Review Acer Aspire M3-481 / M3-581TG Ultrabook, AP12A3i batteries

Battery Life

The Aspire M3 turned out to be a true marathon runner and reached a total run time of 11:18 h (AP12A3i batteries)in idle mode. This is the value under optimal conditions for maximum run time. The Aspire V5-471G (5:36 h / AL12A32 batteries) and the IdeaPad (5:17 h) are miles away from such a splendid value. The run time in idle mode is tested via the so-called Battery Eater Reader’s tests. During these tests the screen is running with the brightness set to a minimum, the energy profile is activated and all the wireless connections deactivated. Under full load, the battery only runs out after 2:22 h. The competitors are again far behind such a great value (V5-471G: 1:01 h, S400: 1:27 h). Run time under load is being determined by the Battery Eater Classic test. Here, the screen is set to maximum brightness, the performance profile activated and all wireless connections activated as well.

On the M3 the realistic Wi-Fi test finishes after 5:57 h. Again, the competitors cannot score here (V5-471G: 2:26 h, S400: 3:18 h). Websites are opened in 40-second intervals during the Wi-Fi test. Thereby the energy profile is active, and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². With a single charge the M3 reaches a DVD playback time of 4:52 h. The V5-471G (2:44 h) scores way below. The DVD test is performed with the energy profile enabled (or a higher profile, if the DVD is not playing smoothly), maximum screen brightness and wireless functions deactivated.

It is not surprising that the M3 reaches the longest run times, since it has the battery with the highest capacity (Aspire M3: 54 Wh, Aspire V5-471G: 37 Wh, Lenovo: 32 Wh).

Case
 
When Acer's Aspire Timeline Ultra notebooks made their first appearance at CES, these 14- and 15-inch laptops seemed like little more than the successors to Acer's TimelineX series. Thin-and-light laptops, complete with optical drive and some likely reasonable prices. While there's no mistaking that DVD burner and mainstream screen size, we now know a few things we didn't then: the 15-inch version you see up there packs NVIDIA's next-gen Kepler graphics... and Acer's calling it an Ultrabook.
Acer's branding that there Ultra M3 as an Ultrabook because it's less than 20mm (.8 inches) thin, but given that 15-inch display, numpad, optical drive and graphical horsepower, it's hard to think of this as anything other than a mainstream laptop.
The Aspire M3 certainly looks splendid. This is thanks to the thin case and charcoal-gray aluminum elements (top side of the base unit and rear of the lid). The bottom side of the base unit consists of a matte black plastic. The frame of the screen is made out of plastic too and has the color of the aluminum elements. The cases of the Aspire V5-471G and the IdeaPad S400 are made entirely out of plastic.

The base unit leaves a good impression in terms of stability. The wrist rest does not give in upon pressure. Nonetheless, there are some weak spots too: on the left of the keyboard above the DVD-writer, the surface gives in a little bit upon pressure. Also, between the keyboard and the touchpad one can press in the upper side of the base unit a bit. Torsional rigidity does not raise any concerns: one can only twist the base unit a little bit and needs to put in some force for that. The cover can be twisted a bit more. Moreover, pressure on the rear of the cover leads to changes on the screen. The hinges keep the cover fixed in place with little bobbing. In addition, they also allow opening the cover with just one hand.

Connectivity

The thin cases of the three devices in comparison offer little space for ports. The Acer Aspire M3 comes with a minimum of interfaces. The necessary inputs are available on all three notebooks. The S400 and the Aspire M3 are very similar in that respect. The Aspire V5-471G is the only one with a VGA output. This is realized via a breakout cable that can be plugged in. Such a solution would have been desirable for the M3 as well, since in business one still uses a lot of projectors with VGA input. Furthermore, all three notebooks are equipped with at least one USB-3.0. The majority of the ports of the M3 are positioned at its backside. Hence, there cannot be any disturbing cables to the left and right of the device, with the exception of an optional audio cable.

Keyboard

Acer built a backlit, chiclet keyboard into the Aspire M3. The main buttons are about 15 x 15 mm (~0.59 x 0.59 inches) in size. The buttons have short vertical travel and sufficient resistance. A little tighter and the resistance would be optimal. The pressure point is clearly noticeable. The keys are flat and smooth. It is nice to see that the Enter, Backspace and right Shift key are big enough. The backlit function can be turned on or off via another key. It has only two states: on or off.
Touchpad
As a mouse replacement there is a Synaptics multitouch ClickPad built in. ClickPads do not have dedicated mouse buttons. The whole pad is one button. It recognizes whether the left or right button is being pressed through the position of the finger on the lower end of the pad. The pad offers a lot of space for gesture inputs with its size of 9.7 x 6.6 cm (~3.8 x 2.6 inches). Individual gestures can be turned on or off via the configuration menu. The smooth surface of the pad makes it easy for the fingers to slide. The pad has short vertical travel and a clearly audible and sensible pressure point.

