Acer Aspire TimelineX 4820TG Owners Lounge

I saw this laptop in person at a store today. I really like it! Will definitely buy this machine in the next few days.

 

I have been having an issue with my Acer TimelineX 4820TG. After about 45minutes of use the audio will start to stutter and the mouse cursor will stutter around. I have noticed this when watching movies through HDMI on an HDTV and if I am just messing around. The only way to stop my computer from doing this is to hold the power button and shut it off to restart it. After restart everything works flawlessly. I am lost with answers...does anybody have any for me? THanks!

 

Has anyone had HDMI issues when connecting to an HDTV? I had the HD5650 enabled, connected to a Westinghouse 1080P TV, and the screen on the TV was blank. The monitor WAS recognized by my computer with the correct model and everything, but it said "no signal detected". I tried three different HDMI cables and four different HDMI ports on the TV. It worked a couple of weeks before, and it still works with my friend's Macbook Pro. I was able to get VGA working with the TV, but HDMI just wouldn't.

 

Hi everyone

I have a new/unopened 4820TG-644G75Mnss (i7-640m) latop and have been given an opportunity to get an XPS 14 from work. Can anyone please give me some feedback which is the better option. I intend to use the laptop for both a mixture of work (R&D design applications) and play (mid range gaming) so would like a good combination of cpu performance and graphics with build quality/portability in mind. I really can't find anything that'll compare the two gfx cards anywhere online.

Any assistance would be great in making the decision to go XPS or TimelineX.

Cheers...

 

How do I know if my laptop has 3G enabled? the drivers available on the acer site, But is there anyway I can check if my 4820TG has 3G inbuilt option?

 

They are special models that are quite rare. You would have a second PCIe card in the bottom and a 3G card installed. If you don't know if you have it, you probably don't.

Bronsky

 

Is the XPS free? If you have to pay for it, I would take the Acer hands down. The XPS 14 has the GT420M GPU (unless it has the I7QM CPU) which can't hold a candle to the HD5650. The Acer is fairly well vetted while the XPS is untested (those of us who have suffered with S XPS 13s can attest to how important that is). So, if it's free, take it and sell the Acer (or return it if you still can). If not, enjoy that I7-620M.

Bronsky

 

I kind of agree with what bronsky said, now, if you do decide to go with the XPS I am interested in possibly buying your 4820TG. PM me and we can discuss arrangements if you're interested. I live in Hawaii and will pay for shipping.

 

Ordered mine from J&R when they were 'in stock', turns out they weren't and want me to wait another week... lawlno. Grabbed one up from Newegg (whom I originally wanted to purchase from) and cancelled my other order.

Sooo many delays with this laptop, ARRRRG! Hope it's worth it.


EDIT:

Quoting this because I would like an answer as well, lol.

 

Bronsky

 

there were in stock. i bought mine last week on thursday at like 2am in the morning central time usa. mine was shipped at like noon that day. i went back to buy another for my friend though and i noticed the shipped changed from 1-3 days to 5-7. it was cheaper to get it through jr for me though. priced matched newegg @ 749.99 + $10 off + free shippin = 25 bucks cheaper

mine's already here in the city, gonna get it tomorrow. i'm so excited. got rid of my i7 m11xr2 for this thing. got a 60gb ssd waiting already.

 

I got notified by Newegg at 122 this afternoon. ordered mine at 227 est. They're sold out again now. I got my order confirmation. Hope i get one. Lol.

 

US retailer's buyers must be going crazy with Acer for not keeping them supplied. Can you imagine how many units they can be selling if they had sufficient stock.

 

You got rid of your M11x R2?
You actually prefer the 4820TG over the M11x?

I'm on the fence between the 4820TG and the M11x.

I've been testing/using the 4820TG for a couple of weeks now.
I still have 2 weeks to be able to do a return to J&R.

I plan to purchase a refurb M11x R2 and do a personal comparison,
but I'm uncertain it might reach me in time before the 2 weeks left
on the 4820TG.

I like everything about the 4820TG from the size and weight to
the performance.

My only distraction is the lack of a backlit keyboard on the 4820TG.
I prefer a backlit keyboard while in dimly lit / dark environments.
That's why I'm seriously considering the M11x with its highly
customizable backlighting.

I have a Logitech Illuminated Keyboard for my desktop, but I don't
want to carry that around with the 4820TG. I also don't want to buy
another backlit keyboard and mod the 4820TG, thus voiding the Acer warranty.

May I know what's your personal experience with the M11x keyboard?
From M11x posts I've read, some feel the keyboard is small, and some feel
it's too cramped, others the arrow keys are too small also.

The keyboard size and feel on the 4820TG is great, but the lack of
backlighting is a negative.

