2 weeks ago I closed on my house. AWSOME!!! But when I got home from work that night my computer wasn’t working and had this weird message on the screen. I called my buddy who is a computer wiz. He said he has seen this message before and every time was unable to fix the computer. Basically said it crashed and it’s done. Crap! I bought it 4.5 yrs ago relatively cheap from best buy. 512mb ddr, 80gb memory desktop. Nothing special. Just your basic computer.
I was looking at new computers lastnight at best buy. I would like to keep the next computer under $500, as I use it simply for the basics. There was a emachine tower that has 1gb ddr, 160gb memory , vista basic $300. & an acer laptop w/ 2gb ddr , 250 gb memory , vista premium for $400. Which 1 do you guys like? I’ve never been a fan of laptops, but that’s cuz I have no experiance with them. But for $100 if the acer is a handsdown winner over the emachine , I’d buy it. Again, my plans are just to surf the internet, and type word documents and itunes etc… and maybe a game or 2 here and there ( but gaming is minimal and I m not lookn for big graphics or sound.) thanks guys
yes. I agree. the decision is easy. looking more to hear from people with acer laptops. I’ve read that most internals on all pc’s is the same on all computers. and more then likely u r just paying for a name. also would like to hear peoples yays and nays with going from a desktop to a laptop. thanks guy
I just got an Acer laptop a few weeks ago and have no complaints. It’s just as good or better than my 1 year old Compaq.
I didn’t want to use my old desktop any longer and need two computers in the house so decided to get the second laptop. I agree the name doesn’t make a difference. Computers have come a long way in the past few years. I have had several over the years and decided that I would go for economy this time around since it will likely be replaced in two years, three tops. I’m happy with my decision.
i have a friend with an Acer…many places cant work on it for some reason…and vista has given everyone i know with it problems…my pop bought the comp because it was a great deal, then dumped vista and put windows on it
[quote]AmandaSC wrote:
I just got an Acer laptop a few weeks ago and have no complaints. It’s just as good or better than my 1 year old Compaq.
I didn’t want to use my old desktop any longer and need two computers in the house so decided to get the second laptop. I agree the name doesn’t make a difference. Computers have come a long way in the past few years. I have had several over the years and decided that I would go for economy this time around since it will likely be replaced in two years, three tops. I’m happy with my decision.[/quote]
You may often just be paying for the name, such as when you get a Sony Viao, but certain brands do use better components which is a plus and the biggest thing for me is if you have purchased a laptop with a 1 year+ warranty, it’s usually a good idea to go with a company that has good customer service and a good rep regarding returns if something goes wrong.
I’m a computer programmer, not a hardware expert, but everyone in my family uses me as tech support. One conclusion I have reached: eMachines are complete junk.
I think you’ll be much happier spending a little bit more for better quality.
Even better, if you want a desktop computer, have your friend help you out and build one. Newegg.com has pretty good prices, and the customer reviews can help you determine the quality of the pieces.
IBM Thinkpads, (T series, then W series) - the gold standard
HP business notebooks
Asus (“Ensemble” then “Built-on” lines)
Then, some of the more boutique PC makers:
Alienware
Voodoo - they have an awesome looking laptop called the Envy m133
The problem with most PCs isn’t so much the hardware - although it absolutely makes a difference to have higher quality parts - but the OS. Vista is just horrible at managing resources and most laptops are bloated with useless crap software you don’t need. Yes, you can remove the unnecessary programs, but then you still get an OS that’s shitty with drivers and managing memory.
I’ve been doing IT for about 6 years and that’s just the conclusion I’ve reached. If, however, you are only word processing and web browsing, you cannot beat the keyboards on the IBM Thinkpads.
If you are TRULY geeky, look up the reference code for the NMB model keyboards on the which are made in Thailand. If you get the Chicony (2nd best) or Alps models, you may be able to order the NMB keyboard for your specific Thinkpad, replace the stock keyboard, and enjoy the equivalent of a rub-n-tug for your digits every time you type.
If you’re set on a laptop, just cruise www.slickdeals.net daily and wait for something good to pop up. I got my work laptop (c2d proc, 4gigs ram, 250gig hd) on sale for $600. You’ll find something in your price range depending on how long you’re willing to wait.
Acers pretty much suck in my experience (I am typing from one right now). I got it last Christmas, it has very good specs for the price, as you found, but I have had all kinds of little niggling problems with it. Nothing major, but like a Blue-Ray demo that runs when it sleeps that I could not shut off, occasional crashes where it just freezes up, and, most annoying of all, if I try to watch Youtube or other internet video half the time it won’t work and I have to restart. And their tech support is a pain in the ass (try tracking it down on their website).
Would I buy one again? Maybe, good specs for the price and I do not have much money, but these issues, especially the Youtube one, are annoying as fuck. Bear in mind, these may be due to Vista instead. But I suspect Acer.
[quote]MNguns wrote:
I called my buddy who is a computer wiz. He said he has seen this message before and every time was unable to fix the computer.[/quote]
Doesn’t that kinda disqualify him as a computer wiz?
Where in Minnesota are you? I work at best buy, you can come and buy a computer from me
P.S. I know the ins and the outs of the PC sales industry, most of you are hypnotized and don’t really know what you’re talking about. Not trying to be arrogant about it just remember I know the ins and outs of these machines. From quality to speed… there are differences.
The breakdown:
HP
Toshiba
High-End Acers
Mac
Dell ( DO NOT ORDER FROM ONLINE )
Sony
Gateway
This is how quality is sorted. Toshiba being the most durable
[quote]LSUPOWERDC wrote:
i have a friend with an Acer…many places cant work on it for some reason…and vista has given everyone i know with it problems…my pop bought the comp because it was a great deal, then dumped vista and put windows on it[/quote]
Everything in this post is wrong. Given the context of the rest of the post, you might want to see if the guy you call pop really is your father.
OP - Acers are perfectly fine. I would go with Windows XP as the operating system if you can, you’ll be much happier with it than Vista on a lower-end laptop. You’ll get better battery life and snappier performance.
