Computer Advice: Opinions Welcomed!

[Mytical]

Not sure it has the same specs, but http://www.buy.com/prod/acer-aspire-...221775666.html..

481 ish

[Jester]

481 ish

I have no idea what that means. In English, please?

[Mytical]

$481 give or take. Sorry, $441 ish...

[Mytical]

Here is a 6636 (instead of a 6634) for 479.99+ tax. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...877&CatId=4938

[RichS]

That's odd. I found it right here.

And the Asus I found is right here.

Thanks!

They're pretty similar, but now I see why there is a price difference - the Acer has the same amount of memory but is of a slower speed than that in the Asus (1066 vs. 1333).

If I was choosing between the two, I'd pick the Asus.

[42_42_42]

Step away from the Apple kool-aid.

Don't buy a computer from a big box store. Order directly from the mfg of your choice.

My computering needs are the same as yours. I just got a new laptop (literally, it was delivered a couple of days ago). What I have is a Dell N5110 with an Intel core i3-2310M CPU 2.10 GHz processor, 3 GB of RAM, running Windows Home 7 Premium 64-bit OS. The display is 15.6 inches. Ordered direct from Dell for $549.99 (okay, actually it was $30 more b/c I wanted a pink lid). If you want MS Office installed instead of the free version that comes with ads, it'll be a bit more (we already own a copy Office, so we installed it ourselves after removing the free version).

[FuzzyKitten99]

Yeah, there's the whole evil empire angle too. I'm technically a licensed Apple dev, and I feel somewhat unclean just by association some days. ;p

I refuse to give money to a company that touts their products the same way White Star Line touted the Titanic...

[Jester]

If I was choosing between the two, I'd pick the Asus.

I thought they had the same memory. My roommate and I must have missed that.

That being said, Mr. Anti-Social did say that they were very comparable to one another, but if everything was equal and he had to choose, he would go with the Asus, as they have a longer history in the field than Acer does.

Don't buy a computer from a big box store. Order directly from the mfg of your choice.

Does Amazon count as a "big box store"?

My computering needs are the same as yours. I just got a new laptop (literally, it was delivered a couple of days ago). What I have is a Dell N5110 with an Intel core i3-2310M CPU 2.10 GHz processor, 3 GB of RAM, running Windows Home 7 Premium 64-bit OS. The display is 15.6 inches. Ordered direct from Dell for $549.99.

Yes, but for $50-150 more, I could get a computer that actually has a better processor (i5) and more memory, and by many accounts from people I trust, of excellent pedigree. (Though to be fair, I have heard from many of those same people that Dell is now a decent buy, whereas years ago it wasn't always the case.)

[telecom_goddess]

FYI my old desktop is a dell, this thing is ancient but it's still kicking.

[Kogarashi]

I'm not good on the specs of the specific computers in question, but I do have experience with ASUS as a company and am quite happy with their customer service. That's entirely the reason that each time I've had to replace my processor (twice so far, in almost ten years, for varying reasons), I've gone straight for the ASUS ones. So I'll vouch for them as a company.

FuzzyKitten, while I avoid Macs like the plague (I don't play well with them), I actually really really really like my iPod Shuffle (2nd Gen), and am quite impressed with its consistently long battery life. Unless I can find a really good reason to go for something else in a tablet computer, when I have the money saved up I plan to get an iPad (assuming its battery life is comparable to the iPod's).

[Jester]

I just realized something. I myself used to be an ASUS. No, really....years ago, I was an Arizona State University Student. An ASUS. Perhaps this is an omen?

Yeah, that's why I have Mr. Anti-Social guiding me in my computer shopping!

[RichS]

The way I found out about the memory discrepancy was through the Acer website, because Amazon didn't have the exact specifications on some things of the Acer, while they had all specs of the Asus model.

I know of Asus mostly from using their motherboards for building systems - never had a board go bad on me. I'm currently using 2 boards from their value brand, ASRock, for 2 of my home built systems.

[Kogarashi]

I know of Asus mostly from using their motherboards for building systems - never had a board go bad on me. I'm currently using 2 boards from their value brand, ASRock, for 2 of my home built systems.

Yeah, for me, the two most recent times I've had to replace the mobo/processor, it wasn't because of a failure in either as far as I could see. It was because other necessary upgrades required them to be upgraded too because the previous setup no longer worked for what I could get my hands on.

And then there was the time I thought my ASUS processor was faulty, and sent it in for the free under-warranty diagnostic they offered to test it. They sent it back with a clean bill of health, but then sent me a brand new one as well anyway for no reason I could ever figure out. Didn't want it back, either, when I told them about it, so I sold the brand new one on eBay for a decent chunk of cash.

[FuzzyKitten99]

FuzzyKitten, while I avoid Macs like the plague (I don't play well with them), I actually really really really like my iPod Shuffle (2nd Gen), and am quite impressed with its consistently long battery life. Unless I can find a really good reason to go for something else in a tablet computer, when I have the money saved up I plan to get an iPad (assuming its battery life is comparable to the iPod's).

The iPad is really just an over-size iPod...seriously.

downside to iPad= No flash player and no USB ports. You can download a program to allow flashplayer, but you have to pay for it (seems counter productive and actually going backward in technology to me...).

for apps, you have to go through Apple's marketplace, unless the app says it is specifically for iPad.

I would explore more tablets outside Apple if you are looking to go that route. Know what you really want a tablet FOR before you buy what may amount to a really expensive dust collector because you find it to not really suit your needs.

[Kogarashi]

I would explore more tablets outside Apple if you are looking to go that route. Know what you really want a tablet FOR before you buy what may amount to a really expensive dust collector because you find it to not really suit your needs.

Oh, I plan to, don't worry. Thing is, most of what I want one for is to run the card-reading app for when I'm at conventions so I can take credit card payments, and to give me picture storage and web access so I can look up references for commissions while at said conventions. My only other major requirement is long battery life, because I can spend a good 12 hours straight at a convention with no way to charge my devices during that time, so something like Hubby's laptop just doesn't cut it (especially his laptop, since the battery gives out in under an hour). There's not much else I feel I need one for.

Which means when I actually save up enough to afford an iPad, then I'll be doing the research on the best and cheapest option for those few items and going with that, whatever it may be.