On buying a new computer, is Acer any good?

[Tdarcos]

On Caltrops I posted how I'm interested in buying a new computer and asked for suggestions but nobody bit. I've decided in view of the price structure and available features that I'm going for quad core rather than dual core. So I saw a really good price on a quad core. As I wrote, One is a really nice sweet spot on price. $329.99 for an Acer, it's a 3.1 GHZ processor, which is quite impressive (all of the others are 2.1 to 2.8), 4GB of memory, 1TB disk, has 6 USB ports (2 front, 2 rear). If it was HP or Dell I'd say it's perfect but I don't know Acer, I don't know if it's any good.

HP and Dell refurbished machines of this feature level typically get at least a $50 premium so being able to save that much money on the purchase means the difference between buying it within the next week or so and having to delay a month or more.

I mean, as I noted if the Acer was HP or Dell I'd have no qualms about buying it, but I don't know much about Acer. Any suggestions? (And no, committing suicide to not have to make a decision is not a valid suggestion!)

[RetroRomper]

Acrer, Asus, Lenovo, etc. are all on the same level as HP / Dell and you'll hear horror stories either way. As I noted in the last thread you created on this topic, you need to be careful that your buying a system with a discrete graphics card and the Llano processors that sell around this price point, are underpowered (though anything will more or less play DNF at full settings). And as I'm sure your aware, there is no catch all level of competency for OEM systems, as there will always be horror stories. But it's more important of what is under the hood, as opposed to the "brand."

I still suggest you think about building your own PC as it will from a performance standpoint, last alot longer than a refurbished OEM system (and since the advent of the i3 - i5 processors from Intel, quad core as a requirement is more satisfying a mental checklist of components than truly necessary for a capable computer).

[re Al Green Check]

On Caltrops I posted how I'm interested in buying a new computer and asked for suggestions but nobody bit.

Jonsey, what's up with those pricks on Caltrops? They're too good to answer the commander's computer question when that's absolutely the kind of thing they do all the time? Jerks.

[RetroRomper]

There are already resources available for computer tech related information (and no offense to Tdarcos, but his queries are overly general to a point): is Acer any good? Look at the components.

Research options.
Google.com (sorry, but its the most obvious route).
Techreport.com (indepth review of components)
Anandtech.com (same, though with a more technical slant)
Arstechnica.com (general computer / news site)

Between those four resources, he should have an overall picture of how well his system will perform. And he can post on the techreport forums and receive a more immediate answer as to the quality of refurbished Acer desktops.

Unless you have a very good friend / am paying for a system to be built, the best resources available for self guidance in the realm of PC's are the above sites.