Acer Aspire S7-392 (Haswell) Owners Lounge

Honestly, I don't have a fan / keyboard noise issue. Been happy with my purchase ever since.

Then again, I did come from a Gigabyte P34G which had an INSANE fan noise problem. Maybe I'm just not noticing it.

 

Errr... it sounds like a perfect description of how fan works. Blowing air at a moderate pace when the notebook is under load and CPU needs to be cooled.
It may be an issue but it doesn't sound like one from the description. Is it particularly loud compared to your previous laptop?

 

I have the i7 model. The fan noise isn't too bad. It's just because my previous computer was a surface pro 1 and that computer was silent fan wise which was awesome. The fan noise is just something I have to get used to. Sadly I have a screen issue with my acer where it starts flashing in some of the metro and office apps...its pretty random. Because it has been less than a week since I bought it so I brought it to the microsoft store and they put in a special request to get another i7 acer shipped to swap it out with my current one. Hopefully the request gets approved.

Ya the fan noise isn't too bad, I just have to get used to it after having the Surface pro 1 which has practically no fan noise at all.

 

After a few more days of playing with the laptop I have noticed that the fan, while not very loud, seems to turn on rather quickly. If I have facebook open + a youtube video the fan turns on, even if there is proper ventilations.

 

Sound on this thing isn't great with sung music. Sounds a bit hollow/tinny etc etc. I have dolby installed. Any ideas how to optimize the sound on this?

 

what are people actually getting in terms of battery usuage? I have only managed to get 5 hours on power saving mode while in school. Does that mean i have received a bad unit? (i have gone through 1 full discharge and recharge cycle) Also how long does recharge usually take?
Thanks in advance

 

I've got about 6 hours on normal usage. No issues here.

 

Hey guys,

Can someone give me the DL link for the updated USB 3.0 Driver from Intel's website?

 

Is there some sort of automatic driver update tool from Acer (or anyone, really)?

 

hi! i have 1-week old aspire s7-392, purchased at the local store here in the Philippines. i want to use a micro sd card, but the sd card cant get through. when inserting, only about 40% of the card can get in. i dont want to forcefully insert the card coz i might damage the slot. is there an available instructional video how to insert the micro sd card? or anyone from the group to email me a home-made instructional video? my email: [email protected]. i would appreciate it very much hearing from the group. more power!

 

The SD card is supposed to stick out, that's how it's designed because it's an ultrabook

 

indeed! the whole stick doesnt need to get in. It's okay now. thanks nivaku!

 

Hi, a simple question from a new owner. I just bought a S7-392-6411 on eBay. Here's the thing, the machine I bought does not include a hard drive. I thought that this would be no problem as I could just install one of my own but I've just been reading that this machine has a propietary Raid 0 SSD installed and am concerned about whether I can just slot in a standard mSata replacement drive?

Will a regular mSata drive work? Are there any particular models I should avoid and is installation tricky? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Have any of you guys tried hooking up 2 external monitors to the S7-392? Am I correct in assuming it would have to be done via a connection to HDMI and a USB-to-display type of option from one of the 2 USB 3.0 ports?

 

Regular mSATA drive will work. I don't know of any particular models that should be avoided. The installation is quite straightforward, just set the option to AHCI in BIOS. Please see my previous posts in this thread.

 

Yeah, you'll be fine. Just because the laptop supports Raid 0 doesn't mean it's required. As stated below, a simple BIOS tweak is needed.

 

I'm looking at maybe getting this laptop. How is the key travel compare to a macbook?
Also what are the usual complaints people have with it?

I'm trying to decide between a S7-392 or a Thinkpad T440s

 

The key travel is decent. I honestly have no problem with the key travel. The keyboard layout is different though and take a bit getting used to. If comparing MBP keyboard vs Acer, I say the MBP is better. The keyboard well mine suffers from white noise, it doesn't happen all the time but it does get annoying. I'd wait on the S7-393 assuming they are making that

 

Hi guys,

I just got my S7 and noticed the trackpad is... weird. I tried searching, but I haven't found it mentioned so far, and I'm wondering if it's normal, or if I got a defect.

The left lower corner of the trackpad takes a decent amount of pressure to click and sits higher up in the cutout for the trackpad (more flush with the body). The right side is more sunken in, and takes much less pressure in the lower corner to click. The trackpad does work - It just seems weird that it's like that.

Also, like some others mentioned, I get the high pitched noise when the EL keyboard backlight is turned up to max. That's pretty annoying on a machine that otherwise seems very lovely so far.

Thanks!

 

I can't vouch for the high pitched noise with the keyboard. Haven't experienced that. As for the trackpad, it is a different feel than other laptops I've had, but I don't think mine is as bad as the one you got. Maybe a defective model?

 

I have decided this is the laptop I want but cannot, for the life of me, find the model I want (i7, 8GB, 256 SSD) anywhere in the UK. Any ideas?

