Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T Thread

Well dang, I just missed my opportunity to get one. I got a Dell 11z 2 weeks ago (cheap) and put in a SSD for a trip that starts tomorrow. It will go on Craig's List when I get back, and I'll be looking at the 1830. I did have an Lenovo u160 i7 in my hands this morning as I returned it to UPS. I ordered it, Lenovo moved my ship date by a week, I canceled the order, then they shipped it on the original ship date (by which time I had the dell in hand, and drive replaced, so I could not return it).

 

It doesn't seem to attract fingerprints or smudges whatsoever. I took a bunch of random pictures of the 1830T and posted them here. You can see the texture very clearly in this picture:

 

It reminds me of diamond plate that you find on tractor trailers like Peterbuilts.

 

nirslsk, can you post your Windows Experience Index scores for your new i3-330um?

Thanks a lot!

 

Wednesday afternoon.
Looks like my wife's i5 has been shipped.
Really was not expecting it till August.
Amazing!

"Greetings from Amazon.com.
We thought you'd like to know that we shipped your items, and that this
completes your order. Your order is being shipped and cannot be changed
by you or by our customer service department."

The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Qty Item Price Shipped Subtotal
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon.com items (Sold by Amazon.com, LLC):
1 Acer Aspire TimelineX AS1830... $699.99 1 $699.99

 

Here are the cpu scores for other ulv's besides the i3:

My SU9400: 4.2
i5-520UM: 4.9
i7-640UM: 5.7

 

I got the following:



I also re-ran PassMark PerformanceTest to see if I got different scores when the laptop was plugged in (my previously posted results were on battery power). The CPU and hard drive seem to do better:

 

Super helpful and thanks for the screenshots. It looks quite attractive in black with that grove-like chassis. Can't see why the i5 model would look any different. Will definitely be a keeper when mine arrives, barring any issues like heat/noise.

 

Thank you for all those pictures, nirslsk. It looks incredible except some small details. I can't wait to review it~

 

this thread is a breath of fresh air. I really had no idea the Acer TimelineX series would even be released in the US, let alone include a ULV 11.6 inch model. I've spent the whole of last month trying to decide between a MBP 13, Envy 14 and Adamo 13.

None of these were suiting my criteria (I prefer Windows/too heavy,expensive,HP quality sucks/expensive, nonreplaceable battery). Plus some of the threads for these models are annoying to read through: Envy 14 has way too much speculation and is overtaken by speed, heat and resolution obssessed gamer freaks, MBP doesn't have enough solid information on running Windows full-time, and the Adamo 13 thread has been dead for a while.

I have a PS3 for games. What I wanted a thin-and-light fast enough to run Youtube HD without heating up or slowing down. For office work, I knew a ULV C2D would be enough, so I don't even bother asking about that, and don't want to waste battery life or risk reducing lifespan through overclocking. The Asus UL30VT seemed perfect, were it not for the hideous gloss that makes it look like something out of the EEE series. The 1830T seems to be good enough looks-wise, has decent battery life and has Intel HD, which takes care of my multimedia reqs.

I know Acer's build quality is way behind ASUS', but I'm hoping they got things right this time. Before this, my only option seemed to be the Vaio Z, which was overkill power-wise. Even though this has a smaller screen, I'm thinking it should be enough for typing papers and watching Youtube/occasional HD movie. For $600, this would be a steal if the build quality and durability hold up. I've got my fingers crossed.

EDIT: Newegg's sold out of the Core i5 model already. I'm looking at the Core i3 myself, though if I see enough good reviews of the i5, I guess I can spare the extra $100 for more HDD and RAM.

 

I wonder if we'll see a Timeline with a discrete NVIDIA Optimus graphics chip? A Core i3/i5/i7 with an NVIDIA chip in this 11.6" chassis would make my little heart go all pitter-patter. Intel HD is OK, but having the added graphics power for games PLUS the CUDA enhancements for video encoding on-the-go would be wonderful. Throw in a fast SSD and I'd have myself the perfect mobile CS5 workstation.

 

It's called the HP TM2T. 12" /I5-430UM/HS5450/80GB SSD/convertible tablet.

Do you know where the name NICK DANGER comes from?

