Acer Aspire SA80 - Is it an Ace up your sleeve? (Acer Aspire SA80)

Member Name: Jazzy09

Product:	Acer Aspire SA80
Date:	24/05/09 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reliable, functions well to the best of its ability

Disadvantages: Will require upgrades

Built by: ACER
RAM: 512 MB (Megabytes)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional

This is a great Desktop PC but having has this a few years now my advice is that it will need a few upgrades to meet the demands of the modern computer world.

WHAT CAN IT BE USED FOR?
I tend to use it to do work on it and also to play movies/music through the speakers I got with it. I have linked this up to my PS3 (Playstation 3) so a direct internet connection can be ran through the PC rather than using wireless and losing connectivity.

UPGRADES
I have had to do many upgrades to keep up with the times. For example I have upgraded to Windows Vista Home Premium but in doing so I have had to insert 2Gb (Gigabytes) of RAM (Random Access Memory) which enables larger operating systems and Microsoft Office 2007 to run smoothly without and delays.

The graphics card gets 2.2 rating from the windows performance monitor overall and a 2.3 rating for gaming graphics. Since using this PC have had no problems with the graphics or drivers.

THE PROCESSOR
The chip inside this PC is a Intel Celeron D 2.8 GHz (Gigahertz) and gets a 4.0 rating from the performance monitor which is quite good. This type of speed along with the added memory will make any program/game run like a dream.

The processor can also be upgraded if you wish to do so. I haven't had to do this yet but maybe in a few more years when programs get bigger and use more graphics then this may be required.

MEMORY
The memory that comes with this PC is 512 MB (Megabytes) and does the job for Windows XP but if you wish to upgrade to Windows Vista you will require further memory. The expansion slots allow you to upgrade to maximum of 2GB (Gigabytes).

OPTICAL DRIVES
The drive comes with a floppy disk drive along with a Dual Layer DVD Re-Writer drive. I find this very useful for backing up my documents and other items which may need transferring. It is always useful to backup documents in the event of any hardware breaking down especially the hard disk.

HARD DISK SPACE
The hard drive has a total of 160 GB (Gigabytes) and will do the job for any windows upgrade or any additional programs you may want to add to the system. What I have had to do to create additional space to my existing hard disk is to install a second hard disk (this does require an advanced knowledge of computers but stores like PC World can do this for you at a small cost).

Another option would be to buy an external hard disk and plug into your PC using USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports.

Speed: 7,200 RPM (Rotations per Minute)

NETWORKING THIS PC
Networking this PC can be done using the simple step process which windows gives the user. As previously mentioned I networked my PS3 to the PC giving a direct internet connection. You can also link two PC's together which will enable you to play games over a local network or to share items from PC to PC.

DIMENSIONS OF THE TOWER
The width is 7.25 inches, the depth is 18 inches and the height is 14.5 inches and is an ideal size for an office or home.

OTHER SPECS
Memory Slots: 2xDIMM
PCI Slots: 3
PS/2 ports: 2
LAN (Local Area Network) ports: 1
Parallel ports: 1
Serial ports: 1
Audio: Realtek

CONCLUSION
Overall this is a lovely PC and meets all the minimum requirements for a home and business PC. Great for gaming, work, and multimedia. The operating system may be a bit older now but I would recommend this PC to anyone who is just looking for something reliable and user friendly.

RATING: 4/5

Summary: Lovely machine and does the job nicely!

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