Acer Aspire 5740 Laptop Review
Priced at an aggressive $649, the Aspire 5740 (6378) combines serious multitasking muscle (thanks to Intel's Core i5 processor) with a rich multimedia experience for considerably less money than Acer's rivals. How much less? A similarly configured 15.6-inch machine from Dell or HP would cost you at least $150 more. This 6.2-pound mainstream notebook also includes a comfortable keyboard and third-generation Dolby Home Theater surround sound. However, Acer's Gemstone design is starting to feel a bit dated, and the Acer Aspire 5740 battery life is below average. Still, bargain hunters will find a lot to like about the 5740.
This laptop's case design manages to include a full keyboard--including a number pad--and a 1366-by-768-pixel, 15.6-inch screen without feeling bloated. At 5.8 pounds, it's as comfortable on a lap as on a desk. We're used to bigger-screen laptops elbowing into everything nearby, but this system was surprisingly svelte.
The Aspire's basic performance earned it solid scores for its price level. It earned an overall score of 101 in our WorldBench 6 test suite, putting it on an even footing with many costlier systems. The 2.27GHz Core i5-430m processor and 4GB of RAM provide that speed. A 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium comes preinstalled. In real-world use, we easily rifled through dozens of Firefox windows, worked with Office and other productivity applications, and otherwise used the system for typical multitasking.
Key Specs
Processor: 2.26GHz Intel Core i5-430M
Memory: 4GB RAM
Storage: 320GB hard drive
Optical Drive: DVD±RW
Screen: 15.6 inches (1,366x768 native resolution)
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB)
Weight: 6.2 pounds
Dimensions (HWD): 1.1x15.1x9.9 inches
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
The Acer Aspire 5740's basic performance earned it solid scores for its price level. It earned an overall score of 101 in our WorldBench 6 test suite, putting it on an even footing with many costlier systems. The 2.27GHz Core i5-430m processor and 4GB of RAM provide that speed. A 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium comes preinstalled. In real world use, we easily rifled through dozens of Firefox windows, worked with Office and other productivity applications, and otherwise used the system for typical multitasking.
Gamers, however, should consider another system. At low resolutions (and expectations), we wrung out just enough speed to play Left 4 Dead 2, but nearly every other recent game was too demanding. As noted, this Aspire 5740 battery lacks a dedicated graphics processor. At least you can fill dull moments in the college dorm or between business meetings with casual, untaxing games.
Acer Aspire Series is best known for its focus on computing performance but when it comes to entertainment, Acer 5740 is simply a wonderland. Listen to your favourite music online or offline on the Dolby optimised surround sound system that reproduces crip and clear sound effects. Keep in touch with your work and family contacts whilst on the move. Acer 5740 is a wireless enabled notebook which lets you connect to any wireless network for smooth internet connectivity. You can also enjoy the webcam which comes fixed on the front screen.
When it comes to both wire and wireless connectivity, Acer Aspire 5740 offers plenty of options including HDMI, VGA output, 5-in-1 Digital media card reader and 4 x USB ports. Considering the overflowing features, the 4 hours battery life looks relatively justified and practical.
Powered by a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3 330M processor, the Acer Aspire 5740 is one of the most powerful laptops in this category – although Samsung’s R530-JA03 just edges ahead in our WorldBench 6 performance test. Still, the 88 points scored by the Acer place it well ahead of the remaining competition in raw speed.
Built into the Acer Aspire 5740-333G32Mn's Core i3 processor is Intel’s new Graphics Media Accelerator HD graphics technology. While it can’t match the performance of the discrete ATI Radeon HD 4330 found in MSI’s X600, it’s a huge step up from the older and still more common GMA 4500M. This is a distinct advantage of the Core i3 processor over the Core 2 Duo T6600 found in the Samsung laptop, as it’s able to deliver roughly double the 3D graphics performance in our game tests.
The 15.6" Aspire 5740 series delivers comfortable, accessible computing and entertainment wherever you go. Equipped with the latest processors, ultra-fast DDR3 memory, high-definition audio and video support, this notebook has what it takes to let you multitask effectively and indulge in quality gaming, video editing, music, photo viewing and Internet surfing.
The chassis is made from tough plastic that is finished in a rather dull and business-like grey. We found it a well built machine that offers decent value for money. With an overall weight of 2.8kg, there is a degree of portability to be had with the Acer Aspire 5740 battery replacement. That said, this is a rather bulky machine that is better suited to the desktop than life on the move.
The keyboard is a great size and while we found the keys tended to rattle as we typed, they proved well-space and responded well. The casing is large enough to fit a separate numeric keypad, so replicating the layout of a standard PC keyboard.
In recent years, Acer has been doing an admirable job of condensing respectable hardware into affordable machines. Each successive generation, Acer has usually had one or two solid notebooks that were able to squeeze a decent gaming GPU into a reasonable price tag, and with the Aspire 5740-6979, that trend continues. Today we're able to take a look at a machine that features Intel's still relatively young Core i5 paired with – and this is the particularly compelling part – AMD's new mobile DirectX 11-class hardware.
Acer offers a wide variety of machines – all direct to retail – in their Aspire 5740 lineup, but the 6979 is one of only two models available off of Newegg. The other model, the 6395, trades up the processor to a 2.4 GHz model and raises the price from the 6979's $799 to $849 while reducing hard drive capacity by 180GB. Note that wholesale-laptop-batteries.com and Provantage both list a price of $749, though it's out of stock at Buy.com and shows as a "special order" (i.e. ships from the manufacturer) for Provantage. If you're not in a rush, you could potentially save $50, but Newegg is otherwise a safe bet. Frankly, the 6979 we received for review should be the more attractive of the two: the modest bump in clock speed on the CPU isn't worth an extra $50 on the price tag and a loss of hard drive capacity.
