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ACER TravelMate 8104 "Sonoma" Review - Page 6

post #101 of 293
2/18/05 at 3:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by z34er
also curious aobut hard drive speed, couldnt find that. and actual dimentions of screen
8104 has a 100GB HDD at 5400rpm. Actual screen size inside the frame is 15.4" diagonal, 8 1/4" high x 14 1/16" (eyeballin' my tape). Laptop size is 14 1/4 " W x 10 1/2" D. Height 1 5/16" rear, 1 1/8" front, by tape measure, plus 5 each about 3/16" feet (2 rear 3 front, nice 3-point landing on my folded Lapdesk2 in the easy chair). It has a slight angle like a thin empty notebook binder. Just enough curve that your hand curves around the spine comfortably when carrying.
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post #102 of 293
2/18/05 at 9:11am

In Stock Now

Just to let everyone know these are in stock now @

Digi uk

We have 20 available so everyone get in quick!
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post #103 of 293
2/19/05 at 3:54pm
I have a few questions if you could please answer MrMsyvc about your new Acer Travelmate 8104. The DVD drive is located on the right side of the laptop as well as 3 USB ports. I am going to have the same setup as you with an external USB mouse on the Right side.

My questions is do the USB ports obstruct you while using the mouse. I will all three occupied, do you think it will be a problem? Also ejecting the DVD drive tray, does it also interfere with you using the external mouse? One big thing is that are you able to eject the DVD tray or does the mouse pad prevent it from doing so?

One other odd port placement I noticed is the AC port is directly under the security lock. Do you think using a lock will obstruct the AC, from the looks I think so. Running the AC the opposite way I think will then obstruct the DVD tray I think.

Thanks In advance, I am deciding on either Acer Travelmate 8103 or the Acer Aspire 2025 [Shipped internationally from UK, VAT free]

Acer Aspire 2025 positives : Louder, Good Speakers with Subwoofer. Slot Load DVD Drive. Better Port placement in my Opinion, with DVD Drive on the Left.

Acer Travelmate 8103 : Freakin Ridicoulously Faster, X700
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post #104 of 293
2/19/05 at 9:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MatrixCells04
I have a few questions if you could please answer MrMsyvc about your new Acer Travelmate 8104. The DVD drive is located on the right side of the laptop as well as 3 USB ports. I am going to have the same setup as you with an external USB mouse on the Right side.

My questions is do the USB ports obstruct you while using the mouse. I will all three occupied, do you think it will be a problem? Also ejecting the DVD drive tray, does it also interfere with you using the external mouse? One big thing is that are you able to eject the DVD tray or does the mouse pad prevent it from doing so?

One other odd port placement I noticed is the AC port is directly under the security lock. Do you think using a lock will obstruct the AC, from the looks I think so. Running the AC the opposite way I think will then obstruct the DVD tray I think.

Thanks In advance, I am deciding on either Acer Travelmate 8103 or the Acer Aspire 2025 [Shipped internationally from UK, VAT free]

Acer Aspire 2025 positives : Louder, Good Speakers with Subwoofer. Slot Load DVD Drive. Better Port placement in my Opinion, with DVD Drive on the Left.

Acer Travelmate 8103 : Freakin Ridicoulously Faster, X700
The port placement is a little quirky, as you have seen from the pic in the first post of this review. In that pic I have 2 USB cables plugged in the right, with one unused port between them, and the elbow shaped power cable plugged in the rear right side. The DVD is between the USB and the power cable. We could speculate as to where else they might have put them, but there are other design considerations I'm sure.

If you're in "laptop" mode, typing on the laptop, and using a mouse on the right, then the cable placement is a (minor) obstacle. You have to place your mouse pad to the rear of the cables, and your wrist and arm will be over the cables. It's very doable but something you're not used to. If you only use 1 usb cable (for your mouse) and only need 1 port, there is a single usb port on the left side of the laptop. No problem. The power cable will not get in the way as it as an elbow and can be turned to the rear.

I am usually either in "desktop\\gaming" mode, where the laptop is back on my desk and I'm using a full-sized keyboard and mouse in front of it, usually with an external monitor also, or I'm in "laptop" mode, with it on my lap in a chair or sofa. In this mode I usually use the touchpad, or a usb optical mouse in which case I "mouse" on the chair or sofa surface. In desktop mode the laptop is set back so I don't care how many ports are used (and most of them are).

