AMD C-50 CPU and 6250 GPU performance(Acer 522 review)

I have been thinking lately of putting a SSD drive in my 522 because I need to replace the HDD of an old laptop and I might put the one from the 522 in it, which is not so bad. However, I have had this netbook for less than 2 months and I already use around 100gb of the 250gb, I sure could free up some space, like games, but at the same time I don't have many photos nor music yet, so 100gb seems like a good estimate of the space I need. I would definitely not buy below 60gb, no matter how faster SSD is. Just my 2 cents...


On a totally different note, I am trying to play The Sims 3 but I can't manage to run the game. It seems that the graphic card is not recognized...
Any help?

 

Sounds like a lot of games you have on there ?

 

40 Gigs for win 7 is cutting it close. If you plan to have a SD card for storage you should be ok. The sd card isnt flush mounted, so it could become an issue. I would say just spend the extra 30 bucks and get a 60 gig setup.

As for ram I use a Samsung 4GB DDR3-1333 (PC3-10600) CL9 SO-DIMM Laptop Memory Module and it works great.

 

Okay, can a 2,5" SSD fit? I'm thinking about buying OCZ Vertex 2 with 60GB

 

Yes 2.5 and the OCZ Vertex 2 60gb is what I use and its great. SSD with no sandforce controller is just stupid, this is the first SSD ive used that I would recommend.

 

Hi all,

I can now confirm that the US keyboard for the D255 and D260 are the same and compatible with the AO522. I got one of eBay from Hong Kong. Cost about $20 and arrived in about 10 days. Works like a charm (am using now.)

I also have a D255 Bluetooth module coming along with some generic chargers.. Will update as I get them in.

Still pondering the idea of adding a Seagate momentus XT (SSD Hybrid) but not sure if it would really help anything...

 

I have the 120 Vert2 in my desktop... I agree 100% with your statements. Once you go SSD you'll never go back. And for now its all about the Sandforce (until those fancy new Intel SATA 3 drives become affordable.

 

Anyone tried replacing the default thermal compound or any other cooling-related modifications yet?

 

Um, thanks for the advice, but sorry for my ignorance - how would I do that? In the external filters? And wouldn't it be the ATI decoder?

Update: I own a license for the CoreAVC codec (a software h264 codec) which now has hardware support for both CUDA andDXVA (ATI) chipsets. [1]

I updated to the 2.5 version and installed that on the AO522 - after activating the DXVA acceleration, any of my Matroska files which were encoded in h264 seem to be hardware accelerated (says MPC-HC), even the ones that were previously ignored in hardware.

However I noticed that the player tends to freeze or have slightly lower decoding quality than when running its internal h264 codec. So either the files were not encoded right (I suspect an early variant of x264) or the CoreAVC codec needs bit more work on the DXVA side.

The codec itself is 10$ (and no I don't work for CoreAVC ) for those curious to experiment.

[1]: CoreAVC 2.5 (for Windows) | CoreCodec

 

ya the decoder your right it is in the external filters.... you would add your coreavc the same way

 

There's a new AMD/ATI Catalyst software suite, version 1.3 just out today (March 29, 2011).

I stumbled across it when looking for the latest drivers for my just delivered AO522. Haven't installed it, yet.

FWIW, I checked functionality of various devices and copied the C:\OEM directory prior to scraping off Windows 7 Starter Edition. I did a fresh install of W7 Ultimate SP1 x86, preserving the restore partition for later examination. The 250GB Toshiba drive now has 4 partitions: (1) 15GB restore, (2) 100MB System start, (3) 80GB OS, and (4) 150GB Data.

There's a 4GB SD card for ReadyBoost awaiting activation, and a 4GB G.Skill SODIMM in transit.

I'll probably continue posting in the Acer Aspire One 522 Owners Lounge [AMD Fusion Netbook].

Harry

 

I am curious about the effect of ReadyBoost. I thought it was more for systems with low memory. Could you give us a feedback once you get your card?

