Acer Aspire 5043 WLMI Series Laptop - Ports, Cooling, and Battery
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In addition to the most obvious hardware features of this particular laptop, there are a number of details that become clear once the laptop is unpacked from its box. Unlike the majority of previous Aspire laptops, the power adaptor is located at the center of the back of the laptop versus the more common location of the adaptor on the left hand side of the unit.
Additionally the locations of input/output ports have been spread around a little more compared to previous models. Prior to this nearly all the external ports were located on just one side of the laptop, rather closely to each other. The USB ports, in particular, are now spaced rather nicely to provide the ability to plug in more devices without the presence of an external hub. With the proliferation of USB devices, especially flash drives, a larger number of them are plugging directly into the USB ports rather than with a cable and the bulkiness of these devices is increasing as capacities are multiplying. There is a single PCMCIA slot located on side of the device for the installation of one expansion device. However, this expansion slot would be best considered an after thought as nearly all possible internal devices that the majority of users will need are already installed.
The laptop weighs in at a decent 6.4 pounds, which is about average for portable PCs. This is certainly not the heaviest laptop available nor is it the lightest. However, for the weight of the package and its contents, it's a reasonable trade-off, especially if you get your hands on a decent carrying bag.
A major flaw in this laptop, common to nearly all portable PCs, is the ability to properly cool the device. A rear vent allows the movement of heated air out of the device and an intake fan is located on the underside of the device. This intake fan is greatly welcome in an attempt to cool the system, but the soft rubber feet on the bottom of the laptop do not create a great amount of clearance between the intake area and surface on which it may be mounted. This is a persistent and problematic flaw in all mobile PCs as the trend towards thinner and sleeker does not lend itself towards meeting the maximum in cooling efficiency.
Additionally, the underside of the device where the processor is located does heat up considerably after extended periods of use. This passive heat release method is another issue with nearly all laptops for such a critical component as the processor.
The battery is also a contentious point. On previous models, the battery was removable, but with this model the battery is integrated into the device. This inability to remove the battery does prove to be contentious as a number of issues that can be resolved by removing the battery and discharging the device cannot be accommodated.
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