Acer Aspire AS5742G-7200

Acer Aspire AS5742G-7200

The Acer Aspire 5742G-7200 is not currently available on Acer's Web site, but a nearly identical equivalent is the Acer Aspire 5742G-5464G50Mnkk. For some, the purpose of a laptop isn't to be exciting or sexy, so much as to be functional. Those who feel that way might appreciate the Acer Aspire 5742G-7200, an utterly uninspiring 15.6-inch laptop that, nevertheless, has a pretty good set of specs for its $750 price: an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce GT420M graphics, a 500GB hard drive, and 4GB of RAM. You'll be saving money over the competition: the entry-level Dell XPS 15 costs $100 more. However, the XPS 15 features a more modern design, additional ports such as USB 3.0, far better speakers, and a better touch pad. You'll have to decide whether a bit of savings or better features matter more. For deal hunters, it's hard to beat what this Acer Aspire offers; however, its plastic-feeling construction, lack of high-end features, and middling battery life make it difficult to recommend outside of the budget category. Thick and clad in a matte, patterned black plastic, this Acer Aspire has a look and feel that scream budget from the get-go.