Acer Aspire TimelineX 4820TG Owners Lounge

I was at my local Microcenter at St. Davids, PA recently and they don't have any 4820TGs in the store.

Bronsky

 

I'm currently in Taipei, Taiwan and there are many of AS4820TG available. Starting with i3-370M to i5-420M, i5-520M, i5-460M. But even though the notebooks are made here the pricing is a bit higher than the USA. i5-460M 2G/640G costs about US$950!! Even the i3-370M 2G/500G cost $810... I was about to ask my brother who's coming to visit in a week to bring me a i5-460M from Amazon for $799 but the 3-5 weeks wait is too long... damn Acer for making extra $ on their fellow citizens.

 

Yeah, that's about how much mine cost too, ghettoracer. (I'm in the Philippines.) Blame it on the weak dollar. They've got to make up for the lesser profits they're making Stateside.

Anyway, I'm here finally posting via my brand-new 4820TG. I've installed all of the drivers (I've got a Broadcom wireless card, unfortunately) but none of the included apps. I've got a couple of questions, the answers to which, I think, should be addressed or even linked to on the front page-- I've got 71 pages myself.

Which RAM is compatible with this notebook? Sorry; I know next to nothing about them. This is actually my first non-netbook computer in about seven years.

In addition, which of the included apps should I reinstall? I created the apps/driver recovery DVD, so those are the ones I can choose from. I also made the three-disc factory restore backup, in case of emergencies.

Thanks a lot! Glad to join the ranks of happy customers.

 

Launch manager thats it. Oh and the registration app and uninstall it as soon as you register your unit. I don't use any of the other apps.

Bronsky

 

I can confirm that MicroCenter does not have this laptop. No matter which model of 4820tg you are looking for, none of the MicroCenter locations have them.
I BOUGHT THE VERY LAST 4820TG FROM MICROCENTER. THEY HAVE NO MORE.

Is there any way that the MicroCenter link from the first page can be removed? Seems it is causing more confusion than good.

 

Done. I removed the older models from the first page.

 

J&R page for 4820TG no longer up. Are they done selling it?

 

Since Acer may be converting its production line to accomodate the new 6xxx motherboards, I wonder if the timeline series is going to become even harder to get as the end of the year approaches. I sure hope not as the demand for this unit just seems to be growing. It will be interesting to see if any new model is release at CES.

Bronsky

 

Hrm, that's only 2 months away, and a month away from delivery via Amazon.com. I wonder if it'd be worth waiting to see what shows up at CES? Although even if they're debuted there, that doesn't mean they'll be released any time soon. Probably still best to stick with my Amazon.com order, I guess.

 

I received my 4820tg from newegg last friday and have been using it for a week. I really like it so far. It plays borderlands very well on an external lcd tv at 1360x768. I tried fallout 3, played that well but had a crash on it (as did someone else in this thread). I have since updated the drivers to 10.10. I will be replacing the boot drive with a seagate momentus xt 500gb. I am considering replacing the ram with the 8gb from newegg at 115 dollars.
8GB (2 x 4GB) G.SKILL DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Laptop Memory $114.99 Shipped & A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 Memory $45 shipped after $20 MIR - SlickDeals.net Forums
If anyone can confirm which optical drive caddy is confirmed to work/fit and where to order it, i would like to put in a 2nd hard drive or ssd.

Oh, I should also say that the CPU overclock with setfsb doesn't appear to work on this model (It has the error). 2.53 should still be better than the 1.6/1.9 i had in my asus ul30vt

 

I've been looking for a suitable laptop for my tastes, and I'm reluctant to import the 3820tg from Canada, so my eyes are on the 4820tg. However, the low resolution, and the presence of an optical drive are the two biggest detractors.

1. Is it possible to get a caddy to replace the optical drive with a second hdd?
2. How about replacing the screen with a higher resolution one? It's ridiculous to have the same res for 11.6 and 14 screens.

I've played around with an Envy 15, and it got way too hot for my tastes.

 

Q1 - yes

Q2 - no. At lease as far as anyone knows.

 

Hi All,

Finally got the BT module and have installed it however I am finding a fresh start of the laptop will have BT off as default whereas a restart will have whichever setting it restarted on. Can someone tell me if this is default behavious and how I might be able to have BT start up as On by default?

 

Hi everyone,

So I got this laptop off newegg about three weeks ago and I've been having a great time with it. The only thing that I find a little lacking is that, when I use headphones, the volume is still lacking. I've installed the most recent Realtek drivers and I've cranked the volume to max but the output on my headphones is still around 60% of my previous laptop's. I was wondering if there was a way to increase this, whether by merit of some other software or tweaking some internal settings.

Thanks....

 

From my research I've come to the conclusion that it is possible. The only 14" high res monitors I can easily find are Sony monitors that run @ 1600x900.

If I remember correctly, the lvds cable on the 4820TG won't be able to reach the 40 pin connector on the Sony monitor. I haven't had any luck finding longer lvds cables, so my idea of upgrading the stock screen to 1600x900 has been put on hold. Best thing to do is to look for a high res monitor w/ the 40 pin connector on the bottom left part of the screen. Even then, I'm not sure what other compatibility issues there would be.

