Comments on the Travelmate 4202 duo core?

Acer TravelMate 4202WLMi-XPH

How is the build quality on this guy? Does it have a magnesium alloy chasis? Are the keys like apples, super thin and less travel? Does the keyboard flex? This model is of incredible value, but im worried about the build.

 

I think a magnesium chassis is unlikely at the $1k price point.

 

hows the build on it tho

 

ive felt the $700 notebooks that felt super flimsy and cheap, and ive felt the $1500, turions with x700s that felt amazingly strong and no flex. I wanna know how this model feels, like a $700 notebook or the ladder.

 

I've never used a 4202 directly. The chassis looks basically the same as the TM4402, so I'd expect very good quality w/r/t chassis assembly and keyboard, etc.

 

thanks mike.

THere was one $1500 model that i played with and felt very good. I think it was the 5002? one with x700

 

I had one of these for a while before swapping it for a macbook. It's nice for a 1k machine, but you get what you pay for. There is considerable flex on the palm-rest, and I didn't care much for the smile-keyboard design. Not bad for a $1K machine, but I think you can do better once you push it to 1300+ range. It *was* pretty light (lighter than 6.5lbs I believe -- my wife's inspiron 6000 is that heavy i think), and the specs are good enough for non-gaming needs. It lags behind the 440X series in lacking firewire & BT.

 

thanks code, so im guessing the build isnt as good as the 4402 at $1499cdn

 

I just recommended the 4202 to a friend based on his budget etc. I wouldn't think there is any difference in build quality - I think the 4400 series has larger hard drive, has the port for the ezdock - and dedicated graphics, so I think you have accounted for the price difference there, I'd say it has nothing to do with build, probably identical.

I recommended to my friend to consider a Lenovo Z60m 15.4 wxga if he wanted higher build quality but he wants to stay with Acer. My Acer TM3200 has been very good so far, I travel with it a lot, I thrash it alot and it's 18 months old.

 

I just bought a 4202 from Comp USA and I love it so far. It doesn't feel flimsy to me at all but I guess that may depend on how you pick it up and move it around. For $999.00 I think my 4202 is a geat deal.

 

no flex at all? keyboard? palm rests?

 

If I really push down on the plam rests it has a little give but I can't see that I'd ever need to push down that hard.... and my hands are not heavy.