Acer TravelMate 8481T-6873: Remarkable Road Warrior
by Dustin Sklavos on December 11, 2011 2:22 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
- Intel
- Toshiba
- TravelMate
Conclusion: A Good Start, But Needs Improvement
I will say the Acer TravelMate 8481T-6873 is a surprisingly good little system. It should be; it's geared more towards professional users. Acer has done a good job with the majority of the fit and finish of the 8481T; the black brushed aluminum, solid body, and healthy battery life make it a notebook that most people would probably be happy to use on the go, and there's plenty of power under the hood, too.
Unfortunately, specs don't make everything, and I wish Acer hadn't cheaped out in certain places while keeping the business-class pricetag. I can forgive a crappy screen on an ultraportable because I'd be more apt to use it for just writing on the go, taking notes and playing the odd game of Magic. A better screen would be good, but there's no real need for high contrast and amazing colors for office applications. The SSD is slow by SSD standards, but the user experience is still snappier than any mechanical drive-based system I've tested.
But that keyboard just murders it. I've ranted and complained about this Acer keyboard here so many times I feel like I'd surprise some of the readers if I didn't go off on a tear about it, but the fact is that a keyboard is pretty much the whole reason you'd buy a laptop instead of a tablet at this point, and this keyboard sucks mightily. It's a chore to use, I find my typing is less accurate on it, and it's the kind of thing I would go out of my way to avoid.
Acer is transitioning towards a far superior chiclet-style keyboard on their consumer lines (though why the Enter and backslash keys touch is beyond me), and I could forgive the 8481T's other flaws easily enough if that was the keyboard I was working with here. Hopefully we'll see the TravelMate line move to a new style keyboard with the next refresh.
As an end consumer you're going to have to decide whether or not these are compromises you're willing to make. Acer's $1349 MSRP is frankly a bit outrageous, but you can find the system for at least $100 less if you shop around. Unfortunately, the entry-level Toshiba Portege Z830 is lighter, has a slightly faster SSD at the same capacity, and is way cheaper, and under those circumstances I'd easily go for the Toshiba. ASUS and Acer also have ultrabooks that are thinner and lighter while still offering decent build quality, and we'll have reviews of those shortly; the keyboard change along might be worth the switch. As a final option, Lenovo offers the X220 at or below the TravelMate's price range, and that notebook offers a vastly superior keyboard and processor. And all of this is before even bringing the Sony Vaio SB into the equation.
If you can find the TravelMate 8481T-6873 at a lower price and you're willing to put up with the keyboard, I could probably recommend it. It's certainly far from the worst ultraportable I've tested and it's a sterling reminder that ultrabooks aren't the only option available to PC users. But if you're as picky as I am when it comes to typing, you may want to look elsewhere.
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ilyon - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I don't agree.I HATE, really, these new appe-like chiclet keyboards. With my 3820 TimelineX, I prefer largely this chocolate type. Hopefully, Alienware still gives us some true keyboards, but with a price.
Chapbass - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I totally agree with you. It looks like this laptop has a similar keyboard to the Sony SZ650? If so, then I love that style of keyboard. The Chiclet style I really can't stand, I cant exactly put my finger on it, but typing on them just feels....forced... to me I guess.I guess its all opinion, but option is a good thing to have.
KingstonU - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I also love the keyboard on my 5820 TimelineX. I did not like the keyboard on the Apple notebooks that I tried.RussianSensation - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I am gonna jump on your guys bandwagon. I hate chiclet keyboards myself. I find that often the backspace key is too far out (esp. on the Mac laptops), which makes it less comfortable to use. Also, the keys just aren't as springy and don't deliver that nice feedback that conventional/traditional laptop keyboard has.While I much prefer the construction quality and form factor and 2.8-2.9 lbs of Ultrabooks over this laptop in the review, and I'd much rather have a glossy screen over matter for better color/contrast ratio, I'd take this old school style keyboard.
RussianSensation - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
But ya, to add, thsi laptop should be $799-899, tops. For $1,300, Acer is otu to lunch on this one. You can get the Asus X31 or the MBA which weigh more than 1lbs less, have superior screens, and construction/design too, plus faster SSDs to boot.snuuggles - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
Just to reiterate: the Asus UX31's keyboard is an utter failure. I've tried both the UX31 and the MBA 13. The MBA was fine overall--no significant issues besides the price. The UX31 had *horrible* trackpad issues and an utterly useless keyboard (see my other comments).Most reviewers of the UX31 mention how horrible the keyboard is, but they still tend to give the machine high marks. I'm utterly baffled by this: if the keyboard was not a vital part of the machine, I'd get a tablet. To "put aside" the horrible keyboard is insane.
The UX31 is not a MBA competitor. It's not worth buying due to it's malfunctioning keyboard.
DanNeely - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I mostly agree; however the acer spanks the MBA/X31 on battery life. The bigger battery shoudn't cost anywhere near as much more as it does though.ph0masta - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I am currently using an Acer Keyboard myself, and I don't see what is wrong with it. The keys are very sturdy and also very springy, which allows for fast typing. At least on this model there isn't any flex. The key themselves are made with glossy plastic though which appears a bit cheap.Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
I feel like I need to jump in here in defense of Acer. While this keyboard may be too cheap for a premium laptop, (and for the price this computer really needs a higher-resolution screen), it is not anywhere near as bad as this review makes it out to be, and that's coming from someone who works as a typist. I've been using the original ULV Core 2 Solo for school for well over two years, and I've typed a LOT on it. Is it a Lenovo keyboard? No. Have I lost any of the keys? Also no. Have I taken notes in dozens of classes, written programs and lab reports, and generally been fine with it? Yup.dcollins - Monday, December 12, 2011 - link
I have a Lenovo E420, which combines the tried and true action of the Thinkpad keyboards with "chiclet" style keys. I bought the laptop mostly for the keyboard, which is my favorite keyboard I have ever used, laptop or desktop.