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Thin and lights have always been a great choice for the road-warrior, weighing in around three to four pounds, but most of them have had their flaws such as a reduced keyboard or small display. Acer recently introduced the new Timeline series of notebooks, ranging in size from 11- to 15-inch models. How do they perform? We’ll give you the low-down on one of the models after the break.

The 13-inch model we received comes with a 1.4GHz ultra low-voltage Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, and a huge 500GB hard drive. You’ll also find the usual USB ports, HDMI port, a card reader and last, but not least, the ubiquitous webcam now found on nearly every notebook. The 3810T model weighs in at just 3.7 pounds, but the trade-off is the lack of an optical drive (and Bluetooth for that matter). So no DVD playing on those long-haul flights or connecting a portable mouse.

The Timeline’s keyboard reminded us of the beloved Apple MacBook chiclet-style keyboard, so it was worth a comparison between the two. Typing was just as comfortable and the keys are similar in size. However, the single trackpad button was stiff and while the trackpad does pack in multi-touch gestures, they weren’t as great as the ones Apple includes.

Now you may be wondering about that ultra low-voltage (ULV) processor we mentioned. While it isn’t exactly a speed demon, it’s perfect for web browsing, email, and the occasional movie.

The series gets its namesake from the battery life, of which Acer claims at least 8 hours. In our tests, we received around 5-6 hours of battery life, but your mileage may vary. Turn off the WiFi, lower the display brightness, and solely work in Microsoft Word and just then you might have your 8 hours.

The Acer Aspire Timeline series is surely a perfect notebook for the frequent traveler, and it won’t break the bank either. The Timeline 3810T we reviewed here only costs $899 (or lower), a steal for a laptop at this size and weight.

Pros

• Thin and light enclosure.
• Long battery life.
• Decent performance for its class.

Cons

• Bluetooth is not standard.
• Trackpad button is stiff.

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