 

1) Yes, the ODD is removable to install an HDD/SSD.
That's the awesome aspect of the 4820TG. If you prefer not to have
the ODD, then you can install an HDD/SSD. Then you have a dual HDD/SSD
setup for various configurations you prefer, clone/file backup, etc.
and especially optimal Windows performance (paging file).

2) The 1366x768 is fine on the 14" screen for general usage and gaming.
A higher resolution will just cause eyestrain with smaller icons, fonts, etc.
(Constant size readjustment is a hassle especially with apps that resets text
size or uses custom font/icon sizes, etc.).

But yes, at lot of people also prefer a higher resolution in a 14" or smaller
screen as a personal preference.

For 1080P resolutions for videos, than the HDMI connection is there
for an external LCD monitor/TV.

As Notebookcheck and other tech websites state regarding games, using a higher
resolution than 1366x768 with the ATI HD 5650 the gaming performance suffers.

Sure, 1600x900 & 1920x1080 screen would be awesome on a 14" for games &
videos, but then a higher class GPU is also required for the best performance
in its native resolution for games.

 

BT off is by default. A lot of people don't like this but I have not found it to be overly burdensome. I'm putting mine in this weekend. The only way I know of to have it on at the start would be to run it as a task at start-up.

 

1. Where can I get the caddy?
2. 1366x768p is fine on the 1830T, it's fine but not optimal in my current laptop, Asus UL30VT, but it's downright atrocious and should only be used by half-blind people at anything more than 13". I absolutely HATE low dpi screens and dvd drives in laptops. I need it when I'm doing work on my laptop when I'm on the go, as I hook it up to a 1920x1200 desktop monitor at home. It's easy to turn down the resolution when gaming, but the option to have a high resolution should still be there.

 

9.5mm SATA HDD adapter / caddy

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-SATA-2nd-HDD-caddy-9-5mm-ACER-BENQ-HP-DELL-ASUS-/140412101080?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20b136a1d8#ht_4747wt_796

 

Hmm, no I'm sure the windows key is disabled. I tried pressing it during gameplay and it doesn't minimize the screen. The alt tab might be a possibility, but I'm pretty careful with my hands. Could it be a program that came installed on the computer that could be interfering with the game? Or maybe just a problem with my game or the computer itself? I have a cooler as well and it still happens, so I think I've ruled out a possible heat issue.

 

Well, do you recommend I pre-order this laptop on Amazon then Bronsky? Or wait to see if any new models come out? I feel like there will always be new models of laptops coming out, but I'd really hate to buy a laptop and have it immediately outdated.

 

If you need it now, buy it. Unless there's something specific you want with an updated model, there's no point in waiting. In the technology world, there's always something newer, faster, and better around the corner. It's a painful realization, but it's true.

 

The 6xxx series is just a rebranding of the HD 5xxx series. There might be a slight performance increase. I would not wait. I was discussing it becuase it might make current units harder to find.

Bronsky

 

Thanks I appreciate the input!

 

finally got my 4820tg. i find very good for my typical usage. it has thin design and really extended battery life (9 cell - near 12 hours of ordinary use! --very good!). and i can play games too!! It lacks some connectivity potential (esata, usb3) but i don't need atm.

 

Hi guys, been reading this thread for a long time now without registering to post but finally going to ask a few questions.

I started reading this because I was sure I wanted the 4820tg - but have since decided it is probably more than I need and more than I want to spend.

I have seen the 4820t-5570 on Frys.com for 599 (although it is out of stock) and 650 at TigerDirect - or I could look at the UL30A from Asus for about 650 as well. I realize the Asus is an older model with a Core 2 Duo rather than the i3 but the Asus does advertise longer battery life and I like the chiclet keyboard - so both have their perks I guess. I'm a grad student - no gaming - and my primary computer use is Firefox, iTunes, Open Office, SPSS (statistical software) and other basic tasks. I typically do not require much processing power but my netbook isn't cutting it anymore for my primary home use. When home I will often be hooking this up to a 22" external monitor and keyboard.

As far as graphics goes, I would like to be able to output streaming video via HDMI in good quality - can the integrated graphics handle that?

I know this may not be the place I should ask this question but any input you may have would be great. I wanted to ask those with the Acer Timeline experience.

 

The 4820T should be able to handle HDMI out just fine, but for ~$100 to $150 more it's (at least in my opinion) more than worth the upgrade to the 4820TG.

 

The HD500 could probably handle the HDMI out to FHD. I don't think that the C2D's IGPU can. So, if you're going to get a UL30, I would get the one with the 210M GPU, the VT. If you want to go with an Integrated GPU, I would stick with an arrandale CPU.

You might look at the HP DM3. It has an I3-380UM CPU, HD500 IGPU and it has an optional backlit keyboard. The only weak spot this unit has is its trackpad which I understand is being redesigned. You can pick one up for under $600 with a coupon.

