Acer 8371/3810 Owners Thread

[tbz_ck]

Proud 3810 TZG owner.

Had mine for a couple of weeks. Firstly the spec differences compared to the 8371.

Slightly slower ULV SU4100 Dual Core @ 1.3Ghz
Has Windows 7 HP pre-installed.
Looks different (metal titanium look on lid and wrist rest area)
HDMI port
NO BLUETOOTH


Windows Experience Index Scores:

Processor - 4.0
Memory: 4.8
Graphics - 4.5
Gaming Graphics - 5.9
HDD - 5.5 (this is the pre-installed 320GB disk)

My experience of the machine has mainly been with the portability and mobile office side. It is nice and light, is just the right kind of size and resolution for a road warrior, and has great wireless LAN range and speed (N wireless is built in) and the battery life is epic (9 hours genuine use for me). Tried SD videos (divx) and they look really nice on the glossy screen if you are sat in front of it. Yet to try 720p but will do in due course (when I move house and get Virgin 50meg!!)

Cons are screen has poor viewing angles and the glossy screen can cause glare which can be distracting if used in a well lit environment. Brightness is good though. Used it for skype and the webcam works well.

Yet to try any games on it, but have installed Steam and will download some of the older games in my catalogue to try it out. Chiclet keyboard is great when you get used to it but the ultra flat keys do take a while to "feel" comfortable.

Great great purchase. Best value machine I have ever bought

 

[kevpuk]

Great great purchase. Best value machine I have ever bought

Have to echo this

 

[Azza]

I want mine to be here now!!!


Didn't even get a tracking number from 'company'. uchhh.

 

[sja360]

I want mine to be here now!!!


Didn't even get a tracking number from 'company'. uchhh.

ditto im sitting in the flat needing to head home for the weekend but the package could arrive up to 6pm today. i would hate for the package not to turn up as nobody is going to be here tomorrow.
might have to phone them up at about 5pm to see who the courier is and a tracking number so i can phone up and say deliver on monday instead of trying tomorrow (if they do..)

 

[kevpuk]

I want mine to be here now!!!


Didn't even get a tracking number from 'company'. uchhh.

ditto im sitting in the flat needing to head home for the weekend but the package could arrive up to 6pm today. i would hate for the package not to turn up as nobody is going to be here tomorrow.
might have to phone them up at about 5pm to see who the courier is and a tracking number so i can phone up and say deliver on monday instead of trying tomorrow (if they do..)

Can you not track or similar from their website ? Pretty sure I could get linked from the account page on the seller's site.....

 

[Bones]

You did download from the Acer support site, then ? I have heard that the Acer drivers include the specifics needed for switching etc., but not the ones from ATi (AMD) themselves.....
Perhaps next thing to do would be to try again - remove the drivers, run a sweeper program to clean out reg entries etc., then re-install (using Run As Administrator) ?

I give it a try again, do you think i should uninstall both sets of graphics drivers and then run cleaner aswell? (whats best driver cleaner these days?)

 

[Azza]

Can you not track or similar from their website ? Pretty sure I could get linked from the account page on the seller's site.....

I can't see anything...

 

[sja360]

same, it doesnt mention the courier used it just has an invoice stating its being sent out (created in .pdf)
also i cant help but notice that if its damaged i have to contact within 1 day AND send something in writing to them within 2 days physically impossible as its friday and i doubt there even open tomorrow.

 

[Azza]

YESSSS TNT lorry just pulled up outside!!!


brb



edit-------->


Yay!! It's here! Time to fire this thing up.

 

[kevpuk]

I give it a try again, do you think i should uninstall both sets of graphics drivers and then run cleaner aswell? (whats best driver cleaner these days?)

Wouldn't think you would need to remove the intel driver.....
I have used Driver Sweeper previously, but has been a while...

 

[kevpuk]

YESSSS TNT lorry just pulled up outside!!!


brb



edit-------->


Yay!! It's here! Time to fire this thing up.

Yay !

 

[e36Adz]

YESSSS TNT lorry just pulled up outside!!!

How long were you stood by the window?

@ Bones - I will double check which ATI drivers I downloaded/installed when I get home later but they were from the Acer website and they worked perfectly fine.

 

[chrismscotland]

Looking forward to some folks trying out some games on these, want to get an idea of what works!!!

 

[Azza]

Hahaha was watching telly and seen it outside.


Just in the process of installing everything I need, thankfully ninite exists for this! Then it's time to get all the Acer crap off. Thnk I'll leave Vista on for a bit.

 

[Azza]

Anyone able to tell me why I don't have a battery indication in the notification bar?

 

[sja360]

goto control panel and power options and somewhere there it should allow you to add it. as for why it isn't there, no idea maybe its hidden?

 

[kevpuk]

....thankfully ninite exists for this!...

Wow - good call ! Not come across this, but looks really useful

 

[Azza]

Wow - good call ! Not come across this, but looks really useful

Yeah it's awesome. Very very useful.


Anyone the option to have the power icon when you right click ---> properties on the notification arrow is greyed out. Very strange, will see what happens after these updates install and a reboot. Hopefully it comes back!

 

[sja360]

did you remove any acer power utility software? it could be that their own software needs to be installed for accessing it.

 

[Azza]

Probably, will download this ePower Management thing now and see what happens.


edit-------->


Maybe not, that's still installed.


edit----->

It's ok now. Just had to restart and it came available to tick.