Acer Gateway NE56R Laptop 2nd Gen PDC/ 2GB/ 500GB/ Linux = NX.Y1USI.010

Overall Review

In this age of Ultrabooks, mid range laptops have to struggle to make their place in the highly crowded laptop market. But for those looking for a relatively cheaper alternative without compromising on the performance, these laptops are a very good option. Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop is one such laptop that comes with decent specifications at a very affordable price. You will get Intel Pentium Dual Core B950 processor, 2GB RAM, Intel graphics 3000 processor and 500GB RAM for a power-pack performance.

Design

Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop boasts of a good looking exterior that is glossy. A classy look is provided to the gadget with the black and silver color combination. The exterior lends a professional look that is elegant. It measures only 381.6mm X 253mm X 25.4mm in dimensions and weighs just 2.6kg. Thus carrying the laptop around becomes very easy. It flaunts a Standard keyboard that offers a comfortable typing experience. The Touchpad has been ergonomically designed too with matte finish that is built for perfect navigation.

Performance

Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop is powered by second generation Intel Pentium Dual Core B950 processor that clock at 2.10Ghz and has a Cache memory of 2MB. It also sports a spacious hard disk having 500GB capacity. The system memory of 2GB RAM provides good support to the processor. The Linux Operating system brings to you a fuss-free and user-friendly interface that makes computing all the more enjoyable. These amazing specs translate into a fluid and seamless performance that facilitate multi-tasking easily. You can easily run the myriad office applications and favourite PC games at a brisk speed. You are able to enjoy stunning visuals with the powerful Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics processor. An outstanding feature of the performance is the reasonably good battery back up of up to five hours. The mobility of the device is considerably enhanced with this strong feature as you can carry it around without charging concerns. This machine also offers you a DVD SuperMulti drive with Dual Layer support with 8X read/write speed.

Gaming

Present onboard Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop is the powerful Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics processor that is responsible for effectively handling mid-level gaming by creating stunning graphics and visuals. It has 128MB of dedicated graphics memory that handles the graphics like a dream. However, the high decibel games are outside the ambit of this machine.

Connectivity

A fantastic array of connectivity options on Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop will floor you for sure. You will get 3 USB 2.0 ports, RJ45 LAN, VGA port, HDMI port and a Multi-Card Slot on the device. The three USB ports present on this laptop help in seamless transfer of vital data across a host of compatible digital devices. The HDMI port comes in handy if you want to enjoy any High definition content from compatible sources. Additionally, It also offers Gigabit Ethernet and IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN that lets you browse the web smoothly. You can easily connect with your friends over video chat with the help of the HD Webcam featured on this gadget. The one-click flair of Gateway Social Network lets you stay easily connected with yoiur friends on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter.

Screen and Sound

Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop hosts a 15.6-inch display that comes with a native resolution of 1366 X 768 pixels. The TFT LCD screen with Backlit feature is a delight to view. You get decently bright images with good amount of contrast and excellent sharpness. The viewing angles are also satisfactory. The audio is another promising area that comes loaded with the most wonderful technologies from Acer. You get two powerful stereo speakers that emit loud and clear sound. What significantly augments your listening experience is the High Definition Audio support that lets you catch all the minute details in the audio. This device is also MS-Sound compatible that further improves the audio performance.

Comparisons

Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop is a perfect laptop that is available at a very low price while offering you advanced specifications. There are several interesting options that you can try out in the same price range. First in the list is Asus X55C-SX161D Notebook Laptop that comes with almost similar specifications. But it offers less battery life than this Acer laptop. Another wonderful pick can be Samsung NP300E5V-A03IN Notebook that comes at a slightly higher price with good specs such as Pentium Dual Core processor, 2GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 15.6-inch HD LED display, Intel HD graphics 720p HD web cam etc.

Pros

Acer Gateway NE56R (NX.Y14SI.010)(Intel Core i3 2nd Gen/2GB/500GB/15.6"/128MB Graphics/Linux) Notebook Laptop wins on most grounds. It is a good performer that offers you an optimum performance at a very modest price. It also offers you a decent display and powerful audio. It looks stylish and assures you maximum portability. The graphics are very well handled by the separate graphics processor with 128MB graphics memory. What comes as a cherry on the cake is the awesome battery of up to five hours offered by the laptop.

Cons

Of course, being a very low priced machine comes with its own set of drawbacks. You can feel the cheap build quality of this device that flexes easily under little pressure. The glossy surface attracts fingerprints and lends a shabby appearance to this gadget unless you clean it again and again. The processor cannot handle heavy multi-tasking and therefore the performance suffers if you try to operate multiple applications simultaneously.