Performance and Conclusion
Performance
As I mentioned during the introduction to this review, taking a retrospective look at an older computer to compare its performance with newer hardware is difficult because the change is often so dramatic, older hardware simply won’t run newer benchmarks. Certainly I ran into this problem with the Acer Extensa 5420. But I was able to run a handful of common benchmarks, which we can use to provide us with a small window into the past.
This Acer Extensia tested here comes equipped with an AMD Turion 64 X2 processor running at 1.9 GHz. IN addition, it features 2GB of DDR2 RAM and ATI Radeon X1250 integrated graphics with 256MB of dedicated memory.
For comparison, I’m going to use a few modern laptops we’ve recently reviewed. One obvious pick is the ASUS K53T, which is powered by AMD’s latest A6 mobile processor. Another good pick is the MSI X370, which we reviewed with the AMD E-350 processor. Finally, we’ll use the Dell Inspiron 14z as a stand-in for what modern mid-range Intel laptops can offer. Here are their specifications.
As usual, we begin with SiSoft Sandra.
It’s interesting to see how drastically these two benchmarks split the performance of the Turion 64 X2 in this aging Acer. The processor arithmetic test goes well enough for the Turion, as it manages to defeat the E-350 in the MSI X370. The gap between this older processor and the more modern AMD A6-3400 found in the ASUS K53T is surprising, as well.
Yet when we turn to multimedia performance, we see that the Acer Extensa falls behind significantly. In my past testing experience with Sandra, the multimedia performance benchmark does seem to stress performance-per-clock and make extremely good use of all available cores. This, combined with things like new and/or improved multimedia instruction sets, contributes to the old Turion being left behind.
We have two other solid processor benchmarks that worked, those being 7-Zip and Peacekeeper. What did they reveal?
In 7-Zip the Turion manages to outpace the E-350 by about 500 points across the board, but doesn’t stand a chance of catching up to the newer AMD A6-3400. Of course, the Core i5 in the Dell outpaces them all by a large margin.
Peacekeeper, which tends to focus heavily on single-core performance, tells a different story. Here the Acer Extensa comes within 300 points of the newer ASUS K53T. Though this still represents an increase of about 30%, it’s surprising to see a processor from a five year old laptop come so close to a new, mainstream processor in any benchmark.
Graphics testing on the Acer was difficult, as it simply would refuse to launch any game recently used for benchmarking. Part of this is due to the fact the old integrated graphics component only support DirectX 9, but even Dawn of War: Retribution crashed consistently. In addition, the Acer can’t run all PCMark 7 tests nor can it run 3DMark Vantage or 3DMark 11.
As such, we’re left with 3DMark 06. How’d it score?
Ouch. It’s benchmark results like these that remind us why integrated graphics is still a four letter word to many geeks. Virtually every graphics component available in modern laptops, with the exception of Intel powered netbooks, has surpassed the performance of the Radeon X1250 by an order of magnitude.
Subjectively, the Acer Extensa feels more or less like a modern netbook so long as you stay away from HD video or 3D gaming. The system is equipped with Vista, and would probably feel quicker under Windows 7 – at least in my opinion. But programs generally open with acceptable speed, and web browsing feels little different than it does on a modern dual-core netbook like the MSI X370.
HD video brings the laptop to its knees, however, and most games simply won’t launch. Even titles that were old at the time the Acer was shipped, like Half Life 2, wouldn’t run at acceptable frame rates no matter the detail settings or resolution used. You’d have to enjoy Good Old Games to have any fun.
Conclusion
After spending some time with the Acer Extensa, I came away with the impression that the last five years of laptop design have largely been dominated by one goal – making laptops slimmer, sexier and more portable.
This laptop is gigantic. It’s also incredibly dull. Not even the cheapest Acer, Dell or HP laptop sold today is so inconsiderate as to offer the same attitude of unapologetic boredom. From the gray Tupperware-esqe plastics to the chunky frame to the beveled black keys, everything about this laptop is oppressively dull. It’s not a laptop that anyone will take a second glance at in public, except perhaps to remark in surprise that it’s still running.