Display

The Aspire M3 has a glossy 14-inch display from LG. It works with a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Other display types are not available. The average brightness of the display is 196.8 cd/m² which ranks it in the lower end of the middle class and, therefore, in range of the V5-471G (197.4 cd/m²). The screen of the IdeaPad (167.6 cd/m²) is even darker as the values show.
The contrast (325:1) and the black value (0.61 cd/m²) of the display are about standard in this price range. The values of the V5-471G (306:1, 0.66 cd/m²) are similar again, since both computers have the same display model. Again the IdeaPad (146:1, 1.14 cd/m²) performs worse than its competitors do. The sRGB and the AdobeRGB color space cannot be displayed by the M3.
We measured the display in its delivery state and found mostly strong DeltaE-2000 deviations (gray-scale and colors). There is a clear blue cast visible in color saturation, the Cyan and Magenta values deviate a lot from what they should be. Therefore, the display yields strong DeltaE-2000 deviations of 10-15.
The brightness of the display would be sufficient for outdoor use. However, the glossy surface makes this endeavor almost impossible. The only place where it could be possible to use outdoors might be in shadowy spots.

In terms of viewing angle stability, the display matches the expectations of the low price: picture quality quickly suffers given a change of the vertical viewing angle. Horizontally the viewing angle is much higher.

Speakers
The stereo speakers of the Aspire M3 are located at the bottom of the device. The speakers sound a little thin and metallic. Language is clearly understandable. People who are using the device in Windows can improve the quality of the sound significantly with the Dolby Advanced Audio software (on the driver-DVD). Then the sound impression is clearer and more powerful. Alternatively, one can always connect external speakers or headphones.

Verdict
The Aspire M3 scores with good performance and excellent battery life. It also offers an appealing and robust case. Moreover, the M3 is very mobile with its light weight and small size. In addition, the keyboard proved its quality. This is a good notebook for people looking for a cheap, mobile and durable notebook. Only the low-contrast display diminishes a bit the good overall impression of this notebook.
If you are looking for a cheap and thin 14-inch gaming notebook, then the Aspire V5-471G is right for you. It is capable of playing many of the current 3D-games on medium quality with the native resolution of (1366x768 pixels). However, one has to accept a big impact on the battery run time. The IdeaPad S400 is interesting for all users who want to have a notebook with low noise and low energy consumption.

More info: laptop-batteries.com.au, laptop-battery.org.uk, battery-store.eu

Review Asus B43V / B43JE / B43S Notebook, A31-B43 / A32-B43 batteries

Battery Runtime

The high-energy consumption of the Asus Pro B43V under load is clearly noticeable in the battery runtimes: Even with the large A32-B43 61Wh battery, our review unit fails to stand out from the competition: Only 1:36 hours under maximum load. In the more realistic WLAN scenario and DVD playback, the larger battery shows its advantages: Compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad T430s with similar components but smaller battery our review unit achieves considerably longer runtimes. The maximum runtime for the Asus Pro B43V is determined by the Battery Eater Reader’s Test (minimal brightness, wireless connections deactivated, energy-saving mode and activated Intel HD Graphics 4000). In this scenario the review unit achieves 6:36 hours independence from the grid.

Case

We already reviewed the Asus B43E from the Asus Pro series, which has the same case as our review unit. The price tag for the Asus Pro B43V - CU024X is around and comes with certain expectations in the choice of materials and build quality. Asus meets these requirements - at least to a large extent: Cover, palm rest and the keyboard bezel are made of aluminum while the bottom and the display bezel are made of roughened plastics.

Overall, there is not much criticism with the stability. Asus says on its website that due to the aluminum the display cover can resist 20% more pressure compared to consumer notebooks. As a matter of fact, pressure on the display cover is not visible on the screen. At other points we would have hoped for a better quality impression: For example beneath the DVD burner, where the bottom side can be dented with loud cracking noises.
Asus is very confident with the notebook height: Up to 3.5 cm at the thickest point of the Asus Pro B43V. Only the HP ProBook 6465b is 3 mm thicker, otherwise many comparable devices are a bit thinner and lighter.

Connectivity
The port layout of our review unit is also identical to the Asus B43E; the only exception is the lack of a modem port on our unit. This similarity also means that the Asus Pro B43V has a remarkable port variety for a 14-inch device: Thanks to VGA, HDMI and Display-Port almost every display can be connected to our review unit. A 34 mm Express-Card slot is on board as well as eSATA and a 3.5 mm audio jack with S/PDIF support. The docking station port is at the bottom.

Despite the multiple video outputs, the outdated VGA-output is often used at the office. We test it by attaching an external display and the picture quality is good, though close observation reveals a slight blur. We also connect the notebook via HDMI: In this case we get a very sharp picture and can choose every resolution from 800x600 up to 1920x1080.

There could have been more USB ports; however they can be extended very easily with a USB hub. Many ports are at the front area where they can interfere with the use of a connected mouse or opening of the DVD drive. The port layout would be better if some ports were at the back.

