Engadget

Acer outs Ivy Bridge-packing TravelMate P243 notebook series in the UK

Edgar Alvarez — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:14:00 EST

Needless to say, Ivy Bridge is here to stay -- at least until Intel takes us on a different road. That being said, Acer just announced a business-oriented machine of its own with Intel's latest chips onboard. Part of the outfit's TravelMate lineup, this 14-inch (1366 x 768) P243 rocks some pretty standard features, including a Core i5, Ivy Bridge processor, an HD webcam for all those Skype calls and a USB 3.0 port. As expected, depending on configuration, you'll also be able to choose up to 8GB of RAM, as well as NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M graphics if you don't mind shelling out the extra cash. Speaking of, Acer's pricing the TravelMate P243 starting at £339 (about $536) once it hits UK shelves -- though, there's no word on when that'll be. In the meantime, you can check out some additional eye candy after the break.

Continue reading Acer outs Ivy Bridge-packing TravelMate P243 notebook series in the UK

Acer outs Ivy Bridge-packing TravelMate P243 notebook series in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AMD reveals Trinity specs, claims to beat Intel on price, multimedia, gaming

Sharif Sakr — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:01:00 EST

Itching for the details of AMD's latest Accelerated Processing Units (APUs)? Then get ready to scratch: Trinity has arrived and, as of today, it's ready to start powering the next generation of low-power ultra-portables, laptops and desktops that, erm, don't run Intel. The new architecture boasts up to double the performance-per-watt of last year's immensely popular Llano APUs, with improved "discrete-class" integrated graphics and without adding to the burden on battery life. How is that possible? By how much will Trinity-equipped devices beat Intel on price? And will it play Crysis: Warhead? Read on to find out.

Gallery: AMD reveals Trinity APU

Continue reading AMD reveals Trinity specs, claims to beat Intel on price, multimedia, gaming

AMD reveals Trinity specs, claims to beat Intel on price, multimedia, gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 review

Michael Gorman — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

When Acer's Aspire Timeline Ultra notebooks made their first appearance at CES, these 14- and 15-inch laptops seemed like little more than the successors to Acer's TimelineX series. Thin-and-light laptops, complete with optical drive and some likely reasonable prices. While there's no mistaking that DVD burner and mainstream screen size, we now know a few things we didn't then: the 15-inch version you see up there packs NVIDIA's next-gen Kepler graphics... and Acer's calling it an Ultrabook.

Acer's branding that there Ultra M3 as an Ultrabook because it's less than 20mm (.8 inches) thin, but given that 15-inch display, numpad, optical drive and graphical horsepower, it's hard to think of this as anything other than a mainstream laptop. If you accept Acer's marketing scheme, though, this is the first so-called Ultrabook to ship with discrete graphics. (We're expecting to see more -- many more -- of these.) As of this writing, at least, we don't have a confirmed price, though Acer has said the pricing for the Ultra series should align with current TimelineX notebooks (which is to say, we're hardly expecting this to be a $1,500 machine.) Until we know for sure, it'll be hard to say how sweet of a deal this is, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about what it actually does. How does the performance stack up against regular 'ol 15-inch laptop? Does it pummel your garden-variety Ultrabooks like you'd expect it to? Join us past the break where we break down exactly what this 'tweener can do.

Gallery: Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 review

Continue reading Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 review

Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire V3 notebook hands-on (video)

James Trew — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:13:00 EST

Hot off the tails of the Aspire V5 is another new release from Acer. This time it's the Aspire V3 notebook, which comes in any one of three configurations, with 14, 15.6 and 17.3-inch screens in-tow. Each variation will be powered by an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processor, with NVIDIA GeForce GT series graphics throwing up the visuals. As with the V5, specs are difficult to come by at this point, though Acer has confirmed that the 17.3-inch model will include a 1600 x 900 pixel display. There's Blu-ray, HDMI, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB 3.0 on board, as well as support for SSD and hard drive combos (17.3-inch model only). Aesthetically, it'll launch in three colors (black, gold and gray) when it eventually debuts in Q2 of this year. Pricing starts at €400 (about $520) for the entry-level spec, rising to €900 (roughly $1180) at the top end.

Unlike the V5, we got to try out a fully-working model here at CeBIT. The V3 feels much larger and heftier when compared to its slimmer siblings, but the full-length speaker above the keyboard and generous LCD size tells you that Acer intended this model for a very different user. The finish may be plastic, but the gloss and matte combination looks nice enough. It feels relatively heavy in the hand, but it is carrying a reasonable amount of I/O baggage. Be sure to check out our video after the break for a more-detailed look.

Gallery: Acer Aspire V3 hands-on

Continue reading Acer Aspire V3 notebook hands-on (video)

Acer Aspire V3 notebook hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer launches Ultrabook-like Aspire V5 series, we go hands-on (video)

James Trew — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:58:00 EST

After trotting out some mobile fare at MWC, Acer hasn't pulled in the reigns on its new product horse, announcing its new V5 notebook this morning at CeBIT. Yes, notebook. At 30 percent slimmer than the class it replaces, these are still trim machines. The 11.6-inch model is only 15mm thick, which is way into Ultrabook territory, while the 14- and 15-inch models land at 21 and sub-23mm respectively. It's Intel on the inside, including Core i3 and Core i5 processors, with NVIDIA GeForce GT series on-board to handle graphics. Release is penciled in for Q2, and pricing is expected to range from €499 to €699 (about $650 to $920). If you're in the market for something a bit less expensive but you're into the V5's design, you might take notice of the Aspire One netbook, which is set to use the same chassis but will ship with Intel Pentium and Celeron processors instead, with pricing estimated between €399 and €449 (about $525 to $590).

