Should I keep this laptop?

Just bought an Acer Aspire 1692. I GB ram, ATI x700, 1.7 pentium m, 100 GB hard drive, DVD burner. I plan to use it in university for interior design (CAD, photoshop, illustrator) and surfing the net/listening to music/word processing/DVDs.

This is what is keeping me from being 100% certain about keeping the laptop:
1. If something goes wrong repairs take 2-3 weeks
2. Friend told me that Acers are not very great, and that I should "expect my hard drive to fry in the next 5 months"
3. Paid $2095 Canadian for the laptop plus 3 years warranty (display model). Not sure if I overpaid..some people say it's a deal, others said it wasn't.
4. Concerned about build quality. Are Acers build ok?
5. Concerned about accidental damage, although if I'm careful I don't think that's a big deal.
6. Vertical viewing angles on screen aren't the best...but it could be a live with issue maybe?

Tell me what you think...do you think that these are all pretty minor and I should keep the laptop? I want it to last me 4 years, so I want to be 100% sure I'm making the right decision. Need to know as soon as possible! Thank you!

 

Most repairs take that amount of time as well, since sending it in will take 3-4 days, analyzed for a day, ordered parts to fix/get parts from warehouse takes 1-2 days, fixing it takes 1-2 days, making sure everything is right takes 1-2 days, packing it to be shipped takes 1 day, shipping it back takes 3-4 days. Around 18~ days, a bit over 2 weeks..

The HD will have nothing to do with Acer as a brand.

The price is right - since with the warranty.

Acer's builds have indeed been declining from what I've heard - but they aren't that bad. They are in the top 5 notebook brands.

Thats life - accidents happen, can't prevent it

The screens are, well, not the best but tolerable.


Well, you won't find a 'perfect' laptop, keep what you've got, and treasure it

 

I think Acers offer good value, but they are not ThinkPads.

 

I saw this laptop at the Source, it is very similar to mine (1694). It's a pretty good machine from what I hear, and it's got some awsome power, so I'd say keep it.

 

By the way, the price you piad is good, but you probably could have gotten it a bit cheeper if you bargained with them. I bought the same computer for my sister and I bargained it down to $1990 (incl. taxes) for the notebook, 3 year total protection warranty, and a carry-case - this was for a new package (not display)

 

Haha oh I bargained! But it didn't work. Where did you get yours? Does it have the same specs?

 

By the way...the total protection, what does that include? Spills and drops??

 

I got it from the source. The computer had same specs as yours. The reason why I got it down so low was because when I called about the notebook they said it was 1.86 hgz, but it turned out to be 1.73. The warranty is the the only one offered by the source, I don't know the details off the top of my head...

 

1. Haven't had any experience there...although that does sound like a long time. HP has a 3 day turnaround, include shipping it there!
2. Acer's are great! Mine is plenty fast, and they put in a nice Hitachi hard drive.
3. Ehh..that's about 1.7k US right? I'd say that's a bit overpriced, but you still got what you paid for.
4. Acer has better build quality than Dell and is about equal with HP. Mine is extremely solid, keyboard is great, although screen is so-so.
5. Ah, there's an easy solution to that - be careful!
6. Side to side are great, 100% readable at 180 degrees on either side. Vertical is not so great when looking up at the screen - looking down is alright, though still not the best.

Acer's are good deals for what's in them. I got my TM4402WLMi for 1.269k US, an extremely good deal here. Couldn't find another notebook with the same specs for under 1.5k!!

 

ok thanks!

 

anyone else?

 

My sister is raving it about the 1692 laptop I got her, and it's very similar to mine. Mine is the 1694 (2.0 ghz, I think that's the only difference). I got my 1694 for $2040 (including tax) with the Acer warranty.

The only reason I can think you'd want to return it is for a laptop with a better screen ... but that would cost you a lot more.

 

So does yours have all the same specs as mine plus a 2 ghz pentium m? For $2040 w. 3 year warranty? Hmm seems like you got a better deal than me for sure.

What model would have a better screen? How does the one I have compare to other screens? (I'm new to laptops so I don't know!)