The first three posts in this thread are REVIEW, INFO LINKS, and BENCHMARKS\DVD INFO. Because there a numerous pix it may cause slow page load, but you've already found that out.
The following links may open new windows depending on your browser settings.
Link to BENCHMARKS and DVD INFO at Post#3 below.
Link to (my) ezDOCK REVIEW
Link to INFO LINKS POST below.
Link to UNDER THE KEYBOARD pix.
Link to SCREENSHOTS.
UPDATED 11/03/2005: Added Benchmark updates\comparisons to first Benchmark post for 3DMark05 and 3DMark2001. Added recent observations to Performance, Gaming, and Battery sections below.
UPDATED 04/12/2005: Added Disassembly Pictures link above.
..............................Added (my) ezDock Review link above.
UPDATED 03/10/2005: Added Benchmark updates\comparisons to first Benchmark post.
UPDATED 02/25/2005: Added screenshots, link above.
UPDATED 02/24/2005: Added Under The Keyboard pix, link above.
UPDATED 7PM 02/07/2005: Added DVD analysis to Benchmarks post #3. Thanks to AVG8TOR for the tip on the freeware utility.
UPDATED 6-8PM 02/05/2005: Review is pretty much done except for ongoing discussion and anything new that comes up. Added Fans, Speakers, and Card Reader comments to this post.
UPDATED 7AM 02/05/2005: Adding Gaming observations (wow!) to this post. Added info links to post #2.
UPDATED 7PM 02/04/2005: Added Performance, Graphics, and Battery comments at the bottom of this post.
(PIX ARE BACK after an "outage". Thank you smugmug.com. Fast and easy, not free but reasonable and it works!)
In the beginning, there were BOXES:
11 (ELEVEN!) lbs shipping weight:
Thinking outside the box:
Minimal accoutrement: manuals, AC adapter and power cord, battery, CD bay dummy slot filler (technical term), yet one more phone cord for my magnanimous collection.
....Manuals are minimalist on their own. "Thin" User Guide (soft copy on the HDD also), Int'l Passport (repair) info, brochure on the Grid Vista function, std. Win XP manual. Also a Smart Card manual and 2 cards, for the Smart Card slot on the left side lower front. Haven't tried it yet but the Cards are credit card size that you program with a password to let you into the machine. No card, no machine entry. If you lose the primary or the backup, or have to use the backup for entry (I think) then the machine has to go to Acer for entry and reactivation. Looks like good security if you're willing to risk it, but someone can always remove your HDD and put it in another machine. Interesting concept however.
The unveiling:
A thin black gauze material was laying on the keyboard. Might be good to keep for LCD protection on extensive traveling. Otherwise it's a throwaway.
....First and lasting impressions: Looks great. It's thin and light. It is a widescreen and thus very rectangular rather than square. It is a "folio" shape, as Acer calls it. It's like a notebook binder in that it's narrower in front than in the back. It feels good to carry. It has a nice silver finish (a slight "orange peel" textured surface, not mirror smooth). Curious to see if it peels or chips, but I'm not going to help it.
Yes Virginia, that is a TOOTHPICK sitting on the very small AC Adapter. PORTABLE!
"In Situ" on first arrival at desk:
Oops! "HOUSTON, we have a possible DESIGN FLAW."
....People have been complaining for some time that most laptops have all the cords connected in the back. On this one practically NONE are in back. Instead they are on both sides and the front. As you see, if you're using the laptop keyboard WITH a mouse, and have a few USB peripherals attached, then most of us right-handers will be mousing over the wires. Not a show-stopper but "interesting". The good news for right-handers is that the fan vents out of the left side rear. Sorry lefties.
And another quirk:
It is "back-heavy" (top-heavy in the rear portion of the laptop). The battery is in back and the back is the thicker part of the triangle. I had it sitting on that Bytecc cooler with about 2+ inches of overhang in the back. I started to push back the screen to adjust viewing and the whole thing easily rocked backwards because of all that weight in the back. I had to pull the front up over the leading edge of the Bytecc to get it more evenly balanced.