 

ReadyBoost is RAM disk cache. It supposedly increases performance of slow drives, e.g., the 5400 RPM Toshiba drive in the AO522, by caching frequently accessed files. I'm interested myself in seeing how much kick it gives.

Another laptop of mine uses a hybrid Seagate Momentus XT which has a 4GB SSD for frequently accessed files. In use for almost a year, it's performed quite well.

I put the AO522 to sleep till the 4GB SODIMM arrives. With all the AO522 drivers installed, MS Office Professional 2010, and not much else, it just grinds to a halt paging out memory. No, I don't have time to mess with it. I've got a life and it's a beautiful sunny day.......

Harry

 

I have 2gb of memory in mine and used a 2gb class 4 sd card for ready boost... In some apps such as m$ office and evernote the programs do launch faster... that's about it, it makes the computer seem sudo faster then what it is

 

I'm about to try some cooling modifications:
-changing thermal compound
- increasing surface area with copper fins and some thermal tape

I'll report back some time soon

Reporting back:

Neither did anything. Thermal compound change made it worse. Going to try the thermal pad that came with my 4850 ram chips instead.
I think I was wrong about what I said about opening the case and the temperature being better. It just so happened that at that specific moment that I took off the cover, it started throttling.

It seems acer really ed this one up. With the stock cooling I tested before changes, 100% CPU load (Prime95) it hits 80-82*C. Ok that's fine. But add in furmark and it goes up to 90*C. Then it throttles by dropping the multiplier to protect itself going to 0.8GHz. Temps drop to about 84*C and it unthrottles. Now we have an endless cycle of performance drops.

 

I have been following this board for some time. I have an Acer ao522, with 3 gb of ram, soon to be three, still using starter and cut out all bloatware.

I keep the computer nice and neat , defrag, registry cleanings, and closely follow the driver updates. Check out the latest Catalyst 1.3, it's from what I can tell a serious update. First, the netbook doesn't seem to be overheating, I was playing COD 4 and the usual heating wasn't present. Secondly when I have started several games, the programs have detected upgrades in the hardware and have optimized the graphics options, in a big way. I went from a floored minimum cod 4 to having almost all features inacted. So, this new update must be the . Second, The computer seems to have sped up in general operation and the jaggy effect which comes from time to time, meaning in game, in program, or simply watching HD video, that slight feeling of instability is gone. More solid.

So, here are programs that I am presently running on my netbook.

COD 4 plays great medium settings.
Fear plays solid medium
Half Life 2 plays high
Need for speed underground medium to high

Fallout 3 min to medium mixed bag, incredible to play on netbook
OBlivion med to high setting,
Doom 3 oddly low settings. Though I need to check again since ram upgrade
Resident evil 4 medium to high settings
Halo 2 medium settings
Jade Empire high settings
Left for Dead low to medium settings
Virtua tennis 3 High settings, get this game, perfect for netbook, hd screen wow
house of the dead 3 high settings
silent hill 2 high settings with static
guilty gear x runs on high
raiden 3 high
devil may cry 4 runs low and medium, though I keep at low because it's still eye sugar, yet the bottom of the laptop isn't burning through my clothing.
breath of fire 4 playstation one or two port, Plus I have final fantasy seven, but you need a number pad usb, to play or full keyboard.
Fable lost chapters. looks beautiful in mid to high settings.

That's games.

Photoshop cs5, with plug ins, runs great. illustrator as well.
Corel x2 paintshop, great.
microsoft office, all great.

Dj program traktor pro runs great. THe cpu is hardly lit up. I have an external midi dj controller and can run effects, four tracks, whatever, and the cpu barely manages a yawn. Brilliant.

Reason 5. No problem, can't get too crazy and load up too many sounds at once, it will crash, but I was basically creating a purposeful wall of noise activating every possible note and effect.

Fruity loops the latest , works great.

cakewalk sonar producer, works fine!

HD content is smooth. As they tout it.

