The Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820T is one of the latest permutations of the Timeline range, and a well balanced laptop that looks like it is trying to appeal to everyone. And who knows, with an Intel Core i5 processor, 15.6 inch display, switchable graphics, and very impressive battery life – it may even do just that.
The TimelineX range is a bit of a leap from other Timeline models, which normally place emphasis on efficiency, connectivity, and long battery life over grunt and performance. It’s not that the TimelineX computers lack any of these traditional Timeline traits however, they have just been added to with a faster processor complete with a Turbo Boost function – the X, after all, is said to stand for Xcellence.
The TimelineX series comes with a couple of processor options, with an Intel Core i3 and i5 model both available to choose from. While both of these designs are a cut above the CULV processors used in older Timeline laptops, the Intel Core i5 is particularly notable for its speedy 2.27GHz operation.
One other factor that has a positive effect on overall performance is the inclusion of switchable graphics, with an ATI Radeon HD 5650 chip that can be manually selected in the driver menu. While this is not as transparent or easy-to-use as the latest switchable graphics technology by Nvidia, it is cheaper to implement and still has a positive effect on battery life.
The TimelineX 5820T goes for about 6 1/2 hours in light use, although it is taxed rather more heavily if your demands are greater. The screen looks fairly detailed and colourful, although the 1366 x 768 resolution is not great for a 15.6 inch laptop and the viewing angles are also quite poor. Acer have also managed to fit in a numeric keypad somehow, which while impressive does mean that the main keyboard is rather left of centre which may take some getting used to.
Connectivity is pretty standard, although a total of 4 USB ports is impressive. Other features also look good, and with a 500GB hard drive, Bluetooth, wireless, and a DVD writer, you can’t really go wrong. While Acer have managed to appeal to almost everyone with the TimelineX 5820T, they have not done so without a cost. This laptop sells for about $1200, which is likely to be the biggest stumbling block in terms of its universal appeal.
Specifications
Intel Core i3/Intel Core i5
ATI Radeon HD 5650 switchable
15.6 inch screen
1366 x 768 resolution
500GB HDD
Bluetooth
802.11 b/g/n
DVD writer
USB x 4
HDMI
card reader
