Opinion on this Acer desktop replacement notebook please

[bernse]

Acer AS1804WSMi-128MB

Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition; Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 with HT Technology (3.20GHz, 1MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB); 1GB (512/512) DDR333 SDRAM; 100GB hard drive; integrated Super-Multi (DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM) drive; 17.0" WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT display with Acer® Crystal Bright Technology; ATI® MOBILITY? RADEON® X600 graphics, 128MB DDR; 802.11b/g WLAN, Bluetooth®, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem


It will be used mostly as a desktop replacement with mostly "office" apps, but will be used for encoding a VHS collection to DVD and the odd game.

Thoughts? Price is about $2300 Canadian $$$.

I am not a big fan of the X600 video, but for their needs (the odd game, nothing super new) it should be adequate.

 

[fbrdphreak]

For video encoding the P4 is one of the strong processors out there. X600 will do okay at games, it should play HL2 @ 1280x800 just fine.

$2300CAD is about $1900USD; that seems kind of hefty. Ideally I would find a 17" notebook with X700 graphics or better for that price. I would get a Dell 9300 with GeForce6800 graphics; drop in a 1GB of RAM and 7200RPM drive :thumbsup:

 

[bernse]

I was thinking the 9300 too, but that only comes with the Centrino, does it not?

 

[fbrdphreak]

Yes but the Pentium M is a strong processor. With some RAM and a fast HDD, a Centrino notebook will be very powerful.

 

[bernse]

Well, spec'd out a Dell 9300 with a 2Ghz Centrino (I figure that should be close to a 3.2 P4)and it was over $2700 CAN.. so I suppose the Acer is a good deal that way...

 

[bernse]

Ordered the Acer at lunch. Should get it Friday.

 

[Jassi]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Yes but the Pentium M is a strong processor. With some RAM and a fast HDD, a Centrino notebook will be very powerful.

I thought the PM was weaker in media work but since he is only doing it as a hobby, it shouldn't have mattered. He already purchased so I guess this post is useless.

Nef 🙂

 

[fbrdphreak]

You are right Jassi. The PM is weaker in video encoding & general number crunching, but is sufficient