The Ferrari 1100 includes a 12.1-inch wide-screen display with a native resolution of 1,280×800. While that sharpness occasionally results in text that’s too small to read, we found it workable for everyday word processing and Web surfing. Mobile workers looking for a flashy productivity tool probably won’t like the screen’s glossy coating. The coating resulted in some reflections in our office environment. Unfortunately there is not an option for a display with a matte finish. But home users who want a highly portable media machine will likely enjoy watching movies on the Ferrari 1100. Above the display sits a 1.3-megapixel Webcam with a single microphone for Web videoconferencing.

Acer has done its best to alleviate this by cramming as many high end features into the Ferrari 1100 as possible. Thus, in support of the CPU is 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM running in dual-channel mode, a shock protected 250GB 5400rpm SATA HDD and a very nice 1,280 x 800 LED backlit screen. Naturally, to complement the 4GB RAM, you also get Vista Ultimate 64-bit that unlike the more regular 32-bit OS can use all that system memory to the fullest.

Processor
Processor family
AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile
Processor
AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-66
Processor clock speed
2300 MHz
Chipset
AMD M690T
L2 cache
1 MB

Disk drive
Hard disk interface
SATA
Total storage capacity
250 GB

Display
Display
WXGA TFT LCD
Display diagonal
12.1 ”
Display resolution
1280 x 800 pixels

Memory
Internal memory
4096 MB
Internal memory type
DDR2 SDRAM

Storage media
Compatible memory cards
SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro/xD

Video
Graphic adapter
ATI Radeon Xpress 1270

Optical drive
Optical drive type
DVD±RW

Audio
Number of built-in speakers
2

Keyboard
Keyboard function keys
12
Keyboard number of keys
84

Camera
Camera included
yes

Networking
Internal modem
yes
Networking features
Gigabit Ethernet
Wake-on-Ring ready
yes
Wireless technology
IEEE 802.11a/g/n
Modem type
ITU V.92
Modem speed
56 Kbit/s
Wake-on-LAN ready
yes
Bluetooth
yes
Bluetooth version
2.0+EDR

Operating system/software
Bundled software
Acer® Empowering Technology (eAudio, eDataSecurity, eLock, eRecovery, eSettings, eNet, ePower, ePresentation), Acer® Bio-Protection Acer® Crystal Eye, Acer® GridVista, Acer® Launch Manager, Acer® Video Conference Manager, Adobe® Acrobat® Reader, CyberLink® PowerDVD™, Norton Internet Security™, NTI CD-Maker™
Operating system provided
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition

Like most ultraportables, the Acer Ferrari 1100’s tiny case requires a compact keyboard. But we were surprised to find that typing for extended periods was easy, perhaps in part because the keys are slightly separated from each other and have a satisfying spring. The touch pad is likewise compact, but it has a textured surface, which provides enough drag to make the small area usable. The groovy metallic mouse buttons, engraved with “Ferrari 1100,” have been placed right below the touch pad (an improvement over previous Ferrari models). Above the keyboard are three glowing light-touch keys, next to a Ferrari logo, all of which disappear when the laptop is powered down. On the upper left corner are a large power button and a smaller button that launches Acer’s custom setup and configuration software. With the exception of the power button, all the keys above the keyboard can be programmed to launch any application. Below the keyboard is a fingerprint reader that lets you log on to Windows and frequently used Web sites with the swipe of a finger.

The Acer Ferrari 1100’s case is a little larger than most ultraportables. The size helps accommodate the ports and connections you would expect to find on a larger thin-and-light laptop. For example, it’s the rare ultraportable that incorporates both S/PDIF and audio line-out jacks. The laptop’s Dolby “virtual surround” sound doesn’t do much for sound quality; though well-balanced, music and movies still sound thin. We were pleased, however, by the laptop’s slot-loading DVD burner, which maintains the sleek case design and is easier to use in cramped spaces, such as airplane tray tables. As with other Ferrari models, Acer throws in a Ferrari-branded mouse and a tiny, coordinating Bluetooth VoIP phone.