Notebookcheck Logo

Review Acer TravelMate P273-M Notebook

The big brother. We already reviewed the smaller siblings P243 and P253 from the Acer TravelMate P series. This review will show whether the 17.3-inch device can beat them or if the low price is an indicator for questionable quality and bad workmanship.

For the original German review, see here.

In addition to the TravelMate P-series (TravelMate P243-M and TravelMate P253-M) Acer also offers an inexpensive 17.3-inch office notebook based on Windows 8. Our review unit is the TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnks; it is equipped with an Intel Core i3-2348M Processor (dual core CPU). Graphics are handled by the Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU. The notebook comes with 4 GB memory and a 500 GB hard drive for applications and data. CDs and DVDs can be used with the optical drive. For a comparison we consider the higher quality competitors HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA) (Intel Core i5-2450M and AMD Radeon HD 7650M) and Samsung 355E7C (AMD A8-4500M and HD 7640G + HD 7670M), which are also a bit more expensive.

Case

Logo-inlay
Logo-inlay
Reflection on the cover
Reflection on the cover

Acer puts all the hardware of the TravelMate P273 in a glossy black plastic case with a subtle gray pattern of circles. Only the sides and the bottom are matte. The keyboard is in a contrasting metallic-silver-gray. The display cover has an integrated metal inlay with the Acer logo, which gives the TravelMate a noble impression at this spot.
The cover creates strong reflections and can also be used as a mirror. The glossy surfaces quickly show unpleasant fingerprints.

The overall build quality is quite solid but in some areas you can see the impact of the low price: The display cover bends heavily under pressure and leaves a weak impression. The whole display starts to twist with pressure from the side. The hinges are not very firm either and the cover wobbles even with light vibrations, which leads to problems with the readability of texts if the notebook does not stand completely still. During carrying the cover just opens, yet it cannot be opened with one hand due to the size.

The palm rest as well as the very flat keyboard can be slightly pushed in under pressure. The movement is a bit stronger in the area of the numerical keypad above the optical drive. However, this is not uncommon with notebooks in this price range.

Connectivity

The TravelMate P273 features the common ports. As the big brother of the P series it has more USB 3.0 ports than the smaller siblings. The two USB 3.0 ports at the left front are too close to each other - two larger adaptors do not fit next to each other. The space between the VGA-output for audio and video and the LAN-network adaptor is just sufficient.

By contrast, there is sufficient space for each connection of Line-Out, Line-In and USB-2.0 on the right side. The DVD drive cannot be opened if the power connector is pointing forwards. There is a chance to bend or break the pin of the power connector, a higher quality connection would have been better.

The Multi-in-1 card reader at the left front can read and write SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO and xD cards. If it is not in use, the card reader can be protected with a removable dummy. There are no ports on the back.

2x USB 3.0, 1x HDMI and 1x VGA, RJ45, Kensington
2x USB 3.0, 1x HDMI and 1x VGA, RJ45, Kensington
1x Line-Out, 1x Line-In, 1x USB 2.0, DVD-drive and power connector
1x Line-Out, 1x Line-In, 1x USB 2.0, DVD-drive and power connector

Communication

The WLAN module of the TravelMate is provided by Atheros (AR5B124) and supports the wireless standards 802.11b/g/n. With a distance of three meters the reception is excellent, upstairs (10 m) and outside the house still good (15 m) to sufficient (40 m). These are respectable values, since the transmitting power of the router (Fritz!Box 7270) is reduced to 50%. A Gigabit Ethernet chip from Broadcom (NetLink BCM57785) is responsible for wired networks. Unlike the HP ProBook 4740s and Samsung 355E7C the TravelMate P273 has no Bluetooth chip; even the TravelMate P243 has one. Here, Acer should have provided an easy connection to smartphones and co.

The Acer Crystal Eye HD Webcam is integrated into the display frame and has a resolution 1280x720 pixels, so video conferences are no problem. With daylight the picture quality is good (rich colors and high contrast). However, with full resolution the camera is only able to record at 10 fps, the image is jerky. Only with a reduced resolution of 640x480 pixels and 30 fps does the video become smooth.

Accessories

There are no additional accessories in the box, only the notebook itself with the battery and the power supply unit along with the cable. Otherwise there is just a quick start guide in the box.

Operating System and Recovery

Acer delivers the TravelMate P253-M with a preinstalled version of Windows 8 (64 bit). A Windows 8 DVD is not included; a recovery of the system is possible via recovery partition.