The Acer Aspire 5740 laptop is a perfect desktop replacement for performance enthusiast at affordable price but lacks in terms of looks and Acer laptop battery life.
This laptop's case design manages to include a full keyboard--including a number pad--and a 1366-by-768-pixel, 15.6-inch screen without feeling bloated. At 5.8 pounds, it's as comfortable on a lap as on a desk. We're used to bigger-screen laptops elbowing into everything nearby, but this system was surprisingly svelte.
The Aspire's basic performance earned it solid scores for its price level. It earned an overall score of 101 in our WorldBench 6 test suite, putting it on an even footing with many costlier systems. The 2.27GHz Core i5-430m processor and 4GB of RAM provide that speed. A 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium comes preinstalled. In real-world use, we easily rifled through dozens of Firefox windows, worked with Office and other productivity applications, and otherwise used the system for typical multitasking.
Key Specs
Processor: 2.26GHz Intel Core i5-430M
Memory: 4GB RAM
Storage: 320GB hard drive
Optical Drive: DVD±RW
Screen: 15.6 inches (1,366x768 native resolution)
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB)
Weight: 6.2 pounds
Dimensions (HWD): 1.1x15.1x9.9 inches
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
The Acer Aspire 5740's basic performance earned it solid scores for its price level. It earned an overall score of 101 in our WorldBench 6 test suite, putting it on an even footing with many costlier systems. The 2.27GHz Core i5-430m processor and 4GB of RAM provide that speed. A 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium comes preinstalled. In real world use, we easily rifled through dozens of Firefox windows, worked with Office and other productivity applications, and otherwise used the system for typical multitasking.
Gamers, however, should consider another system. At low resolutions (and expectations), we wrung out just enough speed to play Left 4 Dead 2, but nearly every other recent game was too demanding. As noted, this Aspire 5740 battery lacks a dedicated graphics processor. At least you can fill dull moments in the college dorm or between business meetings with casual, untaxing games.
Acer Aspire Series is best known for its focus on computing performance but when it comes to entertainment, Acer 5740 is simply a wonderland. Listen to your favourite music online or offline on the Dolby optimised surround sound system that reproduces crip and clear sound effects. Keep in touch with your work and family contacts whilst on the move. Acer 5740 is a wireless enabled notebook which lets you connect to any wireless network for smooth internet connectivity. You can also enjoy the webcam which comes fixed on the front screen.
When it comes to both wire and wireless connectivity, Acer Aspire 5740 offers plenty of options including HDMI, VGA output, 5-in-1 Digital media card reader and 4 x USB ports. Considering the overflowing features, the 4 hours battery life looks relatively justified and practical.
Powered by a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3 330M processor, the Acer Aspire 5740 is one of the most powerful laptops in this category – although Samsung’s R530-JA03 just edges ahead in our WorldBench 6 performance test. Still, the 88 points scored by the Acer place it well ahead of the remaining competition in raw speed.
Built into the Acer Aspire 5740-333G32Mn's Core i3 processor is Intel’s new Graphics Media Accelerator HD graphics technology. While it can’t match the performance of the discrete ATI Radeon HD 4330 found in MSI’s X600, it’s a huge step up from the older and still more common GMA 4500M. This is a distinct advantage of the Core i3 processor over the Core 2 Duo T6600 found in the Samsung laptop, as it’s able to deliver roughly double the 3D graphics performance in our game tests.
The 15.6" Aspire 5740 series delivers comfortable, accessible computing and entertainment wherever you go. Equipped with the latest processors, ultra-fast DDR3 memory, high-definition audio and video support, this notebook has what it takes to let you multitask effectively and indulge in quality gaming, video editing, music, photo viewing and Internet surfing.
The chassis is made from tough plastic that is finished in a rather dull and business-like grey. We found it a well built machine that offers decent value for money. With an overall weight of 2.8kg, there is a degree of portability to be had with the Acer Aspire 5740 battery replacement. That said, this is a rather bulky machine that is better suited to the desktop than life on the move.
The keyboard is a great size and while we found the keys tended to rattle as we typed, they proved well-space and responded well. The casing is large enough to fit a separate numeric keypad, so replicating the layout of a standard PC keyboard.
In recent years, Acer has been doing an admirable job of condensing respectable hardware into affordable machines. Each successive generation, Acer has usually had one or two solid notebooks that were able to squeeze a decent gaming GPU into a reasonable price tag, and with the Aspire 5740-6979, that trend continues. Today we're able to take a look at a machine that features Intel's still relatively young Core i5 paired with – and this is the particularly compelling part – AMD's new mobile DirectX 11-class hardware.
Acer offers a wide variety of machines – all direct to retail – in their Aspire 5740 lineup, but the 6979 is one of only two models available off of Newegg. The other model, the 6395, trades up the processor to a 2.4 GHz model and raises the price from the 6979's $799 to $849 while reducing hard drive capacity by 180GB. Note that wholesale-laptop-batteries.com and Provantage both list a price of $749, though it's out of stock at Buy.com and shows as a "special order" (i.e. ships from the manufacturer) for Provantage. If you're not in a rush, you could potentially save $50, but Newegg is otherwise a safe bet. Frankly, the 6979 we received for review should be the more attractive of the two: the modest bump in clock speed on the CPU isn't worth an extra $50 on the price tag and a loss of hard drive capacity.
The Acer Aspire 5740 laptop is a perfect desktop replacement for performance enthusiast at affordable price but lacks in terms of looks and Acer laptop battery life.
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