Acer Aspire Celeron Notebook $399.99 No Rebates

[Bellz]

Got this in an email from Microcenter this morning. With memory so cheap now, I'd bump the memory up to 2Gigs and put XP on there. It's a nice basic laptop.

Acer Aspire 3680-2633
- Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Basic
- Intel® Celeron® M Processor 520
- 512MB PC4200 DDR2 RAM
- 80GB 4200RPM Ultra ATA Hard Drive
- Combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW Drive
- 14.1" Widescreen XGA CrystalBrite Display
- 802.11b/g Wireless Network

$399.99 - No coupon needed
Reg. $579.99 / Price after $180 instant savings
584854

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0257720

edit: more pertinent info:
Processor Speed 1.60GHz
Display Type 14.1" Widescreen XGA CrystalBrite Display
RAM Installed / Max RAM Supported 512MB PC-4200 DDR2 RAM (Expandable to 2GB)
Memory Configuration (1) 512MB SO-DIMM Memory Module
Memory Slots Available (1) Available 200-pin SO-DIMM Slot
Internal Max Resolution 1280 x 800
Memory Card Reader 5-in-1 Media Card Reader
Weight 5.28 lbs

 

[GJSNeptune]

Get what you pay for with a Celeron notebook. Not a bad deal for average consumers though.

 

[techdude01]

Not a bad deal when you have a bad ass desktop for your games and need a laptop when you're lazy, chilling on the couch and want to surf the web and chat.

 

[pxc]

Get what you pay for with a Celeron notebook. Not a bad deal for average consumers though.

It's a Merom core Celeron with 1MB L2, like all Celeron M 5xx CPUs. I bought a HP laptop with the same CPU about 2 weeks ago and it's a pretty fast CPU.

The "Celeron M" CPUs haven't been bad at all. Performance isn't the problem, lack of power management is. But these CPUs aren't big power hogs at all and offer similar battery life to Mobile Sempron laptops.

I can understand the hate for old Willamette and Northwood core Celerons (slow FSB, small L2). Those were slow. But it just gets pretty lame whenever someone mentions a Celeron that someone like you jumps in to proclaim it bad without even understanding what the laptop performance and battery life is like.

 

[Absinthe]

I can understand the hate for old Willamette and Northwood core Celerons (slow FSB, small L2). Those were slow. But it just gets pretty lame whenever someone mentions a Celeron that someone like you jumps in to proclaim it bad without even understanding what the laptop performance and battery life is like.

I forget which exact Celeron it was ..300A maybe?....but back in the day, it was known as the king of the OC. I always think of those chips when Celeron nasty talk starts up.

Btw, Best Buy has a similar deal on this laptop, was $399 online but they have since bumped it up to $449 but maybe available in some stores for $399. YMMV

They also had the
- Toshiba Satellite Notebook with Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor T2080 - Mist Gray
Model: A135-S2386

$499 and may still have the deal in store but online its sold out and was raised to $529 .

 

[GJSNeptune]

I can understand the hate for old Willamette and Northwood core Celerons (slow FSB, small L2). Those were slow. But it just gets pretty lame whenever someone mentions a Celeron that someone like you jumps in to proclaim it bad without even understanding what the laptop performance and battery life is like.

If it were a desktop, I'd have said nothing. How likely is someone going to OC the notebook? All I meant was these systems are on the cheap side for a reason. They don't include the top performers.

Get what you pay for with a Celeron notebook.

And I failed to specify performance in relation to battery life. You'll forgive me, won't you?

 

[Ockie]

Not bad if you just want a beater.

I'm going to check it out this afternoon. Those memory stick prices are hard to beat

 

[himmy]

Get what you pay for with a Celeron notebook. Not a bad deal for average consumers though.

Ubuntu 7 would have no issues with this laptop at all. Add some ram if you want(though not needed).

Been buying these like crazy. Cheap loptops with Vista, formatted and Ubuntu 7 installed.

Most of my rooms in my house now have a laptop sitting in them for simple use.

 

[pxc]

If it were a desktop, I'd have said nothing. How likely is someone going to OC the notebook? All I meant was these systems are on the cheap side for a reason. They don't include the top performers.

There is no need to overclock this Celeron M 520 laptop to get good performance.

And I failed to specify performance in relation to battery life. You'll forgive me, won't you?

Yeah, sure. You saw Celeron and just decided to to the usual bashing without understanding what is was.

 

[GJSNeptune]

There is no need to overclock this Celeron M 520 laptop to get good performance.

Yeah, sure. You saw Celeron and just decided to to the usual bashing without understanding what is was.

I'm also not a big fan of Sempron. You'll get over it, won't you?

 

[Sempron64]

I ordered one of these yesterday, just waiting for my order pickup confirmation. I heard that many actually recieved a DL DVDRW drive and 5400RPM HD instead. I'll let you guys know how it goes

 

[Ezekial]

yes yes, we know
it's old news, there was a thread a meer week ago on them. There was a $30 MIR with this before as well. I just missed it before ordering and was also considering a cheap Dell.

