Acer TravelMate 4720-6727

TravelMate laptops have stuck with the same design ID for the past several years, including the murky gray green color scheme, and this model is no different. At 9.5 by 13.2 by1.4 inches (HWD), the TravelMate 4720-6727 is about a quarter of an inch thicker than the Lenovo ThinkPad T61 Widescreen and the HP Compaq 6910p, making it seem heavier than its actual weight of 5.7 pounds. The fit and finish also leaves much to be desired.

I couldn't get past the noticeable groove between the lid and the base when the laptop is shut. Acer could learn from companies such as Apple, Lenovo, and HP, which have a knack for making two halves of a laptop align just right. These manufacturers put a much stronger emphasis on subtlety, foregoing unnecessary contour lines and weird color combinations.

Apart from these design foibles, everything else is a positive. I didn't mind the "comfort curve" on the full size keyboard Acer is the only laptop vendor that makes its keyboard in the shape of a smile, which is supposedly ergonomic. My verdict is that it neither helps nor hinders the typing experience. The 14 inch screen has a matte finish to minimize glare and is similar to the ones found on the ThinkPad T61 Widescreen and the HP 6910p.

For its price, the feature set is generous. There are four USB ports, one each on the left hand side and the front of the system and two ports on the right. A FireWire port is included, as well as a 5 in 1 (SD, xD, MMC, MS, and MS Pro) card reader.

The TravelMate 4720-6727 gives you a full DVD burner, with dual layer support. In addition, you also have an S-Video port, VGA out, and a port that can line out to a set of external speakers. (The internal ones have no mph.) The 120GB hard drive is now considered average for a value business or consumer laptop. It's enough to store countless business documents and PowerPoint slides.