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Best points: battery life, screen quality, speaker quality.
So-so: fingerprint reader is a bit blah. Keyboard isn't as nice as my larger laptop but that's one of the sacrifices you make with a 14" screen.
Awful points: none.
Be aware: if you're going to carry it around in a bag, buy a small cleaning cloth to put between the keyboard and the screen. I didn't for a day. Little bit of key rub on the screen.
I was only gonna use it for uni stuff, but I'd need it to skype and watch YT too
do you think I'd be better doing same as you and maybe upgrade the cheaper spec one?
(this one has 3 year warranty too)
If it's just for basic Office, Skype, and Youtube stuff, you won't need the i5 processor version.
I've got Reaper and Ableton Live running perfectly on mine, it handles soft synths and all the plugins I run on the big laptop and the desktop, PCloud drive running so I can easily swap files between all three machines.
If you wanted the larger screen and you were good with upgrades and reconfiguring the CMOS, hit this.
https://www.box.co.uk/NX.H1MEK.003-Acer-Swift-3-SF315-52-30DU_2386653.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5rbsBRCFARIsAGEYRwfcKBnYwvIk8yuTYetMeNWUOqjfApTJfokiNrZhuF0ABIsebwUgJe4aAqZOEALw_wcB
Take out the HD, don't bother with Optane. You would need to reconfigure something within the CMOS to remove the Optane option but that isn't difficult. Here's what I'd do with it and the kit list:
Suitable screwdriver with a Torx bit )offhand I think the screws are size 4) - £5
A plastic spudger for getting the bottom case off. - £3
USB containing the Windows 10 installer. If you need a code, go Ebay for it. They're usually under £3. = £10
SSD to replace the HD (Samsung EVO860 512GB) - £70 on Amazon right now
8GB DDR4 memory (important to get the matched set. I've got my parts list on my CCL account so I can tell you exactly what you need later on) - £30
Amount spent: £120 = £370 for the laptop = £490.
we'll see how it goes
https://www.costco.co.uk/Computers/Laptops-MacBooks/Acer-Spin-Intel-Core-i5-8GB-RAM-128GB-Solid-State-Drive-14-Inch-Convertible-Notebook-SP314-51/p/180284
arrived today, and they are so noisy
when the CPU is busy, you can hear the fans 2 rooms away, totally unsuitable for use in a lecture or library or office
are all these current i5 ones this noisy?
mine's i5 and silent
I'll get my Acer Swift 3 out in the morning and go through some of the power tweaks I did for that as well as the larger Clevo laptop.
Once the CPU load hits 50%, what temperature is the processor running at? Install Speedfan and have a look.
1) On the Swift there is close to nothing in the BIOS to alter the fan. I imagine the Spin is similar so no need to poke about there.
2) First jump into Control Panel --> Hardware & Sound --> Power Options --> Edit Plan Settings
-> Change Advanced Power Settings.
Power Options - I've got it on Balanced as I don't run anything flat out yet I can still run Ableton Live and Reaper at the same time with a number of soft synths.
Processor Power Management --> change the maximum processor state from 100% down to 95%. Some laptops respond well to this and the fan noise will kick right down.
3) Download Intel XTU.
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24075/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-?product=66427
I'll post a bit more in a mo...
Once installed, you will have to restart. Load it up, don't join the Intel PIP, and you'll come to a screen looking a bit like this.
https://cdn.lo4d.com/t/screenshot/intel-extreme-tuning-utility.jpg
-Go to Advanced Tuning and you will be on the All Controls screen.
-Disable Turbo Boost Short Power Max Enable
-If the Intel Turbo Boost Technology is Enabled, Disbale that (it is on the same screen)
Try those two for starters and then go to Stress Test. Select CPU Stress Test and zap it for five minutes. Check what the max temp your CPU goes to using the graph at the bottom of the screen.
REMEMBER TO DO THIS PLUGGED IN ie. NOT ON BATTERY. If you can sort this when on mains power, then battery settings are usually a bit 'softer' and the processor is dialled down a bit.
Right now 2 mins 30 seconds in my CPU (i3-8130u) is running at 100% utlization, 70 c and th fan noise is not excessive at all. It's not drowning out the fridge here in the kitchen and it's not a loud fridge at all.
It does sound from the reviews I was reading last night that the Spin lappies are fairly unviersally noisy. If you feel the noise is too great and return them, I can thoroughly recommend the Swift 3 or 5. The mroe I use my 3, the more my mind is blown that I have this lightweight bit of kit that I can do so much with.