Customer Reviews

Averatec AV3225HS-01 Laptop (AMD Athlon XP-M 2000+, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard drive, 802.11g, DVD+CD-RW combo)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

First and foremost, I too was hesitant about buying this laptop given it's mixed ratings. I'm pretty tech savy, so I do my research and I make sure I'm getting a good product before I buy ANY PC. So after reading reviews, I took the plunge, and I myself became a skeptic; the one I took home from a local store had a keyboard that was messed up, typing two characters for each key (talk about weird typing).

However, since buying mine about a month ago, I've been pleased with it's results. I've given serious thought to this review, and will try and point out all the good, and the bad. In a nutshell, you really need to think about WHAT you want to do with your labtop PC before you buy this computer. First let's look at the basics.

First, if you're looking for long battery life, this isn't the one for you. In fact, if battery life is very important to you, just spend the extra cash for one with Intel's Centrino Mobile Technology (you can't beat them for battery power). Averatec's PC will give you about 2.5 hours of battery life on this model (why they say 3 is beyond me). For most people doing typing, spreadsheet work, scanning, etc that's going to be enough. You could always buy a second battery too (they aren't THAT much.) It makes a good PC for Office, Library, Class, Home, etc work. If you're looking to run DVD's all the time, or constantly stay on the Wireless network, then you're not going to get good battery life. It's the ideal PC for a student in my opinion for class; especially given it's small size. The wireless network is also great, and it's easy to cut on and off (button right on the top)... so you can save battery life easily.

The next factor is Size. This labtop is one of the best money can buy for it's size and weight. That's one of the main reasons I looked at it, and purchased it. Sony's smaller labtops cost an arm and a leg, and just aren't worth it. If you need a small, compact PC, Averatec is for you. It's a powerful little PC with a lot built in... again, just consider how much battery life you need. I use mine mostly for work at the University and Documentation stuff. I also will use it for business when I travel for photo's, etc. So to me, this is ideal.

Next thing, like others have said, the keyboard may take some getting used to. But it's a trade for the small size, so I can't complain. It hasn't been a huge annoyance for me; nothing as bad as some make it sound anyway. My main complaint was the same as another reviewer; that the Control key (Ctrl) has been replaced with the Function key and is now situated to the right of this Function key. It can be annoying at times. Other than that, no problems honestly.

Another thing is how the PC can heat up. While I don't personally care how much it heats up, if you do, then you might want to avoid the PC. I've been surprised how heated it gets. Again, if you're using this thing on a desk, no problem. If it's sitting in your lab, just use a book; otherwise avoid the PC... it can get rather warm.

The last thing that I can think about is the Speakers and Sound. This is NOT a PC for good sound quality, it just sounds flat. Again, if you're using this for an Office/Classroom PC, that's not an issue.

One thing I love about Averatec's PC is the three USB ports on the front side on the right. While the location is a bit weird, it's great having them for flash cards, scanner, a mouse, etc.

The PC can also support great monitor resolution... another perk if you're using it in an Office setting with a larger monitor.

Another downside is the fact it lacks a normal Printer cable connection. Most printers use USB now anyway, but it still would be nice to have it at times.

I'll close out with one last thing. Performance wise I'm very impressed. I really pushed my labtop hard to see how much I could get it to run at the same time, and it did very well. I used heavy photo programs, Macromedia Flash, GIS software, etc all at once to test it; not bad if I may say so myself, and I'm very picky about speed. It was one of the reasons I was hesitant to buy it, but AMD has impressed me again here. I also loved the wireless network feature... it's great and I can go anywhere in my house now and surf the net, access files on my desktop PC's, etc. It's great! A lot of University's are building these wireless networks into their campuses now, which makes it even better for the student.

Finally, here's two tips I'd offer:

Calibrate the Battery. You can find the manual for this PC on Averatec's website, or in the "My Documents" folder of your labtop. It takes a loooong time to calibrate, but it's a good way to keep your battery alive longer.

Speaking of calibration, make sure you also calibrate the fan. It's easy to do, just follow the manual as before and it'll help keep the fan quite more.

Overall, I love this PC. I wouldn't trade it back for another one and have no regrets on buying it. It's not perfect by any means, but for the price, size, weight, and performance, you really cannot beat it. It had PC Mags Editor's Choice award for a reason. I too have found it impressive.

If you buy it locally, get the extended warranty. It's always smart to do this with a PC. I did, and I think it'll be worth it if something goes wrong.