A couple of quickie pix on the display:
Dual monitor mode next to my Sony HX73. NEITHER is blurry like the pic. The Sony is brighter but I'm quite satisfied with the 8104.
Until you shut off this backup reminder, you'll see it everytime you boot. Again this pic doesn't do it justice, not to mention that the Acer stock wallpaper is a fairly dull green. My old 8887 has a 16.1" UXGA 1600x1200, which was really nice, but I'm still happy with this display.
This review is anything but organized. Here are some more observations:
PERFORMANCE:
Grrrrreat, "but", it ain't HyperThreading. I was copying GBs from my external HDD via USB 2.0 and trying to open browsers and apps and was getting some hangs and very pregnant pauses. The cpu was running 25-50% and spiking. I wasn't maxed by a long shot but I was having trouble getting some things to start. Even my nicely HT'd 8887 wasn't perfect but I think it was noticeably better at multi-tasking. Not a show-stopper by a long shot, just an FYI. I was editing in Photoshop Elements quite nicely awhile ago. Even my 8887 paused in that once in awhile. Other than the "copy" slowdown it's been running great!
The 8104 doesn't have the new UCQ HDD caching technology that some will be coming out with, and it can't be converted to it according to reviews. It's supposed to make the HDD a lot faster. I think the Clevo M400A will have it. When there are more brands on the market that might be a swaying factor. The 100GB 5400RPM HDD performs very satisfactorily IMO.
3 Nov. 2005 update: I've recently gotten some verrrry zippy performance out of the lappie, and I think the 3 major contributors are:
1. Upgraded from 1GB to 2GB of RAM.
2. Uninstalled Norton AntiVirus and installed AVG free Home Edition.
3. Did multiple defrags on both partitions.
I think the RAM upgrade was the biggest contributor, with losing Norton a near second. Mundane tasks like opening Explorer (now in a blink) and Outlook are verrrry perceptibly faster.
GRAPHICS SETTINGS:
I've been running in dual monitor mode with extended desktop (laptop is primary, mouse and app windows move from one monitor to another) for several days. Laptop sits up on the desk next to my external LCD and mouse with external keyboard is on the keyboard tray. PROBLEM is when I reboot or startup from shutdown, it goes to the dual monitor mode briefly but then shuts off the external and is only on the laptop. This is all controlled from the ATI Settings, Advanced, Displays tab (then set main Settings menu to Extend, etc.). Each time I start I have to go back to the Displays tab, switch on the external, and Extend it from the main menu. I haven't fiddled with this yet. Don't know if ePower or something is effecting it. May try setting Scheme in the Displays tab. Seems like one of my ATI\Omega versions did this a year or so ago. In desktop mode I usually just go with the external LCD by itself anyway. The 8104 print is so small even from 2 1/2 feet at 1400x1050 or 1280x1024 res that I squint a bit or bump the res even lower. I like the 1680x1050 in "laptop mode" though. I have bumped the DPI on the Advanced General tab from 125% 120 back to Normal 96. The print on my external LCD was just too bold with that.
GAMING:
wow. WOW! WOWWWWW!!!!! (Did I say WOW!?) Loaded up HL2 and Deathmatch, went into a DM. I had left my dual monitor mode on so DM was on the laptop and my "remnants" on my LCD. In the main menu I could still cursor back and forth. Anyway, start playing DM and it set me to 800x600 by default. Looked good. Soon I switched to 1280x1024 (not the right aspect) and it was even better. Finally went into 1680x1050 at 16:10 aspect, EYYYYYYYYE CANDY! Colors and reflections you never would have know were there. No lag other than on some rocket fire. Will take some extensive gaming to see how it holds up in "busy" graphics situations, but what a first impression!
3 Nov. 2005 update: Still games like a bandit. FEAR has been the biggest disappointment, but IMO the gameplay and graphics both are highly overrated. Loving the recent HL2 Lost Coast demo. Graphics like that are why we game!
BATTERY:
1st test: 2 hr 10 min on first run a couple of nights ago.