You may not have to worry about that much, however, because simply taking it with you is a hassle, and if your destination lacks a power cord you won’t have more than two hours of use available.
Another are of issue are the touchpad, which is ridiculously small. And the performance, of course, is far superior to modern laptops – though the processor isn’t so far behind as you might have guessed.
For all its design issues, however, the Acer Extensa is distinctly better than modern laptops in two notable ways. The keyboard is excellent by today’s standards, mostly due to great key travel – something the laptop can offer because it is thick. Connectivity is a slap in the face to modern laptops. You’ll find this many ports only on modern enterprise laptops, and even then they may be short a USB port or two.
Both of these are features that get in the way of making laptops thinner and more portable, and so they’ve been axed. Is it for the better? Maybe, maybe not – certainly it’s convenient for geeks who never leave home without a PC in tow, but the additional ports and better keyboard can have real benefits for people who use their laptop as a desktop replacement.
Intel’s pushing of the ultrabook further displays this problem – most of those systems are well built and extremely portable, but they also tend to lack connectivity and offer keyboards that are stiff and lacking in key travel. Personally, I believe that there is a point at which it doesn’t make sense to insist on laptops being lighter, thinner and more portable than they already are. And we may be moving past that point right now.
Thanks for the look back. I
Thanks for the look back. I think the real take home message is that the older Turion processor still outpaced the E-350 modern chip. Guess I’ll hang to my Core 2 Duo notebook for some months more!
We want dedicated video cards
We want dedicated video cards or for integrated graphics to not stink. Not every PC has to be a gaming PC but even a basic main stream laptop should be able to play older games.
I’ve recently refurbished
I’ve recently refurbished this type of laptop for a friend and I was curious on your take. A similar Turion, but with 4GB DDR2, an Intel SSD, working ventilation and a new battery straight from Taiwan made this lappy surprisingly decent, bar HD & gaming as you pointed out. Then again on a 13*7 screen even 720p is a little pretentious 🙂
I hope you guys do more
I hope you guys do more reviews similar to this. A look back to some of the older processors and video cards would be appropriate. Just to see how far we have come, and for those of us looking for another excuse to upgrade. Maybe a heatsink and case as well?
I have recently been searching for comparisons to even graphics cards just two generations ago and have not found many except for a few forum questions with some very opinionated responses not grounded in fact. For example GTX 280/285, GT8800, and radeon 5870/5850 as well as crossfire and sli comparisons to the new generations will probably be a hot topic considering many people wait at least two generations to upgrade.
Comparing this many different products can be quite nebulous, but I hope you find a new intern that has plenty of time on their hands to put together something like this for us. 😉
HM
That is a really good idea
That is a really good idea for us – I think we can target a GPU style article on this topic pretty easily, if we limit the solutions tested.
Lol good read.
If not for the
Lol good read.
If not for the glossy screen boom of 2008-09, the total market shift to 16:9 aspect ratio of 2010, and the on again off again glossy plastic trend of 2004 – present, I’d be quite thrilled with contemporary notebookslaptops. You really can get a lot for your money these days, I’d just rather have a matte 16:10 or 4:3 screen.
This is a great laptop. It
This is a great laptop. It runs fast with over 60 firefox tabs open. The only complaint I have about this is the touchpad mouse isn’t very accurate. It will click on things when you haven’t actually clicked (clicking can be done by tapping the touchpad twice as well as the left click button, but if you lift your finger to move the touchpad farther to one side, then it sometimes interprets that as a click). Other times the mouse pointer will change position across the screen without you moving your finger. I don’t know if that’s an overall problem, or just a problem with mine, but if you can deal with the mouse, it’s a great laptop.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G4U11C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=emjay2d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001G4U11C
I have an old Extensa model
I have an old Extensa model 46307 with Vista. Overall it works pretty well for what I use it for. What annoys me is that while typing, I find myself in a completely different sentence or line. Is this a problem with the Extensa or is it Vista? It does not happen with my Lenovo running XP. Thanks!
