The Acer Aspire 5536 features a decent 15.6inch screen encased within a blue exterior and a curved case that makes this laptop feel strong, sturdy and reassuringly solid.
Under the bonnet the Acer Aspire 5536 is hiding an AMD Athlon X2 this is only a problem for intensive computing tasks but the 2GB of inclusive RAM will keep this laptop responsive. However, an upgrade even to 3GB will illustrate a noticeable increase in responsiveness.
The battery has an average life of about 3 hours but then again a 3kg, 15.6inch laptop is not specifically designed to be portable besides the journey up and down the stairs. Nonetheless, you do also get a 250GB hard drive, wireless, four USB ports but unfortunately no Bluetooth. However, a Bluetooth dongle can be bought now days for around £8.99 such as the Edimax Mini BlueTooth V2.1 USB Dongle.
The 15.6inch screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio which is perfect for watching movies. In addition, the screen is bright and clear and the LED backlighting means that it is evenly lit but the glossy screen can be overly reflective.
The keyboard is full size, comfortable and solid and rivals some of the more premium laptops on the market. Nonetheless, the gaps between the keys may very well collect dust and dirt. In addition, the keypad is rather awkward and overly sensitive and being placed slightly to the left is very easily brushed with the underside of your wrist. Laptop speakers are never a thing of grace and these are certainly tinny and quite but they are loud enough to fill a room if you wish to watch a movie.
The Acer Aspire 5536 does have its flaws but for a student or an average laptop user this is more than sufficient. The hard drive is large, the RAM keeps the laptop responsive, the GMA ensures you can watch films and the screen is large.