Skilled’s Ranking
Execs
Lengthy battery lifeLight and portableA good worth for a enterprise laptop computer
Cons
Keyboard is a t advert mushyNo NPU for future Home windows AI featuresConsumer laptops ship related specs for a cheaper price
Our Verdict
The Acer TravelMate P6 gives wonderful worth for a enterprise laptop computer, with lengthy battery life, a surprisingly gentle weight, and extra ports than a typical client laptop computer.
The Acer TravelMate P6 is a enterprise laptop computer via and thru. It’s filled with ports, delivers lengthy battery life, is surprisingly light-weight, and has a pleasant matte display designed to keep away from glare in usually uncomfortable lighting circumstances.
It’s a pleasant and supremely sensible piece of {hardware}, and I’d be comfortable to get a machine like this from my job. Beginning at a retail worth of $1,329, it’s a cut price so far as enterprise laptops go, particularly if a office is getting a reduction for getting a bunch directly! However if you happen to’re simply seeking to purchase a single laptop computer in your personal private use, a client laptop computer could also be higher guess.
On the lookout for extra choices? Take a look at PCWorld’s roundup of the most effective laptops.
Acer TravelMate P6: Specs
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Acer TravelMate P6 comes with 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of solid-state storage, and an Intel Core i5-1335U CPU. That is considered one of Intel’s Thirteenth-generation Raptor Lake CPUs, launched in 2023. That’s not essentially a foul factor. The most recent Meteor Lake CPUs are extra targeted on energy effectivity and AI efficiency.
The most recent Meteor Lake CPUs aren’t essentially sooner, however you’re lacking out on the neural processing unit (NPU) discovered within the newest Meteor Lake CPUs. These will make it doable to run extra AI options regionally by yourself PC {hardware} reasonably than counting on the far-off cloud servers that energy options like Microsoft Copilot in the present day. Rumor is that Home windows will quickly take a lot better benefit of NPUs to ship all types of AI options. And there’s no NPU right here.
CPU: Intel Core i5-1335U
Reminiscence: 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
Graphics/GPU: Intel Iris Xe
Show: 14-inch 1920×1200 show with a 16:10 facet ratio and 60Hz refresh price
Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Webcam: 1080p webcam with privateness shutter
Connectivity: 2x USB Kind-C (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40Gbps with DisplayPort over USB-C, Energy Supply), 1x USB Kind-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1), HDMI 2.1, microSD card reader, headphone jack, Kensington lock slot
Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Biometrics: IR digital camera for Home windows Howdy facial recognition, fingerprint reader
Battery capability: 65 Watt-hours
Dimensions: 12.34 x 8.93 x 0.79 inches
Weight: 2.65 kilos
MSRP: $1,329 as examined
Acer TravelMate P6: Design and construct high quality
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Acer TravelMate 6’s design is fairly easy: Black with squared off edges and barely rounded corners. Nothing too loopy or uncommon, a workhorse of a laptop computer with nothing notably uncommon about it. It’s a workhorse. The identify “Acer” seems in silver under the display, and there’s additionally an “Acer” badge on the again of the laptop computer, however that’s extraordinarily understated.
This laptop computer is kind of gentle due to the magnesium-aluminum alloy that makes up its chassis. At simply 2.65 kilos, it’s good and straightforward to select up and throw in a bag. (It’s solely a tiny bit heavier than the famously light-weight and rather more costly Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which weighs 2.42 kilos.) There’s just a little little bit of flex to the display and case, however nothing that appears dangerous. In truth, that flex could assist the laptop computer stand as much as life on the highway.
Acer touts the TravelMate 6’s ruggedness — it’s MIL-STD 810H-tested and Acer says the ports are strengthened with extra steel brackets to carry up put on and tear. It additionally contains an “Acer Mud Defender” characteristic that may reverse the laptop computer’s followers each six hours of use to forestall mud buildup. (At peak efficiency, when the followers are wanted, Mud Defender received’t interrupt something, it’ll wait till later).
Whereas this laptop computer could not look notably thrilling in a photograph, it has a traditional design that fades into the background, and that gentle weight could be very good.
The included promotional software program is just a little disappointing. Out of the field, for instance, a Dropbox promotion is pinned to the taskbar. One of many advantages of enterprise laptops is that they have an inclination to supply a stripped-down collection of included promotional apps, and the included software program is on the busy aspect for a enterprise laptop computer. After all, that is one thing you’ll be able to uninstall very simply.
Acer TravelMate P6: Keyboard and trackpad
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Acer TravelMate P6 is a enterprise laptop computer, so it needs to be designed for some severe typing. On the one hand, this machine has a wonderfully good keyboard. I may sort rapidly and didn’t have any points with accuracy. Alternatively, the important thing really feel just a little on the shallow aspect. That’s pretty frequent with laptops designed for portability, as there’s solely a lot room.
The keyboard additionally has handy white backlighting inbuilt, an essential characteristic when typing in low-light environments.
The touchpad feels nice. It’s product of Corning Gorilla Glass, and it’s very responsive and easy. It’s good and huge, too, taking on a very good quantity of room under the keyboard. The clicking feels good and strong, too.
Acer TravelMate P6: Show and audio system
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Acer TravelMate P6 has a 14-inch 1920×1200 show. That’s a 16:10 facet ratio, which supplies you extra vertical area to get work achieved than you’ll get on a typical 16:9 display, for instance, a “1080p” or 1920×1080 decision display. Nonetheless, it’s not as a lot vertical display actual property as you’ll get on a display with a 3:2 facet ratio.
That is an IPS show that Acer calls a “ComfyView” show, as Acer places it, it’s an “anti-glare matte show.” It would do a lot better in brilliant daylight than “shiny” shows, which are likely to have a number of glare.
With a refresh price of simply 60Hz, this isn’t the fanciest show on the market. Nonetheless, it’s completely serviceable and it seems to be good in day-to-day use. In truth, I think that this show could also be one of many secret substances that provides this laptop computer the long-lasting battery life its rivals with fancier shows usually can’t match.
The upward-firing audio system aren’t dangerous. As typical for laptop computer audio system, they don’t ship a number of bass — that’s regular. However they sound clear and have loads of quantity. They’ll do nicely for a video assembly or watching some movies, however you’ll need to join some headphones or exterior audio system to correctly expertise something bassy.
Acer TravelMate P6: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
The Acer TravelMate P6 has a 1080p webcam. It is a fairly normal 1080p webcam, and it’s completely serviceable so far as 1080p webcams go. Will probably be fantastic in enterprise conferences. I’ve seen high-level executives use a lot, a lot worse. The webcam has a handy privateness shutter, so you’ll be able to rapidly block it, if you happen to like.
Surprisingly sufficient, Home windows gives Studio Results for this webcam, options like Eye Contact to make you appear like you’re all the time making eye contact with the digital camera and Background Blur to blur your background. In line with Microsoft, this requires a neural processing unit (NPU), however this Acer laptop computer doesn’t have an NPU. The consequences appear to be utilizing the built-in GPU for his or her processing energy. Whereas the consequences can be found, which is sweet, this implementation will possible drain extra battery energy than working these results on a lower-powered NPU in a contemporary PC.
The microphone sounds good and clear, selecting up speech nicely, which is important characteristic for audio calls, so it’s good to see Acer acquired it proper. Acer says this laptop computer has “Acer PurifiedVoice’s AI-powered noise discount.”
The TravelMate has each facial recognition and fingerprint recognition for Home windows Howdy. The IR digital camera for facial recognition labored nicely, as they typically do, signing me once I opened the laptop computer in quite a lot of lighting eventualities. The fingerprint scanner is positioned within the energy button on the top-right nook of the keyboard, and it additionally labored nicely for authentication.
Acer TravelMate P6: Connectivity
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The port choice on the Acer TravelMate P6 is kind of good for a contemporary laptop computer. On the left aspect, you’ll discover two USB Kind-C ports (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40Gbps) together with an HDMI 2.1 port. You’ll plug the laptop computer’s energy adapter into one of many USB-C ports to cost it.
On the suitable aspect, you’ve acquired a USB Kind-A port, a combo headphone jack, a microSD card reader, and a Kensington lock slot for bodily securing the laptop computer.
Acer additionally says fashions of this laptop computer can be found with an optionally available nano SIM slot for mobile connectivity, however our overview unit didn’t have that characteristic.
It’s a wide variety of ports, and it ought to prevent from having to make use of a dongle more often than not.
Nonetheless, if you wish to cost and use multiple USB Kind-C system — or if you happen to ever need to plug in multiple USB Kind-A tool — you’ll want a dongle. You’ll must plug in a dongle to make use of a wired Ethernet community connection, too.
For the wi-fi radios, you’ve acquired Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 help. That’s a typical, trendy setup. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 will surely be good to must make this laptop computer extra future proof, however they’re not normal on new laptops but.
Acer TravelMate P6: Efficiency
The Acer TravelMate P6 delivered strong efficiency in day-to-day use. That’s no shock due to its Thirteenth-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB solid-state drive.
As all the time, we ran the TravelMate via our normal benchmarks to see the way it performs.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
First, we run PCMark 10 to get an concept of total system efficiency. PCMark 10 is designed to as an total benchmark to get an concept of total system efficiency, however the CPU is as huge issue within the outcomes.
The Acer TravelMate P6 delivered the sort of efficiency we’d anticipate to see with a Thirteenth-generation Intel Core i5 laptop computer CPU. The outcomes have been aggressive with the HP Pavilion Plus, a heavier laptop computer with a Core i7 CPU. It’s nonetheless outcompeted by the considerably costlier Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which retails for $2,703, double the value of this technique.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Subsequent, we run Cinebench R20. This benchmark is closely multithreaded and focuses on total CPU efficiency. It’s a fast benchmark, so cooling underneath prolonged workloads isn’t an element. However, because it’s closely multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores have an enormous benefit and can get greater scores.
The Acer TravelMate P6 places out respectable efficiency, with extra highly effective Intel Core i7-powered techniques pulling forward of its Intel Core i5 CPU.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
We additionally run an encode with Handbrake. That is one other closely multithreaded benchmark, nevertheless it runs over an prolonged time frame. This calls for the laptop computer’s cooling kick in, and lots of laptops will throttle and decelerate underneath load.
The Acer TravelMate P6 delivered took 1,847 seconds to finish the encode on common. That’s simply over half-hour. It’s aggressive with different ultraportable-style machines, and solely beat by the bigger and heavier HP Pavilion Plus, which may possible ship higher cooling for prolonged workloads resulting from its measurement.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Subsequent, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop computer, nevertheless it’s nonetheless good to verify how the GPU performs. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU efficiency.
Graphical efficiency wasn’t nice, which isn’t a shock. Intel has improved built-in GPU efficiency dramatically over the past technology. A system with the most recent Meteor Lake {hardware} — not the Thirteenth-generation Raptor Lake {hardware} right here — delivers a lot better graphical efficiency.
Total, efficiency is the place it needs to be for an ultraportable with this {hardware}. Intel’s newest Core Extremely chips, the Meteor Lake CPUs, don’t essentially ship an enormous efficiency improve in regular use. Meteor Lake’s huge benefits are in improved built-in GPU efficiency and that neural processing unit (NPU) isn’t current on techniques like this one.
Acer TravelMate P6: Battery life
The Acer TravelMate P6 features a 65 Watt-hour battery. In day-to-day use — net browsers, workplace apps, and all the same old functions — battery life was wonderful.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Metal on repeat within the Films & TV app on Home windows 11 with airplane mode enabled till the laptop computer suspends itself. It is a best-case state of affairs for any laptop computer since native video playback is so environment friendly, and actual battery life in day-to-day use is all the time going to be lower than this. We set the display to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmark.
The Acer TravelMate P6 delivered a fantastic consequence right here, working for a median of 771 minutes, which is sort of 13 hours. That consequence places it forward of all the opposite laptops we’ve been evaluating it to.
The show in all probability provides the Acer TravelMate P6 a leg up. This isn’t an especially high-resolution show. There’s additionally no contact display. Many individuals will recognize having the all-day battery life this technique ought to ship as a substitute of a fancier show that wants extra frequent charging.
Acer TravelMate P6: Conclusion
The Acer TravelMate P6 is an effective laptop computer. It’s half the value of a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and practically as gentle. The display isn’t the highest-resolution show you’ll discover, however that’s possible one of many secret substances that helps it ship for much longer battery life.
For a enterprise laptop computer, a beginning worth of $1,329 for this {hardware} could be very cheap. Alternatively, if you happen to’re simply shopping for a single laptop computer and are open to client {hardware}, the value provides me pause.
Check out the HP Pavilion Plus, for instance. It’s not an ultraportable, because it’s a couple of half pound heavier. However you may get a configuration with the identical Intel Core i5-1335U CPU and a 1920×1200 decision show, the identical decision because the Acer TravelMate P6 right here, for simply $828. That’s $500 cheaper than the TravelMate right here. Sure, the TravelMate is lighter and will get longer battery life, however is it actually $500 higher?
In the meantime, that $1,329 worth level is near the value of many client ultrabooks just like the HP Spectre x360 14 with higher-resolution shows and different options like contact screens. They might not have the battery life a system just like the TravelMate delivers and received’t have as many ports as this laptop computer, however many individuals will favor these options.
Nonetheless, if you’d like a enterprise laptop computer, the TravelMate P6 is a superb selection. It’s a fantastic worth within the enterprise laptop computer phase, even when it isn’t the most effective laptop computer for everybody.
