Acer AS1430Z-4677 Notebook comes with these specs: Intel Pentium Processor U5600, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), 11.6" HD Widescreen CineCrystal LED Back-Lit Display, Mobile Intel HM55 Express Chipset, 3072MB DDR3 Memory, Intel HD Graphics, 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, Built-in 1.3MP HD Webcam (1280 x 1024), Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, Optimized 2nd Generation Dolby Sound Room Audio Enhancement, 802.11b/g/n WiFi CERTIFIED, 3 - USB 2.0 Ports, HDMI Port, Multi-gesture Touchpad, 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh), up to 4.5-hours of battery life, 3.09 lbs. | 1.4 kg (system unit only), AC Power Adapter, AC Power Cord, Wireless Setup Card, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, McAfee Internet Security Suite Trial (60-day trial), Microsoft Office Starter 2010, Complete your PC. Buy full-featured Microsoft® Office 2010.
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41 of 41 found the following review helpful:
Excellent value and performance Mar 31, 2011
By Egret Just a quick few comments. I bought a 1430Z (from another vendor, where it was cheaper at the time) mainly because:
o It has more screen pixels than 10.1" netbooks do o CPU benchmarks I found on the web were much better than for typical Atom processors o It's considerably lighter and smaller than 13.3" notebooks o It comes with more memory than typical netbooks do
My intention (as with all my computers) was to run Ubuntu Linux, dual booting occasionally into Windows.
My impressions so far:
Pros:
o Nice compact form factor. It's even a tad lighter than the spec; mine weighs just under 3 lbs o Ubuntu 10.10 works. But I had to blacklist 2 modules (intel_ips and acer-wmi). o External VGA gives you a full extended desktop (at least in Ubuntu, haven't experimented in Windows): I get 1366x768 on the notebook and 1680x1050 on a 22" external monitor at the same time. This has not worked well or at all on other notebooks I've had in the past. o Applications respond snappily -- this is subjective of course. Video is good. I also run my own CPU-intensive simulation benchmark on all my computers to compare them. The 1430Z (Intel U5600 CPU) is about 26% slower than a desktop with an AMD 5000+ CPU, 18% faster than a notebook with an Intel SU7300 CPU, and 11% faster than a notebook with an Intel Pentium M 1.73GHz CPU.
Cons:
o Battery life is OK but unexceptional -- this is only subjective since I haven't measured it. But battery life has never been a high priority for me. For all my laptops it has dropped precipitously after a year or so, no matter how impressive it may have been when new. o The Keyboard lacks the feel of a great keyboard, like the classic Thinkpads of yore, or a decent desktop keyboard. And the Home/End/PgUp/PgDown/Up/Down/Left/Right are squashed together in the lower right; I don't know if I'll ever learn to find them without looking.
Overall then, this fits the bill for me: portability, performance, and Linux.
49 of 53 found the following review helpful:
Litle fast Notebook - NOT netbook Feb 21, 2011
By Chris666 I got this Notebook for my wife, and I checked some specification before purchase : -CPU architecture SandyBridge 32nm, Intel relased it in Jan 2011, very low power consumption -18W. -3GB latest DDR 3 memory, upgradable to 8GB - more then enough -wireless 802.11 b/g and latest n -Windows 7 64bits -very good HD screen resolution It is more powerfull then most devices in this size, has around double power then Atom CPU, and pretty fast wireless internet, with my D-link Extreme 655 router in the basement I got 15Mbps net speed on first floor , (19Mbps when connected with Cat 6 wire). When I run it first time the speed when not connected to the power cord was slower - some power saving settings, after adjusting it in the Laptop and in the router, I got full speed. No problem watch YouTube HD (I have very fast Comcast Internet), and streaming my movies over network. Then we are very happy with it , my wife love it how it looks like and because it is very light.
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
Very Good Value for Mini Notebook Performance Mar 30, 2011
By I. R Yumori
"Samurai"
I needed to replace my 6.5 lb laptop for travelling. I didn't like the performance and cramped keyboard of the netbooks. I needed it for photo storage and processing plus email.
I'm glad ACER just released the AS1430.
The screen and keyboard are much more useable than the 10.1 netbooks. The screen and 1.3MP HD Webcam (1280 x 1024) are higher resolution than the netbooks.
It really isn't much more cost than a netbook when you compare them. Most netbooks only have Windows Starter. To upgrade it to Home Premium 64 bit would be $80. Most netbooks come with only 1GB and is only upgradeable to 1 or 2GB. The ACER comes with 3GB upgradeable to 8GB. Most netbooks come with 250 or smalller GB. The ACER has a 320 GB.
