There probably isn't a man alive who hasn't dreamt of having a flaming red Ferrari in the garage, before returning to the real world where that sort of price is well beyond his range.

Likewise, the gadget-minded businessman who'd like to own a notebook that's a cut above the legion of silver-and-black would normally be on a hopeless quest. But now, thanks to a unique partnership between Acer and Scuderia Ferrari, you can own a bit of gleaming scarlet technology that will impress your friends.

One glance at the highly polished red cover with the embossed Ferrari logo tells you that this is going to be one sophisticated piece of machinery, with the same colour extending down the sides and to the bespoke USB optical mouse. This is the second incarnation of the Acer/Ferrari partnership following the earlier 3000 model, but the difference is all about the power under the elegant lid.

The 3000LMi had a mobile Athlon XP-M 2500+ processor, whereas its successor has the low-power mobile Athlon 64 2800+ processor, which not only delivers leading-edge 32-bit ability but is ready to showcase 64-bit technology that is still under development.

Graphics needs are also taken seriously, using the heavyweight ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 128MB dedicated video RAM; more than sufficient to play memory-hungry games and prepare complicated presentations. The base system has 512MB DDR RAM, which can be extended to 2GB, plus an 80GB hard drive.

Users will also appreciate the clarity and brightness of the 15-inch TFT display, while the DVD-Super Multi optical drive allows you to both play and record DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM (and play DVD-ROM, of course) which is a boon in an industry that still hasn't decided on a single agreed format.

Similarly, a 4-in-1 card reader allows access to any files that use MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital (SD), SmartMedia or Memory Stick. Data transfer is via FireWire (IEEE 1394) and four USB 2.0 ports. In addition there's a PC Card Type II slot, a parallel port, DC in, S-video TV out, FIR (fast infra-red) and support for simultaneous display on LCD and external monitor.

There's the usual wireless LAN 802.11g connection plus a Bluetooth option, and the standard e-mail, Internet and two programmable buttons that come as standard on Acer notebooks. On average there's about three hours of battery life (a half-hour improvement on the 3000 model) and the keyboard is the distinctive FineTouch style with a five degree curve.

With an acceptable weight of 3.0 kg, you won't be rubbing your shoulder too raw as you carry this aesthetically sculpted laptop to your next meeting.

Verdict
Gorgeous to look at and packing a powerful punch under the bonnet (although similar specs can be found elsewhere), this is one of the rare occasions where a notebook lives up to its elegant name.

Company: Acer

Contact: 0870 900 2237

Tags: acer scuderia ferrari universal serial bus multimediacard smartmedia dvd ieee 1394 interface hardware