I've had this massive screened beauty for 4-months now with not a single glitch! I replaced a 15" Dell XPS, and this larger screen size is very welcomed. Here are some observations:1. Sheer size. This laptop is in the category of DTR (desk top replacement). In other words, this machine is large enough to feel like an acceptable replacement to a full blown desktop system. The beauty of a DTR is how much cleaner your desk will look with the laptop open or closed.
2. The screen is bright and beautiful. The glass covers nearly the entire lid and there is a 1/2" black framing under the glass on the sides and bottom. The framing is slightly larger on the top where the web-cam resides.
3. The lid operates solidly. It does not have a wobbly feel. The hinge is tight enough that when you open the laptop, you have to hold down the lower half of the machine as if you are prying the two halves apart.
4. The keyboard is full size and includes a ten-key number pad. The keys are what is called 'chicklett' style. The keys operate properly but I am still not used to the unique arrangement of some of the key. Especially annoying are the dedicated half-size directional arrow keys. I could turn off the NumLock and use those arrows, but I use numbers a lot. The back-lit keyboard is a first for me, and I like it a lot!
5. This machine does play (but not burn) BluRay. (Honestly, blank BD disks are still expensive. An external USB drive is a better method of data storage.) Also plays and burns DVD & CD. This optical drive is a tray loader. I prefer slot loading only because when I have the tray extended I always feel like I could accidentally break it.
6. The sound system is incredible! Six speakers including a sub-woofer. When watching a movie on this computer I'm about 3-feet from the screen, and the picture quality and great sound are in competition with my large screen HDTV and THX sound system. It's that good.
7. Of the 5 USB ports, one is USB 3.0 which allows my primary backup drive to do it's job in a fraction of the time compared to USB 2.0.
8. Because of the sheer size, I will not be hauling this around on a regular basis. I have a netbook that I carry to school. But I did want to have a case for this machine for those rare occasions. Again, because it's to big, finding a case took hours of searching! Here is the model I found that I purchased. Cut and paste this into Amazon's search bar: Everki Advance Laptop Bag Briefcase, Fits up to 18.4-Inch (EKB407NCH18). (I wrote a review on that case love it.)
9. The machine connects rapidly to wi-fi. There is an easy access dedicated button on the front left edge of the device that instantly brings up the wi-fi and bluetooth toggles.
10. The bottom line for me when selecting this machine was company reputation and price. The laptop has perfectly handled all the heavy processing digital media editing and processing software that I have installed. Not a single burp in four months.
I would feel comfortable recommending this machine to any friend or relative seeking a DTR. In the realm of 18"+ screens, the market is still narrow. You could go with another manufacturer and pay more. Just compare the specifications and make your own wise decision.
My real issue is that after getting the laptop back from the pixels issue, less than two days later more pixels died. I called ACER customer support and they told me that I would have to pay for the screen to be replaced this time even though the laptop was still under warranty. I find it unacceptable to be required to pay to replace something that they were just supposed to have fixed two days ago!
Buy Acer Aspire AS8951G-9600 18.4" Notebook PC Now
Pros: Excellent overall package.Classy understated aesthetics, with a nice brushed aluminum finish.
Solid construction, very rigid for it's size. Seems slimmer and smaller than you'd think for an 18.4" screen.
Keyboard ergonomics are good, keys are well spaced and have a nice tactile feedback.
The removable touch-pad works well and is actually more than a novelty. It works in both normal and landscape orientation.
System stays cool and quiet during normal use, and only gets a bit louder and warmer when running games.
Speakers are surprisingly good, for a laptop mind you...
The Hard Drive is formatted as just one partition (Yay!).
Came pre-installed with Windows 7 Ultimate!? Not advertised as such, but thanks!
Has a minimum of "bloatware". Took me about an hour to get everything the way I like it.
Pretty much everything you could want in a "desktop replacement". An outstanding value for this role. There is nothing it can't do, truly a Jack of All Trades.
Cons: Just a little shy in the memory dept. 1333mhz, or at least the option to upgrade would have been nice.
The video card is not top-of-the-pile, but it is a nice mid-level card with good battery and thermal performance.
The hard drive really shoulda been a 7200RPM. This machine has some serious horsepower but it somewhat hamstrung by it's slowish (but spacious!) hard drive.
Other Thoughts: I have owned many laptops over the last 20 years, this is the best one yet. I use it for CAD, 3D Scanning, 3D Printing, Office Apps, Internet, Games, Videos, etc... While not the absolute best at any one of them, it excels at all of them.
I would have paid another $200 for a better Hard Drive and Video Card.
Read Best Reviews of Acer Aspire AS8951G-9600 18.4" Notebook PC Here
Acer didn't even bother to wire the 2nd hard drive bay.It costs you $60+ for the cable and brackets and lots of research to make the laptop usable.
I will NEVER buy an Acer again.
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After about 10 months, it quit turning back on after sleep. Now, it just randomly shuts off after being on for a while. Before that, I would have given it a 5 star rating.
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