Hands on with the world's thinnest laptop - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 12:02:09 am
content: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2016/11/12/worlds-thinnest-laptop-acer-swift-7/93570818/

author: MadTux
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 03:10:36 am
content: That acer POS laptops just last as long as their warranty goes.Meanwhile I can still beat someone to death with one of my older Thinkpads and probably can still use it afterwards.Now, as Moores law is slowly declining, it would make sense to build rugged hardware again, because it won't get obsolete in a few years. But instead these idiots make it as flimsy as possible, so it will get destroyed ASAP and the ewaste cycle keeps going

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 05:15:14 am
content: I've had the opposite experience with Acer laptops. Both of mine have lasted in excess of 10 years. One was retired due to gutlessness, and the other has just been retired as the backlight is fading a bit and something in the on-board DC-DC converter has started singing. That particular machine has been on 24/7 since 2006. Both of them were on their second HD though.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 05:25:33 am
content: There honestly needs to be an easier and better standard for building laptops. There needs to be sockets, standardized form factors, and swapable parts that give the same flexibility as a desktop.With that I no longer need to get a flimsy case I don't like, I don't have to use piss poor cooling, I can choose the parts exactly for what I need, and I can do it cheaper.And if a component breaks, I can get away with replacing it instead of just scrapping and tossing the entire laptop.

author: timgiles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 05:41:20 am
content: Looks nice, hate all the marketing BS when it gets reviewed. Loose all respect for him when he mentions Acer colour blah blah blah....IMO laptops last as long as the usage dictates. Sure there are better materials, but in the end if you have a hamfisted numpty that throws it about, does not take care, well it wont last.

author: meeder
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 05:42:58 am
content: I agree but swappable parts will increase the BOM and "people" want lighter and thinner gear.I am hauling around a heavy beast as a laptop (Dell XFR E6420) and although very durable it is to thick to be comfortable and the screen resolution is to low for modern software.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 05:48:02 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 14, 2016, 05:25:33 amProject Ara #2, to make bulky and flimsy POS no one buys? Sockets in laptops are standard, you can swap RAM, wifi, HDD, put additional SSD (M.2, mSATA). Want to put powerful GPU? Sorry, but there is not enough space, power supply and cooling in average laptop. Add those things and get a frankenstein sane people won't buy. The only thing which is not standard is motherboard.

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 06:02:56 am
content: My Acer Chromebook is indestructible. Best $129 GroupOn ever.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 06:51:47 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 14, 2016, 05:44:48 amThe first Sony VAIO I used was magnesium alloy - according for the sells flyer, stronger and lighter than aluminum. I hope this "ALKALIDO metal" is at least some kind of aluminum alloy that has some distinction from run of the mill regular aluminum. Otherwise, Sony is moving just all more expensive branded version of cheap stuff.

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 09:26:00 am
content: I own a Macbook Air. I don't see the hype for "thinnest laptop", it causes more problems than it solves. The MBA bends easily, causing the trackpad to jam. I had to bend it back at least twice. My 2010 Macbook Pro with optical slot is already thin enough, and it used a standard laptop harddisk and memory. The display of the MBA is also significantly worse.

author: AlxDroidDev
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 10:35:52 am
content: I'd never buy an Acer.No matter how thin it is, it's still an Acer.Actually, I am quite pleased with my 5yo Dell XPS 15.

author: grifftech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 09:17:56 pm
content: Quote from: boffin on November 14, 2016, 06:02:56 amWHAT ABOUT CAPS LOCK

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2016, 09:31:23 pm
content: Big deal. What does "thinness" have to do with the capabilities of a computer? How about weight, battery life, and computing power? These should almost always be more important than the thickness of the laptop. How thick is too thick? It depends but having the thickness of a notebook as the primary concern is just fashion idiocy.

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 20, 2016, 09:07:52 pm
content: Quote from: grifftech on November 14, 2016, 09:17:56 pmThe lack of CAPS LOCK on the Acer Chromebook is a calming influence on all my posts online. I'm a better person because of it.

author: NottheDan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2016, 10:11:46 pm
content: Quote from: grifftech on November 14, 2016, 09:17:56 pmRight above the left shift on the Acer Chromebook 710.

