Acer Ferrari 3000

The Acer Ferrari 3000 is the first notebook to come with an official Ferrari licence and is the result of Acer's marketing status with the Italian sports car giant. Alhough it generally resembles standard Acer notebooks, the chassis is finished in Ferrari red and adorned with the well-recognised prancing horse emblem.

Beneath the striking exterior, the Acer Ferrari 3000 has an Athlon XP-M 2500+ processor, which is complemented by 512Mb of memory and this combination makes for good performance. It also includes a 128Mb Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics chip - one of the fastest available - and a 60Gb hard disk. Perhaps more impressive, though, is the fact that it also comes with a multi-format recordable DVD drive, complete with a metallic Ferrari-red drive tray.

The 15in screen contributes to its appeal as an ideal desktop PC replacement. This provides a bright and clear display, particularly when running off mains power, though this inevitably contributes to the notebook's hefty weight. At 3kg, it might not be ideal for those who wish to use it on the move. There is also an external monitor port, which can support a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536, which is impressive.

The Ferrari 3000 has four USB 2 ports, although one will probably spend the majority of its time playing host to the bundled USB optical mouse, which also sports Ferrari styling. Users can also use the touchpad, which is accompanied by two buttons and a four-way directional pad that can be used to scroll through documents. There are also programmable and pre-programmed function buttons that provide one-touch launching of email software, internet browsers and applications. Although the keyboard feels comfortable to use, the slightly arced layout (typical of Acer notebooks) may take a bit of getting used to.

Digital photo enthusiasts will be able to take advantage of the memory card reader, which accepts both SD and SmartMedia cards. There is also a single PC Card slot that provides potential for upgrades. Considering the machine's bulk, though, the designers could just as easily have supplied two slots.

This minor gripe aside, our overall impression of the Ferrari 3000 is positive. It is a good alternative to notebooks based on Intel Pentium processors with Centrino technology. It promises a relatively long battery life thanks to the low power consumption of its processor and can wirelessly connect to the internet through Wi-Fi. On top of this, Acer has included Bluetooth compatibility. On the whole, the Acer Ferrari 3000 is a very fast notebook which performs well in both office applications and 3D games. It has a generous specification and a striking design. Its reasonable price makes it all the more desirable and the one-year international warranty provides some degree of reassurance.

One of the few negative points of the notebook is the fact that its design may simply be too unusual for many people's tastes. Also, there is a relatively small amount of software included. However, for those who have an affinity for the Ferrari brand and a fondness for notebooks that stand out from the crowd, this is easy to recommend.

Contact: Acer 0870 900 2237
www.acer.co.uk