Everex StepNote VA4101M: first Vista-equipped laptop under $500

The barrage of notebooks flying our way with Windows Vista pre-installed and ready to "wow" has included a rather wide range of models and choices, but we've yet to come across a pre-fab unit sporting Microsoft's latest OS and demanded less than $500 -- until now. The Everex StepNote VA4101M is the proud owner of a $498 pricetag, a 15.4-inch WXGA display, and Vista Home under the hood, but what this unit lacks in price, it makes up for in weak componentry. Users will likely be let down by the paltry 1.46GHz Intel Celeron M 410 processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 60GB hard drive, and lack of Bluetooth, but hey, you get what you pay for. Notably, Everex did manage to include a dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11b/g, Ethernet, 56k modem, VGA out, and a trio of USB 2.0 ports. So while you won't buy much horsepower for half a grand these days, Everex's latest StepNote can get your feet wet with Vista without breaking the bank, but waiting on that CPU to catch up with your clicking finger just might negate any value that was here.

[Via Laptoping]

[Blake @ Feb 3rd 2007 9:56AM]

If it had Ultimate, the lappie would only be $100 of the price.

[Tony Rayo @ Feb 3rd 2007 10:09AM]

System builders don't pay retail value... in bulk I'm sure they don't even pay the price of 1 OEM copy.

- Tony R.

[Blake @ Feb 3rd 2007 10:14AM]

True.

[Shadyman @ Feb 3rd 2007 10:25AM]

Wow, will that even Boot Vista? I'm impressed.

[LittleJoe @ Feb 3rd 2007 10:46AM]

We started up our first Vista equipped Acer at our laptop repair/retail shop yesterday.

It took 20 minutes just to boot up!
Then another 45 minutes going thru all the initial setups after we were logged on.

I think I'm going to stick with XP for a while.

[T-Bone @ Feb 3rd 2007 1:09PM]

20 minutes?! Maybe that's why it is at your repair shop.

[Scott Canoni @ Feb 3rd 2007 10:59AM]

Try looking on Amazon for better laptops. In my opinion you should get at least 1 GB of RAM.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st/102-0877178-4382514?page=1&rh=n%3A172282%2Cn%3A541966%2Cn%3A565108%2Cp_computer_cpu_speed-bin%3A1.6+to+1.9+GHz&sort=salesrank&x=10&y=14&tag=freeplecom-20

[ph @ Feb 3rd 2007 11:40AM]

Well, my 1.5 ghz pentium m computer with 768 mb of ram and integrated graphics ran vista flawessly.

Vista does not need the latest equipment, no matter how much apple says you do.

[Alexander @ Feb 3rd 2007 11:58AM]

I already got 4 new dells

[Ayle @ Feb 3rd 2007 12:24PM]

Buy it, throw the celeron in the trash for a core duo and get 1 gig of ram......

[Akcelik @ Feb 3rd 2007 12:45PM]

take some more $$$ without Vista!? even if not, remove Vista install XP. don't underplay the CeleronM you can still do a lot with it.

im running Ableton Live with heaps of virtual synths, Photoshop, illustrator, Flash Studio no hick ups on a CeleronM 1.6.

some people just don't understand when enough is enough. we benefit when we know what we need and forget the hype.

[steve @ Apr 5th 2007 2:21AM]

That's what I eant to do - run Ableton Live 5 and Reason 3.

Best thing to do seems to be remove Vista then revert to XP

[steve @ Apr 15th 2007 4:13AM]

That's what I eant to do - run Ableton Live 5 and Reason 3.

Best thing to do seems to be remove Vista then revert to XP

[LittleJoe @ Feb 3rd 2007 1:12PM]

No... this was a brand new Acer with Vista pre-loaded. AMD Turion 64, with a gig of ram. 20 minutes to boot up out of the box.

[QUOW @ Feb 3rd 2007 2:18PM]

Nice try, but if you want to flame, be a little more subtle.

[LittleJoe @ Feb 3rd 2007 2:19PM]

No flaming here... I'm just telling you about my first Vista experience.
If you think it's flaming, that's because Vista obviously did not give a goof first impression.

[vistalicious @ Feb 3rd 2007 2:27PM]

I think this thing looks kind of hot.

Perfect to have in the spare room or as an alternate home networking device.

[Beyond @ Feb 3rd 2007 2:50PM]

Any competent tech would know that acers are having problems doing the initial boot of vista and it can take over an hour. This is old news and yet another reason not to buy acer. However, once the initial boot finishes the laptop will run vista fine.

[Guffy @ Feb 3rd 2007 2:57PM]

Who would want to get Vista Home anyways? It barely comes with any of the new features. Vista Home sells for under $100 retail anyways.

[Joe @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:25PM]

It is true about configuration time of a new vista comuter. I am currently sporting a vista home premium laptop. core 2 duo and 1 gig of ram. However I was told about this from the retailer. They were doing a free instalation of any new vista computer. It took about 1 hour to get computer fully up and loading. However since then it has been working like a dream. Boot up times are very fast and I am pleased with my upgrade so far.

One feature I especially like is called readyboost- you can stick a usb key into your computer and your computer can use it as ram. You can use up to a 4 gig stick. The flash ram obviously cannot substitute real ram however it does speed up your computer. I do not however recommend that you buy a computer with low ram and decide just to do this.

[nanoware @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:15PM]

my friend purchashed the new Acer vista basic equiped laptop at radio shack, i beleve 1.6 GHz Celeron M 512 ram 80 gig intergrated graffics, for around 700$. And it did take like an hour to get up and running from the first time he turned it on.

[Matthias Welsh @ Feb 4th 2007 1:10AM]

At Circuit City we've had a Compaq with similar specs since launch for 479 after rebate... It feels like you're moving in mud trying to accomplish anything on the machine but it sure does come with vista....

[Frank @ Feb 19th 2007 1:50AM]

It's worth mentioning that this (I'm fairly certain) is just the home basic package. That is, no fancy Aero interface, among other things.

[Matt @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:22AM]

Way to judge something before using it.

I've been using this comp for the last week or so and it rocks.

Processor speed is overrated. Memory is where it's at. Like the majority of laptop users, I'm not gaming. OpenOffice runs perfect on it. Vista boots up quick. I've changed all of the appearance settings to classic and tweaked everything back to the 98/XP feel.

I had a Compaq prior to this and had nothing but problems until it finally ended itself. To think that the Compaq cost several hundred more is unbelievable.

The Compaq had a 'faster' processor, but it was an AMD that ran hotter than hell itself (love AMD, but that chip needed better cooling for its application.

This notebook has a bigger, crisper screen, more memory, a dual-layer dvd burner, integrated wireless nic, has yet to overheat, larger hard drive, less weight, better sound quality (via the headphone/line-out port. the single speaker is one of the few caveats of this machine.), seems to run quicker, better port layout, and was less expensive than the Compaq.

If I have problems with continued use, I'll amend or revise this, but so far so good.

Matt