Acer PC Pros & Cons

Acer, founded by Stan Shih in 1976, is a Taiwan-based computer manufacturer that is known particularly for two of its top selling brands--the Aspire and the Ferrari. Originally named Multitech, Acer is the third-largest producer of laptops in the world, only behind Hewlett Packard and Dell. Acer is intensely price competitive and competes with rivals on a platform of lowest-price-offered.

Probably the best Acer attribute is providing value for the money. The Aspire series are budget machines with features that are not available in other laptops that are comparably priced. Originally targeted for college students and young adults, Aspire laptops outsell the best models from Dell and HP. For the average user, a consistently reliable computer with modest features is more desirable than an unnecessarily fast machine that needs more maintenance and technical know-how to operate. Acer realized this with the Aspire. Another success story, but at the opposite end of the price spectrum, is the Ferrari series. Acer, in association with Italian car-maker Ferrari, released laptops for the high-end customer. Overall, Acer laptops deliver on quality, and are a practical option for those thinking about buying their first laptop.

The company makes a wide range of products including notebooks, netbooks, personal digital assistants, desktops, display monitors and software applications. Company products are featured often in consumer magazines and on consumer websites. Acer's tablet PCs are solid hand-held devices. The TravelMate and Extensa series were designed for business people and users with increased mobility needs.

There have been complaints that the laptops sometimes are too sensitive or delicate. Even though the computers appear durable, a single fall could cause a hardware component like a cooling fan or a removable disk (CD or DVD) to break. Acer's warranty management and customer service policies have caused frustration. Acer spare parts are not available at retail outlets, and the company asks that troubled laptops be shipped to the firm for repairs. Even if a machine is under warranty, the company charges customers for shipping.