Acer TimelineX 3820TG Owners Lounge. Info, benchmarks, tweaks, mods and upgrades

I don't think so, because the chip is hardcoded in the bios file.

 

Thanks for the tip!
Makes things much simpler

 

i just got my 3820 from staples yesterday
was very happy unboxing it until i found that one of the corners has been nicked and scratched. it's not very noticeable, but you can definitely feel it if you run your finger on it. i'm a little worried that this may have been refurbished but being sold as new by acer. what would you do if this happened to you? return it for a new one? i also noticed that there was no plastic film covering the aluminum cover when i received it. could this be another sign that it's been opened before?

 

Most units shipped without the plastic cover. I would guess that you unit was damaged in shipping or during the manufacturing/packaging operation in China and was not caught by QA/QC. I doubt that Acer repackaged a refurm unit (mainly becuase that would take too much coordiation ). I think you got a new unit that was damaged. I would take back any unit that was not perfect. Staples should exchange it.

Bronsky

 

Was messing with my laptop - disabled WLAN somehow. Any idea how to enable it back?

 

have you tried the FN + one of the F buttons?

 

hmm... thx for your comment
i just don't wanna make a big fuss over something very little but i may just do it anyway... after all it's a lot of money
oh and furthermore, it seems like the hole where the wifi LED light is isn't punched very properly... about 1/3 of it is covered with plastic. i hope this is the only bad luck i'll run into with this laptop!!

 

If you're even the slightest bit unhappy, take it back. I know people who have taken back 3 or 4 models until they got exactly what they wanted. A scratch on a new computer would bother me.

Bronsky

 

What I find interesting about SetFSB's effect on gaming performance is that it does not seem to inhibit 3Dmark06 scores, which are supposto be a benchmark for 3D gaming performance. Does that make any sense? You're 10k+ 3DMark06 score was with both an OC'd CPU and GPU if I'm not wrong. Shouldn't the score have gone down?

Bronsky

Edit: After some signigicant stability testing, my unit, model 3820TG-5454G64NKs, appears to be most stable when OC'd with the SLG clockgens. The best seems to be SLG505YC56DT which OC's the base speed to 2958.3mhz. This represents a 23% increase from stock base clocks (2.4ghz). This setting also attains turbo speeds of just under 3.3ghz, which represents a 26% increase from the base turbo speed of 2.6ghz.



As you can see, at those settings, the slides are maxed-out. I have started to play with editing the registries in SetFSB but have a lot more learning to do. I can change the values but they just correspondingly reduce the SetFSB values. I'll have to figure it out.

Anyway, I feel like I have a good baseline to measure the OC performance of the I5-540M. I'll probably make time to put it in this weekend: most likely Sunday - CPU, Switch and paste.

 

Exact that is the point and you will every day look at the little smal scratch.

 

Oh, I see. HP = Home Premium.

 

do you think that the 3820TG overclocks better then the 4820TG. reason I ask is someone posted that the 3820TG had 2 fans. one on either side of the laptop. where on the 4820TG the second fan is replaced by a cd rom. This kind of concerns me. Has anyone done temperature comparisons between the 2 to see if the 3820tg does in fact run cooler.

 

The 3820TG runs a lot cooler. I doubt there is much/any overclocking headroom in the 4820TG.

Heck, my 3820TG generally runs cooler overclocked than an 4820TG at stock

 

All news games I've tested the 3d performance does down with the CPU overclock. Everything but 3dmark06 it seems. I know it makes no sence!

I'll guess I be here on Sunday checking for your i5 540m O/C report I wish you luck. Maybe 3.9 Ghz is possible on an OEM model. My 540m QS wasn't up to it.

 

hey hendrickson

so there's no overheating risk with OC'ing the 3820? I may just try that if that's the case

 

Hi mojof1, sure you will generate more heat overclocking. But I've not seen my cpu go over 93 degrees. The i5 core temps are good. Not sure about the i7's.

 

wicked
i'll prob try that and couple with my laptop cooler
on my old laptop it actually decreased the system temp by 3-5 degrees

btw, good job on the backlit keyboard

 

My Notepal X2 decreases load temps (GTA IV, video converting) by 4-6 C.

 

3D performance goes down while playing games? that strange.
Games seemed to run smoother with the cpu boost.

