• Registered: 10 Jan 05
  • Posts: 652

Topic: Do not buy the Acer Travelmate 8204

Although this laptop is attractive because of it's looks, spec and price you should be aware of the many many problems it has.

The LCD screen supplied in this notebook is faulty. If you look close, every 2nd row of pixels is darker than the other row. This makes professional graphics work impossible, and for the home user it makes images look dull and grainy and watching videos is not pleasurable as they look very muddy and can lead to eye strain. The display they are using is the Samsung LTN154P1-L02 and I don't understand how Acer could have chosen such a bad display to put in their flagship laptop:
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=136500

The screen is so awful one user decided to purchase an LCD and replace it themself:
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=140247

The laptop buzzes when running 3D applications such as games. Running the ATI catalyst demo tool also causes the buzzing. Acer are supposedly replacing motherboards when people complain about the noise but the motherboard is in short supply and in back order of over 4 months.

Even more worrying is that a user who had the buzzing motherboard replaced is now experiencing crashes with the new one:
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=150713

It's protective plastic packaging can damage the casing when peeled off
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=150647

I purchased an 8204 before these problems were publicised. My laptop has been to Acer repair(a company called Esplex) 3 times and is still there now. It has been on this last visit for over 2 months. They are still trying to replace the motherboard (its on back order) and find a model of LCD which does not have grey lines. On the earlier visits they just replaced the LCD with the same model, since the problems are native to the LCD model a replacement of the same one obvioulsy had the same problems.

So Aspecto-Software is warning you not to purchase the Acer Travelmate 8204 until Acer wake up and start acknowledging and fixing these problems.

Regards,

Aspecto Software
  • Registered: 22 Aug 09
  • Posts: 1

Re: Do not buy the Acer Travelmate 8204

I couldnt agree more with you I have a 8204wlmi, and I dont know why but all of a sudden, my computer wont turn on, i put a battery in it, and after 10mins it will start to charge but 5 hours later I have only 6% charge on the battery if I am lucky sometimes only 1%. I am bamboozled I am a techie myself and I just cant make sense to it my warranty is out so i opened up, and tested with a multimeter to no prevail nothing seems to be wrong from power unit to motherboard, what bewilders me is that it will charge ever so slightly with battery but wont work at all without it.

  • Registered: 15 Jul 10
  • Posts: 1

Re: Do not buy the Acer Travelmate 8204

Good for me that I got across in this forum. I'm planning to buy a new laptop and one of my options is this Acer Model.  Thanks for the warning.  How about the Lenovo lines, do you have any comment or review?

Once again Thanks.