Acer TravelMate P645 Notebook Review

For the original German review, see here.
Not only HP, Dell and Lenovo have business laptops in their portfolio. Acer also plays in this league. Like the other manufacturers, Acer has three different business lineups: TravelMate P2X5 (entry-level, low price), TravelMate P4X5 (mid-range, medium price), TravelMate P6X5 (premium-range, high price). We now have the latest 14-inch TravelMate P645-S-58HK from the upper business range before us. It is a Broadwell upgrade of the previously tested Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk. The latter additionally features a dedicated AMD GPU. Our present review sample relies on an integrated Intel GPU.
Contenders of the TravelMate are, for example, Lenovo's ThinkPad T450s, HP's EliteBook 840 G2, and Dell's Latitude E7450.
Since both TravelMate models we tested feature an identical build, we will not go in-depth about casing, connectivity, input devices or speakers. The corresponding information can be found in the review of the Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk.
Case & Maintenance
Two covers are found on the TravelMate's underside. The small flap conceals the SIM-card slot, and the large cover enables accessing the working memory bank and hard-drive slot. However, no hard drive is inserted into the slot in our review sample and there is no SATA interface, either. Therefore, it is not possible to retrofit a 2.5-inch hard drive. The base unit's underside would have to be removed to access the storage device (M.2 format) and the other hardware components. That is no problem; the base tray can simply be lifted off after removing all screws on the underside. It is not secured with additional clips or hooks that might break.
Display
The TravelMate is equipped with a matte, 14-inch screen that has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The screen delivers a brightness of 308.6 cd/m² - a good rate, which outshines the screens of both the ThinkPad T450s (268.4 cd/m²; Full HD) and EliteBook 840 G2 (239.8 cd/m²; HD+).
|
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 331 cd/m²
Contrast: 828:1 (Black: 0.4 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.07 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89
ΔE Greyscale 4.86 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
90.6% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.49
The screen's contrast of 828:1 and black level of 0.4 cd/m² are also appealing. The ThinkPad's screen (1110:1; 0.25 cd/m²) has even better rates, but the screen in the EliteBook (334:1; 0.8 cd/m²) cannot compete with that. The screen in the TravelMate cannot reproduce either the sRGB or AdobeRGB color spaces. The coverage rates here are 91% sRGB (Correction 20.5.2015 due to a wrong sRGB-reference-profile) and 59% (AdobeRGB).
The screen has an average DeltaE 2000 shift of 4.07 in state of delivery and thus just misses the target range (DeltaE less than 3). The screen does not exhibit a bluish cast.
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK IPS 1920x1080 | Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 IPS 1920x1080 | HP EliteBook 840 G2 TN 1600x900 | HP Elitebook 745 G2 TN 1366x768 | Dell Latitude E7450 IPS 1920x1080 | Fujitsu LifeBook E744 TN 1600x900 | Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk IPS 1920x1080 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | -6% | -39% | -43% | 1% | -37% | 2% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 66.7 | 64.8 -3% | 38.82 -42% | 36.42 -45% | 66.6 0% | 40.33 -40% | 65.8 -1% |
sRGB Coverage | 90.8 | 83.8 -8% | 58.4 -36% | 54.7 -40% | 92.4 2% | 60.4 -33% | 94.5 4% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 66.5 | 61.2 -8% | 40.11 -40% | 37.64 -43% | 67.7 2% | 41.71 -37% | 67.9 2% |
Screen | 6% | -79% | -81% | 5% | -71% | -2% | |
Brightness middle | 331 | 272 -18% | 267 -19% | 208 -37% | 280 -15% | 265 -20% | 258 -22% |
Brightness | 309 | 268 -13% | 240 -22% | 202 -35% | 257 -17% | 265 -14% | 249 -19% |
Brightness Distribution | 82 | 91 11% | 84 2% | 76 -7% | 75 -9% | 89 9% | 93 13% |
Black Level * | 0.4 | 0.245 39% | 0.8 -100% | 0.72 -80% | 0.3 25% | 1.15 -188% | 0.38 5% |
