Acer Ferrari 3000

Evolution · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:50 am Post subject: Acer Ferrari 3000

I'm in the market for a new laptop and I came across the Acer Ferrari 3000, the price and features are very attractive. I can't really find anything on anyone running Gentoo on it, and linux-laptops.net has nothing on it yet. Does anyone have any experience with this computer?

Here are some specs.

Processor Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M 2500+
Operating System Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
Memory 512MB
Hard drive 60GB1
Optical drive DVD-Dual (DVD+/-RW)
TFT Display 15.0" SXGA+
Graphics 128MB DDR ATI® MOBILITY RADEON 9200
Connectivity 802.11g WLAN, Bluetooth, 10/100 LAN, V.92 modem
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MaGuS · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:17 am Post subject:

I have to say that I won't buy it. I tested it under windows and the grafic power isn't realy good. If you only need office stuff, okay. I bought the toshiba M30 instead of the acer.

Magnus

Evolution · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 2:16 pm Post subject:

Graphics really aren't that important to me, as I really don't plan on gaming with it because I will have another computer to use.

Otherwise, has anyone had any luck with it running with Gentoo yet?
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DefconAlpha · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 2:25 pm Post subject: iBook

try an iBook.

You'd never think you would ever want such a thing, but really... It's UNIX. It's Portable. It has Expose. :)

Probably will cost about the same too
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trapperjohn · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:11 pm Post subject:

Isn't the Acer Ferrari the ugly one with the red case?

I've seen it - and it's damn overprized, just because its a special edition. Try an IBM ... or that iBook ;-)

Evolution · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:18 pm Post subject:

damn overpriced?? Spec me out a similar computer by Dell, IBM, AlienWare or VoodooPC. I might just go with a Powerbook G4 12/1GHz/256/Super-Drive
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trapperjohn · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 6:46 am Post subject:

So, you asked for it ..
The Acer Aspire 3000 Ferrari has:
Mobile AMD XP 2500+
512 MB DDR
60 GB HD
15" SXGA (1400*1050)
Radeon 9200
DVD-RW
WLAN (802.11g), Modem, LAN
Battery (about 3h)
Pricing: 1869 Eur (www.notebooks-billiger.de)

Dell Inspiron 8600 using the following configuration:
Pentium M 1.5
15.4" WSXGA+ (1680*1050)
512 MB DDR
ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo (much faster than 9200)
60 GB HD
4x DVD+RW
WLAN (802.11g), Modem, LAN
Battery (about 4.5 h)
Pricing: 1886 Eur (www.dell.de)

If you take the Geforce FX Go5200, subtract 116 Eur.

This system is way cooler because of its widescreen display, the really good Pentium M processor and longer battery operation.

trapperjohn · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:36 am Post subject:

I also found an IBM R50 with Centrino (1.5 GHz and 802.11b WLAN) less HD ( 40 GB) and slower graphics (Mobility Radeon 9000) for 1719 Eur. Well, it's an IBM ;-)

Evolution · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 3:15 pm Post subject:

I just did the conversion from EUR to USD, and those 2 computers are nowhere near the price of the Ferrari.

The Dell: $2422.00
The IBM: $2207.54
The Acer: $1749.00

http://www.shopharmony.com/product.asp?i=ACERFERRARI

Edit: Since I'm buying in the U.S. and you're in Europe, this comparison doesn't really make any sense.
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trapperjohn · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject:

No, cause the Acer costs 1869 Eur, which is 2398 Dollars atm.

You have to look at Dell.us or something like that.

[Edit] Looked at dell.com for the Inspiron 8600 - its 1856 $ and they say, you also get 250 $ mail-in rebate (whatever this is..).

Evolution · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:50 pm Post subject:

Don't know what you're looking at....

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&kc=6V604&l=en&oc=8600B5&s=dhs

I made an identical system to the ferarri and its $2224
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trapperjohn · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 5:22 pm Post subject:

Maybe you forgot to de-select the software packages etc. ... To do this, you have to proceed after configuring the system.

rancor · n00b Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 11

I've also been doing A/B comparisons and the Acer comes up REAL good.

BTW:

Pentium M 1.5
and the Mobile AMD XP 2500

are NOT comparable. The whole point of AMD's marketing-based numbering scheme is that the 2500+ is SUPPOSED to compete with a 2.5GHz Pentium 4. Search around the net ant you see that this crack-headed numbering scheme is roughly accurate.

An AMD XP 2000+ is a 1.666GHz CPU, but it does compete very well with a 2.0GHz P4. So the Inspiron 8600 is much less of a machine.

In US$ the Acer stacks up VERY nicely in terms of price.

For the non-gamer this looks like a nice and good-looking way to go.

If you're gaming then just cough up the $$$ and get the Alienware puppies. Very nice, but pricey.

Back to the orginal question: Anyone have any luck gettig Gentoo up and running?
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Jim Powers

rancor · n00b Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 11

Oh yeah, the Inspiron 8600 weighs 2+ pounds more.
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--
Jim Powers

stgreek · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 8:34 am Post subject:

Some other things to take into consideration....

Acer Ferrari runs hot. Very hot. Very very hot.

You cannot compare the build quality of a Dell or especially an IBM with the Acer. Work on the Ferrari for 1 day and on a Thinkpad the next and you will know what I mean.

The specific Ferrari model (not all acers, just that) has had a high failure rate in processors and dead pixel screens. My brother is a hardware dealer so he gets an awful lot of machines, and instead of getting the ferrari he just got a T41 thinkpad, beautiful machine and runs gentoo like a dream.

My opinion is to stay away from the Acer. Spend the extra money and go for an IBM/Dell, you won't regret it.
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dain-bramage · n00b Joined: 11 Jul 2003 Posts: 25

Acer 3000 is awesome and gentoo runs on it with no problems. Everything is working including wireless, modem and synaptics touchpad with 2.6.3 kernel. I started using Acer about 2 years ago and I wouldn't go with anything else now. Great value for money and very durable. Over 30 of them in our company and haven't had a hardware issue with any model in over 2 years. Another Acer model to consider is the Aspire with Centrino CPU and widescreen display. Iv'e never been able to say the same of IBM, Toshiba or Dell in my experience.

trapperjohn

gen2newB · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:05 pm Post subject:

I work in the IT dept for a mortgage company and I have had my experiences with Acer laptops. I would say 9 times out of 10 if a loan officer had a problem, it had to do with the fact that it was an Acer. We have people out there with Dell's and the only thing that we get calls about are windows updates and virus definitions, if that even. If given the choice, i would bite the bullet, avoid the acer and go with a dell. Just my 2 cents.

Remenic · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 76

jserink · Veteran Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 1019

I have one and it rocks!
gentoo is on it fine, all devices working though I haven't tried the bluetooth yet.

I having problems with WinXP on it, not Gentoo.

:)