If you want a full powered arrandale, the Acer 3820T sells on Amazon for $663 with an I3-370M (I have that one in my 3820TG ATM and it is OC'd to 3.0ghz and incredibly stable at that speed).

The Asus U35F-X1 would run you almost a hundred more at $739. You can get an Acer 3820TG for that from Canada with the same I3-370M CPU.

Good luck with your decision. Given your criteria, I would probably go wtih the HP DM3.

Bronsky

 

Yea I was considering the drive until I checked the stores for it.

FFFFFFFFFFF

Not that I need any more power then a 5650, but do you think the GPU on the 4820TG might be upgradeable to the 6xxx series when released?

 

Thanks much for the advice. I will say you are speaking a foreign language in parts though. Basically you are saying I should stick with an i3, correct? With HD500 graphics? I will check out the HP - is the build quality on par with the TimelineX? Isn't the Acer 3820 a 13" ? How do you find that for daily use? I guess anything is an upgrade to the 9" Aspire One I am typing this on. I have been super happy with this Acer so I want to be sure I am not downgrading in build quality.

 

Man... I sure do hope they would release a 6xxx series card that is compatible with this laptop.

ATi HD 6650

 

Just FYI, the Radeon HD6xxx cards are more of an evolution than revolution. Don't expect too much performance increase compared to current HD5xxx cards. You might get some benefits such as power efficiency but that's what the switchable graphics is for

 

Currently yes, but they probably will release HD6950/6970 that are the next step people are waiting for. Just throwing that out there.

 

Yea, I'm saying that you should stick with an I3 or I5. If you can find a 4820TG I would get it. If not, I mentioned the 3820TG because they are in stock. If you're in no hurry, I would wait for a 4820TG. They all have I5's. Much more power. I'm putting my old I5 in my unit tomorrow.

The Timelines are well built.

Bronsky

 

latest issue, curious if anyone has encountered

switching from high performance power plan to balanced while on battery results in graphical artifacts (5 columns of numerous horizontal lines which disappear when hovering over with the mouse or minimizing/unminimizing the current window)

 

If I do not need a dedicated GPU, is there any other reason to get a 4820GT rather than just a 4820T? For the tasks that I perform, is there any reason that an i3 will give me problems? My desktop is a Core 2 Duo E7400 that has always exceeded what I ask of it. I would love to have a 4820TG but it is more than I want to spend and probably more of a machine than I really need. I am looking at the HP DM3 that you suggested (what is the difference with the D4?). I am also also looking at the TimelineX, the Asus models, and even the Sony Y series. My local Microcenter lists an open box 13.3" Y series with the older i3-330 for only 600 bucks. Good deal? Thanks again.

 

These are the people to talk to about that. http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...972-official-vaio-y-series-owners-lounge.html

Bronsky

 

Would putting a fresh install of windows 7 ultimate on this laptop be a problem?

 

Why would it be a problem?

 

What about that Acer recovery program? Do I need to wipe that clean or can I?

 

Thx! Worked fine here!

 

Has anyone tried the latest Catalyst 10.10 drivers with their 4820TG? Just curious if there's any performance boost.

 

I did try them but don't know if there was performance boost. Sometimes those things can be game specific. FO New Vegas did stop crashing as often.

 

Bump...

So I got this laptop off newegg about three weeks ago and I've been having a great time with it. The only thing that I find a little lacking is that, when I use headphones, the volume is still lacking. I've installed the most recent Realtek drivers and I've cranked the volume to max but the output on my headphones is still around 60% of my previous laptop's. I was wondering if there was a way to increase this, whether by merit of some other software or tweaking some internal settings.

Thanks....

 

Did you do a fresh install of Win7? Or did you just reinstall the Realtek drivers over the old ones? Perhaps try uninstalling your sound drivers and then reinstalling the most recent drivers again.

 

Okay Every where I check the laptop is out of stock for the AS4820TG. Is there a refresh of it coming out soon, or is it just that popular? The nearest I can see getting it is in 3-5 weeks on amazon, which is a rather long wait for a laptop.

 

It's quite popular right now. It usually goes out of stock in a matter of days or hours depending on the retailer. When there is a refresh of the 4820TG, I will post links on the first page.

 

Hello, i have a problem with the sound of my laptop:

I putted a HDMI cable to the laptop and I can't activate the sound from the monitor speakers.

Thanks

Edit:

the sound comes from the laptop and not from the monitor.

 

After running through a bucket-full of laptop's, I finally think I'm ready to settle with the 4820TG, but I'm wondering are there any major issues with this notebook? I don't mind spending a few extra bucks for quality and tech support/warranty since this will probably have to last me 4 years. I'm fairly careful with my electronics but a drop or two is inevitable.

Also this is mainly directed at inm8#2 (since I cannot get PM to work); I see that you and I have run through similar notebooks when finally 'choosing' the 4820TG, notably the M11x, Envy 14, Y460, and the Asus N82JV. Do you mind if I keep in touch, in case you find something better suited for your needs, and most likely my tastes as well.

 

You'll get a far better warranty from an Asus.