We went hands-on with a dummy model of the V5 at CeBIT, though the prototype we saw today may not be the exact design you'll find in stores later this month. The 15.6-inch sample was very thin and relatively light, with a full-size chiclet keyboard and numberpad on the side. There's a USB 3.0 port on the left-hand side, along with two standard USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI connector and proprietary Ethernet port. There's also a pop-out optical drive on the right, though there's no SD slot in sight. Overall, it's a very nice design, but we'll need to wait for the company to demo functional versions before we can pass judgement on performance. As always, you'll find our video overview just past the break.

Gallery: Acer Aspire V5 hands-on

Continue reading Acer launches Ultrabook-like Aspire V5 series, we go hands-on (video)

Acer launches Ultrabook-like Aspire V5 series, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 hands-on (update: video!)

Dana Wollman — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:20:00 EST

If you haven't heard, Acer's gone and (officially) jumped on the Ultrabook bandwagon, announcing the 13mm-thin Aspire S3. We're here live at IFA in Berlin and just got some much-anticipated hands-on time. At the press conference that just wrapped, we were treated to a raft of promises -- seven-hour battery life, 1.5 seconds to resume from sleep, two to connect to a wireless network and "no compromise" performance courtesy of ultra low voltage Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. So did our first impression come anywhere near matching the hype? Read on to find out.

Gallery: Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 hands-on

Continue reading Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 hands-on (update: video!)

Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 hands-on (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 officially announced, starts at 799 euros

Dana Wollman — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:07:00 EST

And the march of the Ultrabooks continues. Following on the heels of Toshiba and Lenovo, Acer just announced the Aspire S3 at its IFA press conference -- confirming that unequivocal leak we spotted earlier a few days ago. The machine, made of magnesium-alloy, measures an anorexic 13mm thin and weighs just 1.4 kilograms. We're told it promises not just instant on access, but near-instant connectivity -- Acer says it will wake from sleep in 1.5 seconds and register and connect to hotspots in about two. Other specs include a 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) display, ultra low voltage Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs, a choice of solid-state storage or HDDs, Bluetooth 4.0 and a vent-free bottom so that you're not left with first-degree burns. Depending on the configuration, the battery life is rated for up to seven hours or up to 50 days in sleep mode. So far we're just hearing European pricing (€799 to €1,199), though Acer confirms it'll arrive stateside by the end of September.

Update: Yes, we know we made a typo regarding the weight. The correct spec is 1.4kg. Thanks to all of you who pointed that out.

Continue reading Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 officially announced, starts at 799 euros

Acer Aspire Ultrabook S3 officially announced, starts at 799 euros originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer's Aspire 5749 MeeGo notebook gets a Sandy Bridge core, hails from Deutschland

Joseph Volpe — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:02:00 EST

MeeGo running on an Acer notebook? Hardly surprising stuff. Pairing that OS with a Sandy Bridge CPU, however, is something to take note of. Contradicting Acer's past claims that the company would only issue the operating system on Atom-based netbooks, the Aspire 5749 has popped up on Amazon.de serving up a 2.1GHz Core i3 processor and 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 display. Weighing in at 2.6kg (about 6lbs) and measuring 34mm in thickness, the Taiwanese-made laptop will set you back 400 Euros (about $577), and comes packed with 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB of storage, Intel's GMA 3000 graphics set, DVD burner, three USB 2.0 ports, a 2-in-1 card reader and, of course, WiFi. Itching to get your import on? Then skip past the break and head to the source below.

Acer's Aspire 5749 MeeGo notebook gets a Sandy Bridge core, hails from Deutschland originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer loses $234 million in worse-than-expected Q2

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST

It may be the second largest computer manufacturer in the world, but things are not looking good for Acer. The Taiwanese company lost 6.79 billion New Taiwan Dollars (TWD), about $234.1 million, in Q2, far more than the already sizable anticipated shortfall of 3.3 billion TWD (around $114.7 million). That's a dramatic drop off from the 1.19 billion TWD profit the company posted in Q1. Things are expected to improve in Q3, but Acer still expects to operating in the red until at least Q4. Some of the problems can be blamed on recent restructuring that has the vendor increasingly focused on mobile devices and less on netbooks, which were successful for the company but have quickly declined in popularity. The extremely brief PR can be found after the break.

Continue reading Acer loses $234 million in worse-than-expected Q2

Acer loses $234 million in worse-than-expected Q2 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer TimelineX AS5830TG-6402 review

Dana Wollman — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:58:00 EST

When Acer unveiled its first Timeline laptops in 2009, these slim numbers felt like a revelation. Imagine: thin notebooks rated to last hours and hours on a charge and priced well under a grand! Fast-forward two years and that proposition seems a bit quaint, doesn't it? Pretty much every PC maker has been working on slimming down their wares and extending battery life with -- shall we say? -- mixed results. Still, Acer has kept on keeping, and its latest TimelineX laptops carry the torch as thin, long-lasting and inexpensive. As always, the company released Timelines in assorted screen sizes, ranging from 13.3 to 15.6 inches. We took a look at the 15-incher, the $800 AS5830, which promises to last up to nine hours unplugged and also packs a discrete graphics card - a feature many of its competitors have been skipping. But are impressive battery life and a relatively trim physique enough to make this notebook stand out in a crowded field of inexpensive, good-enough laptops? Let's see.