 

Hi all,

I have had my Acer Aspire S7-392-6832 since April this year running with Windows 8.1 64-bit. I have found since purchase that when I open many programs, they are too large for the size of the screen. For example, if I open Spotify, the top of the program extends beyond the top of the screen, which prevents me from being able to close, minimise, etc. I have had to adjust Chrome and IE so I could view webpages properly (currently run on 90% zoom) and I also find that programs can look blurry (ie - Spotify or iTunes text is not crisp - it has a fuzzy look about it).

My screen resolution is running at the recomended 1920 x 1080. This is the highest resolution possible - going lower just makes everything bigger.

Any ideas on what the problem might be here? Or suggestions on how this can be fixed? I find I am resorting back to my 5 year old Dell out of exasperation - appreciate any thoughts.

Cheers

 

It's totally back up on amazon.
Acer Aspire S7-392 13.3-inch Touchscreen Notebook (Intel Core i7 4500U 1.8GHz Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, LAN, WLAN, BT, Webcam, Integrated Graphics, Windows 8): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

Hey guys,

My 392 with 4GB of RAM is starting to really slow down. The process manager shows 3GB normal RAM usage and all 4GB when I'm using a VM. Is the RAM on this laptop soldered on the board? Is there a way to upgrade it?

I'm also nearing the limit of my SSD (128GB). Is there a way I can upgrade it or add another one?

Thanks for all help?

 

The RAM is soldered and cannot be upgraded.

The SSD can be upgraded to 1 TB (current max capacity) like mine. Make sure you buy msata ssd. There's only one slot so you cannot add another ssd.

 

How is the laptop holding up for those of you that have used it for a while?

 

Just FYI, the Aspire S7-393 (Broadwell-based this time) is being released. Aside from the CPU and integrated graphics it doesn't look like too much else is new.

 

Do you have a release date? Thanks

 

I don't have an exact date.

It's starting to pop up in some European online webshops and is on some of Acer's official sites (at least the European ones). I'm guessing they are launching it right now at CES 2015.

 

Can someone please post a link to the Service Manual. Additionally, can the wi-fi card be upgraded to an AC model (i.e. Intel 7260AC)?

 

I've got my hands on the Acer Aspire S7-393 with the i7-5500U processor. Will have a detailed post with my impressions in a few days, but in the meantime, if anyone is interested in any specific details or has any questions, let me know.

 

Hey guys, I bought the 392 a few weeks ago used and I'm having an issue with overheating. It seems the fan never turns on, even when the CPU is in the danger zone of 95+ degrees. I put my ear right up to the exhausts and either this is the slowest most silent fan in the world or it simply never decides to switch itself on. Can anyone confirm that the fan should in fact be spitting out air at high temperatures?

Apologies if this has been covered already.

 

How did you get the 393 version? I've been looking for it but it is not available on the Acer website.

 

Do you think I should wait for the 393 or the changes are minimal compare to the 392 and I would probably get a better deal with the older generation? Beside the change to the new Broadwell processor and the addition of Wifi 802.ac, anything new worth the wait ? Is there a new screen with higher resolution or its the same display as the 392 ?

Thanks !

 

@nrwang What I got is not a final retail unit, but a media sample. Retail versions are already available on Acer's US website and will be available in Europe in early March.
@LP119 Minimal, just those you mentioned. Everything else remains the same, including the screen. Still, the S7-393 is $200-$300 cheaper than a similarly configured Dell XPS 13 or Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus 2015 and that's probably its biggest selling point right now. If you want a Broadwell U i7 configuration, of course.

BTW, I've posted my impressions on this laptop here: http://www.ultrabookreview.com/6258-acer-aspire-s7-393-review/ . Hope this helps.

 

Thank for the review. I'm actually looking at the i5 model because here in Canada the i5 is already 1400$. I still think it's a better deal than the similarly price XPS13. I read a french review of the 393 that mentioned that the screen (which is supposed to be the same as the 392), was noticeably less bright (260 cd/m2 for 393 compare to 320 cd/m2 for the 392). Can you confirm that ? for about 1400$ (1299 US), would you recommend another laptop than the Acer ?

Thanks !

 

My measurements indicate about 250-260 nits as well and lower contrast than on the QHD screen of the s7-392, but I can't say for sure that's going to be the same for the final retail units.

What's the config on that $1400 model? i5 (Broadwell or Haswell?), 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD?

 

the specs are : i5-4200, 8gb ram, 256 SSD, Intel H4400 video, 1920x1080 IPS.

 

I finally decided to upgrade the ssd on my S7-392 to a 500gb samsung evo, very happy with the upgrade eventhough it looses the Raid. I placed the 256gb original kingston ssd in an enclosure but I can only acess 128gb....does anybody know if the other half of the ssd can be accessed or is lost when placed in an external enclosure....or for that matter in a another laptop?
I live in Brasil and I was thinking about buying a new broadwell U laptop while I´m here in the US, either the acer s7 when it comes out or the new dell xps13, but wasn´t convinced with the tick part of the improvement, might as well wait till next year for skylake, so I opted for the ssd upgrade instead. Just a bummer I cant get acess to the full 256gb on the original drive in an enclosure.

by the way, great forum....helped me opt for the S7 over the vaio pro long time ago. Other than the odd keyboard layout, such as lack of dedicated function keys, I love the machine.