 

Looking to purchase the 3820. Can someone tell me if this laptop is capable of running 2 external displays (and disable the laptop display). My Studio 13 does this and I'm crushed to find out the Sony Z doesnt... I want to make sure the Acer does before I order one...

 

I don't get it, for me the Recovery DVD asks what language I would like to use from about 30 option. OK, I never clicked anything but English, so I don't know how it goes on, but on 3 DVD's Acer definately has the space to include all possible language packs for an otherwise 3.00 GB operation system.

Do you think that Acer creates a different recovery set for every country? OH, I just didn't try it.

BTW, hardcor, you will need a proper set of RAMs for SetFSB things.

 

WOO HOO!

I just ordered TWO of the 3820TG with i5-460m / 5650 from PCHOME! Ended up costing US$1055 each shipped/paypal fees! We can't wait until they get here!

I was seriously debating getting the i3-330m / 5650 for $900 to the door, but my friend kept poking me to get the i5 ... and I finally just went ahead and did it. I guess $155 extra to go to the i5-460m is worth it!

UPDATED: Paypal charged less then I thought..

 

I think you made the right decision. Well worth the $164.

Bronsky

 

I currently have an 1810TZ right now that I have sold to a customer for $500, so it will be a nice upgrade for $564.

Questions:

1) Should we upgrade the keyboard to US Spec? Or have those of you who kept the Taiwan keyboard been satisfied?
2) If we do upgrade, should we go for the back-lit keyboard mod?
3) How much battery life does the back-lit keyboard eat up while enabled?

 

Haven't really been following this thread too much in the last couple of days since I've been busy playing with my new laptop
However, I'm noticing slight cpu whine. I know this topic was extensively covered in the Envy14 thread, with some users reporting they had it and some reporting they didn't have it. Also, I remember reading this was present with most core i processors.
So I was wondering if any other 3820TG owners have heard this whine, or if it's just me...
To clarify I have the 3820tg with HD5470 from Staples, and I;ve had it for about 5 days (since last Sunday).

 

No Cpu Whine on my PC home version , i didn't notice it on the staples versions i have either.

I do notice it on my HP envy 15 though fairly faintly.

 

I hear it when at home at night and no computer is on nearby. The moment I turn my (actually very quiet) desktop on I cannot hear it. It's impossible to hear it in an office environment, but at home at night it's a little bit annoying.

But it's _nothing like_ what I had with my X61 (Core 2 Duo). When I turned that laptop on in a lecture hall, all my neighbors just asked me what's that... And Lenovo refused to change motherboard, claiming it's a power saving feature, and that I should just go and live with it.

 

Any Of you guys


Install Epower Management after a clean install?

 

I tried restoring from the PChome Taiwan recovery DVD's I made. Even though it asks which language you want to use, the restore will will still have all Chinese characters.

Yeah the extra 2GB ram stick was pretty "budget" looking. Thanks for the heads up.

 

I did and later had to disable it. It was shutting my wireless card down almost randomly.

Bronsky

 

I'm confused... should i change my Wlan card to Intel 6200, or it'll be waste of money ?

 

Keep it if you're satisfied with the link. If you've got enough money to waste... waste it

I bought a Intel 6200 and didn't notice a difference in energy consumption (vs Broadcom). Can't judge about link quality, since I'm near the router most of the time.

The swap is done in a few minutes and I hadn't to break a seal (german model).

 

The intel 6200 I installed is much better than my broadcom wifi card. I get a better range of wireless networks. However I think I lost bluetooth 3.0 due to removing the broadcom card.

I hear you on that. I too feel and swear Mafia II (And all other games) run much faster or feel fast with my CPU at 3.45 Ghz Turbo Vs 2.66. Yet fraps tells me it runs about 6-7 fps less......

 

If you don't know if you should change your card, don't. If you need to change your card, you will know it. My Broadcom has about half the range of the wifi card in my 1410T. I can't pick up a steady signal from my router while I am in my own back yard, sitting by the pool. I have to use my 1410T out there. The Intel 6200 will have no problem with that short range.

Bronsky

 

Broadcom $ucks donkey a$$ for wireless signal strength.
Atheros is okay.
Intel is good.

So if you got atheros you should be fine, broadcom might be troublesome. I'm like 10m away from router and keeps loosing link with broadcom, with intel I'm at 4/5 or 5/5. Atheros 3/5.

