Asus W1000N v. Acer Aspire 2025

Hello,

I am considering buying an Asus W1000N or an Acer Aspire 2025 w/in the next few days. Looking for feedback as to which one to choose. I have posted a similar thread on the acer forum, but wanted to get some feedback from others. Also, let me know if there are other notebooks that you all know of that are similar in style and features to these two.

Asus W1000N
Feature Highlights:

• Intel® Pentium® M Centrino Processor: Up to 1.7GHz with 1MB L2 On-die Cache (400MHz Front Side Bus Speed).
• Intel® Next Generation Pentium® M Centrino Processor- Dothan ready: 1.70GHz(735)/1.8GHz(745)/2.0GHz(755), 2MB L2 On-die Cache (400 MHz Front Side Bus Speed).
• Up to 2.0GB PC2700 DDR333 SO-DIMM SDRAM System Memory.
• 15.4" WSXGA+ (16:10) (1680x1050) widescreen LCD Display.
• ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9600 4X AGP 3D Graphics Accelerator with 64MB embedded DDR VRAM.
• 4xDVD Dual Burner: 4x1x8 DVD(+/-)R/RW/CD-RW w/ software
• Built-in Intel/Pro 2200 802.11B/G Wireless LAN.
• 80GB 5,400RPM or 60GB 7,200RMP 60GB Ultra DMA Hard Disk
• Gigabit Broadcom Ethernet Port: 10/100/1000BaseT, BCM5705 Mac+Phy
• Built-in 4-in-1 Card Reader: SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro.
• Built-in subwoofer speaker & 4.1-channel surround sound system
• Asus Wireless Mouse, headphone, 3x USB2.0 ports, 1xIEEE 1394 port
• Aluminum Alloy Metal Casing, Cover Case and Chassis
• 7.0 Pounds, 1.18" Thin.
• 4.5 Hours Battery Life. (65 WHr battery pack, run down life 4.5 hrs)
• Two Years International Warranty.

Acer Aspire
OS Microsoft® Windows®
XP Professional
Processor Intel® Pentium® M Processor 745 1.80GHz
Memory 512MB (256/256)
Storage 80GB1 hard drive
Super Multi Write Plus (DVD -RW, +RW, -RAM) drive
4-in-1 card reader
TFT Display 15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800)
Graphics ATI® MOBILITYTM
RADEONTM 9700, 128 MB DDR
Connectivity 802.11b/g WLAN, BluetoothTM, Gigabit LAN, V.92 modem


Specifications

Intel® CentrinoTM Mobile Technology
- Intel® Pentium® M processor
- Intel® PRO/Wireless network connection
- Intel® 855 chipset family

Installed Operating System
Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional

Processor
Intel® Pentium® M processor 1.80GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 400MHz system bus

Chipset
Intel® 855GME

Memory
512MB DDR333 SDRAM (256MB installed in each of two memory slots)

User upgradeable up to 1GB (one 512MB memory card in each slot)2 or 2GB (one 1GB memory card in each slot)2 subject to availability of 1GB cards

Storage
80GB1 ATA/100 hard disk drive

Internal trayless, slot-load Super Multi Write Plus drive maximum speeds:
Read – 4X DVD-R, 4X DVD-RW, 4X DVD+R, 4X DVD+RW, 8X DVD-ROM, 24X CD-ROM, 2X DVD-RAM
Write – 2.4X DVD+R, 2.4X DVD+RW, 4X DVD-R, 2X DVD-RW, 16XCD-R, 8X CD-RW, 2X DVD-RAM

Front-access 4-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCardTM (MMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, SmartMediaTM card or Memory Stick®

Video
15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT LCD, up to 16.7 million colors, with features powered by CyberLink®:
Cinema Vision - Fits 4:3 and 16:10 video to LCD with non-linear stretching algorithm
Clear Vision - Detects video frame by frame and changes saturation, brightness and contrast controls dynamically to deliver sharper, more vivid image
ATI® MOBILITYTM RADEONTM 9700 graphics, 128MB video memory

VGA, S-video TV out ports

Support for simultaneous display on notebook LCD and external monitor

Audio
2.1-channel stereo speakers with subwoofer, integrated microphone, virtual surround sound powered by CyberLink®, stereo microphone/line in, stereo headphone/speaker/line out, Microsoft® DirectSound® compatibility