Despite the specs from ACER, the ram is upgradeable to 8GB. I got the Crucial CT2KIT51264BC1067 8GB 204-PIN PC3-8500 SODIMM DDR3 (4GBx2) for $84.99 from Amazon. It took 15 minutes to replace the RAM. The bottom cover is held by six screws and a bunch of friction clips. You should be gentle in taking it off, because it looks flimsy. The additional memory makes it boot up faster and quicker when multiple windows are open.
The only negative is battery life is only 4.5 hrs vs 8-9 for the netbooks, but it is enough to play a couple of movies on the airplane.
I really like this computer.
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
Great Performance Thus Far Apr 10, 2011
By Bronte I recently bought this notebook because I needed a highly portable computer I could carry around at university and work on papers and research between work, class, and other appointments. So far I've been impressed and more than happy.
Pros: --I considered buying a 10" netbook because I was concerned the 11.6 would not be small, portable, or light enough for my purposes. Turns out, this baby is quite small (a tad bit smaller than the keyboard on a regular sized laptop) and at roughly 3 lbs, very light. I haven't tested portability, but it fits perfectly in my bucket-style purse, messenger bag, and rolling carry-on, with plenty of room left over. --Resolution is crisp, very much high def. --Fast start up of Windows and other software (though a tad bit slower than my 4 GB 15" Gateway laptop). --Great multitasking. Runs like a charm with Word, Mozilla, Winamp, and Adobe open all at once. --Speaker quality is good, though of course not the best, as the speakers are small. Headphone sound quality is fabulous. --Youtube videos and Netflix play great, no hitches whatsoever, though of course the smaller screen size makes for a smaller movie picture. Picture resolution, as already mentioned, is quite sharp. --Comes with the full version of Windows 7, as opposed to the starter version of 10" netbooks. --All the great qualities other users have already pointed out.
Neutral but of Note:
--The keyboard takes some getting used to, as the keys seem slightly smaller than normal. They're also flat, for those of you who like some definition to your keys. Some reviewers had problems with flex, but mine was fine in that category. --My noise cancelling headphone jack wouldn't quite fit into the audio port, causing problems with sound (because it didn't quite fit, the jack would keep popping out of the socket). I solved this problem with a pair of earbuds that had a slightly smaller jack. --The fan gets fairly warm on the left side of the notebook frame. --You sacrifice battery life for specs and slightly larger size. Mine gets 3 1/2 to 4 hours, compared to the 6-13 hours of a 10" netbook.
Cons:
--Really my biggest and only qualm thus far is that the page up key is positioned right above the left arrow key, and the page down key right above the right arrow key (see Amazon's picture of the Acer keyboard). Because these buttons are so small and positioned right next to each other, your pinkie finger has a tendency to hit the page up button when you're reaching for the arrow keys. Because I spend hours typing papers and other documents, this happens a lot and has been rather annoying.
Conclusion:
Awesome notebook so far. Basically, it has all the qualities of a full blown laptop but with a fraction of the usual size and weight. I've been very, very impressed. I rate this notebook 5 out of 5 stars (4.5/5 if you consider the annoying page up key).
**Update**
Touchpad: Users of other notebooks have complained that their cursor jumps around due to their palms or thumbs inadvertently hitting the touchpad. I haven't had any problems of that nature. The touchpad on this notebook is relatively small, while the keyboard is almost full-sized. Your hands are positioned just on either side of the touchpad in the center, meaning no contact and no jumping cursor. The multi-gesture works fine, as well, although because the touchpad is a bit smaller than usual, the multi-gesture feature takes some getting used to (not a lot of room for two-fingered up and down scrolling, for instance). Also, the touchpad lacks visible definition--it's the exact same color as the notebook frame, so you can't immediately tell where the edges are (see Amazon's picture of the Acer keyboard). This feature doesn't bother me at all or impede performance, but I thought I'd mention it.
Portability: I've hauled this notebook around quite a bit by now. When I'm using my wheeled carry-on, I keep it in a hardcase fitted into one of the middle pockets. The notebook inside the case, with the case fitted into the middle pocket, fits with about a hands-width (four fingers across) of extra room on one side. Enough for the notebook battery, a mouse, cell phone--smaller objects of that nature. I usually have the carry-on stuffed with books and papers, but the notebook holds up nicely in its case, despite jolting. I've also purchased a messenger for 11.6 notebooks, which I tote around when I don't want to bring a stack of books with me. The bag, with the notebook inside, is extremely light. I feel mild pressure from the shoulder strap, but no uncomfortable or painful dig because of undue weight.
Keyboard: I've mostly gotten used to the placement of that annoying page up key. I still hit it sometimes when reaching for the arrows, but much less frequently. Practice seems to help this problem, but I still wish Acer had designed the keys a tad bit differently. Just be aware it might take some getting used to. Also, this is not a chiclet keyboard, so junk can fall in the space between the keys.
