Review: Acer Aspire 5742G

<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="90" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20152/WLT152.rev3.acer_1-200-200.jpg" width="120" /></p><br/>Acer aims to balance price with performance and the Aspire series has been its mainstay for many years. With the Aspire 5742G, Acer has put everything you need in a starter laptop and wrapped it up in a great-looking package.<br/><br/>Right out of the box the Aspire has enough processing power to handle everything you want in a starter laptop, but on top of that it's also a pleasure to look at. The textured finish on both the lid and internal chassis feels comfortable and won't pick up the grubby fingerprints that curse more reflective designs.<br/><br/>The keyboard doesn't feel quite as sturdy as some (we noticed an obvious flex in the keyboard during typing), but the keys are well spaced and easy to type on. The Aspire 5742G sports Acer's favoured keyboard where keys appear to float above the chassis. This looks great, but you'll find it quickly traps debris underneath the keys.<br/><br/>Whilst not as comfortable as either the Sony or the Packard Bell, this style is certainly good enough for bashing out longer documents. There is also a full-sized numeric keypad, although no dedicated hotkeys. The touchpad is also comfortable to use.<br/><br/>The Acer is built around Intel's Core i3 processor, which provides plenty of power, and is backed up by the 4096MB of memory.<br/><br/>But what really sets the Aspire 5742G apart is the 1024MB of video memory provided by the dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics card. As you can see from our benchmark tests, this laptop will be fine running the current crop of gaming titles and will easily handle photo and HD video editing.<br/><br/>Similarly, the massive 620GB of hard drive storage will provide plenty of space for all the family's data.<br/><br/><strong>Benchmarks</strong><br/><br/>Battery life: 278 minutes<br/>MobileMark 2007: 228<br/>3DMark 2003: 11,991<br/><br/><strong>Vibrant screen </strong><br/><br/>The 15.5-inch screen provides a great level of detail and colour vibrancy. The screen is bright and watching movies or playing games is an impressive experience. The HDMI, VGA and three USB 2.0 ports mean you can also hook it up to your HD TV for big-screen viewing.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Acer aspire 5742g" class="aligncenter" height="167" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20152/WLT152.rev3.buildacer_1-420-90.jpg" width="252" /></p><br/>We achieved a very respectable 278 minutes from the battery during our benchmark tests and the chassis is sturdy enough to take a few bumps and knocks should you decide to take it on the road.<br/><br/>We liked the Acer Aspire 5742G. The higher asking price is a bit painful to swallow, but we feel it justifies this with the dedicated graphics card, large storage space and great battery life.<br/><br/>It's likely to future-proof better than some of the other laptops and would make for a worthwhile purchase.

Review: Acer Aspire 5742G

Acer aims to balance price with performance and the Aspire series has been its mainstay for many years. With the Aspire 5742G, Acer has put ...

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Review: Packard Bell Dot S

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20144/WLT144.rev1.packbell_1-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>Since being bought by Acer in 2008, Packard Bell has gone from strength to strength, releasing a wide range of high-quality laptops and netbooks. The updated Dot S adds to this legacy, combining great usability and unique features at an equally pleasing price. </P><br /><P>Acer's involvement can be seen in the design of this device, as it is built around the same chassis as the Aspire One D260. Available in a choice of black or champagne colour schemes, you will either love or hate the patterned finish. </P><br /><P>Build quality is excellent and the resilient plastics will be more than tough enough to withstand daily family use. </P><br /><P>The slim chassis can easily be carried in a small bag, with the fantastic 502-minute battery life only beaten here by the Acer Aspire One D260. </P><br /><P>The spacious keyboard has all the strengths of the Acer. It is a pleasure to use, with a near flawless typing action. The white keys of the champagne model are easily tarnished, however, so you may prefer to opt for the black model. </P><br /><P>The spacious touchpad is great to use, with its wide design matching the screen of the Dot S perfectly. A slim scrollbar on the right-hand side of the touchpad makes it easy to scroll vertically through documents and web pages. </P><br /><P>The bright 10.1-inch screen shows photos and videos to great effect. The low resolution is common on netbooks and reduces sharpness somewhat, but not drastically so. The screen can also be folded back almost 180 degrees, making it easy to find a comfortable viewing angle. </P><br /><P><img alt="Packard bell dot s" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20144/WLT144.rev1.buildpackbell_1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>A unique feature of recent Packard Bell netbooks and laptops is a dedicated social networks key. When pressed, a proprietary software application opens and provides instant access to Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. This is sure to be a hit with younger users. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Photo editing </STRONG></P><br /><P>Packard Bell also trumps the competition by including a full version of Adobe Photoshop Elements software as standard. This excellent entry-level photo editing package makes it easy for first time buyers to tweak their photos. </P><br /><P>The only real flaw of the Dot S is that it shares the same limited storage as the Acer. The 160GB hard drive will be capacious enough to store most collections of music, photos and videos, but is vastly bettered by the 250GB Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PE and Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 drives. </P><br /><P>Combining a striking consumer design and all-day battery life with great usability and unique features, the Dot S succeeds on almost every level. While its somewhat limited storage may put some buyers off, this is still by far one of the best netbooks you can currently buy.</P>