Interface Ports
Three USB 2.0, DC in, parallel, RJ-11 modem, RJ-45 LAN, VGA, S-video TV out, stereo microphone/line in, stereo headphone/speaker/line out, FireWire® (IEEE 1394), FIR (fast infrared)

Card Slots
Type II PC Card slot, 32-bit PC CardBus architecture, Zoomed Video support

Front-access 4-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCardTM (MMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, SmartMediaTM card or Memory Stick®

Connectivity
V.92 56Kbps3 data/fax modem, PTT (postal, telegraph, telephone) certified in select countries, Wake-on-Ring ready; 10/100 LAN, Wake-on-LAN ready; Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection, 802.11b/g WI-FI CERTIFIED

 

It really depends on what you think is the most important aspect for your notebook.
If the screen is top of the list I would go for the W1N (higher res and wide angle view)
If 3D games are your prefered usage the go the ACER.
etc etc.
Both look like really nice machines, although I think the W1N is a bit more stylish.

I'm assuming that they are about the same price, if not that may also be a place to make a decision.
You may also want to take a look at the M6Ne model which has just been released by ASUS it has a high res screen+ ATI 9700 GPU, g-WLAN etc. This may compete spec wise with the ACER a bit more, and its a slightly lighter machine approx 2.7Kg

Good luck with your choice,
either way I think you will have a good machine !
a
[ ]

 

If you're not a serious graphics-intensive gamer (UT2004, Halo, Far Cry), then I think you should go for the Asus which has a slightly "weaker" GPU compared with the Acer.

By the way, have you found a good online retailer for the Asus? The only one that I know of is ProPortable, but they said that customization options are currently not available for the Asus W1N.

 

ZZTwins: Did you look at Starech? They offer configurable W1N, directly on this link:
StarPC

But there is not much configurable parts [V]

 

ZJOHNY....are the guys at StarTech reputable? They seem like a local PC shop that caters specifically to schools in Pennsylvania. I sent them an email a week ago asking about the configurable options, and have yet to get a response. Plus, the link on the website to Reseller Ratings came back zip, ie. no one has ever rated this company !

The W1N at ProPortable is being sold as shipped from Taiwan, ie. no customization available.

Question for the Underpantman: Do you know if the Asus W1000N offers the ACE view screen (similar to the Sony Brite), like the one supposedly built in the M6Ne?

 

Hey zztwins,
As far as I know the only models that come with ACE view are the L5 series. I'm pretty sure that the M6Ne and W1N don't have it. They just have a high res screen (SXGA), but by the looks of the video on the W1N, the viewing angle is quite good, and the screen looks very nice. I hoping that the M6Ne has the same screen. I will let you know in a week or so, if/when mine arrives !
a
[ ]

 

Thanks, underpantman. Do let us know when you get your M6Ne if it comes with ACE view. I think its quite possible, since Asus wants to promote its new screen ACE feature across of its top end models, although I heard there may be delays in production for the widescreen versions.

 

when will the M6Ne be available?
will it have better resolution for the 15.4" ?
and ... any possibilities of seeing a 128 mb ATI card in it?

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

 

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

 

Has anyone herd from ASUS themself about 128MB of VRAM coming out on their Notebooks.

I realy want to get the ASUS W1000N. I would be in Heaven if it had the ATI Radeon Mobility 9700 with 128MB of VRAM. Has anyone herd from ASUS about this? They won't give me an answer ether way. It just makes me so mad. ASUS puts out such an awesome Laptop such as the W1000N but they limit it with an ATI 9600 and only 64MB of VRAM on such a large display of all things. It's stupid that they put a 9700 on the M6Ne but not their flagship notebook, the W1000N. I would like to see them come out with the W1000Ne

The ATI 9700 draws less power as well.

I guess I'll just wait to get me an ASUS till they fix their video configuration problem.

Any information at all would be great, thanks.

 

I think that ASUS is always going for the best bang for buck. So I guessing they figured that price would be a bigger selling point with the W1N and not the GPU. I have read that ASUS will be one of the first notebook users to use the new PCI-X GPU module from either Nvidia or ATI, which should allow upgradeable GPUs. Perhaps/hopefully they are focusing all their efforts on that??
I would be very interested to see how much the extra RAM accually makes in real world situations. I'm sure it will improve frame rates but by how much, and is the difference huge enough to warrent not getting a notebook over? Just some out their questions that I have no answer to!
a

 

You are probably right. I just wish that they would have done it right to begin with and use the 9700 with 128MB. If this were so, the W1000N would have been everything I could have dreamed of in a notebook.