Contrast | 828 | 1110 34% | 334 -60% | 289 -65% | 933 13% | 230 -72% | 679 -18% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.07 | 4.35 -7% | 12.71 -212% | 12.51 -207% | 3.45 15% | 9.66 -137% | 3.8 7% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4.86 | 3.7 24% | 13.91 -186% | 13.57 -179% | 3.35 31% | 10.37 -113% | 4.13 15% |
Gamma | 2.49 88% | 2.68 82% | 2.35 94% | 2.15 102% | 2.37 93% | 2.67 82% | 2.68 82% |
CCT | 6109 106% | 6076 107% | 20099 32% | 15339 42% | 6940 94% | 11804 55% | 6519 100% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 59 | 54.7 -7% | 37.2 -37% | 35 -41% | 60 2% | 38 -36% | 61 3% |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 90.6 | 83.5 -8% | 92 2% | ||||
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 0% /
3% | -59% /
-68% | -62% /
-71% | 3% /
4% | -54% /
-62% | 0% /
-1% |
* ... smaller is better
Performance
Acer has a 14-inch, premium-range business laptop in its lineup with the TravelMate P645. It sports a TPM, docking port, and a 3G modem on board. Our review sample is sold for approximately 1300 Euros (~$1405). Acer additionally offers other configurations; the laptop is also available with a dedicated GeForce 840M.
Processor
The TravelMate is equipped with Intel's Core i5-5200U dual-core processor (Broadwell). It is a ULV processor. The CPU clocks with a base speed of 2.2 GHz, which can be boosted to 2.5 GHz (both cores) or 2.7 GHz (one core) via Turbo. Surprisingly, the Turbo was never utilized during our CPU tests. The CPU performed the tests with 2.2 GHz in both AC and battery modes. Consequently, the TravelMate achieves a lower performance than other laptops based on this CPU. The gap in single-thread performance, which is more important in routine use, is greater than in the multi-thread performance.
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value) | |
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
We did not experience any problems with the system; it ran smoothly. The PCMark benchmark scores are also good. Although the CPU's Turbo is not utilized, the TravelMate scores just as well as the EliteBook 840 G2 based on the same CPU. This proves that the resulting speed difference is insignificant in routine use. The system's performance cannot be improved. Acer installs a solid state drive ex-factory, and the laptop's working memory operates in dual-channel mode.
PCMark 7 Score | 4046 points | |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 2919 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3080 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 3698 points | |
Help |
Storage Device
Data is stored on a solid state drive from Kingston. It has a total capacity of 256 GB. The laptop's owner has approximately 180 GB of that available. The remaining storage capacity is reserved for the Windows installation and recovery partition. It is a model in the M.2 format (full size). The SSD can boast with overall decent transfer rates. However, the write speeds lag behind the potential of modern SSDs. The SSD could easily be replaced with a higher capacity model when required.
Graphics Card
The TravelMate uses the integrated GPU HD Graphics 5500 by Intel. The GPU supports DirectX 11.2 and clocks with speeds of up to 900 MHz. The 3DMark results are not surprising and range on the usual level for the graphics core. Because the working memory operates in dual-channel mode, the TravelMate achieves a better score in the 3DMark benchmarks than comparable laptops whose working memory run in single-channel mode. TravelMate models with a dedicated GeForce 840M graphics core are available should more graphics power be needed.
3DMark 06 Standard Score | 7419 points | |
3DMark 11 Performance | 1183 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 48758 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 5000 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 734 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
The CPU/GPU combination in the TravelMate manages to render some games without lags in a low resolution and low to medium quality settings. That is true for games that only have moderate hardware requirements. Performance-hungry smash hits like Assassin's Creed Unity will never achieve smooth frame rates.
