Review by Joseph Garcia
In 2003, Acer became an official supplier to the legendary Scuderia Ferrari Formula One
team, meeting its IT needs by supplying high-performance notebooks, PCs, servers and monitors.
Continuing the winning tradition of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team in 2004, Acer has designed
the Ferrari 3200 for exceptional performance, speedy connectivity and brilliant graphics. Acer
raised notebook craftsmanship to a new level with the 3200's super-high-gloss, scratch-resistant exterior.
On this new model, an extra glossy finish was achieved compared to its predecessor, the Ferrari 3000. It's
so glossy you'd actually want to wax it.
Blazing ahead of the crowd with advanced Mobile AMD Athlon 64-bit technology, this notebook
is the epitome of power and performance. It utilizes AMD64 technology to run today's 32-bit applications
efficiently and, at the same time, remains poised for tomorrow's 64-bit technology. The Ferrari 3200 stands out as one
of the few notebooks to use a powerful 64-bit processor as compared to most 32-bit notebooks out in the market.
The Ferrari 3200 is endowed with one of the most advanced AGP graphics card - the ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700.
Operating with 128MB of video memory coupled with 512MB of DDR333 RAM, intense 3D gaming will impress even
the most hard-core of gamers on its 15-inch, 200-nit high-brightness TFT LCD screen. This was put to the test when
I benchmarked the Ferrari 3200 with 3DMark 03 Professional Edition. It clocked in a whopping 3402 3DMarks! I'm sure
not a lot of notebooks, or even desktops, can match this one.
WLAN 802.11g and gigabit Ethernet offer Internet access at warp speed. Connecting to the wireless LAN standard
802.11g will allow you download speeds of up to 54 Mbps. Wi-Fi compatibility is assured as you move between Wi-Fi
zones based on the 802.11b/g standard. Head to head with another notebook using the same 802.11 b/g standard,
signal strength was noticeably better on the Ferrari 3200. This resulted in sustained high transfer rates even at a
distance. Incorporating Acer's SignalUp technology and its ultra-efficient antenna design, the Ferrari 3200 can roam
further with enhanced wireless LAN connectivity. One of the first notebooks to offer gigabit Ethernet, the Ferrari 3200
offers users the fastest possible LAN connection.
Being Bluetooth-enabled, the Ferrari 3200 leaves you unfettered by cables when connecting to other Bluetooth-enabled
devices. And if you ever find yourself without broadband, Acer has provided a trusty 56K modem to ensure you can log on
anywhere, anytime.
Like the finely-tuned race car that the Ferrari is, the 3200 is loaded with every option necessary to make it a world-class
machine. It's myriad of features include a slot-load DVD-Super Multi optical drive, 4-in-1 card reader (supporting MultiMedia
Card, Secure Digital, SmartMedia, and Sony's Memory Stick) and a huge 80GB hard disc drive. An additional FireWire
(IEEE 1394) port affords lightning-fast data transfers while four USB 2.0 ports provide ample flexibility to connect to an
array of popular peripherals.
Bursting with many distinctive features, this notebook is bound to become a collectible. Acer has raised the bar and delivered
a powerful, brilliant and ultra-mobile PC. If only for the brand value, the Ferrari 3200 is worth its weight in gold. The
Ferrari 3200 retails for P138,000.
GRINS
? ultra-slick form factor
? super-fast 64-bit technology
? impressive connectivity
? monster memory
GRIMACES
? pricey, but then anything with a Ferrari logo is
? so fast you might need a helmet to use it
THE LOWDOWN
If you can't park a real Ferrari in front of your fave wireless hotspot, booting up this little red sex machine as you sip your
latte is the next best thing.