2nd test: 2 hr 25 min: BatteryMon is predicting 2 1/2. MobilityMeter after an hour says I'm running at 800Mhz, steady 48C CPU temp and near-flatline 39C HDD temp. Made it to 2 hr 25 min before it went into hibernate. (Hate hibernate, I've shut it off now.) Of course that time is at 80% LCD brightness (very readable) and 3/4 (?800Mhz?) CPU. I turned on SpeedSwitch late in the game and it throttled it better. Be interesting to see how low I can set it and still watch a DVD, like on a plane.
3rd test: 3 hr 15 min: It plays DVDs very well at "Max Battery" setting in ePower. Had to turn up brightness to at least 60% (OK in a dim room). BatteryMon is predicting 2hr 48min while playing DVD, 3hr 15-30min while not. MobilityMeter has cpu at 566-633Mhz, cpu temp at 54C, HDD at 38C. (1hr 20min into what looks like a 3 1/2 hour run now. 600Mhz, cpu tmp 46C, HDD temp 42C.)
3 Nov. 2005 update: wear factor is now at 12% on original Motorola battery and average usage is "about" 2 hr 30 min.
FANS:
Yes, it seems to run QUITE a lot on AC, almost constantly. It's fairly quiet but in a quiet room you hear it. It bothered me a bit at first, and the laptop doesn't seem to get any hotter over time (though it's VERY warm-hot in the center keyboard and especially the touchpad, definitely a distraction). I don't know of a fan throttle other than as you say CPU regulation. I like the "speed step" on battery (or AC) but I don't want to buy a good CPU and then run it at low all the time because something is unsatisfactory. (Since I first wrote this I've played with the ePower and been shown the SpeedSwitchXP utility. The fans are fine.) Fan runs less on battery, low power settings.
SPEAKERS:
No bass, but good STEREO, I was surprised to hear. You have to fiddle to get just the right sound. It has the same Realtek Sound Effects Manager (but an updated GUI) that my 8887 had. Mostly REVERB. Puh-leeze. It's satisfactory and there are always headphones.
5 in 1 CARD READER:
Transferred some pix from my Memory Stick. A LOT of resistance when pushing it in. You think it's not right (card contacts face down by the way) but keep pushing until it stops. It's recognized as another drive, no prob. Just doesn't feel right.
The following links may open new windows depending on your browser settings.
Link to BENCHMARKS and DVD INFO at Post#3 below.
Link to (my) ezDOCK REVIEW
Link to INFO LINKS POST below.
Link to UNDER THE KEYBOARD pix.
Link to SCREENSHOTS.
UPDATED 11/03/2005: Added Benchmark updates\comparisons to first Benchmark post for 3DMark05 and 3DMark2001. Added recent observations to Performance, Gaming, and Battery sections below.
UPDATED 04/12/2005: Added Disassembly Pictures link above.
..............................Added (my) ezDock Review link above.
UPDATED 03/10/2005: Added Benchmark updates\comparisons to first Benchmark post.
UPDATED 02/25/2005: Added screenshots, link above.
UPDATED 02/24/2005: Added Under The Keyboard pix, link above.
UPDATED 7PM 02/07/2005: Added DVD analysis to Benchmarks post #3. Thanks to AVG8TOR for the tip on the freeware utility.
UPDATED 6-8PM 02/05/2005: Review is pretty much done except for ongoing discussion and anything new that comes up. Added Fans, Speakers, and Card Reader comments to this post.
UPDATED 7AM 02/05/2005: Adding Gaming observations (wow!) to this post. Added info links to post #2.
UPDATED 7PM 02/04/2005: Added Performance, Graphics, and Battery comments at the bottom of this post.
(PIX ARE BACK after an "outage". Thank you smugmug.com. Fast and easy, not free but reasonable and it works!)
In the beginning, there were BOXES:
11 (ELEVEN!) lbs shipping weight:
Thinking outside the box:
Minimal accoutrement: manuals, AC adapter and power cord, battery, CD bay dummy slot filler (technical term), yet one more phone cord for my magnanimous collection.
