Acer TravelMate 8100!!! - Page 9

Can anyone shed some light toward the final specs of the 8103

For sure it seems:
Processor: 1.8 Sonoma PM 915 chipset
RAM: DDR2 533 512Mb (512/0 or 256/256 ?)
V-Processor: ATI X-700 (64Mb or 128Mb ?)

Not so sure:
HD: 80Gb 5400 18Mb buffer or 100Gb 5400 8Mb buffer
Screen: 15.4" wxga or wsxga
Bluetooth: ?????

Hope someone knows were to get some intel on this.

Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional; Intel® Pentium® M Processor 745 (1.80GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB); 512MB (512/0) DDR2 333 SDRAM; 100GB hard drive; modular Super-Multi (DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM) drive; 5-in-1 card reader; 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) TFT display; ATI® MOBILITY™ RADEON® X700 graphics, 128MB DDR; 802.11a/b/g WLAN, Bluetooth™, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem

First,

Thanks, thats exactly what I hoped. Second:

Where are these specs from, a reseller? if so which? availability?

i got it from the acer us website, and those specs looks to be accurate

Darth Acer can you comment much on the heat or where the hot air is exhausted at? Can you hold this baby on your lap or does it block vents? Thanks in advance!

I ordered my 8104 Sunday night from CDW only to be dissapointed Monday afternoon. The salesman told me that they might be getting in a shipment in that day but they didn't. Oh well I was prepared for a long wait anyway.

Darth Acer, who is the manufacturer of the touchpad? Is it synaptics or alps? Also, could you talk a little about the high definition audio system? How is the audio different from your 8000 series?

Thanks

David

Upgradeable Vidcard?

DarthAcer - does the 8100 documentation mention anything about the videocard being upgradeable? (I believe that the x700 is AXIOM compatible). Does Acer offer an extended warranty plan?

Thanks in advance!!

No, documentation does not mention it. And judging from the thinness of laptop, I'm 100% sure it's not AXIOM/upgradable. Most likely socketed like in other Travelmate versions.

Regarding HD Audio, it's not spectacular, it's ok, it has SPDIF now. It's good enough for me to not use Creative Audigy ZS Notebook (which I used with TM8003).

In digit-life review that was mentioned before, all air intakes on the bottom of unit are clearly visible. The exaust is on the left side, between VGA connector and LAN connector. Have not used it on a lap yet. The bottom of unit is not getting hot though, so I assume it's safe

Touchpad is Synaptics.
I purchased 3-year support plan.

Just to add some more things:
- I don't like front-side location of audio inputs/outputs
- I liked back-side location of network and modem on TM8003
- if you used another Acer laptop before, where PgUp/PgDn are next to arrow keys and where Home/End are with Fn button, prepare to swear regularly as you are gradually getting used to new keyboard (euro and dollar signs are where PgUp/Dn keys used to be). If you are coming from diffferent brand or new to laptops, disregard this.

I ran 3dMark05 on it. This was the first time the benchmark was watchable, i.e. not a slideshow. It was not really smooth, some jerking was clearly visible, but it was enjoyable. 2447 is the score without any tweaking done.
It also showed something over 44000 in Aquamark. Both more than double of MR9700 in TM8003

Thanks for alll the information, DarthAcer, you're making it harder and harder to resist. Where did you order yours, and who is the extended warranty through?

Thanks!

Any chance you have Doom3 or HalfLife2 to benchmark the laptop with? I'm wondering how the GPU will score on these games compared to a GeForce Go 6800 or MRX800.

No chance with Doom3. I have HL2 but I uninstalled it from my desktop (got bored ) and installing it again on laptop and downloading all that 'steam' is a task not for the weak of heart. Eventually, yes.

P.S. While perusing touchpad on TM8104, I noticed that it gets hot. That means probably that metal structure that helps to direct/dissipate heat within case is in close thermal contact with touchpad. It's not HD. Area above HD under right palmrest is not hot. Bottom of unit under HD is not hot either. But toucpad may become too hot to be useable, ouch!

Thanks a bunch DarthAcer. Wow - 2447 on 3DMark05 is quite good! Adam@PCTorque's review of the Sager 9860 with an NVidia 6800Go card clocked in with a score (non-overclocked) of 2569 - only a 5% difference!! The Aquamark score on the Acer of over 44000 actually beat that of the 9860 (43523)!!
I may not wait for the Inspiron 9300 after all.

I dont think that the test was performed with the same settings.

Exstremetech only got between 1200-1700

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1752364,00.asp

But it's still a nice score, but there is a bigger difference between the X700 and the 6800Go unless i missed something.

how is the sound on the laptop via the speakers it comes with?

Indeed I ran test at its default settings (1024x768). But then, I was comparing it to my TM8003 with MR9700 and that one I ran with exactly same settings

what a bummer,

I contacted pctorque about when they wer going to get the 8100 and they said that they were going to discontinue the acer line.

I really wanted to get it from them. Does anyone know of a good reseller. People that actually sell computers and not massive distributers that cant even coraborate i their specs are correct or not. Thus far I have not found any reseller that I would be super confortable with. What good specialized companies sell acer, I'd even rather compusa.

Any idea if it is capable of using dual battery?

Yep, according to http://global.acer.com/products/notebook/tm8100.htm:

Of those who have the Acer 8104 or who are looking to get one, what are the advantages or disadvantages of the Acer 8104 over the Sager 9860 in terms of speed, heat, noise?

well id assume the acer would omit less heat, having a less poweriful processor, less noise becuase it doesnt need as powerful fans. the sager is faster, hands down, but this (the acer) to me is a median for mobility and speed.