REF the power cable and Kensington port, they are side by side. The lock port is the last hole to the rear of the right side, the power port is next to it. I haven't had my lock in yet, but again the power cable elbow can point up, down, or to either side. They should work together.

Which brings us to design quirk #629847629348762. The DVD tray. If the power cable is twisted toward it, it can get in the way of the tray opening. Not a show stopper but you have to move it. If the USB ports are occupied, those wires may be strung toward the rear and the DVD tray can snag (but not damage) when opening. The whole laptop is thin, with fairly shallow rubber feet. If the laptop is in your lap, even on a lapdesk, then the tray may catch on something when opening.

If you find a laptop that is absolutely exact to the 8104 in performance and features, then you may want to factor these things in for a final decision. Although we current owners could see the design before we bought, we didn't have any user feedback. I'm not disappointed at all. For me, I'm very satisfied with it. There are quirks, as with any laptop I've ever heard of, so IMO that goes with the territory. Hope this helps you.

EDIT: Some have mentioned they use a Bluetooth mouse, which as I understand it doesn't "have" to use a cable attached adapter. (I'm not familiar with Bluetooth at all.) I went with a wireless keyboard and mouse combo, but LOL, they require a single usb port transmitter. Yeah, it's on the left usb port but the right 3 usb still get filled in desktop mode. Cheers.
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post #105 of 293
2/20/05 at 2:45am
I'm sitting on my new Sony FS500 with the nvidia card, 1gb ram, 80gb drive and a 2.13 GHz Pentium M.

It's a beautiful computer, but now that I'm reading about this Acer I'm wondering if I should send it back and get the Acer.

I'm sure the Xbrite is better screen but what else about the Sony is better?

And really, how much faster is the x700 card going to be anyways. Remember, the Sony is going to use a lower resolution anyways (1280 x 800 max).

All I want, besides a lot of programming time for work, is to be able to play the latest games without reducing the quality down to 1980's levels.


Thanks!
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post #106 of 293
2/20/05 at 3:27am
First I would like to thank you MrMsyvc for answering all my questions and doing so very quickly!

I still haven't decided on a laptop just yet. I do still have my sights on Acer Travelmate 8103 but am turned off by the port placement [user preference, still a great notebook] My setup I will have to many things to worry about power cord, DVD tray, lock, interferring with my mouse/mouse pad

I am going to try and see if I can get my hands on a Acer Aspire 2026 [still a few left] from the UK. Which seems much more suitable for me.

Currently I'm using a Acer Ferrari 3400. Awesome notebook, Port placement is perfect, slot load DVD drive, sleek and beautiful finish. My only quirk with this notebook is [and the reason I'm not keeping it] is that the screen is quite terrible.

The viewing angles are not that good. From a user who owned a widescreen notebook previously there is a big difference. I have to keep adjusting the screen, not uniformly bright at different angles.

Widescreen I had before was much better. The viewing angles were very good. I never had to adjust the screen. Looked good no matter where you looked at it.

The Ferrari 3400 could have been the perfect notebook. It is by no means a bad notebook, I love it. But the screen only looks good if your sitting directly in front of it. If I can't get my hand on a Aspire 2026 I will wait a couple months to see what else new notebooks arrive.

Bought Acer Ferrari 3400 from Costco. Have about 4 more months before it goes back.

Thanks for the advice!
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post #107 of 293
2/20/05 at 3:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bruin
I'm sitting on my new Sony FS500 with the nvidia card, 1gb ram, 80gb drive and a 2.13 GHz Pentium M.

It's a beautiful computer, but now that I'm reading about this Acer I'm wondering if I should send it back and get the Acer.

I'm sure the Xbrite is better screen but what else about the Sony is better?

And really, how much faster is the x700 card going to be anyways. Remember, the Sony is going to use a lower resolution anyways (1280 x 800 max).

All I want, besides a lot of programming time for work, is to be able to play the latest games without reducing the quality down to 1980's levels.