Gallery: Acer TimelineX AS5830TG-6402 review

Continue reading Acer TimelineX AS5830TG-6402 review

Acer TimelineX AS5830TG-6402 review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Gateway updates its ID and NV laptops with USB 3.0, Sandy Bridge and Llano internals

Dana Wollman — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

Acer's had its day (or two) unveiling back-to-school laptops, and now it's its sister brand Gateway's turn. The outfit just announced the 15.6-inch NV series and the 14-inch ID47, both of which include USB 3.0 and a choice of Sandy Bridge processors. (In the case of that entry-level NV, you can also opt for one of AMD's fresh-off-the-line Llano chips.) But the company did more than just give its notebooks a spec bump -- it also tweaked their designs, adding a chiclet keyboard to the NV series, while the metal-clad ID's trackpad is 20 percent larger and no longer glows like a mood ring. The ID47 also has a 14-inch display crammed into a chassis usually paired with 13.3-inch panels, as well as a non-removable battery that promises up to eight hours of juice. (The NV is rated for up to four hours.) And, in an unusual twist, our friends in Canada will get additional choices, including a 15.6-inch version of the ID, as well as select models with NVIDIA Optimus. Both the ID47 and NV55 / NV57 are available now, with the ID starting at $629.99 and $799 Canadian, and the NV fetching $529.99 and $499 Canadian. Check out the various configurations after the break, with lots 'o photos below.

Update: Lots of you are asking about the screen resolution on these guys. It's not in the press release, but the answer is 1366 x 768, across the board.

Gallery: Gateway ID47

Gallery: Gateway NV55 / NV57

Gallery: Gateway ID47 and NV55 / NV57 hands-on

Continue reading Gateway updates its ID and NV laptops with USB 3.0, Sandy Bridge and Llano internals

Gateway updates its ID and NV laptops with USB 3.0, Sandy Bridge and Llano internals originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer said to be using LG Shuriken display in upcoming laptop -- less bezel, less thickness, more awesome

Vlad Savov — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 06:41:00 EST

The zany guys and gals at DigiTimes have a saucy new rumor to start our week off with a bang. A newfangled LG display, dubbed Shuriken, is apparently being recruited in Acer's fight against irrelevance. The Taiwanese company will reputedly use it in an upcoming 14.1-inch laptop, but here's the kicker: the physical size of the laptop will be no bigger than that of a 13.3-inch model. That's because the Shuriken's panel will require less bezel (8mm instead of 12mm) and less thickness, slimming itself down to just 4mm. LG already has the 12.5-inch Xnote P210, which would seem to be employing similar technology, so it's not a stretch to believe the company's war on bezels has stepped up to the 14-inch size class. Acer is expected to launch this new laptop as early as next month, though the cost of the Shuriken displays is cited as the reason they haven't been taken up more widely yet, meaning the price of the eventual product will be almost as intriguing as its looks.

Acer said to be using LG Shuriken display in upcoming laptop -- less bezel, less thickness, more awesome originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 06:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire One 522 with AMD Ontario shows up on Amazon

Joanna Stern — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:43:00 EST

Sure, we had known a few bits and pieces about Acer's forthcoming AMD Fusion-powered netbook but you can always count on Amazon to dish out the spec and pricing details we've been waiting for. Unlike the Fusion HP Pavilion dm1 we just reviewed, which packs a higher-end AMD Zacate E-350 APU, the Aspire One 522 is powered by AMD's netbook-class 1GHz C-50 Ontario processor. The 10.1-inch laptop still melds that CPU with Radeon HD 6250 graphics so it should be able to handle full HD video and some light gaming, and for $330 we're certainly expecting it to trounce Atom netbooks in both price and graphics prowess. Other than that, the 2.8-pound Aspire One 522 seems to be a lot like the previous AMD Neo-powered Aspire One 521 -- it looks to have a similar chassis and has 1GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, HDMI port, Windows 7 Starter, and a 4400mAh battery, which apparently provides six hours of battery life. No word on when the 522 will actually come out of the pre-order stage and start shipping, but our guess is that it shouldn't be too long of a wait.

Acer Aspire One 522 with AMD Ontario shows up on Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer rolls out new Aspire 5750, 5750G, and 7750G laptops with Intel's latest processors

Laura June — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:01:00 EST

Acer's just outed several of its latest laptop offerings, including the new Aspire 5750, 5750G and 7750G, and all three have Intel's 2nd gen Core i7 2630QM CPUs. The Aspire 5750 and 7750 boast up to 6GB of memory, while the 5750 is upgradeable to 8GB via two 4GB modules. Likewise the 7750G has a hard drive capacity of up to 750GB, while the 5750 has an up to 640GB HDD. All three have a host of graphics options, and the 5750G comes with NVIDIA's brand new GeForece GT 540M graphics, which the 7750G comes with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 6550 or 6650 graphics standard. All three models have LED, backlit displays, with the Aspire 5750 and 5750G measuring in at 15.6-inches, while the 7750G is a 17.3-incher with a resolution of 1600 x 900. All three laptops have Dolby Advanced Audio v2 virtual surround sound and HDMI ports, and the 7750G has an optional BluRay drive. All three Aspire models will be available on January 9th, and the 5750 and 5750G will have a starting price of $899.99, while the 7750G will start at $1029.99. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Acer rolls out new Aspire 5750, 5750G, and 7750G laptops with Intel's latest processors

Acer rolls out new Aspire 5750, 5750G, and 7750G laptops with Intel's latest processors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer's dualscreen laptop leaks out with Core i5 CPU?

