Acer laptop $299.99 no rebates

[allisolm]

CompUSA is having this Acer notebook for $299.99 - no rebates on Friday, Nov2 and Saturday Nov 3.

Intel Celeron M 1.6GHz
512mb RAM
80gb drive
memory card reader
DVD player/cd burner
.11g wireless
modem
15.4" screen
Vista basic

Entire ad here.

 

[techgamer]

how many generations old is that cpu?

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: techgamer
how many generations old is that cpu?

Current? It is based on the Core design.

I picked up the 14.1" version of this laptop last spring and popped a 1GB stick in it and it runs like a champ.

 

[uhohs]

i think the walmart $350 deal is a bit better.
slightly faster cpu, no difference really though. but 1gb of ram vs. 512mb and newer chipset with better integrated video.

 

[bigsnyder]

Is there a link to the walmart deal?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: uhohs
i think the walmart $350 deal is a bit better.

Link?

 

[Pollock]

Text
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Someone on FW said the quality of the Walmart model isn't as comparable to the older, CompUSA ones. I wouldn't mind getting one of the CompUSA ones, since 512MB isn't worth another $50.

 

[NorthBear]

The specs. for both laptops indicate that they don't have DVD burners, just drives that burn CDs.
I might checkout the CompUSA Acer since 512MB is enough to run Linux.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Pollock
Text
Text

Thanks for the links. Okay, $50 more for an extra 512MB RAM (not worth it) and 130MHz on the CPU (likely not noticeable in day-to-day usage). Also, it, ahem, looks a bit different, LOL. I'd imagine the Walmart one would be nice for a kid to use, but I'd just get the one from CompUSA and double the RAM.

 

[deepinya]

What I never understood is how vista requires 2gb of ram yet the laptop comes with 512.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: deepinya
What I never understood is how vista requires 2gb of ram yet the laptop comes with 512.

I'm going to grab one for my daughters x'mas gift & I was wondering the same thing ... but I'll be sticking in another 512mb's RAM anyway & if it seems sluggish I'll just blow out Vista & install XP Home.

This is a pretty good deal!!!

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: Captante

Originally posted by: deepinya
What I never understood is how vista requires 2gb of ram yet the laptop comes with 512.

I'm going to grab one for my daughters x'mas gift & I was wondering the same thing ... but I'll be sticking in another 512mb's RAM anyway & if it seems sluggish I'll just blow out Vista & install XP Home.

This is a pretty good deal!!!

I bought one off craigslist from a guy for $300

It was so slow w/ only 512MB on Vista, so slow I was about to smash it. I mean, I think that's the reason that guy trying to get rid of it when it was priced at $450 3 months ago from Walmart.

Of course, adding another 1GB and turn off all the visual effect, then it is more than adequate for web/ and office.

 

[Maverick2002]

That's a pretty sweet deal on that $300 laptop. Is it in-store only or can you purchase it online as well?

 

[Rockhound1]

Originally posted by: Maverick2002
That's a pretty sweet deal on that $300 laptop. Is it in-store only or can you purchase it online as well?

Store only.

 

[iseestars]

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777

Originally posted by: techgamer
how many generations old is that cpu?

Current? It is based on the Core design.

I picked up the 14.1" version of this laptop last spring and popped a 1GB stick in it and it runs like a champ.

Wouldn't that be a generation old. I thought the Solo's were replacing celeron or something like that.

 

[goog40]

Originally posted by: iseestars

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777

Originally posted by: techgamer
how many generations old is that cpu?

Current? It is based on the Core design.

I picked up the 14.1" version of this laptop last spring and popped a 1GB stick in it and it runs like a champ.

Wouldn't that be a generation old. I thought the Solo's were replacing celeron or something like that.

I believe the CPU in this laptop is basically a Core Solo with half the cache. Intel's naming scheme just makes it confusing to know theres a difference between the current celerons and the older ones they used in laptops.

Also, you can find deals for 2GB of laptop ram for around $40-50 pretty often, so I'd probably pick this up over the Wal-mart deal.

 

[kVaSSaSSiN]

Nice! Might just go and grab one.

Thanx!

 

[cthulhu]

Thanks allisolm. I'm so very tempted to get one for my mom. She needs a basic laptop.

 

[Stoik]

I got this same laptop from C-USA when they were on sale for $350 a few months ago. You definitely need to put another 512Mb in it if you want to run Vista and keep your sanity.
Another good tip: Acer partitions 10Gb of the 80Gb HDD for a factory restore image instead of giving you a Vista DVD. Lame. However, they do provide software so you can burn the resto image onto CD's (it take 7 discs).
So, I did this and then installed XP on the partition that had the resto on it. Now I'm dual booting XP and Vista. Runs like a champ and since its got XP its able to run my "student versions" of software from a few years back.
I had very little trouble getting the necessary drivers from acerpanam.com so that XP will work well. The most important drivers are for the Broadcom wireless card, the GMA chip and the Synaptics touchpad.

Oh, BTW I tried upgrading this notebook by dropping in a Yonah Core Duo T2050. Too bad; mobo no likey. Apparently they built it to only accept Merom Celerons. (shrug)

EDIT: The cpu in this notebook is a Celeron M 520, which is based on the Core 2 architecture, Merom core. It is a current generation CPU, but alas, only 1 core. Still, Vista works fine and XP is downright snappy.

 

[88NovaTwincam]

My second laptop ever, first one was purchased on my best garage sale score ever at the time an acer 166mmx for $20 in near mint..

Device manager shows
80gb as ST980811AS it's a seagate nice!
Optiarc CRX880A ATA drive

Mobile intel 945Gm Express Chipset Family - I think it's actually a 943gml - anyone know more about this <---

I might just grab a 1gb chip to make it 1.5 - havn't checked to see if it's just one 512 chip in there..

 

[Stoik]

On Intel's website it says that the 943GML Express chipset is the 945 optimized for the Celeron M.
BTW yes, it is one 512Mb stick in there.

 

[RBC]

My store (Louisville) sold out in no time - I was too late.

 

[Captante]

I got to my local store at 9:30am (opens at 10am) & was second in line at the door ... good thing too because it turns out they had exactly two of these available for the 20 or so customers that wanted one ... if anyone is wondering why this POS store is swirling in the bowl, this kind of nonsense is your answer. (I bet Walmart had 100's of its $348 Accer)

Anyway I grabbed one of the two for my daughters x'mas gift ... even with the extra 1gb of RAM I added Vista still seems very slow so I'm going to install XP for her instead as I mentioned earlier.

 

[DW in UT]

My Walmart had 5, but refused to sell at $350. Said it had to be $430 due to a local "no underpricing" law. Some people walked, but a few bought them anyway.

I then went to CompUSA and got the other Acer for $300. Five people in line and the store had three new laptops + 1 demo. (Not counting the ones the employees set aside for themselves.) But *DID* also get a purported "free after rebate" Epson all-in-one printer with the laptop purchase.

 

[Shawn]

I got the $350 Acer laptop from Wal-mart today. They had 4 left. It is pretty nice actually. Much faster than I thought it would be. Vista gives it a 3.1 rating (limited by video card).