I thought I would put the record straight on this laptop. I have been using portable computers for over 19 years since the Compaq luggable, and currently own the following notebooks :
- Thinkpad T41
- Sony VAIO K23
- Dell Inspiron 5150
- Apple iBook 12 inch
- Thinkpad 600E
- eMachines M6809 (another AMD - 64 bit Athlon)

....so you will find this review very accurate and unbiased.
First of all, this is an OUTSTANDING laptop for under $1,000. It has a fast processor and hard disk and 512MB of RAM is enough for most tasks and quite a bit of multi-tasking. It is well-built, with a very sturdy magnesium alloy frame, although some would say it could look a bit cheap.
The screen is very bright and sharp and I don't find 1024x768 at all restrictive in a 12-inch screen size....I would say it is just perfect.
The keyboard.....ah yes, the keyboard. Well, all the letter keys are great full-size keys with a good travel and a nice feel. The only thing that may take some getting used to on the keyboard is as follows :

- several keys are smaller than what you will be used to, including all the function keys and all the number keys along the top, but they are definitely usable.
- The PGUP, PGDN, HOME and END keys have to have the FN key pressed as well , so that takes a little getting used to.
- Probably the worst one for me was the size of the BACKSPACE key, as I use this a lot :-)
- The comma and period keys are also smaller.
However, take it from me, this is a VERY usable keyboard.
The wireless card and antenna give the best reception out of all of my notebook computers, which is really nice. The battery life is over 2.5 hours, which is good and well within parameters for its class. The batteries are only $99, so I got a spare one for long trips. Three handy USB ports on the right hand side make connecting peripherals a snap, although they are placed close together.
This machine has the nicest touchpad I have ever come across - a beautiful light feel and tap-and-drag with locking drags means that you never ever have to use the left mouse button! It's a synaptics model, so up there in quality with the best.
The machine does get a little hot, so you will need to put it on a magazine if you have it on your lap a lot - I got a Targus lap desk from CompUSA. This will increase the airflow to the fan as well, so worth the investment.

So do NOT believe the naysayers.....RUN, don't walk to the nearest outlet and buy one of these. You will not regret it for one moment, believe me. FANTASTIC quality, specifications and performance for the price.....unbeliveable, really.
I use this more than my Thinkpad, which is saying something, huh ?

Cheers

Steve

I've had it for about a week now and I'm very pleased. It's small and light and best of all, half the price of a Sony! I've seen both good and bad reviews for this item so I was hesitant to buy one. The construction seems good and it feels nice and solid. The keyboard layout is a little odd, but I'll get used to it. I wish they could remove those stupid "Windows" keys and make the space bar a bit wider. I plugged it into a desktop monitor and was surprised to see it supported up to 1600 x 1200 resolution... and that was just in 32MB video mode.

Pros:
- The price.
- Small and light, a notebook that is actually the size of a notebook!
- Performance, no complaints here! 512MB RAM, 40GB HD, 64MB video, and fast enough for anything I'm likely to do with it.
- DVD+CD-RW combo.

Cons:
- The USB ports could be in a better spot. It makes using a mouse difficult at times.
- The battery life isn't is good as I'd hoped.
- A little on the noise side.
- The speakers aren't very loud, especially with DVDs.

I researched this laptop for quite a while before plunking down my hard earned ducets - so far it's lived up to my expectations (which were high).

Criteria to chose this laptop:
-Need a small, light, reasonably fast laptop for a great price.

Do not choose this laptop if:
-You need crazy battery life.
-You can't adapt to a different keyboard layout.
-You really need a 3GHz P4's speed.
-You want a big screen

Positives:
-Price. Watch for rebates on this one. You can get it for a good chunk less than the retail if you're ready to purchase and can grab a week-long rebate deal. For the money you're getting a ton. Compared with small and lights from Gateway, IBM etc. you're doing it for half the price - and getting the same features.
-Performance. The processor and HDD are fast (the latter being almost more important) and 512 MB of RAM is really great for photo/vid editing. Overall this much speed should last you for a long time. I'm looking for a good 5 years out of this thing.
-Size. This thing is small. 4.3 pounds or something. It's almost the same size as a 12" G4 Powerbook overall.
-Screen. It's sharp and bright. So bright that I have it turned all the way down and it's still pretty darned bright.

Negatives:
-Avera-who? It helps if you're computer savvy and won't need Customer Support other than for a return for service.
-Keyboard. Somebody covered this but basically it'll take a bit of rewiring. I love my home/end/pgup/pgdn keys so you either need to get used to pressing FN at the same time or remap your keys in software.
-Battery. 2.5 hours is what I get - inching towards three if I have WLAN off and screen turned down. I think this is plenty of time - but then again my last laptop lasted 1 hour :)
-Size. A positive and negative. It's impossible to have a light laptop that's got a large screen (well, for less than 2500 it is). So realize that you'll have less screen real estate than you might be used to. I moved from a 15.1 to this 12.1 and I'm OK.