Sean Hollister — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 23:01:00 EST

We knew dualscreen laptops were the future after our Toshiba Libretto review, but unfortunately for Toshiba theirs was a future attempted too soon. Acer, however, is apparently testing a rig that might be powerful enough to do the trick -- pictures bequeathed to Tech Review Source purportedly show a 2.67GHz Intel Core i5 processor (likely a Core i5-580M) with dual fifteen-inch multitouch screens, making both the Libretto and MSI's 7-incher look positively dated by comparison. Sadly, the publication's source says this device is "still slow and buggy," so retail availability is probably a long while off, but now you can tell your friends you too saw the future and it looked reasonably good. Peep a couple more shots of the laptop at our source link while you wait for a frameless version to pop out.

Acer's dualscreen laptop leaks out with Core i5 CPU? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NVIDIA trots out GeForce 400M series laptops, shows off StarCraft II gameplay (video)

Vlad Savov — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:14:00 EST

You might have hoped that NVIDIA's introduction of the 400M series of mobile GPUs would bring about a slew of hot new laptops to drop into our gaming boudoirs, but we are in fact left facing more of the same. Externally, anyhow. The chipmaker rolled out the green carpet for a set of upcoming machines in London today, but they were refreshes, rather than overhauls, of current hardware. The big news is to be found within, as the new GTX 460M has made a home inside the updated ASUS G53, Toshiba Qosmio X505, and MSI GT663. The common thread among these three is that they're all big and hefty, and all emit a subtle vroom sound every time you touch them. What we learned from NVIDIA today is that the GTX 480M will remain an exotic (you might even call it quixotic) GPU reserved for large-screen gaming stations, the GTX 470M will similarly be an enthusiast part, and the GTX 460M will be the company's big play for the mainstream performance market. It also became clear that even the third GPU in the company's mobile hierarchy will need quite a bulky cooling setup (and a proportionately huge charger) to do its job, but NVIDIA's promises of much-improved performance might just make it worthwhile.

As to the more sane among us, there was a selection of pleasingly thinner machines, like the ASUS N53 and Acer Aspire 5745, which make do with the lower-specced GT 420M and GT 425M graphics chips. Those are expected to be NVIDIA's biggest sellers, and the video demo after the break of the 425M churning through StarCraft II is certainly appealing. We should note, however, that the latest (though definitely not greatest) Prince of Persia game was also on tap on one of these machines and its frame rate gave us a delightful old-timey feeling any time we entered combat with its emulation of stop-motion animation. So, as ever, it's looking like great graphics will require great rigs, but we can probably expect a decent -- not game-changing (get it?) -- leap in performance among the lighter options as well.

Gallery: NVIDIA trots out GeForce 400M series laptops

Continue reading NVIDIA trots out GeForce 400M series laptops, shows off StarCraft II gameplay (video)

NVIDIA trots out GeForce 400M series laptops, shows off StarCraft II gameplay (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Acer and ASUS netbooks not coming until the middle of August, says Digitimes report

Laura June — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:42:00 EST

ASUS's newest netbooks may just be hitting the US market, but Digitimes is reporting that both Acer and ASUS are currently in somewhat of a holding pattern in regards to their new mini-laptops. The report says that both companies are holding off on releasing new netbooks until current inventory is depleted, and demand has built up for new models. Though the reasoning is hazy, it does seem this has something to do with holding off until Intel releases its dual core Atom N550 CPU during the third quarter as the price delta between it and the weaker N455 / N475 processors isn't much. That would actually make a lot of sense considering most -- including us -- would certainly opt for faster netbooks with the dual-core action over the same old single core Atoms we've grown tired of. Either way, this would mark somewhat of a new strategy for the companies, which have, in the past, often added new models so quickly that choosing between them could be difficult. All we can say is, we shall see.

New Acer and ASUS netbooks not coming until the middle of August, says Digitimes report originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire 1551 hits retailers with 1.5GHz dual-core Turion II CPU

Sean Hollister — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:02:00 EST

Looking for a netbook with a little more oomph, or perhaps a thin-and-light laptop that doesn't break the bank? We're not quite sure which category the Acer Aspire 1551-5448 falls under, but we reckon it's liable to satisfy both camps with an 11.6-inch LED-backlit display and a 1.5GHz AMD Turion II Neo K625 CPU. Like the single-threaded Aspire 521 and 721 cousins we'll be reviewing later this week, this dual-core machine sports a ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 GPU for stutter-free 1080p playback, and extra memory to boot. Here, Acer crammed 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive, 802.11n WiFi, HDMI-out and a six-cell, five-hour battery into a package weighing just over three pounds. If you've got $550 to drop, there's an Aspire 1551 with your name on it, available now practically wherever laptops are sold.

Acer Aspire 1551 hits retailers with 1.5GHz dual-core Turion II CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire 8943G hits US retailers, less glorious laptops in tow

Sean Hollister — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Hoping to get your hot little hands on those brushed metal keys and gorgeous LED touchpad? You're in luck, as the 18.4-inch Acer Aspire 8943G (aka Ethos) has finally arrived stateside. $1,549 buys you a 1.6GHz Core i7-720QM and 4GB of RAM, plus a 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 and Blu-ray drive to power that 1080p LED-backlit screen.

If you'd rather not lug around a 10.1 pound desktop replacement, though, or if the 8943G's a little too rich for your blood, Acer's got some other machines that might better match your style. The Acer Aspire AS7745 and AS5745 -- incremental updates to these puppies -- bring home Core i5 and Core i7 processors, with the $1,399 17.3-inch AS7745G boasting Radeon HD 5650 graphics and Blu-ray while the $899 AS5745PG comes with a 15.6-inch multitouch screen. There's even a budget lineup starting at $429 next month if you're looking for a netbook alternative. No matter which you choose, you'll find details in the press releases after the break... but since you know you really want that 8943G (see the gallery below) you might as well hit Amazon at our more coverage link. You didn't need that rent money, right?