Thanks!
i had the sony with non nvidia card went back !! and now acer is coming !!
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post #108 of 293
2/20/05 at 3:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lastdon
i had the sony with non nvidia card went back !! and now acer is coming !!
Yes, but how about with the nvidia card?
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post #109 of 293
2/20/05 at 10:10am
You must realize that the Sony has a GF6200TC, which is basically a 6200 core using shared memory (not a good idea, as dedicated VRAM is still better regardless of Nvidias marketing ploys, or so i've heard). You must also realize that even the regular 6200 is on par with the Radeon x300, which is in turn blown to kingdom come by the x700. If I remember the specs for their desktop versions, the 6200 has 2 pixel pipes/1vertex, and the x700 has 8 pixel/6 vertex shader pipes. I'm not completely sure of the 6200's exact specs, mind you, but IMO a more comparable card would be the 6600go.

EDIT: And something tells me that you shouldn't be sitting on your brand new Sony FS500...unless you really hate it and want to use it as a bumcushion.
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post #110 of 293
2/20/05 at 12:20pm
Turns out th 6200 TC has 4 pixel pipes and 3 vertex shaders.
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post #111 of 293
2/21/05 at 1:15pm
just got this laptop and very very impressed!!
Only 2 queries -
1. How do I get the sound when playing movies in media player to be lound without messing up the sound settings?

2. How do I improove the quality of the movies when playing DVD via the dvd rom drive?
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post #112 of 293
2/21/05 at 1:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bruin
Turns out th 6200 TC has 4 pixel pipes and 3 vertex shaders.

Oops...teeheehee. Still, those figures are doubled by the MRx700 and besides, I just don't think Nvidia's track record in notebooks is that stellar (except for the 6800go, that's a nice card).
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post #113 of 293
2/21/05 at 7:27pm
OK, no doubt the 8104 is by far the most impressive kit out there now but.........

does any one know what the 8103 is capable off?
shouldn't be that much difference, 1.8Ghz, 512 RAM, 80GB same graphics

I want to be able to play Homeworld 2, Joint Operations, HALO, HL2 & Splinter Cell.
I will kick myself if it turn out that the 8103 is way below the 8104 even though I save myself £252!!!!!

BTW, UK users: best price I got was £1441 (inc VAT) for 8104 (www.shoplaptops.co.uk) and £1189 for the 8103 (www.laptopsdirect.co.uk), anyone else know better?

Cheers
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post #114 of 293
2/21/05 at 7:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bladerunner168
OK, no doubt the 8104 is by far the most impressive kit out there now but.........

does any one know what the 8103 is capable off?
shouldn't be that much difference, 1.8Ghz, 512 RAM, 80GB same graphics

I want to be able to play Homeworld 2, Joint Operations, HALO, HL2 & Splinter Cell.
I will kick myself if it turn out that the 8103 is way below the 8104 even though I save myself £252!!!!!

BTW, UK users: best price I got was £1441 (inc VAT) for 8104 (www.shoplaptops.co.uk) and £1189 for the 8103 (www.laptopsdirect.co.uk), anyone else know better?

Cheers
Blade, the processor difference is 1.86Ghz -vs- 2.0Ghz, so we're really only talking about 100Mhz difference. Everything else is the same save for the 1g -vs- 512mb memory. I'm sure they would be mighty close on any benchmarks.
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post #115 of 293
2/21/05 at 8:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bladerunner168
BTW, UK users: best price I got was £1441 (inc VAT) for 8104 (www.shoplaptops.co.uk) and £1189 for the 8103 (www.laptopsdirect.co.uk), anyone else know better?
www.technoworld.com quote £1421 for the 8104, (£1436 with Next Day Delivery).
www.digiuk.com are £1439 (£1433), and have actually had them in stock (I got mine from them today).
Prices inc VAT.
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post #116 of 293
2/22/05 at 5:48am
Cheers 4 the pricing update boys

does anyone with the 80GB drive confirm that its 5400rpm please? 8mb-cache?

Thanks

Si
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post #117 of 293
2/22/05 at 8:26am
Thanks for the updates comrades,

I'm just off to Tottenham Court Road (non UK residents: this is gadget central in London) to see if I can pick up a 8103 or 8104 today

Time for some serious bartering!!!

Keep you updated
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post #118 of 293
2/22/05 at 10:17am
I have failed

Does any body know any UK websites that deliver to a work address???
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post #119 of 293
2/22/05 at 12:15pm
I have just ordered my 8103 from Digi-UK (www.digi-uk.com)

Thank you Digi-UK for your professional and courteous service, well done!!!

Will post a review as soon as I have got to know it better.

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post #120 of 293
2/22/05 at 1:57pm
I have seen on one of the sites that the 8103 has 80gb 4200rpm disk.
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