Acer TimelineX 3820TG Owners Lounge. Info, benchmarks, tweaks, mods and upgrades

[Bronsky]

This emailing with Acer is getting funny. Anyway their latest instruction is to

"In your Acer laptop there is an option to find out the serial number without looking to the label.

- Press Fn+F2, then the Acer eSetting window will appear.

- There will be an option for system information. Please click on that.

- We can find out a mother board icon there.

- Select that mother board icon. There you can find the system serial number"

When I push Fn-F2 nothing happens. I suspect that an Acer app is missing due to the clean install. Anybody know which app will do this. Maybe I'll put it back.

Bronsky

[havsbaden]

Fn + F2 doesn't work for me either. I use OS, drivers & apps as I got from factory. But I have unchecked some of the stuff in the autostart, so perhaps that's why. Do you want me to check it for you?

[ngaw]

When I push Fn-F2 nothing happens. I suspect that an Acer app is missing due to the clean install. Anybody know which app will do this. Maybe I'll put it back.

Doesn't do anything for me either, with a factory install. I know this is going to sound wrong, but maybe that's outsourced tech-supportese for trying to get you into the BIOS. You do hit F2 to get into it, and the BIOS does show your serial number. Otherwise there is an acer app in windows that shows you your serial number - it's "Identity Card".

No end of confusion with acer email support over the last few days has made unafraid of choosing liberal interpretations of their instructions.

[mnx1024]

@ Hendrickson Do you mind showing us some high resolution pictures of the difference between the 3G model and the regular model? I personally would like to request pictures of where/how you put the sim in. Also, is it possible to install the 3G module later on?

Also, I just purchased my SSD, flash drives, and external OD from Newegg. Can't wait until my laptop arrives. But, I would be stuck with the German keyboard until I get my US keyboard. Which is, I don't know when because I would be calling up Acer tomorrow to request for a US keyboard. God knows how long that would take for it to arrive at my place. I'm going to try to sweet talk the rep to give it to me for free.

[bolt.pt]

This emailing with Acer is getting funny. Anyway their latest instruction is to

"In your Acer laptop there is an option to find out the serial number without looking to the label.

- Press Fn+F2, then the Acer eSetting window will appear.

- There will be an option for system information. Please click on that.

- We can find out a mother board icon there.

- Select that mother board icon. There you can find the system serial number"

When I push Fn-F2 nothing happens. I suspect that an Acer app is missing due to the clean install. Anybody know which app will do this. Maybe I'll put it back.

Bronsky

That Fn + F2 is just a shortcut for the windows System Properties panel, at least for me. It works wonders on my 4810TG.

I found something that may be useful to you, if you can install it:

empowering utility

Didn't find any version meant to be for these newer Aspires, but give it a shot, might work.

If you're just looking for the MB info though, probably Everest or PCWizard will give you the info you need.

PC-Wizard

Everest - trial

[MarineX]

Acer 3820TG @ SGD$1198

the promo.

[zsero]

Someone ship me a 3820TG with i5-450 and ati 5650 and I'll be happy to pay a bit extra for the help

Do you think the 3820TG is really a better/more reliable machine these days then the E14? Here I can just speculate about the E14 but can easily get 3820TG-s.

Is there no way of getting 9k in 3dm06 in E14? Did you actually sell yours? Really has issues?

[zeem]

Do you think the 3820TG is really a better/more reliable machine these days then the E14? Here I can just speculate about the E14 but can easily get 3820TG-s.

Is there no way of getting 9k in 3dm06 in E14? Did you actually sell yours? Really has issues?

No 9k yet, hopefully future driver updates change that. Right now there's a small OC you can do to get a 7500 3dmark06 which is still pretty great. The minority of E14 owners had some issues, most people got great machines.

I'd say go with what is easiest to get a hold of. I know it's against the grain in this thread, but you'll be happy when you don't have to spend $80 shipping your laptop back to the seller because of a bad screen or cpu whine. Or get stuck with a brick, because of a lack of warranty.

[ckthepilot]

@zero

There were some things I did not like about the E14.

1) CPU whine - Annoying
2) Fan noise - it was constantly on even @ idle
3) Trackpad - ? Worst trackpad experience ever.
4) Brightness level skewed - One notch down from 100% is a drastic change from full brightness.

[Bronsky]

Wrote up my backlit KB mod. Acer TimelineX 3820TG Backlit keyboard mod

My saga trying to order the left speaker gets funnier ... the tech now wants me to send in my whole unit for warranty work to replace the speaker.

"I understand from your mail that you require left speaker for the unit.

The system is covered under International Travelers Warranty and we will pull the system for depot repair. Before that you need to provide the following details:

- Present shipping address.
- E-mail address
- Phone Number"

All I want is a $20 part. Nice to know they seem quite willing to authorize international warranty work. But, not a chance I'm shipping this unit anywhere.

Bronsky