Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
The Acer TravelMate P645 is a sleek, attractive, sturdy, and fully-featured enterprise laptop well-suited to the workplace and business trips alike.
It even compares favorably with rivals like the HP ZBook 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Acer's is lighter, but less powerful, than the former while heavier but better-equipped than the latter. And it beats both in the important area of battery life, which is no small advantage.
We liked
Again, you can't argue with that battery life, which is acceptable with normal use and even better if you're trying specifically to keep the computer alive as long as possible.
The TravelMate is as attractive as an enterprise laptop can get while still remaining all-business on the outside. It's inconspicuous without being ugly. And added security features like the Acer ProShield suite and fingerprint reader are easily appreciated.
Back to its design, the materials that Acer used and the TravelMate's build quality feel pleasant overall, from the low-action keyboard to the responsive mouse buttons. Finally, that you can order the laptop with Windows 7 (if Windows 8.1 isn't your thing) is a major bonus.
We disliked
I had trouble with the TravelMate's Synaptics touchpad, though I've also used far worse inputs. And it's not ideal that the speakers are located on the bottom.
Even worse are the pestering pop-ups and occasional crashes. Those could be due to any number of factors, but it's irksome to think the laptop might fail me for no reason at some crucial moment.
Lastly, this TravelMate's relatively small screen and dense resolution might make websites and other content hard to read for some users.
Final verdict
The Acer TravelMate P645 is a fine budget option for business users. If any configuration of this notebook falls within your (or your company's) price range, there's no significant reason against choosing the TravelMate over its pricier competition.
If you can enjoy its quality feel and reassuring security features, while ignoring its slightly irritating flaws, you'll have a solid tool on your hands. Otherwise (i.e. if you have the cash to spend), look to this laptop's more expensive rivals.