Battery Life: Sometimes I wish I had more battery life, as I imagine it would be nice to be unfettered from outlet plugs. But I'm in love with the incredible specs of this notebook, so I wouldn't trade the two.
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Way better than a netbook!!! Apr 19, 2011
By Nanciejeanne
"Enjay"
I used to have an small Japanese laptop, which was called at the time a "subnotebook." It was just like any other laptop, just smaller. I kept waiting for that market to catch on here, but things just seemed to be getting bigger and bigger in size, not smaller. Then the netbook arrived! I was so happy because finally I could have a little computer to carry with me to work, vacation, etc. I bought an EeePc. I liked it, but it was really like half a notebook, hardly any hard drive, not enough ram to run a few programs at once, etc.
Recently, I needed a laptop. I couldn't wait any longer to upgrade. Mine was around 10 years old. And almost by accident I found THIS! I searched by price because I figured, if I didn't like it, at least it wasn't a thousand dollars. I saw the measurements, and was sort of thinking it might be nice & small, but until you hold it, you aren't sure. IBM Thinkpads (remember those!?) were smaller, too, but felt like bricks in your hand! Anyway, when it arrived I was VERY pleasantly surprized at the size and weight. Not as small as the little netbooks (which are close the size of DVD movie case...a little bigger and definitely thicker) but not as big as a typical laptop, either. This is about the size of a piece of paper...a touch over an inch thick. Very nice.
My pros: 1. SMALL! It isn't as small as most netbooks, but they aren't computers, either.
2. Light. I can put it in my purse and don't feel like I am carrying rocks.
3. 3G Ram 320G HD. So I can run Firefox AND iTunes at once! ha ha! (or similar multitasking.) And I don't have to worry about running out of room any time soon saving photos and things.
4. Very clear screen (though I like matte better than the shiny surface on this one, but that is just my preference.)
5. Windows 7. An improvement over Vista I had on my last one...which took up like a third of my HDD. I know I could wipe it completely and try Linux or something, but I really am not that advanced of a user.
6. Adapter supported my Linksys N - WPA2 wireless router right out of the box with no tweaking/fussing/swearing!
7. Texture-y top...which I didn't like at first, but does hide fingerprints better than glossy.
8. Doesn't get hot on the bottom when I hold it on my lap. I usually use it on the arm of the couch and sit crooked (ha ha) but I can put it on my lap without fearing that I am burning out something inside of it because of the heat. Another Acer I had got hot.
9. HDMI out. A nice little feature that I thought was a great add-on for something this price
10. The little touchpad at the bottom allows you to pinch to shrink (or vice versa)...sorta like you can do on phones.
11. PRICE! Very decent guts for the price. I didn't need super speed or super capacity...mostly doing stuff on the internet, some word processing, a little Adobe Photoshop elements, but I am not high speed live gaming or editing movies or anything.
12. 3 USB ports.
My cons 1. No optical drive. I mean, it is small and adding one would have canceled out the small/thin size of it, so I CHOSE it knowingly. Still, if you are expecting one, check the specs again.
2. Junk is already loaded on it when you get it (Mcafee trial, some Norton thing, etc.) I know they do this to make money, and you can delete most of it easily (which I did in the first hour), but it is still annoying to have to sift through startup stuff and figure out what IS needed and what isn't. You can google specific programs to see if they are fine to delete.
3. Goofy electrical plug that you have to assemble. (not a big deal, but geez, give me a regular plug..are they THAT expensive?!)
4. Additional batteries are like in the 90 dollar range. I don't need one, but 3-4 hours seems to be my average without plugging in...so some may want to get another battery.
5. (edited to add this comment) The "page down" and "page up" keys are VERY close to the left and right arrow keys. You can see it if you zoom in on one of the pics above. Plus they are HALF the size of the other keys. I am having trouble especially with the "right arrow" key because when I reach to hit it, I misjudge slightly with my pinky and often find myself somewhere else on the page. Maybe it is just the angle of reaching because I don't have trouble with the left one...though I do use the right one more. Maybe it is just that I am not used to my "target" being that small or in a new place...but it HAS been bugging me. I may look for a way to reassign keys or something if it doesn't improve.
Overall, I REALLY like the size of it...that pretty much was the first consideration when choosing it, but would have passed if it didn't have enough speed or memory. It does for me. If you are looking for a top of the line laptop for a bottom price, you will be disappointed. If, however, you are looking for a cheaper, but decent, SMALL, portable machine....you will love this. Perfect upgrade from if you find your netbook a little skimpy.
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based on 70 reviews
Excellent value and performance Mar 31, 2011
By Egret
