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General discussion

FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!

Sep 10, 2004 6:15AM PDT

Okay, truebelievers.

I've narrowed it down to two machines.
Please offer your honest advice... This will be my only computer. I like both machines, so it's really more about WHICH IS THE BETTER DEAL.


AT $1375:
ACER: 1.5 Centrino 715, 15.4 WXGA, 64mb radeon 9700, DVD+/-RW (dual drive), 40gig hd @ 4200, XP PRO, 512 (256x2 dimm) RAM

AT $1500:
HP: Centrino 1.6 725, 15.4 WXGA briteview, 64mb radeon 9200, DVD+RW, 60gig @ 5400, XP HOME, 512 (1dimm)RAM

you tell me?

thanks!

Discussion is locked

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 7:24AM PDT

Wow. If it wasn't for the CPU and hard disk, the acer looks to be a clear winner to me. The hard disk could be cheap to kick up, but lets see what Ken writes about the CPU.

Big Pluses in my book:

1. DVD dual drive.
2. The 9700 video chip should win the video benchmarks.
3. XP Pro.

Bob

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 8:13AM PDT

Thanks Bob!
Ken?

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 10:29AM PDT

The Acer and HP are both nice machines but you can come out even better on the HP dollar wise (I assume this is a HPZT3000) because:

You cannot order the Acer custom.

For hpshopping you can order 256mb RAM for much less $ and add a 512mb RAM stick PC2700 yourself for under $100 more (I just put a Kingston PC2700 512mb from Fry's Electronics into my Compaq X1360US (same as HPZT3000) for 69 after rebate and it was 59 after rebate this past week).

Also, you will appreciate the 5400rpm hard drive (up to 50% faster than 4200).

The only advantage to some Acers (like the Ferrari or 2025) are that they have the 128mb dedicated video option those are close to or over $2000 and this notebook still has only 64mb (but it is the ATI 9700)

Also, does your HP quote include the $100 instant rebate, $100 custom order rebate (use instead of $50 one quoted on order screen)????

See X1000forums.com for all order options and specifications.

Also, now you also get the HPBriteview LCD so to me that is the dealbreaker right there.

You will get a lot out of the faster hard drive and Briteview LCD that Acer does not have and you can save money as well on RAM by ordering 256mb 1 stick from HP custom.

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 10:30AM PDT

Tell me about that second 100 rebate? It says 50 on their site!

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 10:32AM PDT

One negative to the HP is that the DVD burner is only DVD + -- many consumer DVD players only play DVD - . So, you may want the Acer for that reason.

The Toshiba M35 series also has a multiformat DVD burner option.

Of course when burning DVD's for use on the notebook a DVD+ or DVD- makes little difference but it is a big issue if you want to send a video DVD to someone to display on their TV.

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 10:38AM PDT

Go to X1000forums.com so you are aware of all the discounts you are entitled to with the HPZT3000 (same as Compaq X1000).

I have already posted about the rebate but here we go again. HP extended the $100 custom order notebook rebate (and Compaq did as well --separate Adobe PDF file forms for rebates) from the original 2/15/04-9/1/04 period now to 12/1/04.

HP pulls stunts by posting a $30 rebate for Compaq and a $50 rebate for HP on the order screen.

However, if you go to the mail in rebates link at the lower left of the hpshopping homepage, select HPnotebooks --you will find the $100 rebate (Good for any custom order notebook and many prebuilts) good through 9/1/04. Print it out and use that with the UPC code instead of the $50 one.

I have even posted the link to those on X1000forums.com. You cannot post links on Cnet due to the security issues.

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 10:40AM PDT

Final analysis:

You can get the HPZT3000 for less than you quoted if you use all the discounts available now.

Acer

ATI 9700 video card (but still 64mb not 128mb so how much you will benefit from that is up to your analysis over the 64mb HPZT3000 ATI 9200)

Multiformat DVD burner

HP

ability to customize exactly (order less RAM to save $)
5400 hard drive
Brand new HPBriteview LCD option

Also, if you are a college student you can save another 6% by HPshopping (APP discount) -- did you check this out also ?

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 10:51AM PDT

Finally, you can order Windows XP Professional instead of XP home if you really need that on the ZT3000 at HPshopping.

The true kicker is whether or not you like the Briteview/Trubrite/Xbrite XGA LCD's or not.

There is litte difference at all between the 715 Pentium M on the Acer and the 725 Pentium M on the HP as both are Dothans.

If you value the ATI 9700 video (still at 64mb) and the multiformat DVD burner get the Acer but if they really give you 2 sticks or RAM (256x2) you are stuck at 512mb RAM (unless you pull out RAM later and that is a waste).

Many people with HPZT3000's order the smallest hard drive possible and upgrade to a 7200rpm Hitachi hard drive later for about $200 at Newegg so you could do that with the Acer is you wanted to go to that trouble.

But for $25 more on the HP you can move to the 5400rpm 60gb hard drive immediately and it will be under the notebook warranty.

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Re: FINAL ROUND. DECISION TIME!!!
Sep 10, 2004 11:12AM PDT

Ken, Bob-
thanks so much for being so helpful. i guess at this point i am leaning towards the HP-- i'm gonna chew on it tonight and i'll be sure to post my final decision here.

You guys are great.

Jeffrey

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ALL DONE! THANKS TO YOU ALL!
Sep 13, 2004 7:45AM PDT

The final tally:

HP Pavilion zt3000 series customize notebook
- Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition with SP2
- Intel(R) Pentium(R) M Processor 735 (1.7 GHz)
- 15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
- 64MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) 9200
- 512MB DDR SDRAM (1x512MB)
- 60 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive
- DVD/CDRW Combo Drive
- FREE Upgrade to Intel(R)Pro/Wireless 2200 802.11BG
- Microsoft(R) Works/Money
- 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

$1574-100 instant rebate= $1474-100 mail in rebate= $1374+121 tax= $1495.

Thanks to Ken and Bob for your advice-- you've been very helpful.

Looking forward (sometime the week after next, I believe) to getting my new baby.

Jephre in LA

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Re: ALL DONE! THANKS TO YOU ALL!
Sep 13, 2004 9:52AM PDT

Congratulations for waiting a bit as the Briteview was only available on the ZT3000/X1000 last week (for $50 above the normal XGA 1280x800).

Also, it appears you will want to move to 1GB RAM as you have ordered 512mb 1 stick (if you wanted 512mb or 768mb it would have been cheaper to order 256mb 1 stick and put in your own Crucial/ Kingston, etc PC2700 notebook RAM 512mb in the RAM slot under the notebook).

You have the 64mb dedicated video, the 50% faster 5400 rpm hard drive, and the Dothan 735 1.7 Pentium M.

That looks like a great system.

Make sure you post your configuration at X1000forums.com under the pinned HPZT3000 ordering thread in the General area.

You got under $1500 with the faster hard drive, the Briteview, the 512mb RAM, and the Dothan processor so that is pretty good.

The only thing this notebook does not have yet is the 128mb video option but if you are not a gamer the 64mb dedicated video is still very good (Acer 2025 has 128mb as well as Acer Ferrari but they are prebuilt -- Dell 8600 has it but it is a thicker, heavier notebook).