 

I bought mine on the first weeks of release...

The new S7-393, for now, only has the i7 5500U option, no i5 announced yet. One thing I like about this acer is that it comes with the full HD touchscreen instead of the higher resolutions on Samsung and even higher on the XPS13. I prefer full HD for better battery life and the resolution is fine for me on a 13" screen. And the price point is good compared to the Samsung...and to the XPS13 as well if opting for the i7, which only has the option for a QHD touchscreen. The only thing I dislike about the Acer is the keyboard layout, after almost two years, I am used to it...but still wish they put the function keys on top....and had a caps lock with a light. Also perhaps a different color option, white is ok...but black would be awesome.

The asus zenbooks are nice laptops, but they opted to put a broadwell M in the zenbook 305 instead of the i7 U...bummer. Let's see if they announce soon a zenbook with the broadwell U, but most likely will be with a higher resolution screen and higher price point than the S7-393.

 

One option, that might be interesting, although it is a different category because it is a lot heavier, at 4.53lbs....and a 15.6" screen is the new dell inspiron 15 7000. With the broadwell i7 5500U, 8gb ram, full HD touchscreen at a discounted price of US$799.99 with a free 7" tablet....the only thing is the 1TB HD, which could be swaped for a SSD pretty easily. It also has a discrete video card, although an uninspiring one...the radeon R7 M270 4gb ddr3.
Never had a Dell, just mentioned it because of the price point.

I bought my S7-392 couple of weeks after the release and my Dad bought the sony vaio pro 13, with the same config...i7 haswell, 8gb ram, full HD touch, and 256gb ssd. I have been using his vaio recently, and I like the keyboard much better, with the proper function and caps lock keys.
What I noticed on the vaio though is the procesor performance on load, my acer consistently goes to 2.50 ghz or higher on full load, while the Vaio struggles to go beyond 2.00 ghz...although this might be some problem with the chipset driver after I did a win8.1 clean install recently, since the turbo boost doesn´t seem to kick in as well as on the S7. Power plan is on high performance and processor set at 100%. The fan on the vaio kicks in a lot more often and sooner than the acer and is quite a bit louder. The screen are good on both, but the hinge on the acer is really good and stiff, helps when using touch.
The one thing that is awesome in the vaio though is the ssd, the Samsung XP941 PCIe....lot faster than the Raid0 on the acer. It is the same drive that the macbook pro uses....the benchmarks goes thru the roof.
Too bad sony stopped making the vaios, but I still like my S7 more.

 

Zenbook UX303LA with Broadwell (i5-5200U) has already been released in the US. It's selling for $899.
http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-UX303...&qid=1424045365&sr=8-1&keywords=ux303la-ds51t

For all the complaints about the Acer keyboard, one thing I like about it over the Zenbook is that it has dedicated PgUp/PgDn keys. I use those often for scrolling when web browsing. I'm debating between the two right now but leaning towards the Acer.

 

I actually don´t mnd the acer keyboard, I only notice it when I use alt+F4 to close apps....which is a bit harder to do with one hand...having to press the fn key also...haha.

Strange that Asus hasn´t updated their own site with the model you linked. Pretty fair price compare to the similar configuration of the new xps13.

 

That's a good point about Alt-F4. I was trying to think what I used function keys for on a regular basis and most of them can be worked around. F5 to reload web pages - use Ctrl-R instead. I would probably just set up an autohotkey script where Alt-4 does the same as Alt-F4.

 

the S7 393 is now in stock at amazon for 1,399.99.
In my case, since I have the i7 haswell, the broadwell isn´t a big enough bump to justify upgrading to the new version...I will hold off a new ultrabook purchase till the end of the year or early next year for skylake or something.
However, if someone is shopping for a ultrabook right now, I recomend this one...very happy with it...bought in august 2013. The asus Ux303la i5 broadwell is also a very good option, considering the price.

 

Hi guys, I though I should answer a question which most of us have wondered - is it possible to replace wireless (wifi) card on Aspire S7-392?

Yes, it is possible. Although, you have to find a very specific card - it is not half PCI-E standard as most laptops have. It's called "NGFF". Check it out on this picture:


You can find this little thingy if you tear apart your S7-392. My model is S7-392-9890, so it might be slightly different on your model? Here's my laptop torn apart:




So here it is, the infamous Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260. I hate it, really, really hate it. As soon as possible, I'm going to replace it with a non-intel card!:

 

Check my little guide in the above post. Yes, you can replace it, although it's a pain in the a**

 

I am missing 3 screws on the bottom....anybody have an idea what size screws should I look for? Kind of hard to measure with a ruler. Acer support can´t or won´t help me with that. Thanks.