Non-issues:
-Lack of a printer port - c'mon, buy a new printer. Don't worry about this.
-Only one expansion slot - it's got 802.11G built in and 3 USB 2.0 jacks. I'm not sure that I'll ever have anything in the PCMCIA slot.

Overall:
If you're a student or professional in need of a portable computer then this is your absolute best bet. I would recommend this computer to anybody. Why not 5 stars? Well...nothing's perfect and the keyboard could conceivably bug some people. Would I buy it again? Yeah, I'm buying two more in a few months for my brothers.

I hope this helps - take care!

I purchased this computer elsewhere before it became available on Amazon. So far (2 weeks) it's a gem. Nice balance of portability, function and price. Keyboard seems to have improved since the 3150 version (notably, a larger space key) criticized in some reviews. Out of the box the fan is noisy, running at max speed, so it's important to "train" the fan in the BIOS power setting menu. That lowers the fan's speed and noise. Train the battery while you're at it. Then in the Windows Control Panel Power Setting adjust the setting to Max Battery to lower the CPU voltage while plugged AND unplugged, thus kicking in the fan less frequently. Perplexingly, the Notebook/Laptop setting yields low CPU voltage plugged, but high voltage unplugged! Equally perplexingly, the Desktop/Office setting yields high voltage plugged, but voltage unplugged. Guess you could switch as needed. I prefer Max Battery. Can't comment on durability yet. Too early, but the construction seems fine. Two emails to customercare@averatec (inquiring about the fan) were echoed back with no comment!?! So, not sure about support yet. But for value this computer is outstanding. Consider the "P" version with XP Pro for $50 more if you need it.

I bought this machine to replace my Toshiba with something a little lighter as I also carry an iBook (need Unix for work) This gem has eclipsed the iBook as well as I have it dual booting Debian linux and windows XP. The battery life is a bit short (2 hours) but more batteries are reasonable.

The keyboard is well designed, something hard to find on a low-cost small machine.

I've owned 20 notebooks and this is my second favorite (after my old Libretto). For less than $1,000 it is the best value around and even without considering the low price it is a great machine!

ive had this little guy for a couple of weeks now and i am so happy i got it. This is the best little machine for the money, as you'll pay 300 more for any other thats heavier, has only 526 ram and only a 30gb hard drive. The scathing reviews i have seen of this model have been from people expecting too much... this is not a pc for graphics, but it handles DVDs fine, although you'd be better off using a pair of headphones to listen to them. Laptop magazine has given this a 'best buy', and i agree.

Some things to note:
The little keyboard may prove a problem for someone with big hands, as some of the keys are shrunk for space.

The battery life isnt up to par, it lasts only about two hours, not the three as advertised, so i'll be asking for a second come christmas.

it can get a bit warmer than i expected it to, but thats of small matter in the big picture, if you keep in mind to put a coaster or something simple under it to give the fan a bit more space to work with, its realy no incovenience.

You wont regret this purchase and you'll save a good $100 in the end... good on averatec.

I was tired of lugging heavy laptops around; to work, on trips. I didn't wnat to pay $2000+ for a 512 MB laptop. The IBM is light but expensive and you don't even get an optical drive. This laptop has a DVD/CD-burner built-in. This Averatec has been a value purchase. I took it with me to Macedonia on a Northwest Medical Team mission and was able to download digital pictures and recordings then select and burn mini-cds to give to our hosts.

The battery does not last 3 1/2 hours; more like a little over 2. It's a small negative when you literally save $1000.

First of all, one thing that bugs me is the people who complain about the keyboard size on this notebook. You cannot buy a tiny laptop and expect a huge keyboard, that doesn't make any sense. You have to sacrifice a little space SOMEWHERE for such a small and lightweight notebook.

This notebook is a huge deal for the price. This is the 5th notebook that I have owned (the others being 2 Compaqs, 2 Toshibas), and by far the best. The price was much better than the other 4, as are the specs on this notebook.

Speed is great, for a Windows notebook (my other computer is a Mac, which beats down the speed of any Windows computer, but is also MUCH more expensive). I still am shocked at how quickly this notebook boots up, considering my past experiences with Windows.

The wireless capabilities are great, very easy to use. The fan is super quiet after calibration. The battery life isn't the best, but is also more efficient after calibration. The monitor is decent; the colors are a bit soft, but nothing that is a big deal at all. The speakers, like others have said, aren't very powerful, but that is typical of notebooks.