How do you feel about the 11.6" M11x screen?
Is it too small for general usage and for gaming?
Did you find yourself usually squinting and just attaching to an external monitor?

The 14" 4820TG screen is great for using applications, web
browsing, videos, etc. and gaming without any eyestrain.

 

That's so true.

Yes, Acer would be making huge profits with the 4820TG if they could
supply the demand. The 4820TG is an excellent notebook in its price
range, and people are realizing it.

Imagine also if someone in Acer was enlightened enough to even decide
to release the 3820TG with a backlit keyboard in the USA. Directly marketing,
competing with other notebooks in its size/weight range, and also against the M11x,
for general usage and gaming.

Sheesh, Acer should/could be making huge profits here in the USA
with the 3820TG/4820TG if they had a sufficient supply and planned/marketed
properly a 3820TG/4820TG USA release.

 

I may try replacing my screen. I called ScreenTek and the representative confirmed that both panels use the same connector. Looking at pictures online, the connector on the Acer is on the left, but I'm not sure where the connector on the Sony is yet.

If I go through with this, I'll lose about $40 if the display is incompatible. Will the 1600x900 resolution be compatible? I'm guessing it should be compatible if the driver supports it right? Or does it depend on motherboard bios or w/e?

 

I've owned a M11x and the 4820TG out does the M11x in almost every way. Better, bigger screen (much better for playing games). Fullsize keyboard (M11x is smaller than normal). M11x also gets less battery life and has a slower processor and slower graphics card. It also costs more. 4820TG is the way to go!

 

The HD5650 would clearly support that resolution. I'm not sure that the bios will. Still for a $40 loss, it's probably worth the effort. If it works, there will be tons following your lead.

Bronsky

 

Sorry to interupt the conversation guys, but MAKE YOUR WAY TO MICROCENTER!!!
The CoolerMaster Notepal U2 is on sale for $12.99. This is the version with the 2 moveable fans. It is normaly $25. Plus it is a black brushed metal that matches the lid of our 4820tg's. It might be a price mismark, so get it while it is hot!

 

The notebook is suppose to detect the EDID of the panel and render the correct resolution.

 

I'm placing an order for this machine. Should I order it from amazon ($799), Newegg ($749+shipping) or Fry's ($829+shipping)? I'm worried about what happened if something goes wrong. If I buy from Fry's I can easily bring my laptop over there to fix. I'm not sure how things work with online sites like amazon/newegg. Any advice? Please help!

 

Both Newegg and Amazon make the return process super simple. Amazon will let you print a return label on their website for free. Newegg will pay for your return label if you call them as long as the item is defective.

 

Hey guys, my girlfriend's 3820TG has a problem with Autocad 2011, photoshop and Google Sketchup. It just crashes when she tries to use it with the intel card, however on the ATI card it works fine.

Do you guys know how to fix that ? I think it is just a problem with the drivers and there is nothing she can do about it.

 

It sure looks nice and useful. I'd definitely buy it for that price.

The closest Microcenter for me is nearly an hour drive, so 2 hours round trip.

I'll definitely consider this though.

Thank you for that tip!

 

I truly appreciate you sharing your own experience with the M11x
and its comparison with your 4820TG.

Thank you.

 

Thanks for the initial feedback Bronsky...

The XPS 14 alternative would be a company subsidized laptop so I would still have to pay some amount inevitably and is something I'm discussing today.

To be more specific the XPS 14 model that is on the table has the i7-740QM and Nvidia GT425M. So given that this a quad core cpu with more cache memory and the GT425M GPU would this still perform better in the previously mentioned criteria compared to my 4820TG model.

It is indeed a conundrum of sorts.

BTW I'll get back to you Obelisk once a decision is made...

 

It is the GPU accelleration probably. They are designed to take advantage of a GPU so run it with the ATI on.

Bronsky

 

The I7QM CPU will seriously impact battery life. You'll have no switchable graphics. The GT425M is still less powerful than the HD5650. But, if the company pays a substantial portion, it's close enough to warrant saving the extra $$. Plus, in CPU intensive programs, the QM will really feel strong. In programs optimized for quadcores, the processor will be a monster. It really comes down to "how much"? Doesn't it always.

Bronsky

 

I also bought a OCz Agility2 60gb SSD from Microcenter. It was on sale for $139.99 and then a $20 mail-in rebate. So for $120 is it a good deal?

I also read here in this thread that there are some SSDs that have compatibility issues. Will the Agility2 have any problems in my 4820tg? I think I read that some of the newer SSDs that used the Sandforce controller were a bit buggy. Is this Agility2 one that uses the Sandforce controller? I can't seem to get a concrete answer on it.

