Acer Aspire 9810-6829 Notebook (2GHz Core 2 Duo Mobile, 2GB DDR2, 320GB, DVD?RW DL, Windows Vista Ultimate, 20.1" TFT)

Overall, the 9810 would be excellent for any stationary purpose, but especially for working in multiple windows. The keyboard is quite comfortable. The 1.5-watt Acer 3Dsonic stereo speakers plus 4-watt BasSonic subwoofer produce loud, rich sound.

We reviewed the beefier of two preconfigured Aspire 9810 models. Our test unit's dual 5400-rpm 160GB hard drives are fast and can hold 320GB of content. Ports, connections and slots on the notebook include a card reader, an ExpressCard slot for next-generation peripherals, and serial and parallel ports for older peripherals. You also get a DVI-D port (for connecting an LCD monitor), four USB ports, a dual-layer DVD writer, audio ports (featuring a S/PDIF port) on the front, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switches with status LEDs. All of the connections except the power port are logically laid out, but it is squeezed in so close to the TV tuner connection on the back that you'll have to turn the cord so both can fit.

In addition to having the usual coaxial adapter cable for connecting the notebook to a set-top box or other home cable setup, the 9810 comes with a hybrid digital/analog antenna that hooks onto the top of the screen to help pick up analog or high-def signals from the airwaves. Another nice multimedia feature: Instead of the usual clumsy USB box connected by a long cable, the receiver for the Windows Media Center remote control is a no-muss, no-fuss thumb drive.

The 9810-6829 can run any operation well and juggles multiple open windows like a champ. In gaming, its 256MB Nvidia GeForce Go 7600 dedicated graphics chip helped it achieve frame rates that were plenty fast enough for playing Doom and Far Cry without skips or artifacts. The Acer's 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 chip, 2GB of RAM, and Windows Vista Ultimate operating system enabled it to turn in a strong WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 75, virtually identical to the the HP Pavilion dv9000t's 74.

If you want the biggest, easiest-to-view notebook screen, the $2999 (as of April 11, 2007) Acer 9810-6829 is the obvious choice. You may also want to peel off a few more bucks to fetch a wireless keyboard and mouse. But if you already have trouble fitting a laptop on your cluttered desk, you may need to start by replacing your desk.

Carla Thornton