As for cons, I'd have to say that the fan should have a side intake instead of a bottom intake. The only other complaint I have is that the manual is located on the computer; there should be a print version.

I recently bought an Averatec AV3225HS notebook computer. At first glance, this computer looks like a powerhouse in a small package. After a month of use and a week of wrangling with Averatec's customer "service" (an oxymoron), it is difficult to recommend this computer for anyone who wants a battery-powered unit. The battery power is such a problem that one third of the reviews on Circuit City's site complain about it. Averatec should look seriously at this, take notes, and work out some kind of genuine conciliation for current owners.

For the experienced notebook user this notebook is not a good buy due to its deficiencies and substandard quality. To make my point, I simply refer to Averatec's manual for this unit (page 39), in which they caution users "AVOID OPERATING" this computer on "battery power" for the Internet, faxing, and audio or video (CD/DVDs). Imagine that-a battery powered notebook warning you to "avoid" using the battery power to access it's most commonly-used features! But isn't "battery power" the very reason we buy notebooks? This warning is not placed on the box or within the boxed documentation. This secret is only available when one locates the PDF manual on the hard drive. The end user is never told by the company that such a manual exists on the hard drive until they call customer service (which is another problem for this company).

I have not read of a single person in on the Internet who has obtained this amazing 3+ hour feat with this machine. Rather, most people complain that the battery drains between 1 or 2 hours. Mine ranged from 40 to 60 minutes, so I called the company. More on that later.

Averatec states the following on two feature stickers near the mouse pad, "High Performance and Long Battery Life ... The Ultimate Mobile Computer ... 56k Modem ... Built-in DVD Player and CD Burner ... Mobility Without Boundaries ... Surf the internet faster ... New Low Voltage Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M Processor Low Voltage = Longer Battery Life (up to 3+ hours)." Regardless of these unproven statements, this conflicts with their warning to "avoid operating" while surfing the internet, listening to music, or watching MPEGs or DVDs. Something that important should be put out front for the consumer to see before purchasing.

Additional problems with the Averatec AV3225H:

1. Calibrating the Battery. The battery power is the poorest, yet most important component of this notebook. I found from another Internet post that the Averatec recommends calibrating the battery as per the instructions in the PDF manual. How will someone know this if it isn't in the boxed documentation? Nevertheless, I calibrated the battery twice and got 41 minutes battery life in my tests following calibration.

2. The poorly designed keyboard may require changing habits and new key memorization from standard notebook keyboards. It will slow down the average typist due corrections when the incorrect key is typed. This is an unnecessary annoyance. An example is the Page up, Page down, Home, and End keys. These keys are only activated with two-hands (one to press the function key and one to navigate the page). Others have complained that the backspace and delete keys that are altered. I also found the Control key (Ctrl) quite a problem, since it's standard location has been replaced with the Function key.

3. This notebook runs hot, so the fan runs considerably longer and louder than on other units I've owned. Others on the Internet have complained that the unit gets so hot that it is uncomfortable on the lap and defeats its "lap-top" notebook purpose. Averatec told me that a safety mechanism prevents damage to the CPU by shutting the unit down if it gets hot enough to cause damage.

4. The screen automatically dims when switched to batter power. If you want to keep your screen brightness, you must manually adjust it each time you switch power.

5. I fully agree with others who complain about the poor audio quality for this notebook. This unit sounds tinny.

6. There are three handy USB ports on the right side. Those who use flash drives (jump drive, thumb drive) or other devices with thick USB plugs will only be able to use two simultaneous USB ports due to their tight proximity.

7. As noted above, I called Averatec to talk with them about these problems. Their customer service was poor. In my initial call, they took notes on my problems and read them back. They took my contact information and said that they will e-mail me the following day or two. I spoke to four Averatec representatives in one week, all of whom took my contact information and e-mail address. Three of the four lost my e-mail address and someone closed my case before it was resolved. The forth person told me that the other three representatives were wrong on their analysis of my problem and she insisted that I send the entire computer to the repair facility. It took a week and four representatives to get this far. This was one of the poorest excuses for customer service I've seen in years.

Conclusion: People talk about the money saved ($400 to $500) by buying this notebook instead of other units. I have owed the other notebooks and, even though this unit touts a fast CPU and a few other features that work better within the reach of a power outlet, it lacks too much when not plugged in. I would recommend that you take Averatec's published advice and "avoid operating" this notebook if you plan Internet, audio, or video usage on battery power and don't waste your time and money buying it. Instead, go ahead and spend the extra money and buy something with higher quality and better customer service.