I don’t have anything bad to
I don’t have anything bad to say about these laptops. They have a huge life span. From my point of view, it’s no wonder that an Acer is considered the best gaming laptop 2012.
The memory of my 5420’s
The memory of my 5420’s keyboard totally ruined me when I tried to start shopping for a new laptop early this year. Thanks for giving it its critical due.
I am struggling on with one
I am struggling on with one of these. It has not been a happy experience. The keyboard isn’t very nice. New flatter ones are worse. It came with XP, one of the last just as the Vista fiasco was brewing. Also one of the last with a PCMCIA slot for my ooollldd SmartMedia card reader. (The Olympus camera still goes well age 11). When new I put Norton Ghost aboard. OH DEAR! Couldn’t get it going properly, downloaded heaps of Acer stuff. In the end I sent it back for reformatting. Acer replaced the hard drive, presumably a ready to go one made for a quicker turnaround! I got a Seagate which I specifically did not want after an earlier adverse experience! To be fair that is still going ok.
I have always thought the rear power connector with a right-angle plug beside the USBs was in a STUPID place. And so it has proven, as this is now intermittent. I took it into a local repairer who quoted NZ$250 to fix as disassembly was complicated, this after a quick lookee-see for $50! Now the top is cracked both sides round the hinges! Dispute! New machine needed. NOT an Acer for me!
I was given an older acer
I was given an older acer extensa from a relative– the plastic behind the screen is broken to the point of no hindges holding it at ll– The wires must of broke or got pinched from opening it so many times– the hindges are soo tight that i had to put pliers to even get them to move.. It works fine with a external monitor plugged to it.. soo dissapointed in the quality of the thin plastic and the overly tight hindges…
Oh I forgot! My mouse jumps
Oh I forgot! My mouse jumps and my typing jumps as described above. I thought it was due to a problem after it came back from Acer. It only seems to happen if I rest my left hand on the case. Presumably the pressure activates the mouse pad somehow.
And there IS a webcam on mine. And mine was Intel. Confusing!
And it is SOO heavy. I miss my little Asus 14 laptop I had ages ago. Then the big ones cost more, now it is the other way round!
(Same correspondent as previous post)
damn thing wont power up
damn thing wont power up anymore
trys to turn on blinks a few times and repeats and then powers off
I acquired a acer extensa
I acquired a acer extensa 7620 from a relative, he said it just dont work anymore, looking at it, the both hindges where it openes and closes many timeswere broken and the back of the screen was broked, too thin material and the hindges move soo hard causing the plastic holding the screen to break, , it also apears that one of the 3 wires going to the screen could be broken or pinched from many openings and closings–
With a external monitor plugged in, it works fine.. I still havent found which wire is broken, hopefully i will — very poor quality on the strength of the most important part of the laptop !!
uhhhhhhhhh, what are they say
uhhhhhhhhh, what are they say about ?
Hi, writing this reply on a
Hi, writing this reply on a Acer Extensa 5420-5571, in 2015.
Still works great, thinking of putting in a ssd, using win 7`64 bit ultimate now.
Even play Hearthstone on it, although im using aftermarket «guru drivers so cards won`t be black, lol, run under admin. Because not meant for win 7 64 bit.
I don`t have over heat issues, your vents must be clogged and win xp also does over heat these laptops. Open up laptop vacuum out dust.
Thanks for belated review of this old laptop, enjoyed it.
Hey there, I just picked one
Hey there, I just picked one of these up in a trade yesterday .. mint condition, I slapped Lubuntu 15.10 , a linux distrobution on it instead of windows…. its running like a dream man … its speedy, its quiet, ive tweaked the graphics, through an equalizer on to help with the sound … Ive got 2 gigs of ddr2 ram …. If anyone has one of these i strongly suggest a lightweight linux distribution such as Lubuntu….