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Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895 (Core i3) Notebook Review

Cheap business laptop. Acer offers the TravelMate P249-M for 550 Euros (~$600). This 14-inch notebook is quiet, packs good battery life and it has a three-year warranty. In addition, this TravelMate has keyboard lighting and a free M.2 slot.

For the original German review, see here.

We recently tested the top model of the TravelMate P249-M series and now turn our attention to the cheapest entry of this line-up: the Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895. Our test model is available in this configuration for 550 Euros (~$600). We will check its performance in the following review. The competition includes models such as the HP ProBook 440 G3, the Lenovo ThinkPad E460 and the Dell Latitude 14 3470.

As both TravelMate models have the same build, we will not discuss the case, the connectivity, the input devices or the speakers in this review. This information can be found in the review of the TravelMate P249-M-5452.

Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895 (TravelMate P249 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-6100U 2 x 2.3 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 520, Core: 950 MHz, Single-Channel, 20.19.15.4501
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR4-2400, Single-Channel, two slots (one occupied)
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 112 PPI, AU Optronics B140XTN02.E, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPCX-24C6HT0, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 190 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: SD, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUE1N
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 30.4 x 346 x 248 ( = 1.2 x 13.62 x 9.76 in)
Battery
41 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64 Bit) + Windows 10 Pro (64 Bit)
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, MS Office 365 (trial), McAfee LiveSafe Internet Security (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.1 kg ( = 74.08 oz / 4.63 pounds), Power Supply: 267 g ( = 9.42 oz / 0.59 pounds)
Price
599 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
 
73.2 MB/s +344%
HP ProBook 440 G3
 
72.3 MB/s +338%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
 
23.5 MB/s +42%
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
 
19.1 MB/s +16%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
 
17.3 MB/s +5%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
 
16.5 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP ProBook 440 G3
 
86.4 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
 
85.1 MB/s
Dell Latitude 14 3470
 
27.6 MB/s
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
 
26.1 MB/s
Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (jseb)
563 MBit/s +23%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
458 MBit/s
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Atheros AR5BWB222 Wireless Network Adapter
165 MBit/s -64%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
92 MBit/s -80%
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (jseb)
547 MBit/s +482%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Atheros AR5BWB222 Wireless Network Adapter
143 MBit/s +52%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
94 MBit/s
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
91 MBit/s -3%

Display

The top model of the TravelMate series was equipped with an FHD screen. Our test model, on the other hand, comes paired with an HD display (1366x768 pixels). The brightness (214.4 cd/m²) and the contrast (436:1) are not very high, which means this laptop must stay indoors. Positive: the screen shows no signs of PWM flickers.

229
cd/m²
220
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
213
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
190
cd/m²
186
cd/m²
222
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B140XTN02.E tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 229 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 214.4 cd/m² Minimum: 24 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 81 %
Center on Battery: 217 cd/m²
Contrast: 436:1 (Black: 0.5 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.68 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 13.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
52% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
33% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
35.84% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
52.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
34.69% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
HP ProBook 440 G3
TN, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
IPS-Panel, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Latitude 14 3470
TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
TN LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
14%
13%
16%
10%
7%
Display P3 Coverage
34.69
39.6
14%
39.1
13%
40.21
16%
38.15
10%
36.97
7%
sRGB Coverage
52.2
59.1
13%
58.8
13%
60.5
16%
56.7
9%
55.6
7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
35.84
40.94
14%
40.41
13%
41.55
16%
39.48
10%
38.2
7%
Response Times
-16%
1%
-14%
12%
-12%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
41 ?(20, 21)
46 ?(24, 22)
-12%
40 ?(17, 23)
2%
47 ?(25, 22)
-15%
44 ?(23, 21)
-7%
42 ?(15, 27)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
23 ?(6, 17)
27.6 ?(11.2, 16.4)
-20%
23.2 ?(6.8, 16.4)
-1%
26 ?(18, 8)
-13%
16 ?(10, 6)
30%
28 ?(8, 20)
-22%
PWM Frequency
50 ?(10)
Screen
13%
33%
3%
17%
43%
Brightness middle
218
246
13%
233
7%
206
-6%
249
14%
230
6%
Brightness
214
215
0%
221
3%
193
-10%
238
11%
226
6%
Brightness Distribution
81
84
4%
88
9%
87
7%
87
7%
86
6%
Black Level *
0.5
0.5
-0%
0.3
40%
0.48
4%
0.41
18%
0.2
60%
Contrast
436
492
13%
777
78%
429
-2%
607
39%
1150
164%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.68
8.6
26%
4.43
62%
11
6%
9.09
22%
5.07
57%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
17.66
19.57
-11%
14.64
17%
10.07
43%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
13.1
9.36
29%
3.78
71%
11.51
12%
9.92
24%
3.64
72%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.39 92%
2.31 95%
2.23 99%
2.42 91%
2.46 89%
CCT
15815 41%
11226 58%
7171 91%
13671 48%
11177 58%
6521 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
33
37.8
15%
37.3
13%
38.46
17%
36.5
11%
35
6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
52
59.1
14%
58.7
13%
60.61
17%
56.7
9%
55
6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
4% / 9%
16% / 24%
2% / 4%
13% / 15%
13% / 28%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