Gallery: Acer Aspire 8943G and 5943G hands-on

Continue reading Acer Aspire 8943G hits US retailers, less glorious laptops in tow

Acer Aspire 8943G hits US retailers, less glorious laptops in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire Timeline X laptops arrive stateside sans ULV processors

Joanna Stern — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Acer's Timeline X laptops have been popping up around the world for over three months now, but the thin and light machines are finally making their way to this side of the globe, and we can only hope they're as excited as we are. The machines all shun ULV processors for standard voltage Core i3 or i5 CPUs, yet each of the models still ring up at under a grand. They also span the entire size spectrum -- there's an 11.6-inch 1830T, 13.3-inch 3820T, 14-inch 4820T and lastly the 15.6-inch 5820T. However, despite their full-power CPUs and ATI Mobiltiy Radeon HD 5650 graphics options, all the models continue to measure less than an inch thick -- yep, even the Aspire 5820T and the Aspire 4820T with onboard optical drives maintain rather trim measurements. While there are plenty of deals to be had, the $800 Aspire 4820TG with its Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 320GB hard drive sounds mighty tempting. Yet, there's also the $600 1830T with a Core i3 processor, 3GB of memory and 320GB of storage. We told you we were excited. These should be hitting retailers soon, but if you're dying for some more details hit the break for the full press release or the gallery below for some hands-on shots we stole at Computex a few weeks back.

Gallery: Acer Timeline X hands-on

Continue reading Acer Aspire Timeline X laptops arrive stateside sans ULV processors

Acer Aspire Timeline X laptops arrive stateside sans ULV processors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer expects to overtake HP as world's biggest laptop vendor by year's end (updated)

Vlad Savov — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:59:00 EST

Ah, the inexorable rise of a once-small Taiwanese company. Acer chairman JT Wang has told investors in a conference call this week that his company is on track to overtake HP in worldwide laptop shipments before the year is through. That assertion is backed up by Gartner's data, cited in the Wall Street Journal, ~~which indicates that~~ ~~Acer shipped 9.49 million mobile computers in the first quarter of 2010, just ahead of~~ ~~HP's 9.47 million~~. Positive vibes are also being felt on the desktop front, where Acer aims to shift 10 million units this year, while a decent $15 million is being invested into "developing a smartphone platform based on Google Inc.'s Android." We'll be curious to see whether this thrifty strategy pays off against HP's ebullient $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm, but one thing's for sure: PC vendors are hungry for some of that sweet smartphone pie.

Update: Gartner has corrected Acer's worldwide shipments number down to 9.12 million, placing it a close second behind HP for Q1.

Acer expects to overtake HP as world's biggest laptop vendor by year's end (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire 8943G and 5943G (aka Acer Ethos) preview

Joanna Stern — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:52:00 EST

Acer may have announced its new Aspire Ethos line a few months back, but this is the first time we have had the chance to catch a glimpse of the multimedia monsters in person, albeit these were lacking that special Ethos branding on the exterior. We've really got to hand it to Acer on the new aesthetic of the 18.4-inch 8943G and 15.6-inch 5943G -- the systems have a nice brushed metal coating and glorious-looking chiclet keyboards. Though obviously, the first thing that caught our eye was that black dual-mode touchpad which is pictured above -- it's a standard touchpad until you press the circular button between the buttons, after which it turns into the system's multimedia controls. When we tapped that movie button, it briskly launched Windows Media player, but we do fear that the glossy plastic coating on the pad will hamper everyday navigation. Both models on display were powered by 1.6GHz Core i7-720QM CPUs, but the 5943G had 4GB of DDR3 RAM and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics while the 8943G boasted 8GB of RAM and a Radeon HD 5850. In addition, they've got 8-cell batteries and Blu-ray drives, so three cheers for that. We'll be keeping an ear out for the arrival of these bad boys stateside, but until then feast your eyes on the beauty shots below.

Gallery: Acer Aspire 8943G and 5943G hands-on

Acer Aspire 8943G and 5943G (aka Acer Ethos) preview originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 spotted in France handling HD video, eying a croissant

Darren Murph — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:34:00 EST

You could say this is one of the odder ways to make something official, but Acer's Aspire One 521 and 721 have been deemed just that after surfacing at an event today in France. Just as we'd heard the 10-inch 521, is rocking a heretofore unheard of AMD 1.2GHz V105 (single-core) processor, 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, ATI's Radeon HD 4225 GPU and a penchant for handling 1080p video without breaking a sweat. It's also equipped with VGA / HDMI outputs, a media card reader, three USB sockets, audio in / out, Ethernet jack and a native 1,024 x 600 resolution. The 11.6-inch 721, on the other hand, has AMD's newer 1.3GHz Athlon II Neo K325, which similarly sports full HD playback on its 1366x768 resolution screen. And oddly, Acer seems to also have a new Aspire 1551 lying around, which also has an 11.6-inch display and dual-core Athlon II Neo K325/K625 processor options. Sadly, no further details were available, but we suspect they'll be outed faster than you can turn yourself around, mash play on the video past the break and ping your financial manager to get his / her thoughts on picking this up alongside a new Ditch Witch.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 spotted in France handling HD video, eying a croissant

Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 spotted in France handling HD video, eying a croissant originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Gateway busts out Core i3, Core i5 NV series laptops

Laura June — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:01:00 EST

Gateway's just launched two 15.6-inch laptops -- the NV59C-H34E and the NV59C-H54E. Both of these Windows 7 Home Premium bad boys boast 1366 x 768 HD displays, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 640GB SATA HDD. They also have Intel integrated graphics, HDMI, VGA and three USB 2.0 ports, plus Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, and Gigabit Ethernet LAN. So what is the difference between these two lookalikes? Unsurprisingly, it's their CPUs. The NV59C-H34E packs a 2.13 GHz, Core i3 processor, and is available in silver and blue, while the NV59C-H54E (which sadly only comes in silver) boasts a 2.26GHz Core i5 CPU. These will be available on April 23rd in Japan, but you can already score Gateway's Core i3 NV5933u in the U.S. right now.

