Acer Travelmate 8100 is Hot!

Price of the "Acer Advantage Total Notebook Protection Bundle" warranty from CDW - if you buy the laptop from them of course - is only $199 - total coverage - includes FedEx shipping both ways - covers everything except "misuse or abuse" - and for a total of three years!

OfficeMax currently has a great Targus "courier-style" laptop bag (Model CUL300) on clearance for $17.99 that is a great match for the 8104 - though it too is a "just barely fits" bag. YMMV finding one though - they were normally $69.99.

Has anyone tried one of the Microsoft or Logitech "bluetooth" mice yet? I'd like to get one - but they are pricey at around $79 most places I've seen!

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by coriolis
No clue on the HD system but i doubt it, but thats why you dont let your LT fall. ever. EVER. []
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Modern HDs have protection against falling while in operation. If you want to know more about that you should check the EasyGuard program of Toshiba Laptops. On of the things in there is HD protection using motion detection. If the HD starts falling the drive will be locked before it touches the ground.

The HD in the ACER 8100 has a Toshiba HD, I don't know if that one includes this technology.

QC

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by QContinuum

The HD in the ACER 8100 has a Toshiba HD, I don't know if that one includes this technology.

<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Not sure about the other models, but the 8104 contains a Seagate drive. See specs at http://www.notebookreview.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11643
My 8104 HDD has the same model no. I think the Seagate site does mention something about protection.

Reg

 

Yesterday I went to a local computer store to buy Acer 8101 and was really suprised when it gave a score of around 3900 in 3dmark 03! I was hoping for something about twice bigger... Can anybody explain to me how that is possible?

Maybe I need to try and change the drivers, or the videocard settings, or something esle. How can I do that? I am afraid to buy a machine with X700 on board, that shows a 3dmark 03 score slightly bigger than a laptop with Radeon 9700 (we tested it just to compare).

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by reg.t

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by raguu
Has anyone tried one of the Microsoft or Logitech "bluetooth" mice yet? I'd like to get one - but they are pricey at around $79 most places I've seen!
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

The Logitech BT mouse is popular at my place of business and it works out pretty well (for a small, portable lump with buttons). But I'm just biased against it because I'm a trackball snob. (Or freak as far as the mouse-using world is concerned. [])

Anyway, I love gaming on my new machine. It readily out-performs a P4 2.6 HT with 512 MB DDR, GeForce 4 ti 4400 (and even Radeon 9800 Pro sometimes) and a Seagate ATA 133 Barracuda HD. While this may come as a "Duh" observation to most people, I'm not talking about "outperform by 5% when we take measurements"; I'm talking "is consistently waiting with the server machine for the P4 2.6 to load Warhammer: Dawn of War levels when LAN gaming." I rather expect that the short of this story is that a big and well-used HD cache size matters far more than hard drive spin-speed.

::Kaze (packing his new USB trackball)

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by kiezkahse

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by kiezkahse

 

I'm stuck between two laptops and would like to hear some of your opinions.

I'll mainly use the computer to develop training programs in Power Point (with graphics and video), some light photo editing, and heavy video editing (Sony Vegas 5). And from time to time, I like to play a little Delta Force.

On one hand I like the Sony FS. Most of my equipment is Sony along with the editing software. I also love the look, but I have concerns about the video card and the docking station. If I go with Sony, I'll probably get the FS 500 with:

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 533MHz FSB)
NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 6200 128MB TurboCache
1 GB (512MBx2) DDR-SDRAM (DDR333)
15.4"90 WXGA TFT
DVD-ROM Drive
80 GB Hard Disk Drive (4200 rpm)
Windows XP Home
Internal 802.11a/b/g WLAN
Sony VAIO® Port Replicator for FS Series
$1,938.98

I decided to drop the DVD burner to save money to get the higher memory. Plus, I just bought an external HP 16X Lightscribe drive, so I really didn't need it anyway.

Like a lot of you, the Acer TM8100 series also caught my eye. If I go this route, I'll probably go with the TM8103:

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB)
512MB (512/0) DDR2 533 SDRAM (upgrade to 1G after buying it)
100GB hard drive (Seagate Momentus 5400rpm PATA HD #ST9100823A)
Super-Multi (DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM) drive
15.4" WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) TFT display
ATI® MOBILITY™ RADEON® X700 graphics, 128MB DDR
Windows XP Professional
Internal 802.11a/b/g WLAN, Bluetooth
$1,899 (TM8103 @ NewEgg.com)
$2,249 (TM8104 @ NewEgg.com)

I like the TM8104, but I'm not sure if I want to (or should I say can) spend the extra $350 to upgrade. The 8104 adds:

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2.0GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB)
1GB (512/512) DDR2 533 SDRAM

And when you look at the docking stations, the Acer's $290 EzDock blows Sony's $200 port replicator out of the water. The EzDock has 21 interface ports and two card slots.

OK, with all that said, lets hear it. What do you ya'll recommend? Thanks in advance for everyone's help.

 

Hi Texas Dragon and others,

I am using my Acer TM 8104 for video editing and it is performing really well. If you are editing video, I strongly recommend getting a DVD burner. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks Shell. You're probably right about the burner. I plan on using my external 16X, but the first time I need to burn something and don't have my external with me, I'll kick myself.

Since you have the Acer and you do video editing, how is the screen? I know Sony has one of the best screens on the market, but the Acer offers the better video card. Does the Acer appear a little dark or just right? How is it to use in daylight?

Also, I was wondering if you are doing HD editing yet? Thanks again.

 

Hi Texas Dragon,

The screen is very nice for video editing. I'm enjoying its extra width. I have not used my laptop outdoors yet, so I'm not sure about sunlight on the screen. In a sunlit room indoors, the screen is fine.

One thing about the speakers...they are a little quiet. They are fine for playing video for one person sitting in front of the machine, but you can't fill a room with sound from them. You would want to plug in external speakers if you intend to play your videos on your laptop to a larger group of people.

I'm not sure what you mean by HD editing...I'm editing digital video in Adobe Premiere and I edit photos in Adobe Photoshop. Hope that helps....

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by shell_by_the_sea

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by shell_by_the_sea

 

Hi!

Just want to know if the Bluetooth that comes with the 8104 whether is it v1.1 or v1.2?

Thanks

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by FOSA

 

Hi QContinuum,

Thanks for the reply.


I have checked with my ACER tech support and was told that the Bluetooth that comes with 8104 is v1.1

I'm confused