I bit and have one ordered. Microcenter sucks for getting your product. My process went like this:

1. Week ago Wednesday/Tuesday, call store for amount in stock. Told there is 16, immediately place online pickup order.
2. Hours later order is canceled do to insufficient stock. Online store is closed, so call local store to check stock. Now they say there is only 1, and that is the demo.
3. Next day, call online store to verifiy stock and place order online with shipping charge of $20 (pickup is free).
4. Call Monday to get status as over teh weekend I found a call from them saying I must call because of issues with my order (not sure when it was left as I don't check messages every day). Guy says it's fine, will make sure it went out that day and walked the order over driectly to shipping department.
5. Call today, Thursday, as it's still not here and wanted a tracking number. PACKAGE HAD STILL NOT FUCKING SHIPPED!!!
6. Explained story that I had to have it this weekend, as the receiver graduates and flys back home to Europe. Thankfully he overnights one to me so I should have it tomorrow. I really hope so!

so that concludes my story

I'lll post pics & review tomorrow evening hopefully.

:edit
Good news. It was here first thing this morning (Friday) at 10:30am. They finally came through and the laptop is pretty nice.

 

[Boltaction]

Ubuntu 7 would have no issues with this laptop at all. Add some ram if you want(though not needed).

Been buying these like crazy. Cheap loptops with Vista, formatted and Ubuntu 7 installed.

Most of my rooms in my house now have a laptop sitting in them for simple use.

You should give them to a school instead of waste them...

 

[clickclickw00t]

You should give them to a school instead of waste them...

Its not a waste if he uses them.

 

[Boltaction]

One for every room? I hope he wasn't serious, because that is pretty wasteful.

I know kids who would give their left arm for a used compaq.

 

[pxc]

Best Buy is supposed to have the Compaq C555 Celeron M 520 laptop with a 15.4" screen for $350 or $380 (depending on location, no rebates) on Sunday and Monday if you didn't get this deal.

 

[Sempron64]

I didn't get the DVD+RW but it wasa 5400RPM instead of a 4200RPM. Great laptop for basic use, its pretty peppy once you add another GB of ram. I'm probably going to buy another for a college bound friend

 

[ultimatequix]

Probably a stupid question, but does this come with a power cord or not? I see on the link under "Add to Cart" they're selling the power adapter for $60.

Thanks in advance.

 

[elminster79]

the website is just trying to show you accessories that would work with the laptop, it comes with an ac adapter already

 

[Ezekial]

pretty decent machine overall
I of course HIGHLY recommend adding at least an additional 512mb stick or 1gb stick. On bootup of original untouched machine you're pushing that 512mb stick to about 420mb give or take. After I threw in another stick for a total of 1gb (already had it, or would have done 1.5gb) I was using around 550mb at boot IIRC.

The OS comes installed pretty clean. Very little extras. It does come with the full Symantec security suite installed with a 90 day trial license, so I nixed that imeediatly. Also has the useless Yahoo toolbar installed, so I would yank that as well... since the kid has a yahoo account though, I left it this time.

After bootup I found the computer wanting to run through some installer bullshit, adding some programs and whatnot. That is a bit time consuming, but not the end of the world.

It does feel a little bit slow, but not hard drive cranking, pissed off slow. You can tell it's not a powerhouse, but whips through standard apps with ease. Perfect for someone just doing homework, web, IM, email, etc. That is what this box is for... kid going to school, and just needs a machine to type on.

Feeling of the unit leaves a small bit to be desired. It's a cross between a nice sturdy machine, and fisher price. THe laptop feels very sturdy and has no creaks when moving it around, plus it is light for it's size. Plastic isn't as nice as high end machines, but is more than good enough. No spots feel week either while handling it.

At the front of the machine you'll find a button to turn off wireless and bluetooth. Mine did not come with bluetooth.

On to a few pics

Screen is very nice, has the glossy face to it. Screen brightness is pretty good, quality is excellent, and I am impressed.

Here are the devices list. According to this I have a 5400rpm drive, and a DVDRW. I burned a DVD+R just a few minutes ago with the built in NTI program. It works fell for a normal user.

 

[Sempron64]

^ I agree to most of your statements about this laptop!

Some key differences between yours and mine.
Your hard drive is a Toshiba, while mine is a Seagate Momentus (also 5400RPM 80gb)
You have a DVDRW while I don't
And I have a 5006X Atheros while you have the 5005.

Interesting to note...

 

[Ezekial]

^ I agree to most of your statements about this laptop!

Some key differences between yours and mine.
Your hard drive is a Toshiba, while mine is a Seagate Momentus (also 5400RPM 80gb)
You have a DVDRW while I don't
And I have a 5006X Atheros while you have the 5005.

Interesting to note...

quite interesting

 

[fluxion]

Get what you pay for with a Celeron notebook. Not a bad deal for average consumers though.

pssh, look at the laptop in my sig. for web browsing and crap this laptop would be a rolls royce. even the one in my sig can handle that kind of stuff.