With factory settings, this panel has a DeltaE 2000 color deviation of 11.68. The optimal range (DeltaE smaller than 5) is far off. Furthermore, the display suffers from a blue tinge.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
23 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6 ms rise
↘ 17 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 45 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
41 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 21 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 59 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Acer has equipped the TravelMate with a TN panel. As such, the user will not be able to read content from all angles. Thankfully, it is possible to use the laptop outdoors, as long as the weather is cloudy or the user is sitting in a shaded area.

Outdoors (photo taken in cloudy weather)
Outdoors (photo taken in cloudy weather)

Performance

Acer has introduced a cheap 14-inch business notebook to its catalogue. Aside from TPM 2.0, the test model does not have any business-relevant technologies. The laptop is priced at 550 Euros (~$600). At the time of testing, one other model was available and we have previously tested this model.

Processor

The test model runs on an Intel Core i3-6100U (Skylake) dual-core processor. This is a ULV model which has a TDP value of 15 W. The CPU runs at 2.3 GHz and there is no Turbo, which is the big difference between this model and the Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs. However, Core i3 does support Hyper-Threading (each core can process up to two threads). While plugged in, the full performance is available. On battery, the laptop limits the CPU to 2 GHz (single-thread) and 1.4 GHz (multithread).

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3714
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
8426
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6061
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
98 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
250 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
31.85 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
130 Points +33%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
117 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +16%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +16%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
98 Points
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel Core i3-6100U
97 Points -1%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
324 Points +30%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
294 Points +18%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
294 Points +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
290 Points +16%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel Core i3-6100U
250 Points 0%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
250 Points
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
3191 Points +42%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
2952 Points +31%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
2576 Points +14%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
2251 Points
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
6723 Points +37%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
6088 Points +24%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
5530 Points +13%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
4907 Points
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
3906 Points +37%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
3601 Points +26%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
2861 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
7303 Points +37%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
6780 Points +27%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
5320 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel Core i7-6500U
213.8 Points +49%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
193.4 Points +35%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
97.6 Points -32%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
189.1 Points +32%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
174.3 Points +21%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
143.5 Points
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
94.2 Points -34%

System Performance

The system runs smoothly. We did not encounter any issues. The PCMark benchmark results are very good. It is possible to increase the performance by swapping out the HDD for an SSD. The system would run faster and load times would drop. A second RAM module would also raise system performance as it would allow the user to use dual-channel mode (also boosting graphics performance).

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3149 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Liteonit CV3-8D512
3545 Points +13%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3472 Points +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
3415 Points +8%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPCX-24C6HT0
3149 Points
Dell Latitude 14 3470
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Toshiba MQ01ACF050
3074 Points -2%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2871 Points -9%

Storage Devices

The system drive is a typical 2.5-inch hard drive from Western Digital. This device runs at 5,400 rpm and has a capacity of 500 GB. The transfer speeds are normal for a 5,400 rpm HDD.