Gateway busts out Core i3, Core i5 NV series laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer launches Aspire Ethos line with swanky 5943G and 8943G models

Vlad Savov — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:51:00 EST

Acer's aspirational laptops have a new Ethos to them now, and it clearly has something to do with entertainment. The newly revealed 18.4-inch 8943G sports a 1920 x 1080 resolution and a true 5.1 surround sound setup, meaning that somewhere within its shell reside five miniature speakers and a sub. Processor options range all the way up to the quad-core Core i7-820QM, which offers 8MB of built-in cache and a 1.73GHz clock speed that cranks all the way to 3.06GHz when required. ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics and up to 1.28TB of storage (2x 640GB) complete the overkill recipe. The 5943G is basically a scaled down version, offering as it does 1366 x 768 resolution across a 15.6-inch display, a 2.1 internal speaker arrangement, and a merely adequate 640GB storage maximum. The rest of the specs are shared, including a 4,800mAh battery, which should perish quicker than you can say "desktop replacement." Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

Gallery: Acer Aspire Ethos

Acer launches Aspire Ethos line with swanky 5943G and 8943G models originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toshiba seeks to prevent Wistron laptop imports to the US

Vlad Savov — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:02:00 EST

Don't you sometimes wish legal squabbles like this actually delivered on their promises? There's pretty much no way that Toshiba's patent claim with the US International Trade Commission will lead to a ban on Wistron imports -- the company builds laptops for Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and others, and will likely settle in cash long before any rulings against it -- but it's fun to imagine the mayhem that would result if such an eventuality were to materialize. A quick look at the rankings of global computer vendors shows that Toshiba is mostly trying to throw a banana skin in front of its direct competitors, claiming as it does that Wistron products infringe on its methodologies for touchpad production and file saving when the laptop loses power. The ITC, should it decide to investigate, will take up to 15 months on this matter, so no breath-holding is advised just yet, though if that settlement does eventuate it should be a pretty breathtaking number.

Toshiba seeks to prevent Wistron laptop imports to the US originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire 3811TZ and 3811TZG get Greenpeace stamp of approval

Joanna Stern — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:23:00 EST

So Acer's new Aspire 3811TZ and Aspire 3811TZG may not be puke-green like Sony's VAIO W Eco, but that doesn't mean they aren't some of the greenest -- as in eco-friendly -- laptops out there. Part of the company's thin-and-light Timeline series, the two 13.3-inch laptops have been named by Greenpeace as being completely free of those bad-for-the-environment materials, including PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and BFR (brominated flame retardants). Powered by Intel ULV Core 2 Duo CPUs, they are more power-efficient than most and last longer on a charge. There doesn't seem to be an official statement from Acer on availability and price on these models, but we assume like the rest of the Timeline bunch there will be models both north and south of a grand.

Acer Aspire 3811TZ and 3811TZG get Greenpeace stamp of approval originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer rolls out new budget-focused Core i3 and Core i5 Aspire laptops

Joanna Stern — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST

Those Intel Core i3 and Core i5 mobile processors we've been hearing about for quite awhile now are finally finding a home, and one of their first stops is Acer's Aspire lineup. Notoriously known as solid performing and affordable rigs, both the new 15.6-inch Aspire AS5740 and 17-inch Aspire AS7740 will start at under $800. Not too shabby considering the $750 AS7740 configuration includes a 2.14GHz Intel Core i3-330M CPU, 4GB of RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium and a Blu-ray drive. While the $750 AS5740 doesn't have Blu-ray, its got a 2.2GHz Intel Core i5-430M processor, 4GB of RAM, and discrete ATI graphics. Acer will offer lots of variations on the specs, but at the end of the day these guys are talking performance and a price we can get behind.

Continue reading Acer rolls out new budget-focused Core i3 and Core i5 Aspire laptops

Acer rolls out new budget-focused Core i3 and Core i5 Aspire laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer busts out TravelMate Timeline laptops for the business type

Laura June — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:46:00 EST

Acer's just outed a new line of laptops, the CULV TravelMate Timeline series. Aimed at business customers, the TravelMate Timeline 8571, 8471 and 8371 are 13.3, 14.1 to 15.6-inchers, respectively, with a range of Core 2 Duo CPU options, Intel GM45 Express chipsets, up to 4GB of SDRAM, also boast 802.11a/b/g/Draft N WLAN, Bluetooth and gigabit LAN. These Windows 7 bad boys also come with Acer's Bio-Protection fingerprint security, which might furnish you with some small peace of mind on the road. The TravelMate Timeline series range in price from $899 to $999, and are available now. For full specs, check the press release after the break.

Continue reading Acer busts out TravelMate Timeline laptops for the business type

Acer busts out TravelMate Timeline laptops for the business type originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Laptop reliability survey: ASUS and Toshiba win, HP fails

Vlad Savov — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:09:00 EST

Boy, do we have a nice slab of data for you to sink your teeth into today. The 3-year service history of more than 30,000 laptops has been pored over, analyzed, and reduced to gorgeous comparative charts, which you know you're dying to know more about. We should note, however, that the service was provided by SquareTrade, whose primary business is selling extended warranties, but that shouldn't completely prejudice us against reaching conclusions on the basis of the presented facts. Firstly, netbooks have shown themselves to be on average 20 percent less reliable than entry-level laptops, which in turn are 10 percent more likely to break down than premium machines. In other words, you get what you pay for -- shocking, right? The big talking point, though, will inevitably be the manufacturer comparison chart above: here ASUS and Toshiba (rather appropriately) share the winners' spoils, while HP languishes in the ignominious last place, with more than a quarter of all laptops expected to suffer a hardware fault of some kind within three years. So, does your experience corroborate / refute this info? Keep it gentlemanly, okay?

