Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) review – Long Battery Life, Powerful Performance in a Budget-Friendly Package

There are many compact and powerful devices available, making it easy to find the right small machine for your office needs. The Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) is a 14-incher that is ready for work on the go. The device is powered by Intel Raptor Lake U-series CPU options. To keep the price at pleasant levels, the manufacturer uses DDR4 memory for this P2 series. Still, you get a pair of SODIMMs which makes the machine future-proof. When you add a good port selection to the mix, things look even better. The connectors are additionally reinforced with metal brackets which can be useful for harsh office usage that includes repeated use of many USB peripherals during the work day. Speaking of which, the Smart Card reader and the LTE connectivity are optional features.

You get a choice of two 1200p display variants. Both are based on IPS technology so you can rely on comfortable viewing angles plus a 16:10 aspect ratio. Yes, the screen is taller and it boasts more vertical display space for work. The base security options are fine – a Kensington lock slot, a dTPM 2.0 chip, and a privacy shutter. The preinstalled Acer ProShield Security Manager app offers functionality such as App Guard, Browser Guard, File Shredder, and File Encryption. For an additional amount of money, you can opt for a fingerprint reader, an IR Web camera, and a vPro CPU.

The Dust Defender system is on board. You can activate it manually when the CPU isn’t heavily loaded but the function also activates on its own during the day. In short, the fan spins counterclockwise to blow dust out through a small opening on the bottom panel.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-travelmate-p2-tmp214-55/

Contents


Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box

Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) - Specs

  • MB140DS01-3 (HKC6091)
  • Color accuracy  4.0  3.9
  • HDD/SSD
  • up to 512GB SSD
  • RAM
  • up to 32GB
  • OS
  • Windows 11 Pro, No OS, DOS, Windows 11 Home
  • Battery
  • 50Wh
  • Body material
  • Plastic / Polycarbonate
  • Dimensions
  • 319.9 x 235.4 x 19.95 - 22.95 mm (12.59" x 9.27" x 0.79")
  • Weight
  • 1.47 kg (3.2 lbs)
  • Ports and connectivity
  • 1x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), Sleep and Charge
  • 1x USB Type-C
  • Thunderbolt 4, Power Delivery (PD)
  • HDMI
  • 2.1
  • Card reader
  • microSD (microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC)
  • Ethernet LAN
  • 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
  • Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax
  • Bluetooth
  • 5.1
  • Audio jack
  • 3.5mm Combo Jack
  • Features
  • Fingerprint reader
  • optional
  • Web camera
  • FHD with Temporal Noise Reduction
  • Backlit keyboard
  • optional
  • Microphone
  • 2x Microphones with Acer Purified Voice
  • Speakers
  • 2x Stereo Speakers, DTS Audio
  • Optical drive
  • Security Lock slot

All Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) configurations

#CommissionsEarned

Drivers

All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/product-support/TMP214-55/downloads?suggest=TMP214-55;0

What’s in the box?

The box contains the laptop itself, a bit of paperwork, and a 65W Type-C or barrel plug charger.


Design and construction

A quick look at the Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55), and we can immediately spot the design similarity with the 16-inch TravelMate P2 (TMP216-51). The plastic chassis is rigid. The lid can be flexed but just a tiny bit and you can press down the section below the keyboard. This isn’t an issue during usage since the keyboard deck doesn’t wobble while typing.

The lid opens easily with one hand and while doing so you can feel that the bottom feet provide excellent grip. The matte surface in Steel Gray color attracts only a small amount of smudges. Now, the machine isn’t among the thinnest 14-incher with a profile thickness of 19.95 – 22.95 mm. The starting weight for the laptop with the base 3-cell 50Wh battery is 1.47 kilos and it can reach 1.61 kg if your device is equipped with a 4-cell 65Wh unit.

The bezels around the display aren’t old-school thick but they aren’t thin either.

You can choose between two Web cameras with privacy shutters and TNR (Temporal Noise Reduction). The default one is a 720p@30FPS model and you can get the optional 1080p@60FPS variant with HDR and IR functionality for Windows Hello.

Because of the 180-degree hinge mechanism, the notebook can lay fully flat on your desk which is pretty handy while sharing some on-screen information with your colleagues.

