I hate Acer and i hate Harvey Norman.
However, at this price, there is nothing similar available. Acer sells it at $1219 on sale with RRP $1699
Decent laptop with IPS screen, 1,2KG, 1TB SSD, and Intel Core i7.
Acer Swift 3 EVO 14-inch i7-1165G7/8GB RAM/1TB SSD Laptop $995 + Delivery ($0 C&C/ in-Store) @ Harvey Norman
850
dosada on 13/02/2022 - 18:42 harveynorman.com.au (3005 clicks)
Last edited 13/02/2022 - 19:13 by 1 other user
Last edited 13/02/2022 - 19:13 by 1 other user
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I logged in just to up vote this comment…and the write-up. First paragraph is accurate AF.
How many nits?
300
How many nitwits
Present! Wait…
In your hair?
Is it possible to add more RAM?
no, its soldered with no additional slots.
no deal
Maybe you are just expecting a bit too much for a laptop under $1K
@us3rnam3tak3n: Actually, it is, probably 80% of people that buy laptops never upgrade anything on them. They replace them after a few years.
How do i know that? I used to be a technician for Acer.
@dosada: Ah, that explains why you hate Acer. I just avoid them from my experience of them failing more readily than any other I've owned.
@us3rnam3tak3n: Yes, from a marketing perspective :)
Most phone manufacturers caught on and have been doing it for years now
2 USB A ports and 1 USB C port is always nice to see on a slim laptop, HN have this marked as USB C only but the Techradar review had it as TB4.0 capable ( model number are pretty close, SF314-511-7744 vs SF314-511-70TU).
Slight shame 8gb ram is soldered and non-expendable. The SSD slot is the full 2280 form factor so can take probably most nvme drives inside.
Wifi6 is a plus and so is the fingerprint sensor, most reviews all mentioned the underwhelming keyboard however.
My phone didn't even want to load the link, as if it knew I was committing a great sin
My Acer has been going for a fair few years now with no issues so I don't mind Acer. Spending $1000 on 8GB non expandable RAM is a hard ask though.
Honestly, I think buying an Acer is a mistake. Buying an Acer from HN a big mistake. But the average Joe will have plenty with 8gb of ram for the next five years
Buying anything from HN is a mistake lol.
Honestly better experience than I've had with Dell or HP.Does the average Joe need an i7 11th gen? Seems an odd combo.
@decc0 Why is it an "odd combo"? It's an i7 which is normal and 11th gen is the latest gen, that not only seems normal but ideal!!
@PukeyLuke: i7 isn't "normal" (whatever that means). That's i5. i7 is high end. If we go on your belief that 11th gen is the latest (also wrong but it proves my point further) then we have got one of the highest end, latest chips but to actually need that full power you'd be looking at wanting more than 8GB of ram.
Otherwise it's basically like using a Snapdragon 888 just to refresh FB and Insta.
Or to those technologically challenged, like putting a Ferrari engine in a Honda Civic.@decc0: "normal (whatever that means)" In this case opposite to odd. The combo doesn't seem that odd to me and by looking at the popularity of this deal it doesn't seem that odd to other people also. I just thought it was odd to describe it as an "odd combo". And I don't think you can buy a laptop 12th gen i7 CPU yet well not at HN, Officeworks etc. I think they're being released real soon, so (also wrong but it proves my point further)😊You only need to search 8gb RAM i7 11th gen into OzBargain to see how popular and not odd they are, even the "technologically challenged" folk could search it and get lots of hits!!
@PukeyLuke: All you've done is employ a personal anecdote and used a highly ambiguous way of measuring if people think this is a good deal. Comparing your use case with others is a great way to waste money.
i7-1165G7/8GB RAM/1TB SSD Laptop $995
Of course that's going to get upvotes because it doesn't list any of the downsides.
You don't see the benefits of 16GB RAM largely because you don't need it. Benchmarks test your computer's limits and what you're using it for clearly doesn't.
