NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Acer Forums › Acer Notebooks › Acer TravelMate 8204 WLMi
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Acer TravelMate 8204 WLMi

post #1 of 22
1/25/06 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
So, i've just received my 8204 and can confirm that the screen
is absolutely perfect. I live in the UK and ordered it from Germany.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 22
1/25/06 at 1:59pm
how do you like it?? I'm probably going to put an order in for this...have been waiting for the core duo and x1600 for a while and NEED a new laptop now! how's the build of the 8200? Hope you enjoy it!
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 22
1/25/06 at 2:10pm
Ditto on a review if you have the time. It'd help all of us out.

I've got one question in specific - how's the fan noise? I assume it's running constantly, but is it loud and/or obnoxious?
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 22
1/25/06 at 7:50pm
Here is a link to the manual for those who can't wait (like me)

ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/note.../tm8200_en.pdf
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 22
1/26/06 at 10:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Samostoj
So, i've just received my 8204 and can confirm that the screen
is absolutely perfect. I live in the UK and ordered it from Germany.
Hi, Where did u order from? ebay? How much is it? I am in the UK as well...can't wait to have it...
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 22
1/26/06 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 
I'd love to do some review on it for you guys, but unfortunately i have to
send the unit for repairs, looks like some problem with relay coil or what, as soon i start some 3d application, there is some unidentified noise coming from it.
Look here : http://www.geizhals.at/eu/a182509.html
It's a list of shops offering 8204, some accept credit cards and will ship to EU. Only problem is that it's got a german keyboard, should not be a problem to exchange it later.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 22
1/26/06 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
As about the fan noise, it is realy quiet, definetely more quiet than my 8006.
I was doing some 3dmark testing and the fan didn't come on until somewhat in the middle of the test.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 22
1/27/06 at 1:58pm
Is the CPU accessible to the user. When Merom comes along is it possible to upgrade the CPU by yourself?
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 22
1/27/06 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Samostoj
So, i've just received my 8204 and can confirm that the screen
is absolutely perfect. I live in the UK and ordered it from Germany.
Thats good to hear. My RMA replacement is coming on Monday, they better have sorted the screen out this time
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 22
1/27/06 at 5:34pm
Samostoj, a quick question if you've gotten that far: is the hard drive in some sort of enclosure? I'll be getting a second hard drive for my to-be-ordered 8204, and I'm wondering if I'll have to swap drives in an enclosure or if I can just swap drives by themselves... I'll have a few different configurations loaded (e.g., work vs. home) and will want to swap hard drives quickly.

Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 22
1/28/06 at 1:44am
Have you played any games on it yet? I'd love some numbers
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 22
1/28/06 at 3:29am
Is the hard drive using the FAT32 like the Ferrari or NTFS? Also, did it come with a smartcard like the 8104 did?
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 22
1/28/06 at 9:17am
The drive is FAT32 like most of notebooks' drives. It also comes with the smart reader like the 8104 but on the opposite side to where it has been in the 8104.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 22
1/30/06 at 6:51am
Thread Starter 
Yes, the CPU is really easy to access, 5 screws, and everything is under one cover, CPU, GPU and memory modules.
About the hard drive, from what i saw, it's the same system as was my 8006. Few screws and you can pull the whole part (enclosure, inc. the impact protection) out and the disk is inside, hold by another 4 screws.
And yes, FAT32 again, split into 3 partitions, 3GB invisible system recovery one. I didn't get any recovery cd's and from the manual i assume, you have to use the new eRecovery tool, to create image and burn it onto cd's or leave it on recovery partition.
Sorry, no games yet, waiting to receive it back from Acer service.
And yes, there is a smartcard slot + 2 cards, same as 81xx.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 22
1/30/06 at 1:03pm
Can the GPU be replaced? Is it simply a pinned device that can be removed and upgraded or is it soldiered to the motherboard?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 22
1/30/06 at 1:40pm
Okay, so, the hard drive has an enclosure... Not surprising. I wonder how easy it is to purchase an extra enclosure from Acer...
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 22
2/2/06 at 4:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Samostoj
I'd love to do some review on it for you guys, but unfortunately i have to
send the unit for repairs, looks like some problem with relay coil or what, as soon i start some 3d application, there is some unidentified noise coming from it.
What does the noise sound like? I just got my 8204 and noticed some strange noises when I ran 3d applications.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 22
2/2/06 at 6:34am
Thread Starter 
It's coming from the bottom part near battery, when i unscrewed the cover, it was coming from small black part just near cpu and when i touched it, the sound has changed a bit.
And it sounds like high pitch beep, but it's not a continous streem, when i ran Ati CC 3D test (car on the road) the sound was changing, slightly different as the camera was moving around the car.
And as soon as i stoped 3d the sound disappeared.
Or you could hear it when you drag a window over the desktop.
My 8204 has been in service for a week now and when i rang them, they said, that they are waiting for 3rd party drivers. IMO the problem is a hardware based and drivers won't fix it.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 22
2/12/06 at 9:20am
I had a leaflet with my 8204 which told me to mute the line-in volume to stop the noise. Does the trick although will be a bit of a pain if I ever need to use the line-in.

Paul
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 22
2/12/06 at 12:03pm
Try plugging something into the line-in... Perhaps it's a feedback situation that will be resolved if the line-in is getting a signal.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Acer Notebooks
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Acer Forums › Acer Notebooks › Acer TravelMate 8204 WLMi