low | med. | high | ultra | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tomb Raider (2013) | 60.9 | 29.8 | 19.2 | 9.4 |
Thief (2014) | 17.3 | 11.5 | 9.5 | 4.3 |
F1 2014 (2014) | 51 | 33 | 22 | 13 |
Emissions
System Noise
Owners of the TravelMate do not have to worry about excessive noise development. The laptop was normally silent when idling. The fan only spun very rarely and then with a very slow speed. The fan did not increase its speed much under load, either. We measured a noise level of 35.9 dB during the stress test. That was surpassed when only the processor was put under full load, where the rate climbed up to 37.5 dB. Rivals, such as HP's EliteBook 840 G2 and Lenovo's ThinkPad T450s, are overall just as quiet as the TravelMate.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 29.6 / 29.6 / 30.2 dB(A) |
Load |
| 35.6 / 35.9 dB(A) |
![]() | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK 5500/5200U | Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 5500/5600U | HP EliteBook 840 G2 5500/5200U | HP Elitebook 745 G2 Radeon R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B | Dell Latitude E7450 5500/5300U | Fujitsu LifeBook E744 4600/4702MQ | Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk HD 8750M/4500U | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noise | 3% | 5% | -1% | -0% | -3% | -6% | |
Idle Minimum * | 29.6 | 29.1 2% | 29.1 2% | 31.2 -5% | 29.1 2% | 28.2 5% | 31.2 -5% |
Idle Average * | 29.6 | 29.1 2% | 29.1 2% | 31.2 -5% | 29.1 2% | 28.2 5% | 31.3 -6% |
Idle Maximum * | 30.2 | 29.1 4% | 29.1 4% | 31.2 -3% | 30 1% | 28.2 7% | 32.1 -6% |
Load Average * | 35.6 | 34.3 4% | 32.2 10% | 32.7 8% | 36.4 -2% | 37.4 -5% | 35.1 1% |
Load Maximum * | 35.9 | 34.8 3% | 34.2 5% | 35.3 2% | 37.8 -5% | 45.2 -26% | 41.2 -15% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
The TravelMate processed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) in the same manner in both AC and battery modes. The CPU (2.2 GHz) and GPU (900 MHz) operated with full speed only in the first 2 to 3 minutes. They then throttled to 1.4 to 1.5 GHz (processor) and 700 to 750 MHz (graphics core). The TravelMate did not get excessively warm. 40 °C was surpassed marginally only on two measuring point during the stress test. The temperature development of both HP's EliteBook 840 G2 and Lenovo's ThinkPad T450s are slightly higher.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.6 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.7 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.2 °C / 77 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 30.5 °C / 86.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-2.9 °C / -5.2 F).
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK 5500/5200U | Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 5500/5600U | HP EliteBook 840 G2 5500/5200U | HP Elitebook 745 G2 Radeon R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B | Dell Latitude E7450 5500/5300U | Fujitsu LifeBook E744 4600/4702MQ | Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk HD 8750M/4500U | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heat | 10% | 4% | -8% | 1% | -4% | -14% | |
Maximum Upper Side * | 41.6 | 35.1 16% | 37.5 10% | 40.4 3% | 41.6 -0% | 37.8 9% | 50.1 -20% |
Maximum Bottom * | 41.7 | 36.6 12% | 38.4 8% | 43.6 -5% | 37.1 11% | 41 2% | 52.7 -26% |
Idle Upper Side * | 30.6 | 26.4 14% | 28.7 6% | 33.1 -8% | 28.7 6% | 32.1 -5% | 32.2 -5% |
Idle Bottom * | 27.5 | 28 -2% | 30.1 -9% | 33.6 -22% | 31.4 -14% | 33.9 -23% | 28.9 -5% |
* ... smaller is better
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The TravelMate's idle power requirement is below 10 watts. It looks the same in contenders, such as the EliteBook 840 G2 and ThinkPad T450s. We recorded a maximum power consumption of 30.4 watts in the first 2 - 3 minutes of the stress test. The rate dropped after that because both the CPU and GPU throttle. The ThinkPad consumes considerably more power than its contenders because it sports a stronger processor.