Maintenance

The TravelMate P273 has one large maintenance cover that almost covers half of the bottom side. The cover has to be removed very cautiously after loosening nine screws, otherwise the cover could bend or even break. After the removal you have access to the hard drive, the WLAN card, the 4 GB RAM as well as an additional memory slot. The battery can be easily removed and replaced with a slider at the case. Gaining access to the fan is not that simple so an easy cleaning is not possible. There is a second 2.5-inch bay but no second SATA port. Therefore the space for a second hard drive inside the case cannot be used.

Warranty

Similar to the smaller siblings TravelMate P243 and P253 Acer offers a two-year bring-in warranty as well as one-year International Travelers Warranty (ITW) for our review unit. Within 365 days after the purchase you can extend the warranty with one of four AcerAdvantage Warranty extensions.

TravelMate P273 - Bottom
TravelMate P273 - Bottom
Maintenance cover removed
Maintenance cover removed

Input Devices

Keyboard

Next to the usual keys the TravelMate P273 keyboard has a numeric keypad, a Windows button and a menu button. The special keys are activated with the FN key and are spread across different areas of the keyboard. Unfortunately this appears too unsorted. The special keys for "Volume Up" and "Volume Down" are the arrow keys, yet the "Mute" button is "F8". Both the letter and numeric keys are 15 x 15 millimeters. The keyboard is completely flat and has a roughened surface. The stroke is firm and the key travel is average. The arrow keys are quite small and only have half of the height (15 x 7.5 millimeters). Under heavy pressure the keyboard can be clearly pushed in and creates some rattling noise around the "F" key. The palm rest gets warm around the touchpad, which could become unpleasant in the summer. The keyboard of the competitor Samsung 355E7C leaves a better impression.

Touchpad

The Touchpad, an ELAN Smart Pad, is a bit lower in the palm rest and has a slightly roughened surface. The two mouse buttons are directly below and are clearly detached. Travel is very limited and the stroke is firm. Right and left mouse button are clearly separated from each other although it is a rocker. They produce a distinct clicking noise. The touchpad recognizes all gestures that are necessary for Windows 8 devices like two finger gestures or zooming, rotating and edge swipe. The gestures can also be configured if necessary. 

Keyboard
Keyboard
Touchpad
Touchpad

Display

The 17.3-inch Acer TravelMate P273-M has a matte, anti-reflective Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD display with a maximum resolution of 1600x900 pixels. The average brightness of the TravelMate P273 of 240 cd/m² and brightness distribution of 90% are quite good and leave the smaller siblings (P243 with 195 cd/m² and P253 with 211 cd/m²) as well as the HP ProBook 4740s with 216 cd/m² behind. Only the Samsung 355E7C with 244 cd/m² is similarly bright. With battery use the brightness is reduced to 193 cd/m².

231
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
251
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
244
cd/m²
251
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO-B173RW01V4 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 251 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 240.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 193 cd/m²
Contrast: 447:1 (Black: 0.55 cd/m²)53.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
75% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
52% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)

Black value (0.55 cd/m²) and contrast (477:1) are, similar to the brightness, good and also better than the values of the TravelMate P243 (0.73 cd/m² and 279:1), TravelMate P253 (0.56 cd/m² and 418:1) as well as the competitor Samsung 355E7C (0.78 cd/m² and 314:1). Only the HP ProBook 4740s has a sharper image with a contrast of 505:1 and a black value of 0.44 cd/m².

TravelMate P273 vs. sRGB
TravelMate P273 vs. sRGB

Like all the devices from the Acer P-series and devices from the competition, the TravelMate P273 is not able to cover the sRGB color spectrum. In the factory state pictures appear too cold and show a slight blue cast. We measured the display before the calibration with the CalMAN color analysis and i1 Pro 2 photo spectrometer (target color space sRGB). We can see a distinct weakness with the grayscale presentation. Medium shades especially show a DeltaE (2000) of 15 (average 14). Cyan and magenta are heavily shifted into the blue area and clearly miss the sRGB target colors. Noticeable: With 8,140 K the white point is clearly shifted into the blue area.

Grayscale
Grayscale
Color management
Color management
Saturation
Saturation

The brightness of the TravelMate P273 during battery use is not sufficient for outdoor use. In addition, the glossy display frame reflects under unfavorable light conditions. Working with the notebook is only possible in the shade without direct sunlight, also if power is available, e.g. on a terrace with sufficient brightness.

Outdoor use, cloudy direct sunlight
Outdoor use, cloudy direct sunlight
Outdoor use, cloudy indirect sunlight
Outdoor use, cloudy indirect sunlight
Outdoor use, cloudy direct sunlight
Outdoor use, cloudy direct sunlight
Viewing angles Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk
Viewing angles Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk

The viewing angle to get a good contrast-brightness ratio is very limited with the TravelMate P273. With a normal position in front of the notebook the horizontal viewing angle should not deviate more than 10° (vertically, upwards or downwards). Bigger deviations quickly lead to a pale and low-contrast picture. Sideways the picture is quite stable (horizontally up to 45 degrees). However, if the angle changes upwards or downwards, the contrast decreases and the colors invert.

 

Performance

Acer offers a series of inexpensive office notebooks for private and business customers with the TravelMate P273-M series and TravelMate P273-MG series. Daily tasks like office applications, internet communication and the usage of internet services are no problem and are easily handled by the TravelMate P273. Video playback is no problem either.

At the time of the review there were around twenty different configurations of the P273 series. We review the TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk, a low-range version in regards to the price (around 520 Euros, ~$666) and performance. The models differentiate themselves in terms of CPU with different Intel processors and different graphics solutions, from integrated graphics only (Intel HD Graphics, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Intel HD Graphics 4000) up to dedicated Nvidia graphics (GeForce 710M).

Systeminfo CPUZ CPU
Systeminfo CPUZ Cache
Systeminfo CPUZ Mainboard
Systeminfo CPUZ RAM
Systeminfo CPUZ RAM SPD
Systeminfo GPUZ
Systeminfo HDTune
Systeminfo HWInfo
System information Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk

Processor

The Intel Core i3-2348M CPU has two cores and a nominal clock of 2.3 GHz. Thanks to the Hyper-Threading technology four threads can be executed simultaneously. Unfortunately the Core i3-2348 CPU lacks the Intel Turbo Boost technology.

In our benchmarks the processer was able to keep its base clock of 2.3 GHz in CPU intensive applications. Even under maximum load with the use of the GPU, for example in our stress test of Prime95 and FurMark for a couple of hours, we could not determine any performance losses. The resulting heat is dissipated to the outside without any throttling problems.

With 3780 points in Cinebench10 Rendering Single 64Bit and 8152 points in CB10 Rendering Multi 64Bit our review unit is between its smaller siblings P243 with 3903 and 8505 points and the P253 with 3582 and 7981 points. This is primarily due to the different CPU clocks (P243 2.4 GHz, P273 2.3 GHz, P253 2.2 GHz). The Samsung 355E7C cannot reach these values with its CPU (AMD A8-4500M 1.9 GHz) with only 2355 and 6524 points. The HP ProBook 4740s is better in this comparison thanks to the faster CPU. The i5-2450M 2.5 GHz reaches 4885 and 10271 points in CB10 and is 29% and 26% faster.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
3780 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
8152 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
2749 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.18 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
8.97 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.9 Points
Help
Cinebench R11.5
OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk
8.97 fps
Acer TravelMate P243-M-32374G50MAK
9.94 fps +11%
Acer TravelMate P253-M-32324G50Mnks
9.27 fps +3%
Toshiba Satellite Pro C870-11R
9.6 fps +7%
Samsung Serie 3 355E7C-S05DE
31.57 fps +252%
HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA)
32.86 fps +266%
Acer Aspire V3-771G
42.37 fps +372%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk
2.18 Points
Acer TravelMate P243-M-32374G50MAK
2.15 Points -1%
Acer TravelMate P253-M-32324G50Mnks
2.14 Points -2%
Toshiba Satellite Pro C870-11R
2.2 Points +1%
Samsung Serie 3 355E7C-S05DE
1.69 Points -22%
HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA)
2.76 Points +27%
Acer Aspire V3-771G
6.19 Points +184%

Legend

 
Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk Intel Core i3-2348M, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
 
Acer TravelMate P243-M-32374G50MAK Intel Core i3-2370M, Intel HD Graphics 3000, WDC Scorpio Blue WD5000BEVT
 
Acer TravelMate P253-M-32324G50Mnks Intel Core i3-2328M, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
 
Toshiba Satellite Pro C870-11R Intel Core i3-2350M, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 HTS547550A9E384
 
Samsung Serie 3 355E7C-S05DE AMD A8-4500M, AMD Radeon HD 7640G + HD 7670M Dual Graphics, Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 HTS547575A9E384
 
HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA) Intel Core i5-2450M, AMD Radeon HD 7650M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 HTS547575A9E384
 
Acer Aspire V3-771G Intel Core i7-3610QM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, Intel SSD 320 Series SSDSA2CW120G3

System Performance

As expected, the TravelMate P273 handles daily tasks without problems; Windows 8 boots quickly. Our review unit even surprises us with the PCMark7 result: With 2074 points the P273 is able to surpass the competition (HP ProBook 4740s 1907 points and Samsung 355E7C 1818 points). The results for the Creativity-Mark and Computation-Mark are especially good. To show the performance advantage of a quad core processor, a fast SSD and dedicated graphics, we also list the multimedia device Acer Aspire V3-771G.

4.4
Windows 8 Experience Index
Processor
Calculations per second
6.7
Memory (RAM)
Memory operations per second
5.9
Graphics
Desktop performance for Windows Aero
4.4
Gaming graphics
3D business and gaming graphics
6
Primary hard disk
Disk data transfer rate
5.9
PCMark 7 Score
2105 points
Help

Storage Devices

CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark

Acer equipped the TravelMate P273 with a hard drive from the Seagate Momentus Thin series. The drive works at 5,400 revolutions per minute and has a capacity of 500 GB, so there is enough space for documents, pictures, music and videos.

The hard drive surprises with good results for this price range. CrystalDiskMark determines a reading speed of 78.76 MB/s and a similarly high writing speed of 78.62 MB/s. HD Tune shows an average transfer rate of 81.8 MB/s. These values are good for a 5,400 rpm hard drive. The hard drives of the HP ProBook 4740s and Samsung 355E7C only reach average transfer rates of 69.4 MB/s or 74.3 MB/s, respectively, according to HD Tune.

Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
Transfer Rate Minimum: 3.8 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 113.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 81.8 MB/s
Access Time: 18.9 ms
Burst Rate: 90.4 MB/s
CPU Usage: 7.5 %

Graphics

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 is responsible for the graphics performance and is sufficient for common office requirements. The performance of the integrated GPU is slightly raised by the integrated Turbo Boost but this is not sufficient for serious gaming performance. Our TravelMate P273-M does not have a dedicated graphics card.

The performance of our review unit is above its smaller siblings. With 3318 points for 3DMark06 the benchmarks results are slightly better compared to the TravelMate P243 (3184 points) and TravelMate P253 (3145 points). A comparison with other devices quickly shows that the TravelMate P273-M cannot keep up with notebooks with dedicated graphics. The HP ProBook 4740s gets 7319 points in 3DMark06 with its AMD Radeon HD 7650M and the Samsung 355E7C gets 8493 points with the AMD Radeon HD 7640G + HD 7670M Dual Graphics. The Samsung also has a Dual-Channel Mode, all the other devices only have Single-Channel Mode and so the Samsung 355E7C can transfer more data to the memory controller and reaches higher performance.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
3318 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Games with performance demands similar to the FIFA-series can be played on the TravelMate P273-M with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. However, you should not expect a high level of detail. If you want to play the latest 3D games you should consider another notebook.

low med. high ultra
Anno 2070 (2011) 32 13.4 8.6
Diablo III (2012) 30.4 19.6 18
Fifa 13 (2012) 74.5 42.4 21.4

Emissions

System Noise

The TravelMate P273 is pleasantly quiet during usual office work; it is almost silent. Even with more demanding tasks, for example our benchmarks, the fan starts spinning but does not get too loud nor produces strange noises under maximum load.

During idle we measure an average value of 31.5 dB. This is considerably lower than the HP ProBook 4740s (33.4 dB) and TravelMate P243-M (35.1 dB), only the TravelMate P253-M (30.2 dB) and Samsung 355E7C (31.2 dB) are a bit more quiet. Under load and maximum load (Prime 95 and FurMark run simultaneously) the TravelMate P273 can beat all the other notebooks with 32.2 dB and 36.9 dB, respectively. With maximum load the TravelMate P243 reaches a noise level of 41.2 dB, the TravelMate P253 37.6 dB, the HP ProBook 4740s 41.7 dB and the Samsung 355E7C 38.7 dB.

