I recently found myself hunting for a new laptop. Along with a tight budget and fair needs, I knew it weren't going to be readily available a product that would do what I wanted and still be around my price range.
As a Network Technician and then a Web Designer, I needed a machine designed to have enough storage to help store all my software system, projects for my buyers, and still be in the position to handle an occasional temporary operating-system backup from a company's machine. The qualifying candidate also required a decent amount of RAM along with a reasonably fast processor maintain with the demands about multitasking and using Studio MX '04 regularly.
At first, I reviewed the auction sites, that refurbished outlets, and the particular wholesale warehouses. I found a couple good deals for within $500, but nothing designed to handle the processing insert that Studio MX 2004 would put on it. The average unit had 256MB of PC133 RAM, a 20GB HDD, together with a 1. 0GHz Pentium chip. Not too shabby for one student machine, but for daily service in your fields I work with, not nearly enough space or power to maintain up with my demands.
I quickly realized that her new laptop would be needed for you to meet my needs. Realizing that most decent laptops will set you back over $1, 000, I wasn't expecting much when I started doing your research. However, to my big surprise, a local retail chain had an extraordinary running on the Acer Desire 3004WLCi for $600 from $150 rebate. This was the premium end of my price range, but the specs were way more than what I thought I might find in this cost.
Quick Specs:
AMD Phone Sempron 3100+ (1. 8GHz) w/ 256K L2 cache
512MB DDR333 SODIM RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (expandable to 2GB)
60GB 4200rpm Disk drive
15. 4 Wide Display screen WXGA Monitor
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Mix Drive
3 USB step 2. 0 Ports (1 forward / 2 side)
Leading Audio / Microphone jacks
Enclosed Microphone / Speakers
Enclosed Audio Controller
Integrated Picture Controller (up to 128MB shared)
Enclosed 56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Enclosed 802. 3 10/100 Ethernet NIC
Enclosed 802. 11b/g WiFi
Max screen resolution: 1280 a 800
External monitor highest resolution: 2048 x 1536
You type II PCMCIA Slot machine
AC Power Adapter / 4-cell lithium-ion battery
1. 5"Hx14. 3"Wx11"D and 6. 2lb. w/ Solar battery
Microsoft Windows XP Property SP2
OK, before I enter in the Pros and Cons with this system, let me primary say this... As any Network technician, I'm a stranger to Acer services. I've seen them previous to, but I've never utilised them. In an market place dominated by Dells and also HPs, Acer seemed more of any "off-brand" to me. Keeping that in mind, I wasn't expecting much for my money. Happily, I was not discouraged, but neither was When i entirely wrong.
Also, it will be worthy to note which before I used this particular machine, XP Home was trashed favoring the use of XP Professional SP2 and I had the system and conducted several minor software performance tweaks within the operating system; all of that can be performed using the native Or windows 7 Pro utilities.
Pros:
The Acer Aspire 3004 WLCi is known as a reasonably powerful system with regard to $600. Even at original $750, this system is hard to beat in your performance department. The Sempron 3100+ one is surprisingly fast and capable. It handled working Dreamweaver MX 2004, Fireworks MX 2004, 'microsoft' Word 2003, Microsoft OneNote 2003, Internet explorer 1. 5, Internet Explorer 6. 0, Internet explorer 8. 5, Resize Cell phone, CPick, Java JRE, NOD32 Anti-Virus, Hotmail Popper, plus some system services and minor utilities running in your background simultaneously and just didn't complain or produce almost any unacceptable sustained CPU use spikes. This is partly from the generous and fast 512MB of DDR333 RAM, but yet, the processor surprised that long-time AMD user.
The 60GB storage device provides an ample level of storage for average customers. It is on the low end of my prerequisites, but sufficiently large enough to control all my installed software, over 12GB of service software you'll need for service calls, all your client projects, and it still has enough space left to easily accommodate a fabulous 20GB client system burn.
In addition, this system has a decent Broadcom WiFi controller. Inside 3 story townhouse, with excellent insulation, this system should be considered anywhere in my home accompanied by a signal strength of "Very Good" to help "Excellent".
The system is ergonomically covered. I have rather good sized hands, and most modern laptops are entirely too small in my opinion to realistically use for any extended time. Usually, within 20 or an hour, my wrists and hands will ache from trying to help keep a very unnatural position for you to type the documents I'm working on. Not so with the Aspire 3000 series. These laptops have a very good relatively large chassis accompanied by a keypad that is almost ideal for someone with large wrists and hands. I've actually found that can type nearly like fast (roughly 35wpm) on that laptop as I are able to on my desktop system with which has an ergonomic split computer keys (40wpm).
Cons:
If contemplating a Multimedia system, or if you happen to plan to do virtually any graphics intensive gaming, continue on looking; this system is absolutely not for you. Even aided by the widescreen WXGA display, this machine is not suitable for watching DVDs. The integrated video controller is acceptable and the monitor requires a considerable amount of "fiddling" with to find the "just right" location for viewing. Furthermore, the glare in the screen of this device is terrible. I've found that in all of the brightly lit rooms I'm spending more hours straining my eyes to discover past my own expression. Also, the viewing perspective is unimpressive. If you make an attempt to view the screen from anything higher than 15 degrees in any specific direction, you're either examining a washed out or negative variation with the original. I've never been a good fan of LCD. I've always felt that an outstanding CRT always looks far better, but this screen is more similar to a LCD of 3 years ago than a different product.
The integrated audio and video controllers is a definite sore spot to boot. I've always preferred extension controllers over integrated controllers, but also from this price range, I knew We be stuck with the so-so quality of your integrated controller. No big surprise here. As usual, day to day high and performance is sub-par with such controllers, but for the needs, they do the effort. However, if you anticipate listening to any audio playback on that machine, you had better pack a good set of headphones. The tiny speakers in this particular machine are terrible sound. Again, no big big surprise.
Now, about battery living. I don't know who was in command of defining this aspect of that machine, but they desire a checkup from the neck up. Battery performance in this particular machine is absolutely unsatisfactory. Unless you tune the device down significantly, it is very difficult to squeeze more than an hour of real usable time because of this system's battery life. The producer states that it may run for 1. 5 hours in the battery. I've never been able to get additional than an hour straight from the unit. In this point in time, this is not suitable. Fortunately, there are very few occasions when I want to use this system where I'm not near to a power outlet.
My only other major complaint is having no expandability of this model. You get two SODIM storage device slots (filled with 256MBx2 sticks from your factory), three USB a couple of. 0 ports and a sort II PCMCIA slot with this machine, and that's the item. No internal expansion functionality, no firewire, no serial and / or parallel connections, and it is impossible swap out the combo drive easily. Given the fee range of this system, I'm really not stunned, but I am a tiny bit disappointed. Fortunately, there are a good amount of USB adapters available that ok, i'll do whatever is essential.
Summary:
If you just desire a basic system for get the job done or school related jobs the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi is usually a solid performer that can handle average use with convenience. I would definitely advise this unit to students or traveling professionals who need a lower priced, user-friendly laptop, but who you should not plan on using the laptop on batteries generally, or who do not consider playing many games or maybe movies. For the price conscious consumers on the market, this system is definitely worth the amount of money. In my humble estimation, you get more than whatever you pay for, but not necessarily by much.