Off / Standby | ![]() ![]() |
Idle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Load |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Key:
min: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK 5500/5200U | Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 5500/5600U | HP EliteBook 840 G2 5500/5200U | HP Elitebook 745 G2 Radeon R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B | Dell Latitude E7450 5500/5300U | Fujitsu LifeBook E744 4600/4702MQ | Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk HD 8750M/4500U | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | -10% | 11% | -32% | -11% | -39% | -55% | |
Idle Minimum * | 3.2 | 2.9 9% | 2.6 19% | 6.1 -91% | 4 -25% | 5 -56% | 5.9 -84% |
Idle Average * | 6.3 | 6.6 -5% | 5.1 19% | 8.8 -40% | 7.8 -24% | 8.8 -40% | 9.2 -46% |
Idle Maximum * | 8.6 | 7.9 8% | 5.8 33% | 9.9 -15% | 9 -5% | 9 -5% | 10.4 -21% |
Load Average * | 30.3 | 30.8 -2% | 28.7 5% | 31.2 -3% | 31.6 -4% | 39.6 -31% | 41.1 -36% |
Load Maximum * | 30.4 | 48.8 -61% | 36.8 -21% | 33.5 -10% | 29.6 3% | 50.1 -65% | 56.6 -86% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Runtime
The TravelMate achieved an idle runtime of 19:03 hours and thus clearly leaves rivals like HP's EliteBook 840 G2 (16:01 h) and Lenovo's ThinkPad T450s (12:54 h) behind. Idle mode is ascertained using Battery Eater's Reader's test with minimum screen brightness, enabled energy-saving mode, and disabled wireless modules. The TravelMate shut down after 1:53 hours of load. The EliteBook (1:52 h) is on par, but the ThinkPad (1:28 h) is depleted sooner. The load runtime is simulated via Battery Eater's Classic test using maximum screen brightness, the high-performance profile, and enabled radio modules.
Acer's laptop stopped our Wi-Fi test after 8:55 hours. Again, it accomplishes a better time than both the EliteBook (7:02 h) and ThinkPad (4:36 h). Websites are opened automatically every 40 seconds using the "Balanced" profile and a screen brightness of approximately 150 cd/m² in this test. We check the video playback time by running the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) in a loop. The wireless modules are disabled and the screen brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The TravelMate managed a runtime of 8:45 hours. Again, neither the EliteBook (5:25 h) nor the ThinkPad (5:22 h) can keep up here.
The TravelMate excels with an outstanding battery life and shows its contenders who is in charge. The TravelMate even manages to outrun its Haswell-based sister model.
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK 5500/5200U | Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 5500/5600U | HP EliteBook 840 G2 5500/5200U | HP Elitebook 745 G2 Radeon R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B | Dell Latitude E7450 5500/5300U | Fujitsu LifeBook E744 4600/4702MQ | Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk HD 8750M/4500U | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | -35% | -19% | -40% | -18% | -15% | -17% | |
Reader / Idle | 1143 | 774 -32% | 961 -16% | 562 -51% | 714 -38% | 881 -23% | 615 -46% |
H.264 | 525 | 322 -39% | 324 -38% | 246 -53% | 452 -14% | ||
WiFi v1.3 | 535 | 276 -48% | 422 -21% | 422 -21% | |||
Load | 113 | 88 -22% | 112 -1% | 95 -16% | 115 2% | 106 -6% | 128 13% |
WiFi | 336 | 279 | 459 | 351 | 406 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Acer has a successful 14-inch business laptop in its lineup with the TravelMate P645-S5HK. The laptop provides enough computing power for applications from the office and Internet fields. Unfortunately, the processor does not utilize its Turbo, and thus the TravelMate's computing power remains behind the processing performance of comparable laptops. However, its computing power is more than enough for routine use even without the Turbo. The laptop never gets loud and barely heats up. A solid state drive ensures a swiftly running system. Decent input devices complement that. The incorporated 3G modem allows accessing the Internet on the move. While we have often criticized the relatively inferior screens in comparable laptops, such as HP's EliteBook 840 G2, we could praise the screen in the TravelMate. Acer has installed a bright, high-contrast, Full HD, IPS screen. We do not want to leave the TravelMate's outstanding battery life unmentioned. Acer also shows its rivals the taillights in this regard.
In a nutshell: The Broadwell processor makes the already good TravelMate even better.
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
- 06/10/2016 v5 (old)
Sascha Mölck