The laptop's plastic and thin metal components don't make for a rigid enough frame to resist flexing and bending when you press down or even just open the lid, and on our review unit, there's a gap in the seam near the DVD drive and the right side of the keyboard tray bulges slightly. All in all, the Ultra M3 looks great when turned off, but build quality and ergonomics aren't nearly so good. The lid has a thin aluminum alloy cover of the same matte black, which feels nice and cool to the touch. It's a shame Acer had to cover the palmrest with Intel, Nvidia and Windows logo stickers, but amusingly Acer tries to make them blend in: they're of a greyish silver color that doesn't completely clash with the rest of the design. Save the gunmetal-grey keyboard tray and a pair of shiny silver Acer logos, the entire chassis has a sleek, textured matte black finish that feels good in the hand, resists fingerprints, and whose polished surfaces gleam when light hits them just right. The Aspire Ultra M3 may be primarily made of plastic, but it's actually a fairly handsome design.