 

The Intel card also supports acceleration, it should work, I know it works on my old laptop that had an intel GMA4500.
The point is to save battery when doing simple task on those softwares, that's why I want to use the Intel. Maybe a future driver would fix it.

 

Picked up this laptop just a few weeks ago and I've been loving it, though I do have one issue. During most games I seem to have a micro stutter issue. I've noticed it in Fallout New Vegas, The Witcher, and even older games from GoG.com like Icewind Dale. It seems to be an issue with loading from the hard drive or somesuch; in Fallout I notice it happens frequently when a new song comes on on the radio, the game will pause for half a second or so then plays along fine. In the Witcher I get the same kind of stutter when opening containers or when an NPC starts a new line of dialogue (I can actually feel the HD start to spin up when this happens). Otherwise the games play fine with very acceptable framerates. Has anybody else experienced this issue and is there a fix for it??

 

I don't know which forum to ask this in. So I'll post it here.

Is there any reliable source in the internet that has tested many laptop's battery life with the same tool? A place where I can compare different laptop's battery life? Maybe even somewhere around notebookreview.com

 

neither, order from JR and call to have them pricematch newegg

f/s no tax unless you're in NY (in which case, newegg is probably a better deal)

JR has a better return policy since, unlike amazon and newegg, it doesn't automatically impose 15% restock. newegg doesn't even allow returns for refund on this unit anyway...

Amazon.com Help: Computers

Help - FAQs at JR.com

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

FYI

 

That's a good price currently.

But a few days ago,

the OCZ Agility 2 was $99 after a code and MIR from Newegg.

OCZ Agility 2 Solid State Drive (SSD) 60GB $99.99 after $20 MIR - SlickDeals.net Forums

The Corsair Force, that has the same SF-1200 controller as the OCZ Agility 2
and Vertex 2, was also $99 from Newegg a few days ago also.

Corsair Force CSSD-F60GB2-BRKT 60GB 2.5" SSD $99.99 AC AR FS - SlickDeals.net Forums


I'm sure there'll be more deals up through Black Friday and the Christmas holidays.

I'm holding off purchasing an SSD since I'm on the fence between the
4820TG and M11x. The only reason my decision isn't final on the 4820TG
is the lack of a backlit keyboard.

The Agility 2 has stellar reviews at Newegg and other websites, I'm interested in that one also.

Same here, interested to know if someone is using an SSD with the SF-1200 controller
and what the results are with the 4820TG.

 

Due a few problems, I apparently missed out on ordering this great laptop from newegg ($749+shipping) and amazon ($799+free shipping). These stores sell out really fast. I still can go with fry's but their price is $829+shipping. Fry's doesn't seem to run out of stock for some reason (any guess?) but buying from them is expensive! Does anyone have an idea of when amazon and newegg will probably have this machine in stock again? Should I wait or just buy from fry's at that high price? Amazon is free 2-day shipping for me. For newegg I can pay more for faster delivery but I can only pay for UPS ground at fry's (will take 5-7 days to arrive). Please help!

 

Archer74, I appreciate that, but I managed to get one on order from amazon today. If you make the price attractive enough I might still consider it. Good luck with your decision. I like the style of the 4820TG better than the XPS, but I think that XPS you can get from your company has better hardware. According to notebookcheck.net the 425 is pretty much the same as the 5650 in terms of performance.

 

Excellent point about J&R.

My favorite websites for PC hardware / electronics are Newegg and J&R, but
on certain situations I'd like to avoid some tax charges
(since I'm in NJ) so I order from J&R.

That's where I ordered my 4820TG.

J&R has great customer service, price matches some websites,
and an excellent return/exchange policy.

An awesome part is you have 30 days to evaluate an item
and no restocking fee.

Even better if you are close to their retail store. If you ordered something online
that has some defect with it or you're not satisfied, you can bring it
to their retail location for a hassle free return/exchange.

Through the years, I've had some PC hardware and electronics purchased online, that was defective
or I didn't like, and I had no problems with a return/exchange and no restocking fee at J&R.