 

Well now I can join this club. The pressure was to much for me. Despite saying I would skip this and get the Sandy Bridge powered 1840T, I caved and got the i5 1830T. And now I am set until 2013 for Haswell (or AMD if it is better). Spent $405 in Amazon credits earned from surveys that I was saving for a new camera.

 

Glad to be of service! Have a blast with your new units everyone

 

Quick question; despite the integrated graphics, is the general consensus that because of the decent processor this notebook should be able to handle HD flash (Hulu/Youtube ) with ease? Also, would 1080p mkv be an issue? Many thanks to all who can give input as I'm itching to buy this thing at such a tempting price.

 

Just ran Win7 Performance Info on my 1810tz with its su4100 processor.
The performance of the new 1830 i3um is just a little better.

In the photo, the results of 1810tz are on top of the newer i3.
Notice my 7200 hard drive measures a little faster than the 5400 in the i3.

 

Anything about the battery lifetime?

 

That results are quite dissapointing, I was hopping the new ulv processors to be faster than previous ones...

 

It's a disease. I5-1830T looks great. What is your projected delivery date?

 

What's the ETA on those? That 13.2% cashback deal from Bing on Tigerdirect is awfully tempting...

 

Any recommendations for a nice messenger bag to go with this? One that will fit a couple notebooks and a textbook would be great. My last one fell apart.

 

Yes, can someone play 1080p .mkv video in VLC player and see if there is any lag?

 

To Canadians : core i3 1830T now on amazon.ca, although its availability is still 1 to 2 months away. Also : 735 $ CAD (without taxes). Ouch. Don't even wanna know how much the core i5 will go for.

As1830t-3730 I3-330um 1.20g 4gb 500gb 11.6in W7hp (vf): Amazon.ca: Electronics

edit : found some other stores that carry it (including NCIX that was mentioned earlier in this thread). It's starting to look like Canada might eventually catch up. BTW, only Amazon is showing a 700+ price; the others are around 650. (550 for the 1830TZ)

1830T : as1830t - Price comparison - Canada's Cheapest Prices

1830TZ : http://www.shopbot.ca/m/?m=as1830tz

 

Thanks for the update, much appreciated. Hopefully I can get an i5 in my hands by July 10th when I go away.

 

On my ASUS UL20A (SU7300 processor), I had trouble watching 1080p smoothly. especially on YouTube. Everything else was great. i3 is a step up so I think it can.

 

July 22, 2010 - August 27, 2010.

No idea, maybe in the fall.

 

Is it possible to add internal wwan/umts module in 1830t? Is there extra PCIe slot free? Also the sim insertion module is present or not?

 

NO idea if someone already posted this, but I found it on the internet just now.

http://www.acer.com/timelinex/resources/pdf/performance/1830T-4549_0410.pdf

Some benchmark and battery life. Quite details too.

 

Ordered from Tigerdirect with that Bing cashback. Talked to a guy and they said they'll be getting them in on the 28th. Dunno how reliable or correct it may be but here's to hoping!

On a side note, went to check out the T280 today, the C2D version.

Top was rubber...y and textured like a grill somewhat. Not bad.
Screen was standard 11.6
Keyboard was good, not small. Keys were sized well, much better than some of the other 11.6 machines like a Samsung and Averatec. Doesn't compare to the netbooks.

Biggest "flaw" would be the trackpad buttons on the side. It makes it really awkward to track and click.

But another good thing, bezel around the screen was kept to a minimum so the overall size of the notebook when closed was quite small and portable. I think the 1830T's a big bigger with the bezel so bigger size when closed.

 

My quick first impressions!
+ Beautiful! Much better-looking in person. The textured lid is incredible...
+ This screen is not grainy. It is a big improvement over my ASUS UL20A and Sony CW. Decent brightness. Also, the box says it contains mercury.
+ Flexible hinges. The screen can go back almost 180 degrees.
- Bad viewing angles
- Tiny trackpad
+ Large keys
- Still hard to type if you're used to desktop keyboards or island-style keyboards
+ Completely silent
- Flex if you apply pressure but it's not too bad. Kind of bothers me, although.
+ Very thin and light.
- Build quality is okay. It's a bit bendy... Don't drop it.
- Light pressure on the lid will distort the screen

EDIT:
what the heck was I thinking... The resolution is way too small for my needs. I didn't learn the second time did I?
If I sell this, is there an immediate buyer here? :> Only 4 hours old. Reduced price since I opened it, of course. Anyway, I won't write a review anymore but I will answer as many questions as I can.

