.0/5

      Looking at the screen from the side causes color distortions. Two people watching a movie have to sit close together for both of them to get a good picture. Even when you move in your chair color deviations will be noticeable. On the plus side, this display provides for some privacy in public spaces.

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  • Sound

    1.0/5

    The sound quality is close to a disaster. The bass is almost non-existing and even at maximum volume, you need to stick your ears to the laptop to hear conversations in movies. It is not worth mentioning the lousy sound experience when gaming, unless you prefer silent war games. In short: External speakers or headphones are a must for any sound to be decently experienced.

    • Maximum Volume

       : 

      2.0/5

      This laptop provides for a great opportunity to test your hearing abilities. At maximum volume, users can expect the sound to be loud enough to partially cover the space in one room. It would be difficult to enjoy a movie with a group of people if you are not all sitting close to the laptop. Headphones or external speakers should prove to be a good back up for action/thriller movies to be enjoyed.

    • Sound Clarity

       : 

      1.0/5

      Most of the sounds produced by this computer will sound muffled or noisy. This makes the clarity quite low when watching movies, or playing games.

    • Lows

       : 

      0.0/5

      This laptop has Zero bass. The sound has no dynamics and it will close to impossible to differentiate different sound levels. This laptop should be then ideal for users with hearing impairment, or those not needing sound to be integrated in their laptop usage.

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  • Keyboard

    3.0/5

    This keyboard will be valued by most users as convenient for frequent use. Be it for writing long emails, or surfing the net, most users will be satisfied with the comfort and the speed this keyboard provides for. If your professional life requires long typing hours, along with the highest levels of comfort, then you might want to consider a keyboard with higher rates.

    • Layout

       : 

      4.0/5

      The layout of this keyboard stands firmly within the ranges of conventionality. The positioning of the keys conforms with the standard layout, thus reducing the users adaptation time to their new keyboard.

    • Keyboard Size

       : 

      5.0/5

      This keyboard is characterized by large keys, thus dramatically reducing the frequency of typing mistakes. Typing is as well made very comfortable thanks to the deep palm resting area, which is as well handy when playing games, or for any activity requiring long hours of commitment. The whole keyboard is well proportionate with just the right spacing between the keys, providing for an ideal size for most users.

    • Key Responsiveness

       : 

      2.0/5

      Although some reviewers did not find this keyboard convincing when it comes to responsiveness, most users will still judge it as generally acceptable for typing. This keyboard could suffer from either too stiff or too soft individual keys, which generally causes a decrease in typing speed. Another problem that might be encountered with this keyboard is the level of feedback provided when typing. The individual keys would either take too long to jump back up or are impossible to push far down enough to get appropriate feedback. Users might find it too energy consuming or too annoying especially with long typing hours, yet this keyboard is still manageable from an overall perspective.

    • Keyboard Flex

       : 

      2.0/5

      This keyboard may be for some users manageable, although for most it will be rated below average. The plastic below the keyboard sometimes flexes and the uncontrollable movement of the individual keys will throw you off your typing flow. Smooth typing is far from being an attainable reality, and will make users take some deep breaths to lower their levels of frustration and anger.

    • Keys Clicking Sound

       : 

      1.0/5

      The clicking noise produced by typing on this keyboard will be annoying for most users, and might even cause people near you to interrupt their activities. It is advisable to use this keyboard only when alone, that is if you are able to stand the noise yourself of course.

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  • Touchpad

    4.0/5

    This touchpad will be considered by most users to be very much suited for some quite complex tasks. Be it for office work, browsing online, or for designing, reviewers thought this trackpad to be convincing. For gaming however, an external mouse is needed. The touchpad button comes nothing short of what the rest of the trackpad provides for: The feedback is accurate, the feel is smooth, and the size is well suited for medium to large displays. This trackpad helps you in quickly adjusting to your new computer

    • Touchpad Surface

       : 

      4.0/5

      The feeling of the touchpad will work at your satisfaction with its relatively smooth surface allowing quick scrolling up and down your pages. If you require rougher textures, the trackpad of this computer can be pleasing, as it combines both smoothness and good surface resistance.