Filed under: Laptops

Laptop reliability survey: ASUS and Toshiba win, HP fails originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer fulfills prophecy, overtakes Dell as number two PC maker worldwide (update)

Ross Miller — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:14:00 EST

As if on cue, here's some new data research firm Gartner lending credence to Lanci's boasting. Looks like Acer has leapfrogged over Dell for the number two spot in global market share for the third quarter of 2009, from 12.5 to 15.4 percent of the Big Pie Chart[TM]. Meanwhile Dell is just below at 12.8 percent, and HP is sitting happily atop with a 19.9 percent ownership.

Update: Let us adjust our glasses a bit. According to the charts, Acer is number two in worldwide PC sales, not in US as this previously reported. Stateside, the company is sitting at number three at 13.9 percent, behind HP (25.7 percent) and Dell (26.2 percent). Apologies for the confusion, the person responsible for eyesight has been subsequently sacked, the person responsible for the sacking has been sacked, etc.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Acer fulfills prophecy, overtakes Dell as number two PC maker worldwide (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer: we'll overtake Dell as world's number two PC maker... soon

Laura June — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:24:00 EST

Acer's President Gianfranco Lanci is talking some big talk these days, but not completely without reason. The Taiwan-based computer manufacturer says it does not expect to see a decline in revenue this year over last, meaning that it should clear somewhere in the realm of $17 billion -- its 2008 revenue figure. Much of the good news (and sales) hails from Asia, where retail markets have not been as hard hit by the economic insanity of the last year. Moreover, Lanci also said that with these figures, Acer "can finally pass Dell" sometime between this quarter and the next. He also added that the company expects to "breach the gap with HP" when it comes to notebooks, netbooks, and smartphones. So... that means we can expect a ton of Acers this year, right? Right.

Update: Well, that was fast.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Acer: we'll overtake Dell as world's number two PC maker... soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer poised to beat Dell, become number two PC maker

Nilay Patel — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:03:00 EST

Interesting piece in the New York Times today about Acer -- the company is about to ride the tidal wave of netbooks and other el-cheapo computers straight to the number two spot on the PC sales chart. That's a big deal -- no non-US company has ever made it so high -- and it's interesting that the strategies Acer took to get there are the same things Dell's been trying to do lately: it's heavy on low-cost, stylish laptops and netbooks, it keeps inventory extremely lean, and it relies on an extensive set of retail partnerships in Europe. What's more, the Aspire One has been the best-selling netbook for a while now, and we'd say Acer's way out in front of the CULV thin-and-light race with the Timeline -- in fact, we'd say the only open question here is whether the company can take all this computing success and translate it to something worthwhile in the smartphone space. Based on what we've seen so far, we've got our doubts, but we'll see what those super-secret Android sets look like before we place our bets.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Acer poised to beat Dell, become number two PC maker originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire One AO751h reviewed -- sweet battery life, sad CPU marks

Laura June — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:18:00 EST

Acer's 11.6-inch netbook -- the Aspire One 751h -- has been available Stateside since mid-May, and Laptop's spent some quality time with it, delivering a full review. Overall, they found the nice, large screen to be welcoming, and the battery life (on their 6-cell configuration) was fantastic -- clocking in at over seven hours. They were, however, pretty disappointed in the 1.22-GHz Intel Atom Z520 CPU, finding it to really slow the unit down. They note that other similarly priced models boast better processors, and might be a smarter choice. The Aspire One 751h runs $399 with a 3-cell battery, and $449 for the 6-cell version. Hit up the read link for the full review. One more shot after the break.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One AO751h reviewed -- sweet battery life, sad CPU marks

Filed under: Laptops

Acer Aspire One AO751h reviewed -- sweet battery life, sad CPU marks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America

Ross Miller — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:31:00 EST

Acer's 11.6-inch, WXGA Aspire 751h-1192 and 10.6-inch, WSVGA D250-1042 are nothing new around these parts, but now the company's officially priced the units and put up the "on sale" sign. Looks like both models are sporting the corner-placed VGA port as well as the usual netbook specs like a 160GB HDD, up to 2GB RAM, a three or six cell battery, 802.11b/g, GMA 950 integrated graphics, webcam, and Windows XP Service Pack 3. Both have a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, but the 751h can swap it out for a 1.22GHz Atom Z520 instead. The larger screen portable's also got a multi-gesture trackpad and a slightly heavier body -- 2.75 pounds vs. 2.44. Starting prices are $298 and $380 for the D250 / 751h, respectively, with your choice of Diamond Black, Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue or Seashell White for colors. Full press release after the break.

Gallery: Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America

Continue reading Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America

Filed under: Laptops

Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer finally gets sucked into Sony battery recall

Evan Blass — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:38:00 EST

You've got to hand it to Acer for holding strong while lesser manufacturers folded in the face of cries over "consumer safety," but the Taiwanese giant has finally caved and issued a voluntary recall of about 27,000 Sony-made laptop batteries over eight months after Dell pulled back the first four million,and half a year following its initial consultations with Sony. Affected models include a slew of TravelMate and Aspire notebooks sold between May 2004 and November 2006, so Acer owners should hit the Read link to match up serial numbers -- and then shutdown immediately in favor of AC power if they do happen to sport one of the explosion-prone packs. As usual, the company will replace your battery for free as long as you visit the proper site or dial the toll-free blah blah blah...can we finally put this meme to bed already?

