Misc

Review: Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G

We previously reviewed the Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G as a pre-production model back in May and have now managed to get our hands on the full production model. Acer's Aspire range offers a huge amount of consumer-focused machines at all price points. The Ethos 8943G sits atop the range and is built to provide cutting-edge power and big-screen, high-definition entertainment for the whole family. Without doubt this is the best equipped laptop we've seen to date, featuring a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and a staggering 16,384MB of DDR3 memory. Yes, that's 16GB!Storage is equally impressive, with two 640GB hard drives installed side by side for a stunning 1.2TB of data storage. With such a specification, we assumed this would be the most powerful laptop you can buy but, unfortunately, that's not quite the case. While this is certainly an extremely powerful machine, we've seen laptops half the price that deliver exactly the same level of performance. Where the Ethos really shines is its high-end design and big-screen usability. The brushed-metal lid and interior contrast well with the black palmrest to create a luxurious appearance. At 4kg this is a machine built to stay on your desk and it looks great at home or in the office. This level of quality continues across the spacious keyboard, which is a pleasure to use. The glossy touchpad is equally usable and features backlit media controls for browsing your music and movies. It's a stylish and unique touch which works well. HD entertainment The stunning HD screen is the key selling point, however. The huge 18.4-inch panel is sharp and bright with vibrant colours, striking contrast and deep black levels. The Full HD resolution allows high-definition video to be viewed in all its glory. When combined with the built-in Blu-ray drive, this is a fantastic HD media centre. Dedicated Dolby Home Theatre speakers above the keyboard deliver a full sound, while an HDMI port lets you connect to an HDTV for the full cinematic experience. Adding to the multimedia potential is the inclusion of an integrated TV tuner for enjoying your favourite TV programs at home or on the move. An infrared remote control is also included, letting you control the laptop and TV tuner from the comfort of your sofa without getting up. Finally, graphics performance is also pleasingly capable, allowing you to use this machine as a mid-level gaming machine. The dedicated ATi Radeon HD 5850 graphics card runs the latest games with ease, while also providing ample power for regularly editing high-definition video and digital photos. While the Aspire Ethos 8943G delivered slightly less impressive performance than we expected, there's no denying the quality and usability it provides. If you're after a big-screen media centre and money is no option, there's lots to like.Related LinksTechRadar Reviews GuaranteeRead more laptop reviewsRelated StoriesReview: HP Pavilion dv7-2045eaReview: Mesh Discovery 16-RVReview: Sony VAIO VPC-Y21S1E/SIReview: Packard Bell EasyNote TX86-JO-045UKReview: Dell Inspiron M101z

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