Noise Level

Idle
31.5 / 31.5 / 31.5 dB(A)
DVD
35.8 / dB(A)
Load
32.2 / 36.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Temperatures and CPU-/GPU-clock at the beginning of the stress test (FurMark and Prime95)
Temperatures and CPU-/GPU-clock at the beginning of the stress test (FurMark and Prime95)
Temperatures and CPU-/GPU-clock after the stress test
Temperatures and CPU-/GPU-clock after the stress test

During idle we determine a maximum surface temperature of 33.2 °C and an average value of 29 °C. During maximum load the average temperature remains below 30 °C; comfortable working is always possible. Only the slight warming of the palm rest below the touchpad could become unpleasant on hot summer days.

The heat dissipation works very well even during more demanding scenarios like our stress test with FurMark and Prime95, throttling was no issue. Bad temperature management was the reason for throttling with the competitor Samsung 355E7C. HP has done its homework with the ProBook 4740s; there is no throttling under maximum load with temperatures of 30.2 °C up to 31.4 °C.

Max. Load
 31.6 °C
89 F
30.2 °C
86 F
26.4 °C
80 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
34.4 °C
94 F
26.8 °C
80 F
 
 26.7 °C
80 F
33.5 °C
92 F
23.7 °C
75 F
 
Maximum: 34.4 °C = 94 F
Average: 29.5 °C = 85 F
25.1 °C
77 F
27.8 °C
82 F
41.2 °C
106 F
26.2 °C
79 F
23.4 °C
74 F
30.2 °C
86 F
30.2 °C
86 F
27 °C
81 F
29.1 °C
84 F
Maximum: 41.2 °C = 106 F
Average: 28.9 °C = 84 F
Power Supply (max.)  57.5 °C = 136 F | Room Temperature 22.9 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29.5 °C / 85 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.4 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.2 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.7 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33.5 °C / 92.3 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-5.8 °C / -10.4 F).

Speakers

The sound of the TravelMate P273 is produced by two speakers, which are located behind the keyboard and the display. They are covered by a grille. The wide stereo sound has a very positive effect, despite the small distance between the two speakers. The maximum volume is sufficient for a small room, however, it will not be loud enough for a small party. There should not be too much ambient noise either to enjoy a DVD, for instance. Bass of the speakers as well as the Line-Out is a bit meager. For voice output and soft music playback the speakers are sufficient.  

Energy Management

Power Consumption

During idle the minimal power consumption is 7.4 Watts up to a maximum value of 11.9 Watts and thus on the same level as the competitor HP ProBook 4740s, which consumes 7.3 Watts or 14.7 Watts respectively. The Samsung 355E7C needs quite a lot of power during idle with 11.6 up to 17.1 Watts. During maximum load (FurMark + Prime95) we measure 49.2 Watts. The PSU with 65 Watts is therefore sufficient. Due to the higher performance the two competitors also consume more energy. The HP ProBook 4740s needs 59 Watts and the Samsung 355E7C 54.5 Watts but the latter is not working with maximum performance (throttling).

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.2 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 7.4 / 11.6 / 11.9 Watt
Load midlight 37.2 / 49.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

Similar to the other notebooks from the P-series we reviewed so far, Acer estimates the battery runtime of the TravelMate P273 pretty conservatively and we were able to reach higher runtimes. The manufacturer specification for the 6-cell Li-Ion battery is 4.4 hours. In our idle test (without WLAN and lowest brightness) using Battery Eater Reader's Test we reached a runtime of 299 minutes (4 hours 59 minutes), slightly more than Acer's estimate. Surfing via WLAN with the TravelMate P273 resulted in 208 minutes (3 h 28 min). The battery is also sufficient for DVD playback: In this scenario the battery was empty after 149 minutes (2 h 29 min). With maximum load and maximum brightness the battery lasted for 91 minutes (1 h 31 min). The battery recharges in 78 minutes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 59min
WiFi Surfing
3h 28min
DVD
2h 29min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 31min

Verdict

Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk
Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk

If you are looking for an inexpensive, mobile 17.3-inch notebook for daily office work, the Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk is a reliable workhorse, even though the input devices might take some time getting used to for some users. However, if you are looking for a higher build quality and performance to edit videos from time to time or play some games you should spend more money. Our suggestions: HP ProBook 4740s or Toshiba Satellite Pro L870-16P. For more performance there are alternatives directly from the TravelMate P273 series, for example with an Intel Core i5-3230M (2x 2.60 GHz), 8 GB RAM and dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 710M (2 GB) graphics for around 700 Euros (~$897).