Filed under: Laptops

Acer finally gets sucked into Sony battery recall originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer's TravelMate 6460 and 6410, continuing the Merom love

Cyrus Farivar — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:03:00 EST

We thought that Acer was all done for the time being with announcing its latest Core 2 Duo lappies, and boy are we pleasantly surprised to be wrong -- the company has just paraded out two swanky new models for us to enjoy: the TravelMate 6460 and 6410. Sadly, deets on the TravelMates are few for the time being, but we do know that they'll come with the latest Merom action (no word on what speed), "omnipotent communication" (WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 1.3 megapixel integrated webcam), DVI-D out with HDCP support (on the 6460 only), fingerprint-based login, and a 15.4-inch display. Yo Acer, how about some pricing and availability info to go along with your spec sheets, hrm?

Filed under: Laptops

Acer's TravelMate 6460 and 6410, continuing the Merom love originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

More Acer Ferrari laptops: the 1005WTMi and 5005WLHi

Evan Blass — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:10:00 EST

We never really expected Acer's Ferrari lineup of notebooks to sell all that well, but once again we've been proven wrong, as the company has apparently sold enough of these overpriced machines to warrant spec bumps for both the 1000 and 5000 series. First up is the revamped 12.1-inch 1005WTMi, which packs a pretty decent feature set for a 3.6-pound ultraportable, including a 2.0GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 processor, ATI Mobility Radeon X1150 graphics with 512MB of VRAM, a full 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 160GB worth of HDD capacity, and of course, Bluetooth 2.0 and three-flavor WiFi standard. As for the 15.4-inch, WSXGA+ 5005WLHi (pictured), you're getting the same CPU, RAM, and HDD configurations as the 1005, but video is handled by a 256MB ATI X1600 chipset; the real draw, though, is the new HD DVD drive, which is backed by an HDMI port for outputting those high-def vids to a bigger screen. No word yet on pricing or availability, though if past Ferrari-themed laptops have taught us anything, you'll be paying a pretty penny for that carbon fiber case and snazzy galloping horse logo. Keep reading to check out the 1005, but really, once you've seen one of these notebooks you've basically seen them all...

Continue reading More Acer Ferrari laptops: the 1005WTMi and 5005WLHi

Filed under: Laptops, Transportation

More Acer Ferrari laptops: the 1005WTMi and 5005WLHi originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Laptop mag puts tech support through the torture test

Evan Blass — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:29:00 EST

Usually when shopping for a computer, the only two factors that really matter to most people are cost and features; if you can get the specs you want at a price you can afford, well, you're probably a happy camper. What many folks don't consider -- until it's too late, that is -- is the quality of the tech support provided by your PC's manufacturer when a problem arises. Well luckily Laptop magazine is very interested in customer support: so interested, in fact, that they actually concoct fake problems and call up the various manufacturers to see how they fare with what would normally be considered very simple issues. This time around, they switched off the WiFi on their notebooks and installed a number of startup-slowing applications, and then graded the nine major laptop makers on both their online and phone support. Coming out on top were Apple and Lenovo -- followed closely by Fujitsu -- whose websites were so well stocked with info that they precluded the need to call for help in the first place; they still called, just for kicks, and found all three support teams to be prompt in both picking up the calls (no long hold times) and solving the problems. Gateway, Sony, Dell, and HP all ended up in the middle of the pack, performing well in some areas but floundering in others. The worst of the bunch were Acer and Toshiba, with the former earning a "D" for its lousy online documentation (though hold times were non-existent), while the latter apparently experienced some damaged phone lines to its Manila call center during the testing, and was unable to solve any of Laptop's problems (or even answer the phone in under an hour, for that matter). While these results should not be considered gospel on the quality of the support you're going to get from each manufacturer, they're probably a decent representation on what you can expect following your purchase of a particular machine -- or maybe not. Readers, do you have any first-hand experiences which either support or disprove these rankings?

Filed under: Laptops

Laptop mag puts tech support through the torture test originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acer Aspire 9510 and 9110 HD-DVD-sporting laptops

Evan Blass — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 23:49:00 EST

Along with the 15.4-inch 5670 and 20.1-inch 9800 notebooks that we'd already known about, Acer formally unveiled at Computex two other HD-DVD- and Centrino Duo-toting models from the Aspire line that we hadn't seen before: the 17-inch 9510 and 15.4-inch 9110 (pictured). All four models are being billed as all-in-one multimedia centers, and with all but the 5670 sporting 1,920 x 1,080 resolutions, S/PDIF and HDCP-capable HDMI outputs, optional analog and DVB-T tuners, and of course those high-def, backwards-compatible optical drives (still waiting on those Blu-ray models, though), it sure sounds like Acer knows what it's talking about. Both of the new-new notebooks also offer up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM and nVidia graphics cards, but the 9510 rocks the GeForce Go 7900 GS with 512MB of RAM and up to 240GB of hard drive space, while the 9110 has to settle for the GeForce Go 7600 with 256MB of RAM and a HDD that maxes out at 120GB. Unfortunately, Acer was so busy selling us on the benefits of all these new machines that they forgot a few important details, so both pricing and release dates for each and every one remain a big fat mystery for now.

[Via Notebook Review]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Laptops, Media PCs

Acer Aspire 9510 and 9110 HD-DVD-sporting laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jun 2006 23:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments