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Follow UsThis is the latest notebook from Aci, with a 2 GHz mobile Intel P 4 processor, which is also the latest in the market. The remaining configuration of the notebook we received for review was also impressive with 256 MB RAM, a 30 GB hard drive, a 14” display and a DVD drive. An external floppy drive was also a part of the pack.
The notebook has good connectivity options with a built-in network card, modem, Infra-Red port, PS/2 port for an external mouse or keyboard, video out and four USB ports. The only disappointment in this package are the speakers, whose volume level is not very high, and the audio quality is very tinny. So, if you plan a demo containing audio, there might be a problem if your audience is sitting more than 3—4 meters away. Another problem we noted is the presence of heat exhausts at the back and the right side of the notebook. These are pretty big and emit a lot of heat from a small fan inside. However, the fan is noiseless and the machine remains cool even over long periods of time. I was able to sit with the notebook on my lap for a really long time even after having the machine itself running for over 4 hours, without any discomfort at all.
| Snapshot |
| ACi Emerald A.360 |
| Price: |
| Rs 104,990 (The basic model starts at 89,990 with 128 MB RAM, a 24x CD-Drive, and a 20 GB hard drive) |
| Meant for: |
| Mobile users. |
| Feature: |
| Mobile P 4, 2 GHz, 256 MB RAM, 30 GB hard drive, SiS 650 display, DVD drive |
| Pros: |
| Good configuration and performance |
| Cons: |
| Low speaker volume with tinny audio quality |
| Contact: |
| Allied Computer International, Mumbai. |
| Tel: |
| 022-6943259/60. |
The notebook has a SiS 650 display, and the amount of system memory it uses can be set from the BIOS. We set it to its
max of 64 MB for running our tests, and got decent results. In Quake III Arena, it gave a frame rate of 44.7 fps at a resolution of 1024x768x16. In 3DMark 2001, another benchmark for testing the graphics and gaming capabilities, it gave a score of 1046. As a tech point, this performance was mainly due to the power of the 2 GHz processor, and not the SiS graphics. If it had a better display, like the new nVidia GeForce2 Go or the GeForce 4, the performance would be even better.
In Business and Content Creation Winstone 2001 also, which are meant to test a machine’s capabilities in running productivity and high-end applications the machine fared very well.
The Bottom line: At Rs 104,990, the machine is a steal for its price. The basic configuration, which reduces the RAM to 128 MB, places a 24x CD-Drive instead of a DVD, and 20 GB hard drive instead of 30 GB brings its price down to Rs 89,990, which is also pretty good.
Vinod Unny for PCQ Labs