Which laptop would you choose from these 2...?

drunknmunky

Afterrnoon all, I orginally posted this on the 'cheap laptop hunt' page, but seeing as this isnt exactly cheap, and question I have is quite technical, I thought I may have more luck here...

I'm looking to get a laptop and have narrowed my search down to the following 2:

ACER 5102 £499

- AMD Turion 64 x2 Dual Core Processor 1.6GHz
- 512 MB Cache
- 1024 MB RAM
- 120 GB Hard Drive
- 256MB Shared graphics
- Screen size 15.4" WXGA Widescreen TFT Screen with CrystalBrite Technology
- DVD Dual Layer Drive
- Built-in wireless networking
- Battery life 2:30 hours
- Laptop weight 2.85 kg

Full Spec: http://www.comet.co.uk/cometbrowse/p...=specification

ADVENT 7111 £479

- Intel Core Duo T2050 Processor 1.60GHz
- 2 MB Cache
- 1024 MB RAM
- 80 GB Hard Drive
- 128 MB Intel UMA Integrated graphics
- 15.4" Widescreen Display
- DVD Dual Layer Drive
- Built-in wireless networking
- No. of Firewire Connections 1
- Battery life 3:00 hours
- Laptop weight 2.7 kg

Full Spec: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...null&tm=n ull

The main problem I'm having in choosing between the 2 is that the Acer one only has 512 cache (will this make a big difference?), but comes with 256Mb graphics.
However the Advent has a 2MB cache but only 128MB graphics.

(The hard drive size, laptop weight, battery life, £20 pound difference etc aren't that important to me)

The laptop will be used for filesharing, watching DVD's and a small amount of gaming.

So which should I go for?
Any ideas much appreciated....

Omertron

It rather depends on what you are going to use them for. For word processing, excel, browsing the web etc. you won't notice much difference between the two. If you're going to use them for games, then the large graphics memory on the Acer will help. Do you intend to use the laptop away from a power source for long? If so the battery life of the Advent may swing it.

Either of them look good for the price.

drunknmunky

Hi Omertron, thanks for the quick reply.

I dont intend to use the laptop away from the power soucre at all. My sister will be using for word/powerpoint, I will be using for watching dvd's and online gaming.

A few people I have spoke to say it is important to have a large cache when online gaming. Is this correct or am I still better off with the Acer with the large graphics?

Also is Acer a better quality build?

Omertron

I think that you may be confusing the different usages of the term cache. The cache quoted in the specifications above is to do with the processor or CPU cache and how much data it can store before having to go back to slower main memory (the 1Gb/1024Mb of RAM). For your purposes I don't think you'll notice a difference.

The cache for online games is more likely to be your internet explorer/firefox cache to store the downloaded game's files. The size of this cache is dependent on you and can be changed easily within either firefox or IE.

For watching dvd's the Acer's screen is very nice as I have an Acer (5044) with the Crystalbright screen and it gives very good colours. The Acer's quality is very good, but I have no experience with Advent.

Blagalot

Advent have very shoddy keyboards & the internal components are probably scrimped on.

moob_2

Advent are rubbish, period.

Acer are decent enough, but as mentioned above, their battery life is appaling, and the cost of replacing them is shocking.

Get an HP/Sony/Tosh

onzey

My daughter's Advent laptop is still going strong and survived being pulled off a table. I certainly wouldn't describe it as rubbish. She's been very happy with it.

Kittee-Kat

Oh dear, why is it so hard to choose the right one. I keep going back to an Acer 5044 at Comet and looking at an Advent at Currys...and a few others,lol. I hear something good about one model...then someone else says its not good...helppp...theres too much choice and I'm going bozz eyed.
Oh..and whats the difference between dvdrw ad dvdrw multidrive.

jbatista

drunknmunky wrote:

Afterrnoon all, I orginally posted this on the 'cheap laptop hunt' page, but seeing as this isnt exactly cheap, and question I have is quite technical, I thought I may have more luck here...

I'm looking to get a laptop and have narrowed my search down to the following 2:

ACER 5102 £499

- AMD Turion 64 x2 Dual Core Processor 1.6GHz
- 512 MB Cache
- 1024 MB RAM
- 120 GB Hard Drive
- 256MB Shared graphics
- Screen size 15.4" WXGA Widescreen TFT Screen with CrystalBrite Technology
- DVD Dual Layer Drive
- Built-in wireless networking
- Battery life 2:30 hours
- Laptop weight 2.85 kg

Full Spec: http://www.comet.co.uk/cometbrowse/p...=specification

ADVENT 7111 £479

- Intel Core Duo T2050 Processor 1.60GHz
- 2 MB Cache
- 1024 MB RAM
- 80 GB Hard Drive
- 128 MB Intel UMA Integrated graphics
- 15.4" Widescreen Display
- DVD Dual Layer Drive
- Built-in wireless networking
- No. of Firewire Connections 1
- Battery life 3:00 hours
- Laptop weight 2.7 kg

Full Spec: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...null&tm=n ull

The main problem I'm having in choosing between the 2 is that the Acer one only has 512 cache (will this make a big difference?), but comes with 256Mb graphics.
However the Advent has a 2MB cache but only 128MB graphics.

(The hard drive size, laptop weight, battery life, £20 pound difference etc aren't that important to me)

The laptop will be used for filesharing, watching DVD's and a small amount of gaming.

So which should I go for?
Any ideas much appreciated....

My coleague has just bought the Acer from Comet and his very happy with it, personally I would choose the Acer as the advent are a very shoddy build.

Kittee-Kat

Yes think i might go for the Comet one ...but whats the diff between dvdrw and dvd rw multi

Omertron

Nothing. They are both capable of playing and recording both DVD disks and CD disks of all of the formats you are likely to want to use.