All I am saying is that the RAM is bottlenecking the CPU. How hard is that to understand? It's clear you're not tech savvy so I can explain that in further detail if you need me to.
I think they're being released real soon, so (also wrong but it proves my point further)
Btw what was your point here? That you now can have more processing power you won't use at a higher price? I'm truly stumped.
@decc0: Yeah not an odd combo of CPU and RAM, but enthusiasts who usually go for the higher end CPUs often go overkill on the RAM or have some specialized application in mind (if not simply future-proofing), in which case they may even be better off opting for a workstation setup, if budget permits.
If by 'odd combo' you meant 'average Joe VS i7', you have a good point, basically saying, 'Well if 8gb of RAM is good enough for the average Joe then so is an i5 CPU, so offer the average Joes a lower tier CPU along with further savings'.
TBH even Athlon 200GE's are good enough for the average Joe but most shoppers are convinced to move up through the gradually increasing prices of the vast number of CPUs on offer -pricing science is real.
I also see where you were trying to go with the analogies - an i7 could potentially be problematic in a thin Acer and while a Ferrari engine in a Civic would be dope, if you can't harness its potential with supporting mods, what's the point?
By the same token, if you added even more RAM (to make the combo less odd) you're adding to the overkill/overpowering issue, which isn't really an issue in computing unless you are referring to 'the average intended application' in an 'average build of an average brand'.
But the RRP indicates that it's not completely average and i7's aren't really all that amazing are they? I switched to AMD and haven't looked back but I can imagine the 'higher up' the chip, the greater TDP etc. yet chips designed for mobile applications generally take all of that into account.
If a Snapdragon is overkill for refreshing FB then the need to add more RAM is non-existent, unless the person really wants to break the page refreshing records. Same with the Ferrari Civic example - They've already got more than enough power, so why would they want to go further and bolt a turbo (more RAM) on to the Ferrari engine in the Civic?
The lack of a turbo isn't going to bottleneck performance until it is the weakest component in the system as a whole and laptops are riddled with compromises.
@eloque: Nice 1:30am rant lol I've seen theses shorter.
But the RRP indicates that it's not completely average and i7's aren't really all that amazing are they?
What does RRP have to do with this? If I sell a pencil for 20c with an RRP of $2 is that more of a bargain than a 15c pencil with an RRP of 15c?
Yes AMD is the way to go (and can save more money there too) but an 11th gen i7 is pretty much on top of the Intel pile.
Someone willing to restrict themselves to 8GB ram until 2027 (average 5 year lifespan for computers) for a high end CPU and spend $1000 in doing so seems a little weird. I'm not saying everyone will need 16GB of ram even by 2027, the average Joe probably won't (and neither need an i7) but it's definitely nice to have the option.
The processor has got much more to give than the RAM can offer it.
@decc0: IKR, admittedly I have continuous verbal runs - just a messed up individual.
RRP is what the manufacture reckons they can successfully market an item for, based on what's it's cost them to produce and what the market is willing to pay. You've most likely heard of the saying, 'You get what you pay for'. Well it generally holds true except in the relatively few cases where some try to pull a fast one.
On the surface, heck yeah, the 20c pencil is way more of a bargain but then the skeptical consume is going to do a bit more research, check reviews etc. to see whether this is a case of 'pulling a fast one'. I may even be tempted to purchase a $500 Persian rug, if it's been recently reduced from $1 million. I mean, WHAT A SAVING!
A person 'restricting' themselves to 8gb ram for the next few years is restricting themselves to a lot more by opting for a laptop over a PC and further, a slimline laptop over a chunky one, etc.
It's all about compromises, intended application/requirement, desire/aesthetics etc. - horses for courses.
It's actually great to become aware of the fact that the RAM is not upgradable because this is not something that the average Joe is even going to consider, let alone probe.
