This 15 inch notebook is fantastic with sandybridge (2nd gen core i7-2630qm) with 2gb geforce gt540m graphics card that supports nvidia optimus and cuda, has 1 usb3 port, 640gb 5400rpm hdd and fantastic audio. the price was also sensational at only 1249. It is about 2.6kg but is still ok compared to my asus g73jh which is so heavy i get rsi just lifting it in and out of the laptop bag. I traded in my asus ul50vt for $300 Aud. I am very pleased with this purchase.
Asus does have similar models in their n series for slightly higher price. Even though my last 5 notebook purchases have been Asus, this Acer notebook is for my studies. As such, I do not need the bang and olfsen icepower sound or full HD. Also, I hate how all the ASUS notebooks have the right arrow key in the numberpad where the normal numberpad should have a zero key which impedes numerical data entry. My ASUS G50VT does have a normal zero key but then the other keys are all in the wrong place. ASUS design team really know how to annoy people. Do they expect everyone to relearn data entry? Anyway, the Acer keyboard is not as good as the G50vt because the keys are not as bouncy and the Acer keys wobble a bit, however the keys are extra large so overall it is easier for data entry than the latest chiclet keyboards ASUS has to offer. This Acer notebook has the full data entry number keypad which was the main reason I chose it. The 2nd is it is only slightly thicker/heavier than my ASUS UL I traded in. The arrow keys are however, quite small.
I installed windows server 2008 r2 to dual boot with windows 7 ultimate. The reason being that server 2008 r2 is very secure.
USB 3 is much faster than usb2 (obviously) and you can tell the USB3 port because it has a blue part in the socket. I transferred over 150gb in less than half an hour. I did not time it exactly but normally it would take hours doing it in usb 2. I used my western digital usb3 compatible 1TB 2.5 inch external hdd (which I got at bargain price when I was in Malaysia) to transfer movies to my new acer. Buying IT equipment in Malaysia is great because I can bargain for price. Also, they gave me a western digital zip up sleeve for the 1 TB hdd for free :) If I was to buy here in Australia, I would not even be able to get that sleeve at the shop.
I have finished Crysis 2 and dead space 2. Will install some strategy games I dled a while ago.
Work is crazy busy right now just before easter long weekend holidays and I will start my studies again in August so I have to do a tonne of stuff for my personal shit too.
Should also mention I have been watching all the Michael Douglas movies. Since they guy is almost dead and there was a torrentday pack, decided to dl it. The oldest one is "coma" from 1978 and I could not stop watching it as it was full of suspense. I highly recommend the pack. Other famous movies incl wall street, basic instinct & black rain.
___________________Update 26/07/2012
The keyboard keys E, D C and number 3 have stopped working, I suspect the graphics card was running too hot and fried it, so now I have pulled out my old trusty microsoft keyboard from 10 years ago and plugged it in a USB hub which in turn is plugged into one of the USB ports in the Acer notebook. 3 usb ports is simply not enough eg if i had my keyboard plugged in one, mouse in the other, I would have to keep removing usb in the 3rd port. ASUS on the other hand have 4 USB ports on most computers these days. In the future, I will buy from America on ebay as they have ASUS G55vw and the 17inch version for just a little bit more than what I paid for this acer notebook. They have 4 USB ports. If I did not get my transformer prime, I would have bought one. Now I will wait for the next reincarnation and windows 8 lol
Notwithstanding the keys have fried on the left side, the gt 540m graphics card played max payne 3 pretty good with no pausing due gameplay but like I said, I would get an asus now if I had to choose since the acer keyboard touch is strange as the keys tilt left and right ie wobbly.
The acer fan noise espeically while the gt540 is in use is also very annoying.
___________________Update 26/07/2012
The keyboard keys E, D C and number 3 have stopped working, I suspect the graphics card was running too hot and fried it, so now I have pulled out my old trusty microsoft keyboard from 10 years ago and plugged it in a USB hub which in turn is plugged into one of the USB ports in the Acer notebook. 3 usb ports is simply not enough eg if i had my keyboard plugged in one, mouse in the other, I would have to keep removing usb in the 3rd port. ASUS on the other hand have 4 USB ports on most computers these days. In the future, I will buy from America on ebay as they have ASUS G55vw and the 17inch version for just a little bit more than what I paid for this acer notebook. They have 4 USB ports. If I did not get my transformer prime, I would have bought one. Now I will wait for the next reincarnation and windows 8 lol
Notwithstanding the keys have fried on the left side, the gt 540m graphics card played max payne 3 pretty good with no pausing due gameplay but like I said, I would get an asus now if I had to choose since the acer keyboard touch is strange as the keys tilt left and right ie wobbly.
The acer fan noise espeically while the gt540 is in use is also very annoying.
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