The two tall speaker grills are on the sides of the spill-resistant keyboard with an optional backlight. As you can see, the keycaps are large and generously spaced. The board is suitable for long typing sessions because of the long travel and clicky feedback. There is one con here and that’s the half-sized “Up” and “Down” Arrow keys which are hard to press during work.

The big moisture-resistant touchpad with an OceanGlass cover also houses an optional fingerprint reader in the top left corner. The pad’s smoothness and tracking are good but not the best.

If you flip the device upside down, you’ll see two long rubber feet, a battery reset pinhole, and a big ventilation grill with a small hole on its top left side which is for the Acer Dust Defender system. The hot air is being exhausted via one vent on the rear. Yep, a bit of heat reaches the display if the CPU is loaded at max.

Ports

On the left side, you get a power connector, a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 port with DisplayPort and charging capabilities (65W DC-in), an HDMI 2.0, and a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port with a power-off charging function. Both microSD Card and Smart Card (option) readers are located on the front. On the right side, there is a Kensington lock slot, LAN, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, an Audio combo jack, and an optional SIM card slot.


Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles

Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) is equipped with a WUXGA (Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array) IPS panel, model number MB140DS01-3 (HKC6091). It comes with a 60Hz refresh rate. Its diagonal is 14.0″ (35.5 cm), and the resolution – 1920 x 1200p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:10, the pixel density – 162 ppi, and their pitch – 0.16 x 0.16 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 54 cm (this is based on the pixel density and the typical viewing distance at which individual pixels cannot be distinguished by the human eye).

Viewing angles are good. We offer images at different angles to evaluate the quality.

Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.

The maximum measured brightness is 292 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 280 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 8%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6500K.
In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective. The illustration below shows how matters are for operational brightness levels (approximately 180 nits) – in this particular case at 61% Brightness (White level = 179 cd/m2, Black level = 0.11 cd/m2).
Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The contrast ratio is very good – 1840:1.

To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.

Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.

Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.

The yellow dotted line shows Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55)’s color gamut coverage.

Its display covers 50% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976 and 39% of DCI-P3.

Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature at 180 cd/m2 luminance (Illuminant white point – D65), sRGB encoding curve.

We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc. You can check out the results at factory condition and also, with the “Design and Gaming” profile.

Below you can compare the scores of the Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right).

The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light.

The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is enhanced with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.

Response time (Gaming capabilities)

We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.

We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 20 ms.

After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.

Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)

Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the backlight is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.

Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55)’s display doesn’t flicker at any brightness level. This makes the screen pretty comfortable for long periods of use.

Health Impact: Blue light emissions

Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.

Health Impact: Gloss-level measurement

Glossy-coated displays are sometimes inconvenient in high ambient light conditions. We show the level of reflection on the screen for the respective laptop when the display is turned off and the measurement angle is 60° (in this case, the result is 57.3 GU).

High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU

Sound

Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55)’s speakers produce a sound of good quality. However, the low, mid, and high tones all have some slight deviations from clarity.

Buy our profiles

Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) configurations with 14.0″ MB140DS01-3 (HKC6091) (1920 x 1200) IPS.

*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].

Read more about the profiles HERE.

In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.

Office Work

Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.

Design and Gaming

This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.

Health-Guard

Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.

Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount


Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage

All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Performance” mode activated in the Acer Quick Access app. Also, the “Best performance” preset is applied in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu.

CPU options

This laptop can be found with Intel Core i3-1315U, Core i5-1335U, Core i5-1345U, Core i7-1355U, or Core i7-1365U.

Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.

Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.

Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)

Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.

Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

GPU options

All devices of this Acer series rely on the iGPU inside the CPU.

Gaming tests

cs-go-benchmarks

CS:GOHD 1080p, Low (Check settings)HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings)HD 1080p, MAX (Check settings)
Average FPS136 fps72 fps33 fps

DOTA 2HD 1080p, Low (Check settings)HD 1080p, Normal (Check settings)HD 1080p, High (Check settings)
Average FPS69 fps50 fps33 fps

Storage performance

Our laptop has a 512GB KINGSTON OM8SEP4512Q-AA. This Gen 4 SSD isn’t exactly fast but it reaches a high temperature of 73°C during benchmarking. Still, we didn’t observe thermal throttling.


