Hardware

Review: Acer TravelMate P648 Packs Performance and Power into a Stylish Form Factor

This notebook has good looks, but it also delivers power, speed and stamina.

Jeff is tasked with separating the “gee whiz” factor from the truly useful when it comes to the latest tech gadgets, and oh, he holds a Ph.D. in physics. He currently works as the supervisor of enterprise architecture services for Grange Mutual Casualty Group of Columbus, Ohio. His biggest challenge is being an avid Wolverine fan while living in the midst of Buckeye country.

The Acer TravelMate P648 is everything you’d want in an electronic traveling companion: durable yet lightweight, powerful and speedy. Its innovative design was built on the TravelMate P645 notebook, which won Red Dot awards for design in both 2014 and 2015.

First impressions are important, and the P648 does not disappoint. The black matte lid is made of carbon and glass fiber — a look that says it means business. A slightly beveled edge aids in opening the notebook, giving way to a full-size keyboard nestled within a magnesium aluminum base. The 256-gigabit solid-state hard drive boots up Windows 10 quickly. However, the chiclet keyboard and touchpad seem slightly off from the rest of the design. Both are adequate and do the job, but they don’t possess quite the same “wow” factor as the rest of the notebook.

More power and speed wait within. The sixth-generation Intel i7 processor, combined with 8 gigabytes of RAM, handles mobile productivity functions with ease. Even graphics-heavy applications aren’t a problem, as the P648 does not rely on an onboard video card — it sports an Nvidia GeForce 940M processor with 2GB of dedicated DDR3 video RAM. This helps the TravelMate to process video quickly, such as during a fast-moving video conference that might challenge other notebooks’ ability to keep up.

SPECIFICATIONS: Processor: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7 6500U, Memory: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM, expandable to 20GB, Connectivity: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ad, Bluetooth 4.2, Storage: 256GB SSD, partitioned into two 100GB drives, Ports: 256GB SSD, partitioned into two 100GB drives, Dimensions: 12.9x9.3x0.8 inches, Weight: 3.75 pounds

Advanced Connectivity Capabilities

The P648’s mobile connectivity is second to none, supporting Bluetooth and numerous 802.11 Wi-Fi standards. Acer says the P648 is also the first notebook on the market to feature Qualcomm Atheros 802.11ad multiband wireless connectivity. This utilizes the 60 gigahertz frequency for Wi-Fi, enabling short-range, high-volume transfers of up to 4.6 gigabits per second, a wireless speed that leaves Gigabit Ethernet in the dust.

The P648 also has excellent stamina: Our video playback tests showed an average of 9 hours, 22 minutes before the battery was drained.

The TravelMate P648 is comfortable at the office as well. A small rubber patch on the bottom conceals a docking port, compatible with Acer’s ProDock III docking station. Or, users can connect via the native HDMI, VGA or Thunderbolt USB-C ports to an external monitor or another docking station. Triple display is even an option for users who just can’t get enough real estate when it comes to screen space.

Smart Utilities Deliver Security and Control

With any mobile device, security and manageability are essential for system administrators. The Acer TravelMate P648 is equipped with powerful security software and hardware as well as time-saving management features that simplify administrative tasks.

The Acer ControlCenter delivers several of these features. From this Windows 10 application, users can run simple diagnostics on the hard drive and battery, run a tune-up that optimizes hard-drive performance (mostly through native Windows tools) and create restore points. It also features Acer Office Management, a handy utility that allows offices without dedicated IT staff or equipment to quickly and easily access poll data, centralize resources and monitor IT hardware and software.

The P648 comes with other nifty utilities as well. Anyone who has ever worked on the guts of a computer will appreciate the Acer DustDefender, which briefly and automatically reverses air system airflow every three hours to prevent dust buildup. This feature can be run immediately or disabled (and automatically shuts down during heavy workloads), though the fan is so quiet you can’t really hear the change. Acer MotionProtect Manager detects unusual or sudden movements and locks the hard drive head to a safe position to protect data stored on the machine. The notebook also comes with Bluelight Shield, which reduces the amount of blue light on the screen to relax the user’s eyes. However, at the highest level of protection, this tool really distorts the blue hues of the display.

Acer ProShield Manager safeguards data in many ways. It uses preboot authentication to protect the BIOS from cyberattackers. ProShield’s Personal Secure Drive seamlessly stores and encrypts data at the file level, which is a nice complement if you don’t have access to Microsoft BitLocker. It enables Trusted Platform Module 1.2 and a Kensington lock port to physically secure the notebook. Further, a fingerprint reader between the right and left mouse buttons on the trackpad provides an alternative means of user authentication.

Acer