On the pro side, even the cheapest TravelMate brings an M.2 slot. We tested it and it works without problems. The slot supports M.2 SSDs of all popular sizes (2240, 2260, 2280). This means the user could install an M.2 SSD and a 2.5-inch HDD together in this test model. There is no securing mechanism included and this must be purchased separately so as to keep the SSD in place.

The hard drive can be swapped out easily.
The hard drive can be swapped out easily.
There is no securing mechanism for the M.2 SSD.
There is no securing mechanism for the M.2 SSD.
Not what the manufacturer had in mind,...
Not what the manufacturer had in mind,...
...but an M.2 SSD could also be secured like this.
...but an M.2 SSD could also be secured like this.
Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPCX-24C6HT0
Transfer Rate Minimum: 37.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 110.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 80.9 MB/s
Access Time: 18.5 ms
Burst Rate: 125.3 MB/s
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPCX-24C6HT0
HP ProBook 440 G3
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Toshiba MQ01ACF050
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Liteonit CV3-8D512
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
4%
2110%
-23%
7741%
7452%
Read Seq
104.7
124.8
19%
497.6
375%
108.9
4%
510
387%
484.1
362%
Write Seq
104.2
123.6
19%
180
73%
103.2
-1%
267.2
156%
449.8
332%
Read 512
39.38
42.34
8%
297.1
654%
347.6
783%
399.1
913%
Write 512
58.3
61.9
6%
169.1
190%
267.5
359%
355.1
509%
Read 4k
0.501
0.559
12%
18.91
3674%
0.362
-28%
33.12
6511%
33.44
6575%
Write 4k
1.368
1.277
-7%
37.13
2614%
0.946
-31%
95.9
6910%
67.5
4834%
Read 4k QD32
1.395
1.179
-15%
95.7
6760%
0.721
-48%
392.8
28058%
368.5
26316%
Write 4k QD32
1.412
1.304
-8%
37.26
2539%
0.901
-36%
266.4
18767%
280.6
19773%

Graphics Card

The Intel HD Graphics 520 graphics chip supports DirectX 12 and runs at up to 950 MHz. The results of the 3DMark benchmark are at expected levels. It is possible to increase graphics performance by installing a second RAM module and activating dual-channel mode.

3DMark 11 Performance
1221 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
AMD Radeon R7 M360, Intel Core i5-6200U
1989 Points +76%
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
1481 Points +31%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1343 Points +19%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1143 Points +1%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
1131 Points
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
1063 Points -6%

Gaming Performance

The TravelMate can run some games smoothly. However, the user must stick with low settings and resolutions. Hardware-hungry games, like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, will not be able to run on this laptop. During our testing, this game never reached a satisfactory frame rate. A second RAM module (= dual-channel mode active) raised the frame rate.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 35.4 21.1 16.3

Emissions and Energy

Fan emissions
Fan emissions

System Noise

The test model is quiet. While idle, the fan runs at low speeds. The HDD is often slightly louder. At load, the fan does not turn up much. In fact, during our stress test, the laptop merely had a noise emission of 34.4 dB.

Noise Level

Idle
33.8 / 33.8 / 33.8 dB(A)
Load
33.8 / 34.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 31.6 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

Our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run simultaneously for at least an hour) runs on the TravelMate the same way whether it is plugged in or on battery. The processor (2.3 GHz) and the graphics chip (950 MHz) work at full speeds. The laptop barely heats up as only a few of our measurement points crossed the 30 °C mark during testing.