So, I presently have it hooked to my hdmi computer screen and remote control mouse and keyboard, HEy it's a desktop.

This is a great netbook. I am a true believer. Now, one question, why is it that when I look on major websites and the endless glossy computer magazines in the retail sector, why is it "intel this, intel that" THe atom, the atom, let me tell you again , the atom....

When clearly the amd fusion chip literally crushes the little atoms' skull.

I have my ideas, and could share, as a former girlfriend of mine was a project manager at INtel in Portland, so I have an idea, but would like to hear from others why amd or in general second party technology is blacked out in the big media sectors. Of course money.

Anyhow, great forum site here, and I am very pleased with this netbook.
For anyone out there, buy it, it's not a netbook, just looks like one.

 

Have you tried the 11.4 preview?

I went from 11.2 to 11.4.

I am thinking if there will be some good effects but i dont feel like downgrading the number scheme lol

I dont think it is AMDs fault. It is usually most consumers only knows(or trsusts) that Intel is the only good CPU maker.

 

You could be right, the media gives the people what they know and therefore have interest in. I wasn't thinking that it was AMD's fault, merely that Intel has many friends and a sophisticated marketing department and the retail sector is more heavily invested in INtel products. I noticed at Micro Center, a state side computer chain store, the 522 is almost hidden in the back of the displays and the specs are wrong. I noticed this on their national website and then realized that atom based netbooks get incredible market share when they appear, in regards to internet reviews. THe 522 is a groundbreaker and when I look out into the internet I see nothing , or very little. It's the crest of the new wave of technological leaps, the new netbook , or envelope crest. So, my theory is that INtel inventory needs to be sold, and they don't want to say, oh forget this obsolete machines that we have here with the paultry atom, just buy this 522 which is a thousand times better. Don't worry, we will just sit on our junk atom inventory stock and eat the loss. Hey, we care about the consumer getting the best!

So, that's my take, having had a atom netbook, and now this,pffff, the 522 is seriously better. No fan boy energy as I have heard it, just pointing out the facts.

With 11.4, did you notice a better experience and games reconfiguring to higher settings?

 

Not much from 11.2 really.

although i havent actually gamed on it for a while since I played DA2, DS2 on my Desktop.

In my country, Atom based netbooks are now very cheap. they really need to seel their stock because AMD fusion really is better than most atoms

 

I have installed the 11.3 drivers too, and haven't noticed any improvements so far over 11.2. I even had a white line blinking at the top of the screen for a moment like mentionned previously in this thread. Maybe it has nothing to do with the drivers though.

Also I'm testing ReadyBoost since yesterday with a 4GB SD class 4 (and 4GB of RAM). I don't notice any change, though I will keep it for a few days in case it needs to "learn" what program I use...

 

I really dont think you need to use readyboost since you already have 4 GB of RAM.

In my experience they only time it was needed was when you have only 1GB of RAM

2GB up dont need it most of the time

 

ReadyBoost is disk cache. Read about ReadyBoost in wikipedia. It's designed to speed up access to frequently used files. From that article,

"The core idea of ReadyBoost is that a flash drive has a much faster seek time (less than 1 ms), allowing it to satisfy requests faster than reading files from a hard disk. It also leverages the inherent advantage of two parallel sources from which to read data."​

The Toshiba 5200rpm drive of the AO522 is a prime candidate for ReadyBoost, regardless the amount of working RAM.

Harry

 

I could seek this answer out through the internet , which I am doing now, but what is a good sd card to use and what's the maximum amount of memory space needed. So, would a 8gb sd card be enough, or more the merrier? Why not 32 gb sd card, perhaps that would increase the "boost " even further?

Or is there a minimum for ready boost and secondly, what's the best sd card class to get. Considering that they seem to have a scale, up to ten , I believe , but not sure.

My understanding is that it helps harddrives work better, especially those with the name toshiba stamped on them.