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2016, 02:54:59 pm
content: Tested: Microsoft Surface Book

author: Luminax
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 06:17:11 am
content: Quote from: Lightages on November 14, 2016, 09:31:23 pmWhich is what most 'modern' products these days usually revolves around, "Does it looks chic? can we marketbuzz it to seventh heaven?"Marketing, kill it with FIER

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 07:09:30 am
content: I don't get this obsession with trying to be the "thinnest". It really does not accomplish much, unless you're trying to stack many of them together. I'd rather them be thicker and more expandable, have more IO ports, etc.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 08:42:14 am
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on November 22, 2016, 07:09:30 amDifferent strokes for different folks. I used to carry a set of scales around when shopping for laptops or accessories. Thin and light is most definitely an advantage when you fly frequently.

author: AlxDroidDev
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 04:19:19 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on November 22, 2016, 07:09:30 amGone are the days when IO ports were plentiful on notebooks. I remember my very first laptop had a plethora of IO ports in its sides and back: 2x serial, parallel, 3 audio jacks, VGA, PS/2 keyboard and mouse, 2x PCMCIA slots (who remember those?) and a fax-modem port (RJ11). There was no ethernet port, and I had to use a PCMCIA card to get 10 Mbps ethernet. There was no USB either.My second one (that's still working, and I still have it), has: 1x PS/2 (for either mouse or kb), 1 parallel, 1 serial, 1 ethernet, 1 VGA, 1 S-Video, 1 modem, 2x PCMCIA, 2 USB, and 3 audio jacks. All of that plus DVD-ROM and a floppy drive.I've had a few after that, but the one I actually use nowadays has 4x USB3 ports, and 2 of them are combined eSATA3 ports. Only 1 HDMI output and a SD card reader (thankfully not limited to 32Gb). That's it.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 04:43:58 pm
content: I will stick with my Panasonic toughbook as a portable. Most parts do just plug in so if it fails I just find another. Thin equals weak and bendy.

author: suicidaleggroll
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 04:45:57 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on November 22, 2016, 07:09:30 amTo me, thin and light is the whole point of a laptop. If I wanted a 10 lb 17" monstrosity that was the size of a briefcase, I'd just take a small desktop with me. Instead, I leave my desktop at home and bring my laptop on the road, which means it needs to be portable, which means minimal I/O. I love my Lenovo X1 Carbon, not "weak and bendy" at all.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 07:49:40 pm
content: Quote from: Homer J Simpson on November 21, 2016, 02:54:59 pmGood review! I have the high end I7 version and am now using it as my everyday, all day, laptop. I rarely use just the display separated from the base. About the only time this works for me is when I am reading a book with Kindle. I have the separate NVIDIA GPU so I guess I must have bought late enough in the cycle to wind up with the upgraded base unit. Realistically, my eyes are too old for 2000x3000 on a tiny screen. When the unit is on a table, I connect it to a 27" monitor and I use a separate Bluetooth keyboard and USB mouse.We also bought a couple of Surface Pro 4s (wife and grandson) and those also work fine. There not nearly as powerful but they are probably more portable. Very nice machines!IWANTthat Surface Studio when it comes out. The high end unit at near $4100 will probably damp my enthusiasm but I wouldn't be surprised if one shows up on my work table.

author: NottheDan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2016, 10:24:49 pm
content: Quote from: AlxDroidDev on November 22, 2016, 04:19:19 pmBut those were also the days when each external deviceneededits own specialised port and you were buggered if you didn't have it on your machine. Nowadays it's just a case of temporarily unplugging something else or putting an adapter inbetween.

author: senso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 04:35:25 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 14, 2016, 05:41:28 amWhat Clevo model as stock watercooling?Cooling in Clevo chassis is a lucky shot, yes, they have big heatsinks, but QC is almost zero, there are hundreds of reports of crooked heatsinks that make bad contact with the CPU/GPU, you have huge gaps between fans and heatsinks, and the final assembly is done by the store that re-sells them, some of them go the extra mile to assure proper contact and use decent thermal paste and thermal pads, the ones that aim at the lowest price can be a crap shot..I know someone who as a Clevo that is already on is second board, second heatsink, second pair of fans and the laptop still overheats like crazy...Currently I have an MSI GT72 2QE with an i7-4720HQ and a 980m, I personally repasted it with just Artic MX-4(will re-do it when I get the time with my beloved Kryonaut), but for now full load temps with both cpu and gpu in stress test is around 75ºC for the CPU, 70-72ºC for the GPU, if I put the fans in full blast they go down to a sweet 50ºC..And running with Optimus disabled(aka 980m connected to the display and no intel iGPU crap in between) I get 3hr's battery..If you want/need the brunt of a desktop i7 in a portable package only Clevo will cover you, if not, you have some options.