Laptop Price

Acer Aspire 5735Z Specification

The Aspire 5735-4744 has the following specifications:

• 15.6” WXGA glossy display (16:9 aspect ratio, 1366x768 resolution, model AUO10EC)
• Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit
• Intel Pentium Dual-Core T3200 processor (2.0GHz/1MB L2/667MHz FSB)
• 2GB DDR2-667 RAM
• 160GB 5400RPM hard drive (Western Digital WD1600BEVT)
• Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics
• Intel GL40 chipset
• Atheros AR5B91 802.11 Draft-N wireless
• DVD Super-Multi drive
• Full-size keyboard w/ number pad
• Weight: 5.9 lbs
• Dimensions: 15.1” (W) x 9.9” (D) x 1.5” (H)
• Six-cell battery (11.1V, 46Wh/4600mAh)
• One-year limited warranty

I picked up the 5735-4744 for $399.99 plus sales tax at Best Buy. The specifications are more than reasonable for the amount of money paid. There are higher-end configurations available with larger hard drives and more RAM, but they are naturally priced higher.

Build and Design
The 5735Z has a no-frills plastic construction and a relatively simple design. It feels surprisingly solid in the hand, and despite the all-plastic construction, generally does not flex. The 5735Z has a sound internal frame since the chassis is stiff resists flexing. The palmrests are inflexible, as are the surfaces surrounding the keyboard. The bottom of the notebook is made of thicker plastic than I expected and also does not flex. There are no squeaks or creaks while handling the notebook.
The plastic surrounding the keyboard is a smooth dark gray color with a non-glossy finish, which seems to be relatively durable. The lid and screen casing are a glossy black plastic, which attracts fingerprints easily and is more prone to scratches than the dark gray plastic. The bottom and sides of the notebook are a textured black plastic, which is more durable than the other plastics used.The lid is secured to the chassis by two strong hinges that do not let the display wobble. The lid itself resists twisting well, partly because of its stocky shape since it has wider than usual 16:9 aspect screen that lends more support. Pushing in on the back of the display will yield small ripples on the screen, but only if abnormal pressure is used. When closed, the lid is securely held down by a latch.
The design of the 5735Z is simplistic. The notebook is quite wide relative to its width, again due to the 16:9 aspect ultra-widescreen display. The 5735Z places function ahead of form.
The 5735Z is not built like a tank, but it has pleasantly sturdy build quality and feels solid. This notebook should be able to stand up to everyday use and last for many years if proper care is taken.
Screen
The Aspire 5735Z has one of the new 16:9 aspect ratio displays; most notebooks have 16:10 displays, so 16:9 screens are wider than usual. The 5735Z’s panel measures 15.6” diagonally and has a 1366x768 pixels resolution (a typical 16:10 display is 15.4” diagonally and has a 1280x800 resolution). It takes some time to get used to the extra-wide 16:9 display. Only 768 pixels of vertical space mean a lot of scrolling, but it is difficult to throw up any flags here given the price point of this notebook. The extra wide resolution means working with two windows side-by-side is doable.
The picture quality of the display is beautiful. The display, made by AU Optronics (model AUO10EC), has an 8 ms response time and is advertised to have a 33% wider color gamut (color range). The colors are vibrant and contrast is very good. The display has ample brightness. There is some light leakage from the bottom of the screen, but it is unnoticeable unless the screen is completely black. Side-to-side viewing angles are decent, with minimal color inversion. Colors invert sharply from above and below, but this is normal for an LCD panel.
Overall, the display beat my expectations and is pleasing to look at. The resolution is a bit limited in terms of vertical space, but it is difficult to complain.

Speakers
There are two stereo speakers located above the keyboard. These are typical notebook speakers, with little to no bass and they sound rather tinny. For a more enjoyable audio experience, use a pair of headphones or speakers.
The 5735Z has volume up/down buttons right above the speakers, which are convenient and a welcome addition to any notebook.

Processor and Performance
I will run a few benchmarks on the 5735Z to demonstrate its performance capabilities.
Windows Experience Index (WEI) is a benchmark built into Windows Vista. It scores various components of a computer out of 5.9. Higher scores are better.