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🛠️ GPU Modifications: vBIOS, Overclocking, Undervolting
⚙️ Building Fast/Reliable RAID configuration
💻 Hardware upgrade tips for best results
🖼 Display enhancing
💾 OS Optimization for best performance


Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life

Max CPU load

In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.

Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power

Intel Core i5-1335U (15W TDP)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55)4.04 GHz @ 3.10 GHz @ 77°C @ 55W3.28 GHz @ 2.34 GHz @ 80°C @ 35W2.96 GHz @ 2.07 GHz @ 76°C @ 28W
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 6 (Intel)3.18 GHz @ 2.60 GHz @ 73°C @ 44W0.90 GHz @ 1.35 GHz @ 55°C @ 13W0.97 GHz @ 1.35 GHz @ 55°C @ 13W
Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 23.77 GHz @ 2.92 GHz @ 74°C @ 49W3.64 GHz @ 2.86 GHz @ 88°C @ 48W2.13 GHz @ 1.66 GHz @ 69°C @ 21W
HP 470 G102.14 GHz @ 1.62 GHz @ 55°C @ 19W1.87 GHz @ 1.51 GHz @ 59°C @ 16W1.91 GHz @ 1.57 GHz @ 69°C @ 17W
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)3.45 GHz @ 2.55 GHz @ 65°C @ 45W3.08 GHz @ 2.33 GHz @ 67°C @ 38W2.50 GHz @ 1.94 GHz @ 59°C @ 28W
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 4 (Intel)3.24 GHz @ 2.34 GHz @ 79°C @ 33W3.12 GHz @ 2.29 GHz @ 89°C @ 32W1.72 GHz @ 1.39 GHz @ 65°C @ 15W
HP EliteBook 640 G103.78 GHz @ 2.88 GHz @ 83°C @ 50W2.75 GHz @ 1.96 GHz @ 77°C @ 26W2.35 GHz @ 1.77 GHz @ 76°C @ 23W
Acer TravelMate P4 (TMP413-51)3.52 GHz @ 2.67 GHz @ 77°C @ 44W3.27 GHz @ 2.45 GHz @ 82°C @ 41W2.16 GHz @ 1.67 GHz @ 64°C @ 22W
HP EliteBook 650 G103.73 GHz @ 2.87 GHz @ 88°C @ 49W2.81 GHz @ 2.09 GHz @ 90°C @ 29W2.50 GHz @ 1.88 GHz @ 81°C @ 24W
HP 250 G103.33 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 73°C @ 40W3.08 GHz @ 2.23 GHz @ 85°C @ 35W2.11 GHz @ 1.76 GHz @ 76°C @ 22W
ASUS Vivobook 17 F1704 (X1704)3.10 GHz @ 2.14 GHz @ 71°C @ 30W3.09 GHz @ 2.16 GHz @ 89°C @ 30W1.97 GHz @ 1.67 GHz @ 70°C @ 18W
ASUS Vivobook 15 F1504 (X1504)2.99 GHz @ 2.07 GHz @ 66°C @ 28W2.94 GHz @ 2.07 GHz @ 81°C @ 28W2.02 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 75°C @ 18W
Acer Aspire 5 (A515-58M)2.05 GHz @ 2.74 GHz @ 61°C @ 47W1.81 GHz @ 2.54 GHz @ 64°C @ 40W1.22 GHz @ 2.23 GHz @ 61°C @ 28W
HP ProBook 440 G102.39 GHz @ 2.93 GHz @ 93°C @ 50W1.51 GHz @ 2.29 GHz @ 92°C @ 30W0.94 GHz @ 1.87 GHz @ 72°C @ 19W
HP ProBook 450 G103.41 GHz @ 2.79 GHz @ 94°C @ 48W2.80 GHz @ 2.17 GHz @ 94°C @ 31W1.87 GHz @ 2.04 GHz @ 81°C @ 23W
Acer Swift Go 16 (SFG16-71)3.29 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 65°C @ 45W3.06 GHz @ 2.37 GHz @ 71°C @ 42W1.80 GHz @ 1.98 GHz @ 61°C @ 28W
Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga Gen 31.91 GHz @ 1.20 GHz @ 63°C @ 19W1.86 GHz @ 0.90 GHz @ 74°C @ 14W1.83 GHz @ 0.90 GHz @ 60°C @ 13W

With a CPU clock of ~4.0 GHz / 3.10 GHz for the P and E clocks in short loads and ~3.0 GHz / 2.10 GHz in long stress, the TravelMate P2 is one of the best-performing devices with a Core i5-1335U that we have tested up to date.