Keyboard

The keyboard of the Asus Pro B43V is not illuminated but has specially shaped keys: rectangular but chamfered at the front. It looks good and helps differentiating the keys without looking. The key travel is quite long and the keys only have limited resistance. Due to the keyboard design with the small spacing and the long travel, you occasionally get caught in a surrounding key during fast typing. Other manufacturers offer better solutions. Otherwise, the consistently spacious keys work reliably and fast typing is no problem.

Special keys can be found in the left area of the case above and next to the keyboard: On the one hand, you can regulate the energy-saving mode and switch between three presets for the desktop and display modes, for instance a presentation. The bottom key activates and deactivates the touchpad. The keys look good but are not always working reliably. Finally, there is a switch at the front that turns the wireless connection on and off (with Windows 8 this switch activates and deactivates the airplane mode).

Touchpad
We already praised the touchpad in the Asus B43E review: the surface is slightly lower than the palm rest, has good gliding capabilities and is quite large for a 14-inch notebook at 94 millimeters (~3.7 inches) diagonally. The rubberized buttons are also very convenient; they have a good pressure point and are pleasantly quiet.

As mentioned before, the touchpad can be deactivated with a push of a button. The input device even recognizes when the whole palm is on the touchpad and deactivates itself. It is good that the touchpad has so many qualities since there is no second input device in the Asus Pro B43V like the famous TrackPoint of Lenovo ThinkPads.

Display

In this price range IPS displays are the exception: None of the listed devices are equipped with an IPS display and the Asus Pro B43V does not have such a high quality panel either. The integrated LED-TN panel by LG Philips can subjectively convince at a first look: It has a high resolution of 1600x900 pixels, a matte finish but also bright colors and subjectively good contrast. The lower priced models of the series have a lower resolution panel of 1366x768 pixels, which is also worse in many other areas. For more information see the Asus B43E review.
The measured values support the good first impression: Even if the brightness distribution is slightly more uneven than the competition, none of the other panels can reach the average brightness of 270.9 nits. The black value is also excellent by comparison and results in a comparatively good contrast of 335:1. If you come closer you can recognize a distinct screen-door effect, unfortunately it is hard to capture this effect on a picture.

The coverage of color spaces is not so good with our review unit: Neither sRGB nor Adobe RGB can be covered. Professional users who work a lot with pictures or videos have to connect a display with a bigger color space; all other users will hardly notice this flaw.

The picture below show the results of the color analysis with the photo spectrometer X-Rite i1Display 2, once with the factory configuration and once after the calibration with the CalMan5 software. When comparing the results before and after the calibration you basically see that you can improve the display with the correct calibration: While the grayscale shows distinct deviations from the ideal value before the calibration, it is in the acceptable range afterwards. TN-LED panels often overemphasize the blue color components, which results in a blue cast. This is also the case for the Asus B43V; even the calibration cannot change that. (C21-TF201P batteries)
Outdoors the very bright screen and the matte finish are a good combination: Even if working under direct sunlight on very bright days is not possible, shaded places and bright interiors are absolutely suitable working environments for the Asus Pro B43V. Distracting reflections are no problem due to the matte finish.
The TN panel of the Asus Pro B43V has the common viewing angle limitations for this kind of displays as soon as you tilt either yourself or the display upwards, downwards or sideways. Views from the side result in color distortions and loss in contrast. Fortunately, these effects are not so strong with our review unit compared to other displays. However, upwards and downwards the contrast collapses very fast.

Speakers
With office notebooks the speakers are usually neglected, after all you use them to show something to a colleague or watch a movie after hours at most. However, there is an "Altec-Lansing" symbol on the Asus B43V. The American Hi-Fi manufacturer provided the speakers and they really sound better compared to most other speakers in office notebooks. The main reason is that high tones are not so overemphasized compared to many competitors and the result is a warmer and richer sound. For regular music playback with the notebook we still recommend external speakers or headphones.

Verdict

Should a freelancer, company boss or authority choose the Asus Pro B43V? Some things in its favor: The display is clearly above the class average considering the brightness and contrast, numerous ports wait for their respective cables and the device remains quiet as long as you avoid the DVD drive. Heat development and battery runtimes also get a "Good" rating. In addition, you get extensive security features from facial recognition to fingerprint reader and Anti-Theft features.
What could prevent the business user from buying? First of all the appearance of the very massive case and secondly the mobility are not going to appeal to everyone. The keyboard also takes some time getting used to and the lacking WWAN module might be an exclusion criterion.

Overall Asus shows that they can compete well in the business market against big players like Lenovo and Dell. Their devices also have weaknesses in this price range. If the mobility is not the main criterion and if you can live with the bulky chassis, with the B43V you get a good office notebook with excellent port variety.

More info: laptop-batteries.com.au , laptop-battery.org.uk , battery-store.eu