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Acer Aspire Ethos ©Acer |
Pros
- Fast Quad Core Processor
- Excellent Graphics Performance
- Decent Battery Life For Its High Performance
Cons
- Narrow Viewing Angles On Display
- Larger Than Typical 17-inch Desktop Replacements
- Lacks USB 3.0 Or ExpressCard Slot
Description
- Intel Core i7-740QM Quad Core Mobile Processor
- 4GB PC3-8500 DDR3 Memory
- 500GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
- Blu-ray Reader And Dual Layer DVD Burner Combo Drive
- 18.4" WUXGA (1920x1080) LED Backlit Display With 1.3 Megapixel Webcam
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 Graphics With 2GB Memory
- Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless
- Five USB 2.0, FireWire, eSATA, HDMI, VGA, 5-in-1 Card Reader, Fingerprint Scanner
- 17.3" x 11.6" x 1.7" @ 10.1 lbs.
- Windows 7 Home Premium, Office Starter,
Guide Review - Acer Aspire Ethos AS8943G-9319 18.4-inch Desktop Replacement Laptop PC
Jan 3 2011 - Acer's Aspire Ethos 8943G desktop replacement is certainly not a small system. It weighs just over 10 pounds and has a hefty 1.7 inch thick hinge area. It isn't something that will be carried around frequently but it offers a fair amount of performance thanks to the quad core Intel Core i7-740QM processor. This combined with the 4GB of DDR3 memory let this system handle just about any type of application.
Storage is much less about performance and more about features. The 500GB hard drive is of average size for this class of laptop but it spins at the more sedate 5400rpm rate meaning it won't be as fast booting or loading applications. On the other hand, the system does comes with a Blu-ray compatible drive that allows it to be used as a high definition media platform. The drive can also be used for DVD and CD playback or recording as well.
One of the big features on the Aspire Ethos 8943G is the display. It is extremely large in the realm of a desktop replacement at 18.4-inches. The advantage is that it comes with a native resolution that fully supports 1080p HD video. While the resolution is nice, it uses the typical glossy coating that helps increase brightness but produces a fair amount of glare and reflections. The big drawback is that the panel has a fairly narrow viewing angle where the color drops off quickly being slightly off center. If you hope to have the system double for gaming then the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics are more than capable of playing games up to the full resolution but it might be limited for filers even with the 2GB of memory.
Acer has improved the quality of the look by adding aluminum to the lid and keyboard desk. The larger chassis of the Aspire Ethos provides it with a spacious keyboard layout that includes a full size numeric keypad. It uses a flat or chiclet style that is fairly easy to type on but the keys are sunken a bit below the palmrest and trackpad area. The trackpad also has a unique design that allows it to have functional media controls. Sadly, the design uses a single rocker button bar rather than distinct keys.
With all the high performance components, battery life is not something that many people are going to be thinking about when they purchase an Acer Aspire Ethos. The system comes with an eight cell 6000mAh battery pack that is slightly larger than average. In DVD playback tests, the system is able to run just under two hours before going into the standby mode. This is slightly above average for this class of system.
Storage is much less about performance and more about features. The 500GB hard drive is of average size for this class of laptop but it spins at the more sedate 5400rpm rate meaning it won't be as fast booting or loading applications. On the other hand, the system does comes with a Blu-ray compatible drive that allows it to be used as a high definition media platform. The drive can also be used for DVD and CD playback or recording as well.
One of the big features on the Aspire Ethos 8943G is the display. It is extremely large in the realm of a desktop replacement at 18.4-inches. The advantage is that it comes with a native resolution that fully supports 1080p HD video. While the resolution is nice, it uses the typical glossy coating that helps increase brightness but produces a fair amount of glare and reflections. The big drawback is that the panel has a fairly narrow viewing angle where the color drops off quickly being slightly off center. If you hope to have the system double for gaming then the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics are more than capable of playing games up to the full resolution but it might be limited for filers even with the 2GB of memory.
Acer has improved the quality of the look by adding aluminum to the lid and keyboard desk. The larger chassis of the Aspire Ethos provides it with a spacious keyboard layout that includes a full size numeric keypad. It uses a flat or chiclet style that is fairly easy to type on but the keys are sunken a bit below the palmrest and trackpad area. The trackpad also has a unique design that allows it to have functional media controls. Sadly, the design uses a single rocker button bar rather than distinct keys.
With all the high performance components, battery life is not something that many people are going to be thinking about when they purchase an Acer Aspire Ethos. The system comes with an eight cell 6000mAh battery pack that is slightly larger than average. In DVD playback tests, the system is able to run just under two hours before going into the standby mode. This is slightly above average for this class of system.
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