Max. Load
 30 °C
86 F
26.4 °C
80 F
23 °C
73 F
 
 30.1 °C
86 F
29.2 °C
85 F
23.3 °C
74 F
 
 28.7 °C
84 F
28 °C
82 F
25.1 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 30.1 °C = 86 F
Average: 27.1 °C = 81 F
22.8 °C
73 F
24.4 °C
76 F
30.1 °C
86 F
23.3 °C
74 F
28 °C
82 F
31.2 °C
88 F
26.9 °C
80 F
27.4 °C
81 F
29 °C
84 F
Maximum: 31.2 °C = 88 F
Average: 27 °C = 81 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.4 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 20.5 °C = 69 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 27.1 °C / 81 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 30.1 °C / 86 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 31.2 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.7 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.7 °C / 83.7 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-1 °C / -1.8 F).
Heat-map top (load)
Heat-map top (load)
Heat-map bottom (load)
Heat-map bottom (load)
Heat-map top (idle)
Heat-map top (idle)
Heat-map bottom (idle)
Heat-map bottom (idle)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.638.139.62539.435.839.43137.934.837.94040.233.640.25038.132.938.16342.535.242.58042.130.742.11004228.94212542.127.842.116044.226.544.220047.427.647.425051.824.951.831556.52556.540057.22357.25005922.65963065.221.465.280067.621.167.6100062.820.262.812505919.959160059.119.559.120006319.263250062.419.662.4315069.519.369.5400073.619.373.6500071.319.371.3630068.419.368.4800065.919.265.91000067.318.967.31250066.518.666.51600062.618.962.6SPL79.732.479.7N44.11.844.1median 62.6median 19.9median 62.6Delta7.31.97.335.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer TravelMate P249-M-3895Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.3% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 27% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 66% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 35% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 57% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram for comparison (Checkboxes above can be selected)

Power Consumption

While idle, we measured 10.2 W of power consumption. This is a little high for a ULV notebook. We expected a value lower than 10 W. During our stress test, the laptop consumed around 26 W. The power adapter more than covers this max consumption with its 45 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 1.8 / 2.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.1 / 8.4 / 10.2 Watt
Load midlight 27 / 26 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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 Life

Our practical WLAN test simulates the load from surfing on different websites. The power profile is set to "Balanced" and the brightness is lowered to around 150 cd/m². All power-saver settings are turned off. The TravelMate lasts for 6:46 hours. This is a little surprising, as the recently tested Full HD model of the TravelMate also lasted this long.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
6h 46min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
6100U, HD Graphics 520, 41 Wh
406 min
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 41 Wh
400 min -1%
Acer TravelMate X3 X349-M-7261
6500U, HD Graphics 520, 48.9 Wh
392 min -3%
HP ProBook 440 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 44 Wh
293 min -28%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
6200U, Radeon R7 M360, 47 Wh
292 min -28%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
6100U, HD Graphics 520, 41 Wh
278 min -32%

Pros

+ works quietly
+ barely heats up
+ keyboard lighting
+ free M.2 slot
+ maintenance flap
+ good battery life
+ 3 years warranty

Cons

- dark display with poor contrast and viewing angles
- no Type-C USB
- slow card-reader

Verdict

The entry-level model of the TravelMate P249-M series is equipped with a Core i3 processor from the Skylake generation. As such, the test model has enough performance for everyday tasks. The laptop barely heats up and is quiet. To ensure total silence, one could easily swap out the HDD for an SSD thanks to the maintenance flap included in the TravelMate. The battery life is decent and the keyboard (backlight) is quite good. The manufacturer has provided a three-year warranty. Like the FHD panel of the recently tested top model of the TravelMate series, the screen of our test model is poor: dark, poor contrast and limited viewing angles.

For 550 Euros (~$600), the user receives the TravelMate P249-M-3895. This 14-inch notebook is a good entry-level device for the business world. The display is its Achilles' heel.

If you are looking for a great IPS screen, we recommend the TravelMate X349-M. This model is also available with a Core i3 processor for less than 600 Euros (~$654). In contrast to the entry-level model of the P249-M, the X349-M is equipped with a Full HD IPS panel, an SSD and a slim, stylish aluminum case.

Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895 - 11/03/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
80 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
44 / 80 → 55%
Weight
62 / 20-67 → 89%
Battery
89%
Display
74%
Games Performance
53 / 68 → 78%
Application Performance
69 / 92 → 75%
Temperature
95%
Noise
85%
Audio
53%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
70%
80%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895 (Core i3) Notebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2016-11- 9 (Update: 2018-05-15)