Gaming comfort

The Quick Access app offers three power modes. It’s great to see that the single fan remains almost quiet even when the CPU is heavily loaded in “Performance mode”. In this case, the keyboard feels a bit warm to the touch but not hot.

In the screenshots below, you can check the frequency difference between the power modes when the CPU is doing the heavy lifting. No matter the preset, the laptop always feels fast because even when the “Silent mode” is turned on, you can rely on a ~2.50 GHz P-core clock!

Battery

Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Best Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. This laptop’s 50Wh battery lasts for around 9 hours of video playback. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Best Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and select the “Normal mode” in the Acer Quick Access app.


Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better


Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance

To gain access to the internals, you have to undo 11 Philips-head screws. Pop the zones behind the hinges with a lever tool. This will create sizable gaps in the top two corners between the chassis and panel. Then, work your way around the sides, the front, and the rear.

The battery isn’t fixed to the base with screws because there is a dedicated socket for it on the inside of the bottom plate that secures the unit in place.

Here, we have a 50Wh battery but you can opt for the optional 65Wh model. To take it out, detach the connector from the motherboard and just lift the battery away from the base. The capacity is enough for around 9 hours of video playback.

The memory section is covered with foil.

According to Acer, the two SODIMMs can handle up to 64GB of DDR4-3200MHz RAM in dual-channel mode. However, since the CPU can support up to 96GB, this laptop likely wouldn’t have issues running a larger amount of memory than the official manufacturer’s specified limit.


In terms of storage, you get just one M.2 slot compatible with Gen 4 SSDs.  The WWAN slot for LTE connectivity and the Wi-Fi card are placed close to the cooling fan.

The thermal system looks modest which is normal for an iGPU-only laptop. It has one fan, two heat pipes, a single top-mounted heat sink, and a heat spreader.


Verdict

If you don’t want to spend a whole fortune on a new 14-inch machine but need to buy a snappy laptop with good battery life, the Acer TravelMate P2 (TMP214-55) can give you all that without breaking the bank. The chassis may be made of plastic but it’s solid for the most part and its matte surface isn’t a fingerprint magnet. The input devices are also good for work. This reminds us that the single fan is almost quiet during long CPU loads. The thermal system may look unpretentious but it’s capable. The CPU can sustain ~3.00 GHz / 2.10 GHz P and E-core clock which is a record-breaking result for a Core i5-1335U-based laptop. Our notebook will not top any benchmark charts since the overall performance is a bit hindered by the DDR4 memory in single-channel mode.

The base 1200p display MB140DS01-3 (HKC6091) is suitable for normal business tasks. The PWM-free unit offers wide viewing angles and a very good contrast ratio of 1840:1. The screen’s main con is the narrow 50% sRGB coverage. The upgradability is good thanks to the two SODIMMs for future RAM expanion. Unfortunately, you get just one M.2 slot for storage. The base port selection is decent for a 14-incher – three USB connectors, HDMI 2.0, and a LAN. The input devices are comfortable but don’t forget that the keyboard backlight is optional.

Overall, this TravelMate P2 machine impresses with long battery life, good build quality, decent upgradability and port selection, alongside great CPU clocks under load.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-travelmate-p2-tmp214-55/

Pros

  • Long battery life given the small capacity of 50Wh – around 9 hours of video playback.
  • Comfortable input devices
  • Well-priced machine
  • Rigid chassis
  • 180-degree hinge
  • PWM-free (HKC6091)
  • Wide viewing angles and a very good contrast ratio of 1840:1 (HKC6091)
  • Decent I/O
  • Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.1
  • Optional fingerprint reader, 1080p@60FPS IR Web camera, Smart Card slot, and LTE functionality
  • 2x SODIMMs
  • A potent cooling system that allows impressively high CPU clocks during heavy processor stress (~3.00 GHz / 2.10 GHz P and E-core clock)
  • Has a MicroSD card slot and optional LTE support
  • Good comfort under load
  • Dust Defender system


Cons

  • High NVMe temperatures during benchmarking
  • Plastic build
  • Low sRGB coverage (HKC6091)

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