3820TG Owner's Lounge - Part Two

[dbaby7]

how does the trackpad button feel? is it very hard to press? I saw motherboard pics and acer uses the horrible design where the buttons are physically attached to the motherboard. once those buttons go bad you need a new motherboard or someone who can remove them and replace them

Yeah its very hard to press. Thats only when I have the synaptic driver installed though. The touchpad works fine with the alps driver. The problem is scrolling doesnt work in Firefox 4 with the Alps driver only the Synaptics one! Very annoying!
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Ok so Firefox 4 scrolling now works and so does clicking. I got the latest Synaptics drivers from here Drivers | Synaptics.
Bronsky maybe you could change the ones on the first page as these ones seem to work better? Thanks

[geokilla]

Got it working. Did as you said and just put it in the root of the USB instead of in a folder. Now it's time to flash the modded BIOS. Maybe I won't do it in class though... I updated my BIOS in class and people looked at me cus the motherboard was beeping.

I have successfully unlocked the hidden Intel menu by using the modded BIOS

One thing I did notice is that on first boot, Windows had to reinstall the drivers then restart the computer. Plus I had to redo the colour calibration. It's like Windows is recognizing this as a completely different kind of Intel GPU or something.

[voltron1337]

I have successfully unlocked the hidden Intel menu by using the modded BIOS

One thing I did notice is that on first boot, Windows had to reinstall the drivers then restart the computer. Plus I had to redo the colour calibration. It's like Windows is recognizing this as a completely different kind of Intel GPU or something.

So you can disable either GPU completely now? does the laptop run cooler and is battery life better?

[amsjbr]

I will prepare a guide and upload it as suggested. As to the source of the patch, I found it at Re: [Hybrid-graphics-linux] RadeonHD+IntelGMA switchable.

The patch registers the card via switcheroo enabling selection and power control features via /sys/kernel/debug. You can see the dmesg output below showing the handler and switch state. I am not an expert so I cannot shed any more light .

[ 14.075175] fglrx: module license 'Proprietary. (C) 2002 - ATI Technologies, Starnberg, GERMANY' taints kernel.
[ 14.075182] Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
[ 14.165486] [fglrx] Maximum main memory to use for locked dma buffers: 3479 MBytes.
[ 14.165933] [fglrx] vendor: 1002 device: 68e0 count: 1
[ 14.166561] [fglrx] ioport: bar 4, base 0x2000, size: 0x100
[ 14.166581] pci 0000:02:00.0: enabling device (0104 -> 0107)
[ 14.166589] pci 0000:02:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
[ 14.166594] pci 0000:02:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
[ 14.166765] [fglrx] Kernel PAT support is enabled
[ 14.166788] [fglrx] module loaded - fglrx 8.80.5 [Nov 25 2010] with 1 minors
[ 14.166812] [fglrx]: probed device: 1002:68e0(1025:365)
[ 14.166814] [fglrx]: registering first device with vga_switcheroo
[ 14.166843] VGA switcheroo: detected switching method \_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.ATPX handle
[ 14.166845] vga_switcheroo: enabled
[ 14.166992] radeon atpx: version is 1
[

Unless the m-pcie card is designed to specifically work through the mini pcie channels it will not function in the slot as it does not have sata channels. there was talk of there being a second set of sata pads somewhere on the MOBO but you'd be getting into some serious modding there.
Tom

Thanks for the heads up about the lack of sata pads. That is why I am checking if anyone has tried any mini pci-e SSD. According to Super Talent's datasheet, the Core Store MV has a mini PCle interface instead of IDE/PATA or SATA.

[too456]

Ok so Firefox 4 scrolling now works and so does clicking. I got the latest Synaptics drivers from here Drivers | Synaptics.
Bronsky maybe you could change the ones on the first page as these ones seem to work better? Thanks

That isn't the latest driver. The latest driver is v15.2.11.1 from here.

[karlsong]

Hi!

I'm about to order a 3820TG, but need some advice in order to choose which deal to pick.

For the same amount of money I can choose between 3820TG with i3 380 and Radeon 6550, or one with the i5 450 and Radeon 5650. Would vey much appreciate some input and pros/cons to help me choose which one.

Benefits of i5 as I understand it:
Max temperature 105 C instead of 95 before throttling (but it might not be of significance thanks to the double cooling?). i5 450 has turbo boost and a bit higher clock (2.4 - 2.66, vs i3 380 @ 2.53). Are there any drawbacks to either model, common issues et? Will the i5 lower battery life compared to the i3?

Graphics, 6550 vs 5650:
according to notebookcheck mostly a name change, however they list 6550 @ higher clock and with a bit better in benchmark tests. Perhaps this is insignificant if you can OC the 5650 to and equivalent freq?. However, I have never OC'd anything before, maybe it's a piece of cake but would be nice not having to think about it anyway.

Would be very grateful for clarification on these two points, so can I place an order soon.

[Sxooter]

I would choose the 6550 because I play fps games like section 8 which are more graphics intensive than CPU intensive. I have a i5 460M/5650 4820TG and while the 5650 is overclockable by a fair bit, the 6550 is even more overclockable. But the difference is minimal, I doubt you'd see a big difference playing crysis on either.

The i3 should get slightly better battery life. I get 4.5 real hours on my 4820TG with the ATI off and an i5. If I could get 5.5 I'd be all kinds of happy as long as it gamed ok.

You can change the CPU at a later date, but you're stuck with the GPU you buy today forever until you replace the motherboard.

[Marrt]

Did anybody try to peel of the Acer Logo? it feels like its welded on the aluminium plate or if its one piece.

i really hate the look of that logo and didnt found a decent sticker to cover it

[dbaby7]

That isn't the latest driver. The latest driver is v15.2.11.1 from here.

Cool thanks. I see there's new Alps ones on that website too maybe they work with the latest Firefox
Edit: When I went to try the Alps ones from that site it says they're the same as I already have so trying out the slighty newer Synaptic ones....

[jahnh]

I bought the 3820 with i5-460 and 5650 last week here in germany. It was around 80 € cheaper than the same CPU with 6550. I wouldn't pay that price for a ~0-5% fps increase on stock. Maybe the i3 is a different case