Acer TravelMate 6292

[Michael Sabin]

The small,beautiful, sleek first Santa Rosa Ultraportable 12.1" Wide Notebook is the first Centrino Duo Processor Technology (Codenamed Santa Rosa) in India. The TravelMate comes with a decent selection of ports, even if they are arranged unusually at first glance.Acer is really firing on all cylinders this year. First came its excellent "notebook replacement" AcerPower 1000, and now we have its first attempt at a Santa Rosa laptop in the Acer TravelMate 6292. And it's very good.

Build quality has been an issue in the past for Acer, particularly for its desktop range. But there are no such issues here -- in fact, apart from its Ferrari laptop, this is one of the best built and best looking Acer's we've seen. Gone are the lurid, metallic green and silver colour schemes, replaced by a classy gunmetal finish -- this is a business notebook after all.For strength without the weight penalty, the Acer's LCD cover is constructed from magnesium alloy, and it's quite rigid -- which is what you want to protect one of the most expensive parts of the notebook.

Features Of Acer TravelMate 6292:-

1. Processor:-

Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile processor technology,featuring: Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T7500(2.2GHz, 4M, 800FSB), T8300(2.4GHz, 3M, 800FSB), T9300(2.5GHz, 6M, 800FSB), T9500(2.6GHz, 6M, 800FSB), supporting Intel64 architecture
Mobile Intel GM965 Express chipset
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG1, 2 (dual-band tri-mode 802.11a/b/g) Wi-Fi CERTIFIED network connection, supporting Acer SignalUp wireless technology.


2. Operating System:-

Linux

3. Memory:-

2GB RAM Upgradable upto 4GB

4. Storage:-

160 GB hard disk drive with enhanced Acer DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection)

8X DVD-Super Multi double-layer drive

Read: 24X CD-RW, 24X CD-ROM, 24X CD-R, 8X DVD-ROM, 8X DVD-R, 8X DVD+R, 6X DVD-ROM DL (double-layer), 6X DVD-R DL (double-layer), 6X DVD+R DL (double-layer), 6X DVD-RW, 6X DVD+RW, 5X DVD-RAM
Write: 24X CD-R, 16X CD-RW, 8X DVD-R, 8X DVD+R, 4X DVD-R DL (double-layer), 4X DVD+R DL (double-layer). 5-in-1 card reader supporting Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card (xD)

5. Audio:-

Intel® High Definition Audio support
Two built-in Acer 3DSonic stereo speakers
Acer PureZone technology with two built-in stereo microphones featuring beam forming, echo cancellation, and noise suppression technologies
MS-Sound compatible

6. Communication:-

Acer Video Conference featuring:
Integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam supporting enhanced Acer PrimaLite technology
3945ABG (dual-band tri-mode 802.11a/b/g) Wi-Fi CERTIFIED network connection, supporting Acer SignalUp wireless technology
WPAN1: Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
LAN: Gigabit Ethernet, supporting ASF (Alert Standard Format) 2.0 , Wake-on-LAN ready
Modem: 56K ITU V.92 with PTT approval8, Wake-on-Ring ready

[Michael Sabin]

Though this laptop is aimed at business, it is based on the consumer version of Santa Rosa -- Centrino Duo. This means it's missing the virtual PC management capabilities, but still has most of the other features that Santa Rosa offers.The only feature missing from the Santa Rosa blueprint is Turbo Memory -- the dedicated mini-PCI module which works in the same way as ReadyBoost does for memory keys. However, we've been less than impressed with the performance we've seen on notebooks that feature it, so its lack is no great loss. It's also interesting to note that manufacturers like HP are also refusing to incorporate it.

Given that the Acer eschews two of the (supposedly) most effective battery savers -- an LED backlight and Turbo Memory -- the TravelMate performed exceptionally well on our battery benchmark. Using the reader test from BatteryEater Pro, the 6292 managed a very healthy 3 hours and 19 minutes with the LCD at full brightness.

features:-

1. Dimensions and weight:-

306 (W) x 227 (D) x 27.5/34.5(H) mm (12.05 x 8.94 x 1.08/1.36 inches)1.99 kg (4.38 lbs.) with 6-cell battery pack6

2. Power Supply:-

ACPI 3.0 CPU power management standard: supports Standby and Hibernation power-saving modes
53 W 4800 mAh Li-ion 6-cell primary battery pack1:
5-hour battery life1, 7
2.5-hour rapid charge system-off
3.5-hour charge-in-use
3-pin 65 W AC adapter

3. Input Devices:-

84-/85-key keyboard with inverted "T" cursor layout, 2.5 mm (minimum) key travel.Seamless touchpad pointing device with Acer Bio-Protection fingerprint reader supporting Acer FingerNav 4-way control function.12 function keys, four cursor keys, two Windows keys, hotkey controls, embedded numeric keypad, international language support.Empowering Key
Easy-launch buttons: WLAN, Bluetooth1, email, Internet, user-programmable

4. Software:-

• Acer Empowering Technology (Acer eNet, ePower, Epresentation, eDataSecurity, eLock, eRecovery, eSettings Management)
• Acer Bio-Protection
• Acer Crystal Eye
• Acer GridVista
• Acer Launch Manager
• Acer PureZone
• Acer Video Conference Manager1
• Adobe Reader
• CyberLink PowerDVD
• Microsoft Office Ready 20071
• Norton Internet Security
• NTI CD-Maker

5. Quality and reliability tests:-

• Temperature and humidity
• Hinge life
• Weight and pressure
• Acoustics
• Spillage
• Free drop
• Shock and vibration
• Electrostatic discharge immunity
• Keyboard-switch life
• MTBF (mean time between failures)

6. System Compliance:-

• Wi-Fi
• ACPI 3.0
• Mobile PC 2002
• DMI 2.0

7. Warranty:-

One-year International Travelers Warranty (ITW)

As a performer, the Acer was on a par with other notebooks of its size. Using the PCMark 05 benchmark, we were able to retrieve a score of 4181 marks. This makes the notebook a good all-rounder, but due to the onboard graphics it shouldn't be the first choice for games enthusiasts.

There is very little we can say about the TravelMate 6292 that could be construed as negative -- it's built well, it performs well, and it's quite portable. We think that this is one of the strongest business notebooks the company has released.

[Dodger]

The TravelMate comes with a decent selection of ports, even if they are arranged unusually at first glance. On the left side you get a PCMCIA connector -- not ExpressPort -- and this is supposedly due to the large selection of legacy PCMCIA devices still available -- and the relative lack of ExpressPort add-ons. There's also a LAN port and a single USB connection. The back of the notebook houses the battery, power connector, VGA and an S-Video port. Running your hand over the right hand side of the notebook you'll find the DVD Super Drive, a card reader, two USB ports and a modem. If you need extra connectivity, there is an optional port replicator available.

Using the notebook is a pleasurable experience -- the keyboard has a decent amount of tactile feedback and the touchpad, though small, doesn't grate on your finger tip the way some metallic touchpads do.

The dedicated wireless and Wi-Fi buttons are very useful, and only the lack of multimedia buttons -- hey, business people listen to music too -- works against the laptop.