- Average user rating:
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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2.0 stars
"Avoid: Noisy, heavy and hot"
Pros: Nice design
Cons: Noisy, heavy and running hot. The pre-installed Norton Antivirus is difficult to remove. Driver problems when using external monitor. Only supports Vista. Various anoying problems, allrelated to software and drivers.
Summary: The unit has a very nice design, and was made primarly as a desk top PC rather than a portable.
Unfortunaltly it comes with Windows Vista, and there is no support for Windows 2000 or XP. Installing Vista had to be done three times, as the system crashed with the famous blue screen twice. We had to call the Acer support to get the trick of how to remove Norton Antivirus completely, as Norton leaves a spy chunk of code - we call it "infects" the computer.
One of the major problems with Windows has been the set-up and maintenence of the internet connections. Vista didnt solve this problem either, even its the 6th generation of Windows. You need to plug in the LAN cable before you install ( which from the very start puts your computer on the net without any protection ), else Vista decides to use the Wireless connection forever. We have not found a way to make it change its mind - only solution is to re-install Vista.
During the past 14 months with this machine, we had to re-install Vista twice, since it came up with the famous blue screen. However, the third time, we were so tired of re-insatlling all, that we tried to restart again and agin. This actually can solve the problem, as it seems like every time it gets one step further in solving internal problems. The machine is quite agreesive in this repect, as sometimes it dosnt even come up with the blue screen, but simply prompt you for a full system recovery - if the user isnt alwerted, he will use all.
Other problems experienced is the external monitor connection. Some times the screen will flicker and the video card will attempt to reconnect to the monitor. Often the Nvidia card will forget the configuration, and this has to be done all over again. At some point this dissapered.
Intel designed the Santa Rosa with the vision of fanles computers. Unfortunatly Acer didnt get the message, since this machine is quite noisy, the fan runns we you at least expect it, we suppose its the fan for the video card. The outled is on the buttom of the computer, which menas you have to place it on top of a plinth or other manner to keep the vents clear - else it will run even hotter.
Finally - there is nothing positive to say about this computer, excpt perhas for the nice design. It not very fast, its not running silent, actually just writing this review in a browser makes the fan running loud, only alows running Vista, Vista gives various problems, and the video card is not functioning smoothly.
I rate the 5920 as "avoid".
