Acer has long taken the world of portable computing by storm, offering immensely competent laptops that are somehow also lightweight and mobile. The computer manufacturer recently announced the 14 Inch TravelMate X514-51, to be available in the U.S. starting June 2019 for a price upwards of $1,099.99.
With this launch, Acer targets small and medium businesses as well as any professionals who need a versatile, performance-oriented computer with a build that belies its power. Indeed, this most recent addition to the Acer stables looks eager to break previous records set by the brand in the realm of powerful mobility.
Processing & Data Security
Fueled by an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB of SSD memory, this sleek notebook is also astonishingly light and lean at only 2.16lbs and 0.6”. It boasts of the kind of reassuring security that businesses so value, made possible with a TPM 2.0 chip (Trusted Platform Module), Acer ProShield, and a Kensington lock. This, combined with its all-day battery life of 10 hours, brings you a device that simplifies business meetings, intensive travel, and late-night presentations.
Build & Display
The secret of the feather-light chassis lies in the premium magnesium-lithium and magnesium-aluminum alloy used for its construction. This choice of materials delivers four-fold greater physical strength at a 20–35% lower weight.
Acer has ensured that this device’s design caters to what businesspeople need—minimum distortion, maximum productivity. In light of this, the FHD screen comes with a thin bezel (0.36”), an IPS panel, and a blue-light filter to reduce eye strain, especially on long-haul flights. The IPS panel and narrow borders come together to deliver an immersive, wide-angle view adequate to study business plans or get up to speed on market research.
Ease of Access, Audio & Connectivity
This notebook comes with a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader (with Windows Hello). The touchpad is well protected from scratches and other transit-damage by Corning Gorilla Glass; it also makes it easier to wipe off those stubborn coffee spills in the conference room. Modern-day businesspeople demand all-lighting operation and secure access, so this works beautifully.
The TravelMate X514-51 also offers clear sound enhanced by the Acer Purified technology. This makes for comfortable Skype-catching-up with colleagues, issuing voice commands on Cortana, or liaising with business stakeholders via the HD webcam (720p).
Facilitating connectivity on this notebook is a nifty USB Type-C port. Acer also lets you pair with the Acer USB Type-C Dock II (optional) to build a virtual workstation wherever your business takes you. Note that the laptop supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi (MU-MIMO 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0.
Offhand, it seems that the Acer TravelMate X514-51 captures the entire gamut of needs of the business populace. It is remarkably lightweight and thin, especially for its impressive combo of processing strength, display, and accessibility provisions. We daresay Acer has another winner in the making.