....Manuals are minimalist on their own. "Thin" User Guide (soft copy on the HDD also), Int'l Passport (repair) info, brochure on the Grid Vista function, std. Win XP manual. Also a Smart Card manual and 2 cards, for the Smart Card slot on the left side lower front. Haven't tried it yet but the Cards are credit card size that you program with a password to let you into the machine. No card, no machine entry. If you lose the primary or the backup, or have to use the backup for entry (I think) then the machine has to go to Acer for entry and reactivation. Looks like good security if you're willing to risk it, but someone can always remove your HDD and put it in another machine. Interesting concept however.The unveiling:
A thin black gauze material was laying on the keyboard. Might be good to keep for LCD protection on extensive traveling. Otherwise it's a throwaway.
....First and lasting impressions: Looks great. It's thin and light. It is a widescreen and thus very rectangular rather than square. It is a "folio" shape, as Acer calls it. It's like a notebook binder in that it's narrower in front than in the back. It feels good to carry. It has a nice silver finish (a slight "orange peel" textured surface, not mirror smooth). Curious to see if it peels or chips, but I'm not going to help it.Yes Virginia, that is a TOOTHPICK sitting on the very small AC Adapter. PORTABLE!
"In Situ" on first arrival at desk:
Oops! "HOUSTON, we have a possible DESIGN FLAW."
....People have been complaining for some time that most laptops have all the cords connected in the back. On this one practically NONE are in back. Instead they are on both sides and the front. As you see, if you're using the laptop keyboard WITH a mouse, and have a few USB peripherals attached, then most of us right-handers will be mousing over the wires. Not a show-stopper but "interesting". The good news for right-handers is that the fan vents out of the left side rear. Sorry lefties.And another quirk:
It is "back-heavy" (top-heavy in the rear portion of the laptop). The battery is in back and the back is the thicker part of the triangle. I had it sitting on that Bytecc cooler with about 2+ inches of overhang in the back. I started to push back the screen to adjust viewing and the whole thing easily rocked backwards because of all that weight in the back. I had to pull the front up over the leading edge of the Bytecc to get it more evenly balanced.
A couple of quickie pix on the display:
Dual monitor mode next to my Sony HX73. NEITHER is blurry like the pic. The Sony is brighter but I'm quite satisfied with the 8104.
Until you shut off this backup reminder, you'll see it everytime you boot. Again this pic doesn't do it justice, not to mention that the Acer stock wallpaper is a fairly dull green. My old 8887 has a 16.1" UXGA 1600x1200, which was really nice, but I'm still happy with this display.
This review is anything but organized. Here are some more observations:
PERFORMANCE:
Grrrrreat, "but", it ain't HyperThreading. I was copying GBs from my external HDD via USB 2.0 and trying to open browsers and apps and was getting some hangs and very pregnant pauses. The cpu was running 25-50% and spiking. I wasn't maxed by a long shot but I was having trouble getting some things to start. Even my nicely HT'd 8887 wasn't perfect but I think it was noticeably better at multi-tasking. Not a show-stopper by a long shot, just an FYI. I was editing in Photoshop Elements quite nicely awhile ago. Even my 8887 paused in that once in awhile. Other than the "copy" slowdown it's been running great!
The 8104 doesn't have the new UCQ HDD caching technology that some will be coming out with, and it can't be converted to it according to reviews. It's supposed to make the HDD a lot faster. I think the Clevo M400A will have it. When there are more brands on the market that might be a swaying factor. The 100GB 5400RPM HDD performs very satisfactorily IMO.
3 Nov. 2005 update: I've recently gotten some verrrry zippy performance out of the lappie, and I think the 3 major contributors are:
1. Upgraded from 1GB to 2GB of RAM.
2. Uninstalled Norton AntiVirus and installed AVG free Home Edition.
3. Did multiple defrags on both partitions.
I think the RAM upgrade was the biggest contributor, with losing Norton a near second. Mundane tasks like opening Explorer (now in a blink) and Outlook are verrrry perceptibly faster.