 

I am not an expert nor do I play one on TV, but from my understanding I think that Vista will only recognize up to 4Gb and that Windows 7 there is no limit. Also the faster the SD card the better. If you do any virtualizations, ReadyBoost can help as you know if you are limited in the amount of memory that you have on your host machine and can only allocate so much for your VM, then readyboost can help. I hope this helps. God Bless

 

I don't think I'll be using Readyboost, I can hardly see the difference. The bad thing is it is very difficult to monitor. As for disk activity, it seems that it adds some because it needs to put data on the SD card!?

 

Alright, I installed 4 gb of ram, brilliant next level factor of quick response and speed and a class 4 4 gb sd card. NICE. You can clearly tell how tight and responsive the system is. There is now no noticeable lag at all. This feels like an actual notebook. upgrade from starter and then full unlock the potential. Actually with windows seven ready boost can have up to 256gb of ram, versus vista which is 4 gb. I got 4 but the recommendation is to get double of what your ram is. So, I will go and get an 8 gb sd card, as I think this could only improve the performance further. Yeah, this is a great netbook. thanks .

 

Keep tabs on ReadyBoost with Windows 7's Performance Monitor

Harry

 

Does anyone know if this will run the ram @ 1333Mhz if you stick in a 1333Mhz 4GB stick of ram? The desktop E350 based boards can run @ 1333Mhz no problem.

Can anyone who has upgraded to a 4GB 1333Mhz stick of ram please post their CPU-Z memory section to show what speed it's running at?

Thanks

 

Anyone know what their 6250 clocks are?

Mine is showing 276 core 533 mem...

 

Its 276 & since its using shared DDR3 1066 memory, the clock speed is correct @ 533MHz.

AMD Accelerated Processors for Ultrathin Notebook PCs

Officially both the desktop & mobile versions top out at DDR3 1066. My E-350 has DDR3 1333 but runs it at 1066.

 

Has anyone removed the right sticker? i see some cosmetic wear on the chassis beside the sticker (between the sticker and the touchpad) and it's bothering me a lot and I was thinking it was would be better if I just remove the sticker.

 

Ok, I got a 16gb class 10 card and formatted it to exfat. Installed Windows 7 ultimate (32x unfortunately as I don't want to fully restall) , and got the 4 gb of ram.

Basically, with all of the improvements, this computer feels like a laptop.
Not bad for it's foot print and battery life. It's interesting how terrible it ran out of the box. Well, just wanted to twitter, oh I mean share this update. Earlier I was stating incredible improvements, of course I suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury, so I can become overly emotional and sensitive to micro changes. In total, very pleased and the last thing that could be done is a SSD drive. So, you must make the investments, but in total, it's brilliant. This when given the upgrades, has got to be the hottest netbook on the market.

 

I removed that stick and the Windows 7 sticker and the AMD sticker.

I kind of wish there were more stickers so I could remove them. Maybe the ones with the serial number?

 

If you don't mind me asking... why would you get the 16GB class 10 card in the first place?
Upgrading the RAM to 4GB is the only thing I can think of that would benefit this netbook (along with a clean Win 7 install), but the micro SD card... not so much.

 

I have limited experience with ready-boost, and with that I have found machines with low memory 2gb and less, and a slow hard disk benefit the most from ready-boost.

Once you have surpassed the 2gb ram mark no matter how much data you cache the hard disk has a limit. With this laptop/netbook we have integrated video that consumes around 300mb of mem at 2 gigs of ram this is something worth noting.

One other experience I have with ready-boost is that the card will get corrupt sometimes and you will have to rebuild it. Not a huge deal but if you have data on the card at the same time and its unrecoverable........

 

Well, I got the 16gb card because if you format the card to exfat, which is microsoft recommended for windows 7, the full 16gb can be utilized for readyboost. Unfortunately I don't have the links, but not only does readyboost help, especially in certain circumstances, working with certain programs, you can also observe the readyboost cache in action through windows 7 performance tools. The reason for utilizing readyboost is to offer that extra push when needed, even if psychologically, one is not getting a big hit in terms of seeing any glaring upgrade. So, technically it can only help, though it may not be something that turns night into day.