    • Sensitivity

       : 

      4.0/5

      The accuracy of this touchpad fulfills high standards of satisfaction. You should not face any issues, as the reaction time is quite fast, and the responsiveness is quite precise and your mouse pointer will always go where you want it to. This touchpad should answer the needs of most users no matter their demands.

    • Touchpad Size

       : 

      3.0/5

      The size of this touchpad is above average. You can browse through large displayed pages, although it might require frequent finger movement. Putting the sensitivity settings up on your computer should make your mouse move faster, and thus cover “more ground”, without much sacrifice of the accuracy of your pointer.

    • Buttons

       : 

      4.0/5

      The feedback of the trackpad’s buttons will fulfil the needs of most users. The well defined pressure point gives adequate feedback, making it clear when and where the buttons have been pushed. Therefore they are efficient for most activities, even those requiring high levels of precision such as picture editing. Nearby individuals will rarely be disturbed by the unobtrusive and soft button’s clicking sound.

    • Buttons Noise

       : 

      4.0/5

      The buttons of the touchpad offer a nice clicking feedback while pressing.

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  • Battery Surfing

    7:27 h

    The battery life is outstanding. You will be able to use your laptop for the better part of a whole work day. This of course requires you to turn down the brightness of your screen, as the display uses a lot of energy. You should also only plan to do office work and light browsing. If you are going to play games, stream videos, or surf websites with a lot of flash advertisement, the expected battery life will be considerably shorter. The energy saving mode should be enabled at all times, if not this will of course cause the battery life to drop even shorter.

    • Battery DVD/Video

      4:41 h

      When performing energy consuming tasks, this battery will last from 4 to 5 hours. Be it for watching a couple of movies, preparing presentations, or streaming videos, this battery will not fail you for quite some time. Note: Gaming requires much more power thus you will only be able to enjoy it for a much more limited time.

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  • Weight

    4.43 lbs

    This computer is for most users still comfortable to carry around, although for those used to lighter computers, it might seem a bit heavy at the beginning. Mobile users will most probably need a somehow large bag to carry this laptop around, a backpack in this case would be ideal. Even when factoring the extra weight of the charger, walking with this computer will still be fine for most users.

  • Noise

    4.0/5

    This laptop stays pleasantly silent most of the time. It is well fitted for use in public places when one does not want to annoy others. Most users will hardly ever notice any noise coming from the laptop fan, hard-drive, or any other parts.

    • Noise Idle

       : 

      3.0/5

      You could hear some silent noise from the fans when the laptop is idle.

    • Noise Normal Use

       : 

      3.0/5

      Noise emitted from this laptop will not cause any major inconveniences when doing office work or browsing the Internet. Although it might be be noticeable in a quite room, it should not be obstructing your concentration.

    • Noise Full Load

       : 

      4.0/5

      Noise emitted by the laptop is no problem, even when running high-performance tasks such as watching or editing movies and gaming. In a quiet room, the noise will be noticeable, yet not annoying for most users.

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  • Temperature

    4.0/5

    The laptop stays cool most of the time. Most reviewers found, the heat from the notebook usually will not be uncomfortable for your fingers or legs. You can watch movies even on hot summer days without burning your legs.

    • Heat Top: Full Use

       : 

      4.0/5

      The notebook warms up just a little at normal use.

    • Heat Top: Normal Use

       : 

      5.0/5

      The temperature on top of the notebook is excellent. It never gets too warm.

    • Heat Bottom: Normal Use

       : 

      3.0/5

      The bottom of the notebook warms up a little but is not getting too hot to place it on your lap.

    • Heat Bottom: Full Load

       : 

      3.0/5

      There can be some spot where the laptop gets warm.

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A

All external reviews  Acer  TravelMate Timeline 8471-6306

Language Source URL Review Date Author

Deutsch

www.pcwelt.de 12/23/09 Thomas Rau

Deutsch

www.notebookcheck.com 11/20/09 Felix Sold
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Total number of reviews: 2