Acer TravelMate is an alternative to the legions of Dell Latitudes and Lenovo ThinkPads that make up the world of enterprise-class business laptops. The entry-level Intel Core i5 configuration reviewed here is a lightweight, sturdy notebook with a 14-inch display that bears many similarities to our Editors’ Choice for best business ultraportable laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

With stodgy styling and a few missing corporate security features, the TravelMate isn’t quite as good as the X1 Carbon, and it’s not much cheaper, either. But it’s still worth a look for businesses that need a lightweight yet full-featured laptop.

Depending on the model, the TravelMate series’ standard features may include an full specter of actual ports, include an Ethernet adapter, and one or more PC Card slots. They also may include a docking ports, an optical drive, and one VGA port. The versions with soldered memory is uncommon. The more hi-end models come with professional graphics cards. The TPM chip is also a common option.

The laptop’s left side offers Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, and USB 3.1 Type-A ports, along with an audio jack and the socket for the AC adapter. Another USB 3.1 Type-A port joins a microSD card slot, an Ethernet port, and a security cable locking notch on the right.

This is an excellent port selection for such a thin-and-light laptop. The machine isn’t even thick enough to accommodate a conventional Ethernet port, so Acer uses a drop-hinge “jaw”-type port that opens when you plug a cable into it. While the hinge may eventually wear out, it’s preferable to a proprietary Ethernet port like the one on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which requires a special adapter.

Finally, Cackle Telecommunications is proud to provide Acer TravelMate to NZ businesses. Explore our selection to find the solution that’s right for you.