So sapphire (my acer aspire 4730z) has been well. But I noticed some missing softwares from acer that should come with it… or so i thought… half of the user guide mentioned about the ‘Acer empowering technology suite’ and it happens that my model (4730z) do not accompany it… I checked the CD but there was no installer.  I am deeply dissappointed.. the ‘e’ button at the side of the speakers only runs the launch manager which is another shortcut button to any application you choose. And as I studied it further, the only ‘technology’ that is present in sapphire is the crystalbrite and the signalUP. I haven’t tested the wifi access but it should work…   As my brother pointed out, my notebook looked generic because of  the few acer programs put to it.. wah! Downloading is a possibility but would the compatibility be an issue? as of now no drivers are available for the 4730z model in the acer website… *sigh*

Setting this fact aside,  I’m still enjoying my new notebook… I have a new cooler and sleeve.. yippee..

a big factor when it comes to buying a laptop would definitely be its price. Of course we would want the cheapest laptop that will hold our desired specs…  MSI and Neo are the two competing brands when it comes to it. Here’s a little comparison of the Best Buys of both teams,

for MSI VR340 BK2  ~P30,000 [29,500 at PC options as of Last Sunday]

Intel Core2 Duo Mobile Technology
Intel Core2 Duo T5450 1.60GHz 
667MHz 2MB L2 Cache Processor
Intel GM960 Chipset
Intel GMA X3100 Graphics
MSI Wireless 802.11G
1GB DDR2-667 Memory (Max: 2GB)
80GB Hard Disk Drive
Super-Multi DVD+/-RW Drive
13.3″WXGA TFT (1280×800) Superb Glare 
1.3MP Webcam Built-in
Card Reader 5-in-1 MMC/SD/MS/MSPro/XD
Firewire Port /1GB Lan / 56K Modem
3 x USB2.0, PCMCIA Slot
Weight : 2.2kg; Battery life: 3Hours (6-Cell)
MSI Carrying Bag
NO Operating System

For Neo Empriva 540RVP~P33,000

Picture is Neo 572SVB.. ^__^

	Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T5450
	(2Mb L2 Cache, 1.66GHz, 667MHz FSB)
	Intel® GM965 Chipset
	Intel® ProWireless 4965 a/g/n
	Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium
	60-days MS Office 2007 trial
	2.0Gb 667MHz DDR2 Memory
	80Gb SATA Hard Disk Drive
	14in. Widescreen WXGA TFT Display
	Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
	8x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) Supermulti
	Integrated Web Camera, Built-in Mic & Speaker
	10/100/1000Mbps LAN
	Integrated 56Kb Modem
	2x USB 2.0, Firewire
	7-in-1 Card Reader
	6-cell Lithium Ion Battery
	2.4Kgs.
	1 year warranty

By the looks of it Neo wins when it comes to having the the cheapest price for the best specs but there’s always a drawback…. Just by surfing the net, there’s a whole bunch of forums that are complaining about their products and their management… Check these out:

http://www.philippinelaptops.com/2007/09/25/buying-a-neo-laptop/

http://www.philippinelaptops.com/2008/09/22/junbims-neo-laptops/

Friends voted:

MSI – 4

Neo – 1

Well, as of now, I’m going for MSI… it’s better to be sure than sorry..:)

Just yesterday I went to Gilmore with alvin to buy stuff for upgrading alvin’s PC. This was a great opportunity to canvass netbooks since I’ve decided to buy a one during the sembreak. After a long day, I ended up with 2 choices.. well, at first 3, but I had HP mini-note crossed out after I realized that its processor isn’t Intel Atom. Well anyway, back at the dorm I’ve searched for reviews from the net and asked friends for advice. Note: both notebooks have similar specs, 10″, 80Gb HDD, 1G memory, Intel Atom processor, 3 USB ports, wifi, cam…

Here’s what I’ve gathered over-all

Asus EEE PC 1000

-long battery life (stays upto 7 hours)

-better LCD display and speakers

-Not so comfy keyboard

-More expensive(ranging from 25k-27k pesos)

MSI Wind U100

-battery life stays less than 2 hours (This I can’t confirm since reviews say it is just same with eee pc’s battery performance but according from personal experience of a user, it lacks.)

-ergonomic keyboard and touchpad

-cheaper (20k, plus if you buy this September, free upgrade to 160gb hdd!)

Friends voted

MSI Wind – 6

EEE PC 1000 – 4

The big drawback… this small laptops are advantageous in terms of mobility but Intel Atom is not known for its speed but for it’s battery saving capabilities. If I am to sell my Acer Intel Celeron, 40GB HDD,1G Memory to buy a new one, a real laptop is preferred (Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB Memory, 160GB HDD like Neo Empriva or HP 520). But if i am allowed (by my mom) to have two laptops, one stays at the dorm and one I bring to school, then I would consider buying MSI Wind. Plus I have to buy an external DVD writer that costs 4k.. so the cheaper MSI wind is better…