 

your post did it for me...

after waiting months, and debating b/t the 1410, 1810t and now the 1830t and even considering the asus ul30vt-a1 (although I want 11.6)...

i purchased the 1830t for myself and the asus ul20a-a1 for the wife (she wants 12.1) with the 13.2% from bing

 

Here's the passmark score for the i5 430um version:


Here's the Windows Experience score:

 

Well, this is starting to feel a bit like a laptop component slot machine. I just got my i5 1830T, this is what I've observed in way of the i5 unit being different from the i3 unit:

• This time the right touchpad button is perfect and the left button has a problem. Big dead area in the bottom right quadrant where the button resists, doesn't click and doesn't register a clicking command. I'm wondering if there's some kind of DIY fix for this sort of thing?
• Battery seems to be draining a lot faster. Is it the CPU? I can use the battery from the other unit to compare.
• Unit seems to vibrates a lot less. Is it because the hard drive is slower? (PassMark results posted below)
• Unit gets a bit warmer perhaps. Not bad at all, but the i3 unit seemed to not get warm almost at all.

I'm rather frustrated by the touchpad button problem persisting. I'll see if I can get used to it. If not, I think that's the end of the road with Acer for me.

PerformanceTest results:

 

Bobcat, thanks for the post on the i5 variant. Can you confirm was this with AC power plugged in and Turbo Boost enabled?

 

Here is mine. I wonder why the difference...

 

Do either of you notice any touchpad button weirdness?

 

My left touchpad button is like that too. Just the lower-right end.

 

Thanks for responding! I guess that's just the way they're made then...

 

They want to protect against accidental key presses from our bellies. Just that one lower-right area though.

 

Nice to see the 430UM scores close to the 640UM in cpu scores with WEI.

 

Will one of you push down on the upper-right edge of your laptop and let me know if it makes a click noise?

 

You know it's funny you mention it because when I got my i3 unit, the right upper corner of the keyboard panel was clearly not snapped into place, and when i pressed it down it clicked, but it hasn't clicked since then. I do notice the top right corner of the keyboard panel in this unit is a bit loose and gives a little when pressed. Seriously I wouldn't be shy about getting a replacement if I were you. $600-700 is a lot of money these days and you're entitled to a properly built unit for what you've paid.

 

Guys what's going on???You give the impression that the units have serious quality problems.And now we are not talking anymore about $399 notebooks.

 

I don't think turbo was enabled. Ran again on AC and got this result:

 

Thanks, nirslsk. I am afraid to send it in for a fix and I doubt they will replace for this reason. It's completely functional otherwise. I'll just have to deal with it.

Well, it's very thin. I expected a weak build but this seems like a mistake on the worker, not the design. Something is loose.

 

No clicking on mine. And the touchpad buttons are fine too. Both right and left register presses in both corners and the center. The buttons are a little stiff maybe, but solid.

The only "issue" I've found so far is a tiny bit of flex in the keyboard when typing, but really no big deal.

 

On Ama-zon the i3 1830T already got a price drop!

 

Ugh... It's always me. I always get the poorly built model. It never fails...
Anyway, I'm going to get this fixed. It's really bothering me now that I know for sure.

What are your average temperatures? Mine is 54-56 when I am web browsing and programming. Playing music too.
Also, could you guys tell me if cpu-id detects your memory as dual-channel? Mine is blank. Everyone is blank except Size.


EDIT:
After tightening some screws, the click noise is gone. Trackpad button is improved a lot but not fixed.

 

Exactly, these are not cheap netbooks, and hell I got three Samsung netbooks for $350 each (one NC10, two N110 for my wife, her mother and myself) and they were all miles in build quality ahead of anything larger I've tried.

 

did the acer timeline 3810 series have build quality problems? if so, I hope they're not repeated here...i guess I'll have to wait 6-9 months and get some feedback on longterm durability before taking the plunge...sigh...really don't want to spend $1200 for a C2D MBP (with an OS i don't want), but build quality on the <1" windows laptops seem to still have a ways to go.