Review: Packard Bell Dot S

Since being bought by Acer in 2008, Packard Bell has gone from strength to strength, releasing a wide range of high-quality laptops and netb...

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Buying Guide: What's the best Packard Bell laptop?

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///Review%20images/TechRadar/Neil%20Mohr%20Laptop%20Reviews/easynote-tx-1-200-200.jpg"/><p>It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next? </p><p>If you've settled on an Packard Bell, then you're probably wondering what the best Packard Bell laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the top models for your delectation. </p><p>But if you don't want to buy a Packard Bell, check our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/20-best-laptops-in-the-world-today-706673">20 best laptops in the world</a> piece. If it's a netbook you want, look at our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/15-best-netbooks-in-the-world-today-699790">15 best netbooks</a>.</p><p><strong>1. Packard Bell Dot U</strong></p><p><img alt="packard bell laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/PB%20Dot%20U/Dot%20U%20Red%20Front-420-100.jpg" width="420"></img></p><p>The Packard Bell Dot U is a well-designed ultra-portable that's well suited to life on the road thanks to a slim, light chassis and decent battery life. Office performance is strong considering the size, and only by spending considerably more will you find a similarly portable machine with more power. A worthy purchase for regular commuters.</p><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/packard-bell-dot-u-900656/review">Read our full Packard Bell Dot U review</a></p><p><strong>2. Packard Bell Dot VR46</strong></p><p><img alt="packard bell laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20138/WLT138.solo.packbell2-420-100.jpg" width="420"></img></p><p>While the Valentino Rossi branding won't suit all tastes, underneath it the Dot VR46 is a great little laptop and one that's very easy to recommend. As a slim and light CULV portable, this is one of the best.</p><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/packard-bell-dot-vr46-692792/review">Read our full Packard Bell Dot VR46 review</a></p><p><strong>3. Packard Bell EasyNote NM86</strong></p><p><img alt="packard bell laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20142/WLT142.rev1.pb01_1-420-100.jpg" width="420"></img></p><p>With excellent build quality and a sharp and vibrant screen, not to mention strong performance for the price, the EasyNote NM86-GN-010UK offers fantastic value for money. We wish it had more storage, but that's forgivable considering the many strengths on offer.</p><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/packard-bell-easynote-nm86-716215/review">Read our full Packard Bell EasyNote NM86 review</a></p><p><strong>4. Packard Bell EasyNote TM98</strong></p><p><img alt="packard bell laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20143/WLT143.rev2.pb01_1-420-100.jpg" width="420"></img></p><p> This machine is one of of the best consumer laptops currently available, providing a great mix of power, thanks to its Intel Core i3 processor, and portability.</p><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/packard-bell-easynote-tm98-903159/review">Read our full Packard Bell EasyNote TM98 review</a></p><p><strong>5. Packard Bell EasyNote TX86-JO-045UK</strong></p><p><img alt="packard bell laptop" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Neil%20Mohr%20Laptop%20Reviews/easynote-tx-1-420-100.jpg" width="420"></img></p><p>Packard Bell has smashed the ball clean out of the proverbial park with the EasyNote TX86, an excellent all-round machine that pulls off power and style with panache. The solid yet portable chassis is merely surface material, because the Intel Core i5 CPU and Nvidia graphics card provide the impressive engine below.</p><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/packard-bell-easynote-tx86-711187/review">Read our full Packard Bell EasyNote TX86-JO-045UK review</a></p><p>Don't forget to check out our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/20-best-laptops-in-the-world-today-706673">20 best laptops in the world</a> piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/15-best-netbooks-in-the-world-today-699790">15 best netbooks</a>.</p><img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/9809/s/f5988e1/mf.gif" width="1"/><div class='mf-related'><p>

Buying Guide: What's the best Packard Bell laptop?

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next? If you've settled on an Pack...

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