Re: Laptops
 

I've just checked out their site they have one for just under $1200
Thanks again :)

Re: Laptops
 

Yes wayne said there was cheaper ones than mine but we wanted wireless network we also talk the guy into giving us a free bag. ;)

Re: Laptops
 

This one was also wireless it's a special offer, probably well gone by the time we get there.

But I now have somewhere as a price guide and if I can't get cheaper here I can look in Hong Kong and will now know if it's worth buying there :)

Re: Laptops
 

Well thought I'd bump this back to the top for advice. I too am at the stage of buying a laptop any day now - Dell was my preferred make due to worldwide warranty but friends of my hubbie have been recommending 'ACER' because the spec in comparison to dell notebooks in our budget (up to 800 pounds) is far superior.

Check this one out - its processor is a flying machine in comparison to ANY of the Dell notebooks:
http://www.dabs.com/uk/productView.htm?quicklinx=3JSC
Most Dell's only have 1.5 ghtz processors!

Very good value for money - we have e-mailed the company to enquire about whether you can get worldwide warranty.....if not then we couldn't go with them.

Has anyone heard of ACER? I hadn't so a bit wary. Trouble is that now my hubbie knows what spec he can get with ACER he doesn't want to buy a Dell anymore! His argument is that by buying the best and fastest processor and memory that we can afford the less quickly it will go out of date due to advances in technology.

Lynn

Re: Laptops
 

It could depend on the spec of the Acer.

The DELL 1.5 maybe a Pentium Mobile. The Acer maybe a Pentium 4 and what seems like a faster processor but thats not how it all works!

I have a P4 Laptop with a 2Gb processor and a new laptop which is a Pentium Mobile. The processor of this is 1.6 but it is a far better laptop then the other one. You need to read up on things as just as things look more and have higher numbers it is not the case.

I would recommend getting a Pentium Mobile as they are now more geared up towards getting the most from a laptop etc.

R.

Re: Laptops
 

Hi i'm a bit confused by your reply!!? Heres the spec of the ACER one:
System Type Notebook
Built-in Devices Stereo speakers, subwoofer, wireless LAN aerial
Width 40.2 cm
Depth 27.8 cm
Height 4.5 cm
Weight 4.5 kg
Localisation English / United Kingdom
Processor Intel Pentium 4 2.93 GHz
Data Bus Speed 800 MHz
Features Hyper-Threading Technology
Chipset Type Intel 915P Express
Type L2 Cache
Installed Size 1 MB
Installed Size 512 MB / 2 GB (max)
Technology DDR SDRAM - 333 MHz
Memory Specification Compliance PC2700
Storage Controller IDE
Hard Drive 60 GB
Type DVD-Writer - integrated
Type 5 in 1 card reader
Supported Flash Memory Cards SD Memory Card, Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard, SmartMedia Card, xD-Picture Card
Display Type 17" TFT active matrix
Max Resolution 1440 x 900 / 24-bit (16.7 million colours)
Graphics Processor / Vendor ATI MOBILITY RADEON X600 - PCI Express x16
Video Memory DDR SDRAM - 64 MB
Audio Output Sound card
Audio Input Microphone
Type Keyboard, touchpad, 4-way scroll button
Modem Fax / modem
Max Transfer Rate 56 Kbps
Protocols & Specifications ITU V.92
Features Wake on Ring
Networking Network adapter
Wireless NIC Acer InviLink 802.11g
Data Link Protocol Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Remote Management Protocol DMI 2.0
Compliant Standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 ( 0 ) x memory - SO DIMM 200-pin ¦ 1 ( 1 ) x PC Card - type II ¦ 1 ( 1 ) x SD Memory Card ¦ 1 ( 1 ) x Memory Stick ¦ 1 ( 1 ) x xD-Picture Card ¦ 1 ( 1 ) x SmartMedia Card
Interfaces 1 x display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ¦ 4 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 PIN USB Type A ¦ 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ¦ 1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45 ¦ 1 x modem - phone line - RJ-11 ¦ 1 x infrared - IrDA ¦ 1 x display / video - S-video output ¦ 1 x audio - line-in/microphone - mini-phone 3.5mm ¦ 1 x audio - line-out/headphones - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ¦ 1 x audio - SPDIF output
Compliant Standards ACPI 1.0b
Power Device External
Voltage Required AC 110/230 V
Technology Lithium Ion
Installed Qty 1
Run Time (Up To) 1 hour(s)
OS Provided Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Software Adobe Acrobat Reader, Norton AntiVirus, Acer System Recovery, Acer Launch Manager, NTI CD-Maker, Aspire Arcade, Acer eManager
Service & Support 1 year warranty
Service & Support Details Traveller warranty - 1 year
Manufacturer Description Price
Acer 3 Years Collect and Return U/G £92.47
Acer Extended Warranty for notebook £29.37




Main thing that concerns me about that one is battery life - up to 1 hour!? Seems p*ss!!!!! Have you heard of ACER?