 

I see...
Have you guys heard about external antennas with stronger dbi ? for example i have 2 antennas with 3dbi each on my router, i found antennas with 8dbi each, so have you ever had any experience with it ?

 

I'm traveling again with my 3820TG. Just in the hotel now and just got to add again that this notebook is a perfect travel size. Not too large or heavy for travel or too small to work on like my 10" 1000HA.

I'm connected via 3G / HSPA with full signal and its great. Very fast and its so much less hassle not having to connect a USB stick for 3g internet like before. On the Intel GPU and the system is dead quite. No fans are on while im browsing checking and answering emails and the temps sit around 48 degrees.

Battery care reports just over 7 hours battery with the screen on the lowest brightness and full mobile signal. This is with the backlit keyboard on....

Well I say no noise, however for the first time I hear some CPU whine, the buzz, buzz noise but only if I put my ear to the keyboard on the left hand side. So hardly an issue. At least not for me. Never noticed it till now.

My gateway 6831fx X9000 core duo had very noticeably CPU whine.

The notebook is small enough to fit in the hotel rooms digital safe Keep her safe while I go to out of the room.

 

Atheros is great ! i am liking it way way more than my intel 6200 in my hp envy.


In my kitchen with my intel 6200 in my hp envy I can only get 1 Wireless signal - mine
with my acer i can find 4-5 signals!

transfer to my synology has HUGEEEEEEEEEE DIFFERENCE.

my intel 6200 hp envy plugged in high performance it caps out at 1-2mb

today my atheros did 5-7mb and my kitchen

!!

-


@Bronsky have you noticed any difference between using the standard windows power management and or the acer power management?


I might just keep the win7 management

 

And with your acer - you got a full speed laptop - no atom cpu!
the size of the acer is great, so light too and a full blown cpu, and video card!

 

ePower management is terrible. I am back to windows power management and it is far better.

Bronsky

 

Hi All,

I just got a 3820TG canada version 5470 unfortunately,

But still it is a great laptop and im loving it.

Powerful and portable!!

I have a question amongst other Timeline owners,

What is your memory usage at idle?

Mine is almost 30% which i find quite high at idle,
CPU usage at about 7%?

I did some removal with the decrapifiers, remove programs registry mechanic and still its quite high,

Any suggestions anyone?

Do you guys have any questions for me?

Leon

 

Don't worry about reported memory usage in Windows 7 unless you are having a specific problem. Windows will reserve more then it needs to make common processes faster but will give the memory up as soon as an application needs it.

Edit: Here is a detailed explanation: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/02/behind-the-windows-7-memory-usage-scaremongering.ars

 

30% is ok... with a few tools loaded, I'm currently at 38%. My CPU usage is at 0-2% while idling.

Ssort your tasks by cpu usage in task manager to identify resource hungry applications. Additionally run a "Power Efficiency Diagnostics Report":

• open a command prompt as administrator
• execute: powercfg -ENERGY
• read the generated document

 

i wish the 3820tg could come with a dvd superdrive like the one on the macbooks. Now i have to lug an external slim drive everywhere for work

 

I joined the club and got the 3820tg also.

although, I manage to crash windows 7 all the time. Computer freezes and I'm forced to do a manual restart.

anyone else have this problem?

yeah, i'm not really specific since I haven't figured out the pattern yet. thanks.

I'm inclined to check the RAM first. I hope it's just the RAM. How good is acer canada customer serv? I've past the 14 days and can't return it to the store anymore.

 

Take the 4820tg or the Toshiba R700.

 

Doleco what is the characteristics of your crashing? Any stuff on the screen prior to crash? or just straight up freezing?

 

Hi everyone,

Just got my 3820TG w the i5 and the 5650, and it's a greeeat machine! However, one problem exists - I clean formatted the notebook, and when I reinstalled the Synaptics driver from the Acer website, while it installs correctly, the Synaptics settings detect it as a normal wheel mouse, and the only options present are "Overview" and "Buttons".

Can someone assist? Thanks in advance!

 

I saw today a 3820TG at Carrefour here in Spain. Unfortunatly the Spainish market still seems to be stuck with the i3 330m and the 5470. And at the i5 5650 price for 799 euros!

 

Get another one! xD