would like opinions and info on aspire 5720

i would like to know the significance of the second set of numbers on this computer....acer aspire 5720-4230. what is the 4230?? im thinking of getting this laptop for my college kid. ive found some pretty low priced ones. im more concerned with dependability than looks or speed. here are the specs on it:

Network Acer InviLink Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g
Gigabit Ethernet IEEE 802.3ab
Processor Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2330 1.6GHz
Hard Drive 120GB
Manufacturer Acer, Inc
Ports 1 x DC Power Input
1 x RJ-11 Modem
1 x RJ-45 Network
1 x VGA
1 x Mini-phone S/PDIF/Audio Out
1 x Mini-phone Microphone
1 x Mini-phone Audio In
1 x mini-DIN S-Video Out
1 x IEEE 1394 - FireWire
4 x 4-pin Type A USB 2.0 - USB
Processor Technology Enhanced SpeedStep Technology
EM64T
Keyboard Standard Size
Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium
Manufacturer Part Number LX.ALA0X.111
Standard Warranty 1 Year Limited
Standard Memory 1GB
Display Screen 15.4" WXGA Widescreen Active Matrix TFT Color LCD with CrystalBrite
Batteries 1 x 6-cell Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) Standard Battery
Optical Drive DVD-Writer - DVD-RAM/R/RW (Integrated)
Manufacturer Website Address www.acer.com
Bus Speed 533MHz
Maximum Memory 4GB
Graphics Controller Intel GMA X3100 358MB DDR2 SDRAM Shared
Memory Technology DDR2 SDRAM
Weight 6.1 lb
Product Line Aspire
Chipset Intel GM965 Express
Product Name Aspire 5720-4230 Notebook
Memory Standard DDR2-667/PC2-5300
Product Type Notebook

 

Do you know what operating system it is coming with XP or Vista????

 

yes, it is in those specs i posted. it is windows vista home premium

 

The 5720 is an average honest-to-goodness laptop, I think, taking into consideration the specs you provided.

Although I'm not sure what the -4230 means, Acer brands some of their notebooks like this:

Acer Extensa 4630G-582G32Mn meaning:

- 58 means T5800, the processor.
- 2G means standard 2gigs of RAM installed
- 32 means it has a 320Gb hard disk
- Mn (as i've observed) means the laptop is an Intel-based one (AMD based ones I think are Mi)

Again, this is from what I think, NBR Acer support crews could possibly shed some light on these?

Going back, the laptop is certainly an average shot for a college student, although you could find maybe another Acer notebook with a 14.1" (as opposed to a 15.4") display that almost has the same specs, and perhaps even a Core 2 Duo instead of the Dual Core (differences in L2 Cache). Although if he/she will just use the laptop for typing, music etc it would be enough. My first college laptop had a Core 2 Duo ~1.6Ghz and a lesser video card (GMA 950) and I was able to do some heavy Photoshop editing with it, with mild gaming as well (of course that isn't necessary ) so the 5720 has a bit more potential.