 

Excellent points, my ready-boost knowledge is a generation old. From my previous experience the recommended size of the SD card or usb what ever is double the amount of ram the machine has. If you are running 2gb ram then get a 4gb sd card ect.

I dunno about anyone else but, I bought this machine for performance/price. A 16gb super fast SD card to do ready boost, isnt the most cost effective performance booster. For those of us with a 4gb chip and a sandforce ssd.

 

Yes, the recommendation is one to three times the amount of ram that one has installed. I have 4 gb of ram and therefore 16gb is a bit over the three times advice. In so far as price, the card was only $24.00, though I am not sure what the cost benefit analysis is. I do know that if you have a ssd , windows will not allow you to activate readyboost. So, for us with the cheap harddrives, especially the somewhat slower drives, perhaps this might something worth thinking about.

 

well i got 4 gb ram and a 7200 rpm 500 gb drive ,did buy a 8 gb sd card for readyboost and dont realy see any diff, for now anyways

 

Good stuff Plume! Yeah i didnt realize you could get a decent 16gb sd card for 24 bucks. That equates to 1/4 of the cost of the 60gb ssd I am using. Def something to consider.

 

The memory installed is G.SKILL 4GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) F3-10600CL9S-4GBSQ.
I've attached the CPU-Z memory and spd tabs.

 

When I install a Kingston Class 4 SDHC card the hard drive activity light goes constantly on. At first I thought it was ReadyBoost. Even when the card is freshly formatted exFAT the HDD activity light is constantly lit.

Same symptoms for 4GB & 8GB Kingston micro-SDHC cards in an SD adapter.

In fact the first time I witnessed this the netbook wouldn't shut down till I pulled the SDHC card.

Anybody else have this experience? I'm using the ENE card reader driver dated 1/7/2011 off the Acer AO522 download site which I've installed twice. No diff.

Harry

 

Was it easy to remove?

 

Thanks for the shot. Looks like 1066Mhz really is the limit unless someone hacks the bios

 

Do you really need it to go faster then 1066... I mean thats still better then most of the atom based netbooks where they clock the ram down to 800

 

For those of you who bought the AO522 in Canada, like me, and have to deal with the weird "Canadian Multilanguage" key layout, there's a software solution I haven't seen mentionned (sorry if it was), called Sharpkeys [1]. It remaps whatever keys to whatever key (or you can also simply disable a key) from your keyboard through a registry change.

I personally use it to switch the Alt and AltChar keys, since I'm lefty and like these reversed in some programs. But I also used it to remap the weirdly placed / key to Shift, so it wouldn't make a difference when I bump into it, instead of having to twist my pinky to hit the Left Shift.

Not as elegant as getting a new hardware keyboard, but it gets the job done. Hope it can help few of you!

[1]: RandyRants: SharpKeys 3.0

 

Harry,

I just noticed that my harddrive light doesn't turn off either. Hmmm. Hopefully this readyboost feature through the kingston card, which I purchased, well I hope it isn't grinding down my harddrive.

What are your thoughts? I will do some research on the internet tonight and in the meantime, take out the sd card.

 

If we're talking about the same thing then yeah, I just used my fingernail. We are talking about that sticker on the right hand side with the specs, right?

 

Yeah.

I wanted to remove it because it's so easy to tarnish (I scratched the corner of it with my fingernail and it was like one of those scratch and win tickets, the print came off very easily).

Another reason is there seemed to be an uneven finish beside that sticker so getting rid of it might help.

 

Hi, Has anybody tried to put second speaker to this acer ao 522. It should be possible. I believe that speakers form D260 will fit, however I don't know if ao522 has stereo pin out on motherboard. Maybe some of You have service manual for AO522. Below you can see ao522 spare space for speaker (Picture form net) If possible it could be nice mod