But once this does become a concern and apparent then the buyer has a further compromise to decide up. They can look elsewhere for a competing product that DOES allow for ram upgrades and if they find such a product that costs a bit more then they have yet more to chuck on the scales and weigh up, depending on their needs, preferences and budget. Not everyone is going to make the same decision - there's no 'right' answer, to use a cliché.
The whole emphasis on the OP's part was that you simply can't find anything else with this combination of pros and cons for the same price. This would be a completely different story if the product was advertised at its RRP, another instance where this matters.
Even if the fully potential of the i7 isn't being used, it may be offering more performance, even at 8gb than an i5 would with 8gb, therefore you are still getting more. I think the point you're getting at is that it's still a waste if you can't make the most of the processor and you're right but perhaps it's not related to the ram and the cooling on this laptop will bottleneck the CPU's performance before the ram ever gets to and having more ram would just increase the amount of waste (a waste of RAM as WELL as a waste of CPU).
So you can look at the processor and see the glass as half full or focus on the ram and see the glass as half empty. There's no wrong answer! :)
No delivery and no click and collect. Good lick saving there.
Has been many other options with 5th gen ryzens, ie couple of Lenovo recently
8gb is plenty unless you need VMs.. or big video editing
My 16gb ram laptop is always hovering around 30% when almost idle…
Yes I agree. I upgraded my NUC from 8 to 16GB, while the benchmarks showed a significant improvement.
My real world tests such as restarting my computer, opening multiple programs, loading games showed no noticeable difference.
It's nice to have, but I'm not seeing any benefits yet.You do realise that rebooting and loading games has more to do with CPU power and nothing to do with RAM capacity. RAM is essentially there to keep information in limbo, which means opening multiple programs is the closest you'd have gotten to actually stress testing it, but even then; assuming your NUC is a mobile processor, I doubt you'd barely be running anything RAM-intensive enough to notice as your CPU with shared GFX would bottleneck first.
@herpadurkastan Um, Cool!!
i could be wrong but do people think this is a good deal because of the CPU?
i think most people under estimate just how powerful CPUs are today, there are very few situations where you'd need this type of processing power, an older, more efficient, ryzen processor would be a better solution on a mobile platform even if it doesn't have the same raw power it still has far more than 99% of people will need
correction: this processor is actually quite poor, a ryzen would be much faster as well as more efficient
take the following as an example, 50% more processing power @ 50% less watts
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/682370Actually this cpu is pretty decent. For gaming (if you could connect it to external gpu via tb3) it's very capable. An everyday user which is what this CPU is aimed at, is actually overkill because the ram will run out first :)
I need a laptop for uni. Would this one have better battery life than the deal posted?
Pick something with at least 16GB RAM, if not more. If you like using lots of Chrome tabs, this will slow down rapidly.
Any recommendations at a similar price point or should I just keep my eye out on a deal to pop up? Cheers
@familyjulez: The issue is that everything is a trade off. Generally nothing is free, and when you go for a cheaper price point, you're going to be compromising on something - whether that is build quality, specifications or features.
It depends on what you're willing to live with. If you had a limited budget, and you had to get one right one, then pick one that has upgradable RAM, which you can do yourself cheaply.
If you're getting a laptop for Uni, assuming you'll be carrying it around, you'd want it to be reasonably light with good build quality so it wouldn't fall apart - this doesn't come cheap. At a low price point, you'd generally be giving up durability, if the machine is light (it'll be plasticky and break easily). Don't be fooled by 'aluminium build' on some cheap machines - since they are usually metal skin on top of plastic frame (weak).
At the end of the day, it depends on what you want it to do. For Windows, I like the ThinkPad range, which are generally Mil-Spec Rated, with on-site warranty. Something like a T series is a good choice for a balance of specifications and durability.