 

yah, i got rid of my m11xR2. if it were up to me, i wish i had a 3820 with the radeon 5650 but sadly, you can't get this laptop stateside. the m11x is a great machine but...... here are my personal reasons.

although i could game on the m11x, there was alot of optimus issues.....i was constantly on this website looking for driver fixes. Typing on the m11x was fine....i'm really particular about my keyboard (i still prefer the ibm/lenovo t series keyboards over every other keyboard) but both the acer and the m11x are tolerable. I prefer a switchable graphics card so i don't have to deal with programs not recognizing my graphics card.

i originally only got my m11xr2 cause i got it for a good price. got in on the boeing deal and i had alot of amex points. it was 920+145(ssd) = 1065 for an i7, 4gb ram, etc. ($500 dollar gift card to dell + 420 [which i had won in poker the same day...]) had i not had the dell gift card, i would've shopped around more heavily for a different laptop as i had an m11xr1 at the time. playin fps games and emulators felt fine on the m11x but rts games, with so much going on, i want a bigger screen. i got the acer @ 750 shipped so it also was cheaper to get this than another m11x.

actually, the only reason why i got this laptopw as because we went to fry's and my friend wanted to buy the acer. after i saw it, i wanted it and offered my m11x to my friend who wanted to buy an m11x but didn't wanna pay the 1400 for a retail r2. so i pretty much got him to pay for my acer + another ssd for my m11x.

finally, when i place my hand on the keyboard, i generally know where all the keys are relative to where my hands on the keyboard are. not to mention, if you are in the dark....your screen should be bright enough so that you can see your keys......ierno, backlit keyboards are nice (i have a g15 and a g11 for my desktops)....but i can easily live without them

 

Yes, the 3820TG is really a true m11x killer.
Before I made the purchase of 3820Tg, I compared all the info.
(Also later bought a 4820TG which is great as well)

Size:
m11x = 133.37 cubic inches
3820tg = 134.09 cubic inches
That's less than 1 cubic inch total difference.

The 3820TG is a 1/8" deeper, but the 3820TG is also 1/4" thinner, while it is an inch wider. The 11" is 11.6" not well optimized for size, while the 13" is a 13.3" well optimized for size. Think m11x is huge for an 11.6" and 3820TG tiny for a 13.3". Most review sites wonder why Dell didn't use a larger screen in all the wasted bezel space.

The m11x r2 uses the Intel "um" CPU, while the 3820TG uses "m" CPU, which means that even the low end i3-350m in an Acer is faster than the high end i7-640um in an m11x.

While hard to compare, I think the Acer has longer battery life, even though it is using the more power hungry CPU.

And to top off the comparison, the 3820TG weighs "less" than the m11x.

Yes, it does cost less than $20 to add a backlit keyboard, but with the savings, you can get that plus a SSD HD.

 

Newegg just "Deactivated" the 4820TG...

Anyone know why this is? I'm was looking to buy one but now I'm confused...
"OUT OF STOCK.
Deactivated. This item is currently out of stock and it may or may not be restocked."

Link Here

 

Because they ran out of stock? It says "MAY or may not be restocked". The word "or" is conjunctive.

Bronsky

 

Any guess as to why the AS4820TG-7805 (i5 460M, 320GB, HD 5650) is now listed as "deactivated" on newegg? Is a new model coming out?

 

I get this in fallout pretty often when I reload my gun after going a long period without loading it.. maybe from loading the sound files?

 

"Deactivated" doesn't necessarily mean a new model is coming. Items can be reactivated. Could be a stock issue, we will see.

 

Probably to make room for the new model

AS4820TG-7566

Everything is the same except this has a 500GB HDD.

 

Hope that's the case...

 

Thank you spressa for sharing your experience and analysis with the M11x.
That's really helpful in making comparisons/decisions between the
4820TG and M11x. I truly appreciate it.

Same here, if a US version of the 3820TG was available, it
would've been my first choice also.

As for the 4820TG, the plus side,
the ODD is replaceable, and can install an HDD (SSD if preferred) in that section.
So, the 4820TG is an excellent option as well.

Awesome! You got a great deal then for your M11x.

 

The 500GB Western Digital that I just took out of my 3820TG is very noisy. Lots of clicking and stuff. I think it will need that program that fixes WD.

Bronsky

 

Some new, great SSD deals from Newegg.

OCZ Vertex 2 60GB (better performance than the Agility 2):

$159.99 -> -25 instant & $20 MIR -> $114.99


OCZ Agility 2 120GB:

$299.99 -> -70 instant & $30 MIR -> $199.99

http://promotions.newegg.com/NEemai...-IGNEFL110210-_-EMC-110210-Index-_-E0-_-Up100

November, December/January are great months. Bargains galore!


Update:

I'd like to add from Meritline.

OCZ Vertex 2 120GB (better performance than the Agility 2):

$267.95 -> -38.95 & $30 MIR -> $199

http://www.meritline.com/ocz-vertex...-mlc-internal-ssd---p-46594.aspx?source=s2010

Hmmm, a Vertex 2 120GB at the same price as an Agility 2 120GB. I guess, Meritline has the better deal this time around.

 

Isn't a lower model than the 7805? I could be wrong, but it is a lower number haha...


EDIT: Well, according to their website, the only difference between these two models is that the 7566 has a 500GB hard drive, as was previously mentioned. Very cool.