GRAPHICS SETTINGS:
I've been running in dual monitor mode with extended desktop (laptop is primary, mouse and app windows move from one monitor to another) for several days. Laptop sits up on the desk next to my external LCD and mouse with external keyboard is on the keyboard tray. PROBLEM is when I reboot or startup from shutdown, it goes to the dual monitor mode briefly but then shuts off the external and is only on the laptop. This is all controlled from the ATI Settings, Advanced, Displays tab (then set main Settings menu to Extend, etc.). Each time I start I have to go back to the Displays tab, switch on the external, and Extend it from the main menu. I haven't fiddled with this yet. Don't know if ePower or something is effecting it. May try setting Scheme in the Displays tab. Seems like one of my ATI\Omega versions did this a year or so ago. In desktop mode I usually just go with the external LCD by itself anyway. The 8104 print is so small even from 2 1/2 feet at 1400x1050 or 1280x1024 res that I squint a bit or bump the res even lower. I like the 1680x1050 in "laptop mode" though. I have bumped the DPI on the Advanced General tab from 125% 120 back to Normal 96. The print on my external LCD was just too bold with that.
GAMING:
wow. WOW! WOWWWWW!!!!! (Did I say WOW!?) Loaded up HL2 and Deathmatch, went into a DM. I had left my dual monitor mode on so DM was on the laptop and my "remnants" on my LCD. In the main menu I could still cursor back and forth. Anyway, start playing DM and it set me to 800x600 by default. Looked good. Soon I switched to 1280x1024 (not the right aspect) and it was even better. Finally went into 1680x1050 at 16:10 aspect, EYYYYYYYYE CANDY! Colors and reflections you never would have know were there. No lag other than on some rocket fire. Will take some extensive gaming to see how it holds up in "busy" graphics situations, but what a first impression!
3 Nov. 2005 update: Still games like a bandit. FEAR has been the biggest disappointment, but IMO the gameplay and graphics both are highly overrated. Loving the recent HL2 Lost Coast demo. Graphics like that are why we game!
BATTERY:
1st test: 2 hr 10 min on first run a couple of nights ago.
2nd test: 2 hr 25 min: BatteryMon is predicting 2 1/2. MobilityMeter after an hour says I'm running at 800Mhz, steady 48C CPU temp and near-flatline 39C HDD temp. Made it to 2 hr 25 min before it went into hibernate. (Hate hibernate, I've shut it off now.) Of course that time is at 80% LCD brightness (very readable) and 3/4 (?800Mhz?) CPU. I turned on SpeedSwitch late in the game and it throttled it better. Be interesting to see how low I can set it and still watch a DVD, like on a plane.
3rd test: 3 hr 15 min: It plays DVDs very well at "Max Battery" setting in ePower. Had to turn up brightness to at least 60% (OK in a dim room). BatteryMon is predicting 2hr 48min while playing DVD, 3hr 15-30min while not. MobilityMeter has cpu at 566-633Mhz, cpu temp at 54C, HDD at 38C. (1hr 20min into what looks like a 3 1/2 hour run now. 600Mhz, cpu tmp 46C, HDD temp 42C.)
3 Nov. 2005 update: wear factor is now at 12% on original Motorola battery and average usage is "about" 2 hr 30 min.
FANS:
Yes, it seems to run QUITE a lot on AC, almost constantly. It's fairly quiet but in a quiet room you hear it. It bothered me a bit at first, and the laptop doesn't seem to get any hotter over time (though it's VERY warm-hot in the center keyboard and especially the touchpad, definitely a distraction). I don't know of a fan throttle other than as you say CPU regulation. I like the "speed step" on battery (or AC) but I don't want to buy a good CPU and then run it at low all the time because something is unsatisfactory. (Since I first wrote this I've played with the ePower and been shown the SpeedSwitchXP utility. The fans are fine.) Fan runs less on battery, low power settings.
SPEAKERS:
No bass, but good STEREO, I was surprised to hear. You have to fiddle to get just the right sound. It has the same Realtek Sound Effects Manager (but an updated GUI) that my 8887 had. Mostly REVERB. Puh-leeze. It's satisfactory and there are always headphones.
5 in 1 CARD READER:
Transferred some pix from my Memory Stick. A LOT of resistance when pushing it in. You think it's not right (card contacts face down by the way) but keep pushing until it stops. It's recognized as another drive, no prob. Just doesn't feel right.
) so I hope to have a good starting batch up today. Then I can add my observations.