It just drives me crazy at times, every company that makes a laptop never gets the configuration just how you want it. One offers one thing and the other doesn't yet may have something else you want that the first one doesn't offer. Makes you want to pull your hair out at times[ ]

It would be nice if ASUS would at least give us some kind of roadmap on the W1N line.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Underpantman
I have read that ASUS will be one of the first notebook users to use the new PCI-X GPU module from either Nvidia or ATI, which should allow upgradeable GPUs. Perhaps/hopefully they are focusing all their efforts on that??

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

Does anyone know when the manufacturors are going to start producing laptops with PCI-X? I would really like to know because i'm planning on buying a laptop soon but if upgradeable gpu's are coming out in the next half year or so then i mite wait.

 

No word as yet, and I would be surprised to see them in wide spread use this year, although your best bet would be with places like voodoopc and alienware, just be prepared as a notebook from these guys will cost you your first born son.
a

 

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

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Code101

 

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

 

[/quote] The road map for the W1N is that it will continue as it is for its life and then be replaced by the W2N 2005. which will have whatever video is
[/quote]

That can't be right. There is info floating all over the place of a possible video upgrade very soon. You could be right. It's just that I herd only you say this and many people all over say that they herd ASUS say that there will be a video upgrade on the W1N (9700, 128?)

Where did you hear this? What roadmap are you geting this info from?

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Code101

 

Can you post this road map for us. It sounds very interesting and getting this sort of info is always difficult from companies. I'm surprised that ASUS is already talking about the W2N when the W1N has only just hit the shelf, I would think this would be a big marketing no no?
a

 

I read on another forum that by Startech PC offering configuration it actually voids Asus' 2 year warranty.

 

Rock Dude,

I would like to see this ASUS roadmap that talks about the W2N. Do you have proof like a link or something. There is zip, nothing on the internet about a W2N. I link would be good.

 

mawst95

Do you have a link to this forum that talks about the Stipc mod? The guy I talked to at Stipc told me that ASUS gave them the OK to mod the W1N.

 

I also saw a forum where they were talking about the W1000Na with a Dothan chip.

 

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=27322&page=2&pp=15&highlight=startech

Post #29

 

I'm thinking of just getting a W1000N and dropping a 9700 chip into it in place of the 9600. I don't care about the warranty so much. Both chips are the same. They both use the same BIOS microcode and drivers. They are both PGA and not BGA style. The only difference in the Asus M6N and M6Ne is the GPU. Both use the same BIOS which contains the video BIOS as well. This means that the W1N should be the same in it's video configuration.

I'm tired of waiting on ASUS. They are forcing a GPU on everyone that no one wants. Almost everyone in every W1N forum on the web wants to see a 9700 option with the W1N.

 

I volunteer you to be the guinee pig!! You do it, let me know how it works out then you can upgrade mine if I buy it as well (for a fee of course )

 

My W1000N is on it's way!!! 2GHz Dothan, 2GB RAM, 60GB 7200RPM HDD. I'm excited!

 

did you configure it like that from Startech? If not where and how much if you don't mind me asking. Are you really going to mod the vid card? I am a complete novice so I'm curious. Thanks

Matt

 

Yes,

I ordered it from Star Tech in order to get the 2.0GHz Dothan, 60GB 7200RPM and 2GB RAM. They are the only ones that can change the W1N around and have the Warranty remain. This is official form Asus.

I'm sure going to try with the 9700 at some point. I have to find the OEM 9700 M12 part first and then make dang good and sure that it is a flex fit and that it's not going to screw anything up. That's going to be hard. That's my only problem with this notebook. I guess you can't have your cake and eat it at the same time [ ]

I'm excited though. Other than the 9700 M12 issue, this is still the best notebook out as far as I'm concerned. That is considering that it has a Dothan in it and not Asus's stock configuration [ ]

I just love that strong metallic Powerbook look! I have issues with plastic.

 

any review code!?!

 

From the Unofficial Asus Forum (Powered By Star Tech)

Asus does support the global warranty on the W1N configured by Star, but keep this in mind:
-The parts covered by Asus are things that were unchanged during the configuration, like chassis, screen, keyboard, motherboard.
-All of the parts that you configure, are covered by us, like memory, hard drive, processor.