Courtesy of ...
Read all 2 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
In Review: Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk
In Review: Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk

Specifications

Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk
Processor
Intel Core i3-2348M 2 x 2.3 GHz, Sandy Bridge
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 3000 - 1760 MB VRAM, Core: 650 MHz, Memory: 667 MHz, igdumd 64 9.17.10.2867 / Win8 64
Memory
4 GB 
, 1 x 4 GB PC3-12800 Single Channel
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixel, AUO-B173RW01V4, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM77 (Panther Point)
Storage
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm
Soundcard
Realtek High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1xLineIn, 1x LineOut, Card Reader: SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO, xD
Networking
Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros AR5B125 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/)
Optical drive
Pioneer DVD-RW DVRTD11RS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 34.65 x 414.8 x 275 ( = 1.36 x 16.33 x 10.83 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Ion, 4400 mAh 11.1 V 6-cell Li-ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1.3 Megapixel 1280 x 720
Additional features
Speakers: Strereo, Keyboard: 103-/104-/107-FineTouch, Keyboard Light: no, MS Office trial , 24 Months Warranty
Weight
3.2 kg ( = 112.88 oz / 7.05 pounds), Power Supply: 370 g ( = 13.05 oz / 0.82 pounds)
Price
520 Euro

 

The Acer TraveMate P273...
The Acer TraveMate P273...
4 GB RAM, which can be expanded to 8 GB...
4 GB RAM, which can be expanded to 8 GB...
...in an additional slot,
...in an additional slot,
the WLAN-adaptor,
the WLAN-adaptor,
and a free space, which...
and a free space, which...
has no SATA connector.
has no SATA connector.
The battery with 48 Wh, 4400 mAH and 11.1 V...
The battery with 48 Wh, 4400 mAH and 11.1 V...
can easily be removed...
can easily be removed...
with a lever.
with a lever.
The PSU (65 W) delivers enough power for the P273.
The PSU (65 W) delivers enough power for the P273.
It starts with a push of the power button.
It starts with a push of the power button.
an HDD, which can easily be replaced,
an HDD, which can easily be replaced,
The maintenance cover reveals...
The maintenance cover reveals...
A separate numeric keypad.
A separate numeric keypad.
...with some quick start guides
...with some quick start guides
...a glossy case,
...a glossy case,
...with 17.3-inch display...
...with 17.3-inch display...
...and an Intel Core i3-2348M.
...and an Intel Core i3-2348M.
The Acer logo is integrated into the display.
The Acer logo is integrated into the display.
The speakers are beneath the display.
The speakers are beneath the display.
Status lights, Power, Charging, HDD and WLAN
Status lights, Power, Charging, HDD and WLAN
The card reader is protected...
The card reader is protected...
...with a dummy.
...with a dummy.
The palm rest is glossy.
The palm rest is glossy.
Acer TravelMate P273-M
Acer TravelMate P273-M

Similar Devices

Devices with the same GPU and/or Screen Size

Review Toshiba Satellite Pro C870 Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2350M, 2.7 kg

Devices with the same GPU

Review Acer TravelMate P633-M-32374G50ikk Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2370M, 13.30", 1.7 kg
Review Dell Latitude 3330 Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2375M, 13.30", 1.77 kg
Review Fujitsu LifeBook A512 Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2328M, 15.60", 2.5 kg
Review Fujitsu Lifebook S752 Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2328M, 14.00", 2.3 kg
Review Acer TravelMate P243-M Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2370M, 14.00", 2.2 kg
Review Acer TravelMate P253-M Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2328M, 15.60", 2.5 kg

Links

Price Comparison

Pros

+Matte screen
+Runs very quiet
+24 months warranty
+Wide stereo sound
 

Cons

-Fingerprints
-Glossy display cover
-Palm rest warms up
-Low quality case

Shortcut

What we like

The low noise levels and the wide stereo sound.

What we miss

A solid build quality for confidence in the device having a long durability.

What surprises us

That the display cover can be used as a mirror.

The competition

HP ProBook 4740s, Samsung 355E7C

17-inch with glossy screen: Lenovo G780, HP Pavilion dv7-7000sg, Packard Bell EasyNote LS11-HR, Sony Vaio SVE1712L1E,  Acer Aspire 7750G.

Rating

Acer TravelMate P273-M-32344G50Mnk - 03/17/2013 v3(old)
Janek v. Kaler

Chassis
70%
Keyboard
65%
Pointing Device
70%
Connectivity
64%
Weight
69%
Battery
81%
Display
82%
Games Performance
60%
Application Performance
89%
Temperature
85%
Noise
91%
Add Points
70%
Average
75%
75%
Office - Weighted Average
Janek v. Kaler, 2013-04- 1 (Update: 2018-05-15)