@happychappy1: Agree with your sensible analogy. Some good points many people don't prioritise enough as they put
specs ( some needed and some not ) before weight and strength/build quality.
this one looks like a great deal
https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/hp-15-6-15…cpu is overkill but it is efficient, according to HP you'll get 9hrs on a full charge with youtube playback (probably muted and fully dimmed)
as for memory, imho 8gb is enough unless there is a specific reason/app you need to use - there aren't many that require more than 8gb, i know of 1 app and that is incredibly niche
if you wanted to double the ram to 16gb it wouldn't be expensive either
oh, heres another with touchscreen and an even better cpu
https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/asus-vivobook-flip-14-14-…
any deals on the swift x with 3050ti?
Can't believe how much more expensive the Swift 5 is.
Intel Gen12 CPU for laptops is coming to the market soon and I believe they are trying to get rid of some old models. But still a decent setup for this price.
How is this compared to HP Pavilion Laptop 13-bb0522TU?
Double the ssd, a lot better screen
There have been some deals of similar spec at similar price but with 16GB RAM. The main features that define a deal at this price range is screen quality and whether or not it has 16GB RAM
Not exactly. This deal is i7, that previous deal was i5. Otherwise looks very similar
Good deal but tbh I'll never buy an Acer laptop again. I've had the "no bootable device" issue happen too many times out of the blue on 3 laptops and had to reset the laptops too many times.
I am perplexed with indecision about buying a laptop. Threads on here don't always help "this is crap", "terrible screen", "SSD is too small" etc.
Will probably waiting until the next Dell 20% coupon sale and just buy whatever I'm comfortable spending (which isn't too much….).
Definitely won't be from Harvey Norman.
Generally speaking the Lenovo deals seem to be best.
Yes, I would like Lenovo, but they do seem to have a premium attached to their price. Will keep looking. Probably going to dismiss Acer - have been scared off. Lenovo, Dell, HP in that order. My ideal price is something starting with an 8.
yeah same boat. looking for a $1400 machine with a $700 budget.
@shroomish: I think this is where we sometimes make our life harder and more challenging than it needs to be,
we often expect second hand/half price deals for new, especially with laptops as many phones are sold on contract.
I do the same when it comes to tech and especially for laptops.
Go for dell. They are value for money when they have the sales. I got a laptop at nearly 40% off and that baby is sweet
Never had I seen anyone hated a product and even it's retailer, but still advertising it as a deal!
An anti-Japanese Korean man defending his purchase of a Japanese camera - "Half price. I rip off Japan".
From Kim's Convenience.
So I got the i5 512gb version of this and honestly quite impressed with it. Especially since I got it for like $680~ from bing lee through ebay.
Be warned though, the speakers are complete and utter garbage. Like usually I wouldn't care that much but they are beyond a joke. I use headphones so wasn't a deal breaker but could be for some.
The problem so many here seems to have had with Acer, I had with Asus.
I had an 3 Acer laptops and a netbook, all were used and stretched to their capacity for years, with no problemoSave money and get a Dell. I have been burnt hy Acer before. The laptop crapped on me after 1 year. Warranty was gone. The speakers are tinny as well. Screen is ok
ram and screen nits meh.
I thought 300 nits was enough in OzB terms?
Maybe for up to $800-$900, when $1000+ people just want more of everything.
Usually at that price you get a few boxes ticked for your realistic wish list, but not all.
Under $2000 there will always be a few compromises and trade-offs.
We had around 6 Acer laptops, few issues, old ones the case falls appart, speaker volume low, but in hindsight good value for money.
Latest ones have a useless finger scanner and of course the Hardly and definitely abnormal "normal" NO warranty of the above dealer makes it a no deal.
Never heard of an issue with Dell. HP's tend to have the shortest life, totally overengineered, too many unused but critical things to go wrong.I think when you buy cheaper entry level laptops, it's more the way they get treated that matters as all leading brands
entry level laptops and below $1000 seem to have various models in their line up with faults and weaknesess.
Cheaper laptops are not build so strong and can't take a fall or screen being yanked open on one side so easily, then adding the
demographics of the people who buy lower end laptops, often for kids and teenager who (or friends) sometimes throw their
school bags around does not help either.
Showing as $1699 for me
+1 for the write up