Lynn

Re: Laptops
 

1 hour battery life the del has 4 hours.

I was considering pricing them up in the far east and if they're not that cheap either get a dell when i arrive in oz or go to Harvey Norman as W & V Moore advised

Re: Laptops
 

That is all singing and dancing is'nt it! :rolleyes:

I have heard of Acer but do not know too much about them. I do tend to stick to HP or DELL. Not keen on Toshiba's either!

For the money I would say its a good deal, you pay your money and take a chance on any of them really and a lot of it is how you look after it. Battery life is crap on laptops despite what other companies say. It seems Acer are being particularly honest in what they have stated. Thats why I have spare power supplies and a car charger. They will normally state about four hours but this is probably just turning it on and not doing anything with it!

It is a large widescreen laptop too so this is probably why it is power hungry but it is a good spec. If you are not really in to computing in a big way it should be more than enough for you.

Hopefully someone with an Acer will join in and say what they think of them.

R.

Re: Laptops
 

One word of warning re Dell and their usual lousy customer service.

My battery failed the other day, did a bit of faultfinding to check the power supply was working OK and the wiggly Amps were getting to the battery connections, all OK and Laptop works on Mains power fine.

Called Dell Australia, after several tries checking my service tag and finding no record of it the guy asked me where I had got it, told him UK, October 2004 before I migrated. At which point I got told Dell's standard warranty isn't worldwide and there was nothing they could do for me, try contacting Dell UK was the response.

Not the Aussie support guy's fault but I am raging for several reasons, a/ I don't expect a battery to go 'phut' in 7 months (and yes I do know how to look after the battery), b/ At least 3 times whilst ordering the thing from their useless Indian call centre I specifically made the point of telling them I was emigrating to Australia and had to have the machine by a certain date and confirmed the warranty was worldwide.

Having dealt with Dell's UK 'support' I'm not even going to bother contacting them, a direct email to Mr Dell is heading off in the morning, after all it's the only way previously I've found that you get any joy from them.

Checked the Dell UK website and under support options when speccing the machine it doesn't say anything about warranties being international or otherwise. If anyone is getting a Dell (the machine itself is good, got no problems with that) make sure they confirm the warranty is international and get it in writing via email.

Re: Laptops
 

Hmmmm i'm really confused now! Especially with the trouble you have had getting your Dell repaired under warranty - so much for international warranty!

Dell seems to have poorer spec. for the money you pay but at least they are a big international company.

Can anyone recommend any particular laptop for up to 800 pounds - decent spec so that it won't be out of date in a year or 2 - must have wireless technology, decent battery life (as far as laptops go), not too heavy (some are as heavy as 4.5kg!) and preferably a worldwide warranty. Come on the computer buffs - you must have some idea's!!?

Lynn :)

Re: Laptops
 

I thought I had decided not to bother getting a laptop and would get a new PC when I get to Aus. But I am not sure I could go cold turkey for maybe 8 weeks between the shippers arriving and getting a long-term rental.

This offer from PC World was on the tv a few nights ago for a Compaq for £699 which has got me very interested:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...uct&sku=025855

Anybody want to comment on the brand / spec?

Re: Laptops
 

Hi Lynn

I have just bought an Acer Aspire 1682 model, with 15.4 screen, 60 Gb wireless networking, centirno and my battery life is 4.5 hours

So far it has been a fabulous buy at £740 from comet.

Charlie :)

Re: Laptops
 

Checked it out on the Acer website and its coming out at 609 pounds on there - wonder if it is a slightly different model?
Do you find it fast? How do you find the wireless technology?

Do they give a worldwide warranty?
4.5 hours is good.

Thanks for the info in advance,
Lynn x :)

Re: Laptops
 

Yes it nice and speedy and the wireless tech is brilliant as we have networked our PC and all other laptops in the house - have not tried it out in a Wifi environment yet.

There is world wide assistance with a base in brisbane.

Battery dam good

Charlie :)

(Had our leaving do last night!!) :beer: :beer: :beer:

Re: Laptops
 

How was the leaving do!!? Are you hungover!?

Hope you don't mind me asking - did you take the 3 year extended warranty? The website talks a lot about European assistance but only mentions international now and again - think ACER are looking like the strongest contender now if international warranty is the case - were you given info about the warranty in writing?
Lynn

This is the warranty link for acer:
http://www.aceradvantage.com/advanta...&ctx6=1&ctx7=1