Acer TravelMate 8104WLMi (Pentium M Processor 760 2.0GHz, 1GB RAM)

The Acer TravelMate 8100 series comes in two fairly affordable configurations for desktop replacements, with the 8102WLCi at S$3,198 (US$2,354.53) and our review unit, the 8104WLMi, at S$0 (US$0). We were very impressed with the great features, connectivity options and 3D performance we got out of the machine. Despite the average battery life and single year warranty, we say the 8104WLMi is convincing enough to win our Editors' Choice award.

You get a VGA-out, Smart Card reader and FireWire port among some of the ports on the left edge.

Design
Acer seems to have stuck with its Folio design for quite a few models, this model being no exception. Somehow, the huge non-reflective 15.4-inch screen manages to squeeze in a 363 x 265.7 x 34.3mm frame weighing 3.05kg (with a 4800mAhr Lithium-ion cell). Due to the nature of the massive screen, two latches on either side of the touchpad are there to lock the lid down.

The touchpad comes with a four-direction scroll just beneath the keyboard, which is slanted with a five-degree curve for user comfort. The keys themselves provide decent feedback though it may be somewhat shallow in depth. As per others in Acer's Folio series, four quick launch buttons lie above the keys along with two plastic buttons which glow blue and orange when Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are activated, respectively.

Design | Features | Performance and battery life | Service and support

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