Wednesday, November 27, 2019

November 27, 2019 | Posted in by Daiki | No comments

Acer Aspire TC-885-ACCFLi5O Desktop, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8400, 8GB DDR4 + 16GB Optane Memory, 2TB HDD, 8X DVD, 802.11ac WiFi, Windows 10 Home

Acer Aspire TC-885-ACCFLi5O Desktop, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8400, 8GB DDR4 + 16GB Optane Memory, 2TB HDD, 8X DVD, 802.11ac WiFi, Windows 10 Home

This is pretty much an all-in-one, already assembled desktop without a monitor. It comes with a keyboard, mouse, and the station itself.

Firstly, this is made for general purpose usage and is not to be taken as anything close to a gaming PC. However, you can add a graphics card to this if you choose to later. The power supply might have to be changed out, however, due to certain power plug-ins.

Specs:
CPU: Intel i5-8400 6-core CPU (Hexacore) no hyper threading, so a flat 6 solid cores at all times. *In general this is a very nice CPU that is about 30% less in performance than a stock 8700k, to give you a comparison. Great CPU for gaming.
Graphics: Intel UHD 630. This GPU is really for light photo editing, and 4k/UHD video streaming rendering. It's really made for being able to watch high quality video, but not to game with it. **To give you an idea of its gaming performance: It should play games from about 2012 and behind fairly well, but anything after it can struggle on.
HD: 2 TB SATA (non SSD)
RAM: 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4, only 2 slots. Can go up to 32GB on the board, though the CPU can support 128GB.
Ports:
4 x USB 2.0
2 x USB 3.0
1 x USB sleep/charge port
2 x HDMI out
1 x VGA
1 x Ethernet
1 x SD Card
1 x USB 3.1 / USB - C

Performance: Quite good overall. I would recommend doing a clean install of Windows 10 to get all the pre-installed software off, however it's not *too* bad. Runs very cool, and there is quite a good vent performance going on here. Large vents to the side, and two out of the back. Very fast (as fast as a platter HD can be, anyways) with a nice CPU and fast RAM.

This desktop, overall, is quite nice as a computer that you don't have to think about much. The CPU will last you several, several years and the GPU should suit you well enough if all you do is internet browsing/stream movies. If you game, at all, you probably want to look at another desktop or look to install a dedicated GPU. For a non-gamer, this desktop is very good.

The one addition I would recommend is to install a SSD drive as your main operation system boot drive. This would turn the desktop into an extremely fast performing PC that would last for several years.

A nice bundle package that sports a beefy CPU, plenty of ports, cool running, and the ability to change/upgrade later should you choose to.

My home system that is used for office overflow work had a motherboard failure that was too costly to repair. I purchased the Acer Aspire TC-885-ACCFLi5O Desktop, rather than assemble another from components. It took five minutes to plug the unit in, have the simple Windows set up completed and connected to the Internet with the system's built in Wi-Fi.

Compared to the older high performance tower system it replaced the Acer is quieter, much more compact, and significantly faster for my purposes. I use it to maintain a remote server, for Internet publishing and for graphic design and photo editing. Disk storage is huge and the 16GB Intel Optane Memory makes disk access very fast. The system has 8GB of RAM and could be bumped up to 32GB, but I am finding that not necessary.

The integrated Wi-Fi is easy to set up and much better than the older system. The Acer keeps pace with the 100mbps DL / 12 UL Spectrum connection through a Linksys Max-Stream AC2200 MU-MIMO Tri-Band WiFi Router and
NETGEAR Cable Modem (32x8) DOCSIS 3.0.

The keyboard and mouse are wired and the keyboard is a compact layout with relatively heavy key resistance. Both are nicely done and work without a problem. The graphic display is excellent and multiple monitor use is supported. I use a single with a high speed HDMI connection, leaving one more HDMI and a VGA connection.

The front panel layout is useful with audio in and out jacks, 3.0 and 3.1 USB ports and a card reader. The DVD drive is handy for older software and useful if there is a drive failure in the future. There are 6 more USB ports at the back panel and another set of audio ports and a wired LAN connection.

The system is supplied with Windows 10 Home, but there is no useful additional feature for me in Windows 10 Pro. I am not a fan of Windows 10 and the rent a software approach to applications, but that is the state of systems and not Acer's fault.

Support is +/-. The system comes with the Acer Care Center application for performing simple administrative clean up tasks and to get tech support. The application hung up on my system. Acer online chat suggested I download and reinstall, but a check with the Acer Care Center compatibility checking tool showed it to be not compatible with this system. Advice they gave regarding memory upgrades was complete and accurate.

Addition 4/27/2019 - While the specs show a free SATA connection, the manufacturer might clarify that there is only a physical mounting space for a 2.5" drive, not a 3.5. Additionally, there is no obvious power source for the device as the second plug on the power supply cable is too short to reach the mounting area. A popular and highly rated external USB 3.0 drive box was not recognized in any of the USB ports. So I am going to leave this alone and use it as it works flawlessly with all application software, the system is fast with office and photo editing software.

I remain happy with the purchase. Great price and excellent performance.

Super fast, smooth, extremely quiet!
My old HP Pavilion after 11 years was getting a bit annoying. After I cleaned the fan from the Nvidia graphic card, the pc got back working fine. But I decided for an update, and this is a great pc and not crazy expensive. It’s worth.

Easy setup. FAST to boot. Everything works out of the box. I am impressed with the speed of yhis system. NOT for gaming. A basic home computer with a lot of extra pizzazz. The Optane memory really revs up this little box.

I had an HP all in one computer that died on me crashed at least 5 times. My HP was sent back to the factory twice I downloaded discs to restore it once and was on the phone with tech support for help with it several times. I purchased this Acer PC and had never bought this brand previously but read about it online. I looked up the information and decided this was the PC I needed for small business and personal functions. I have used it for a couple of weeks now and it is performing great. So far I am loving this PC.


Get it Now

Feature Product

  • 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8400 Processor (Up to 4.0GHz)
  • 8GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM Memory & 16GB Intel Optane Memory
  • 2TB 7200Rpm SATA hard drive & 8x DVD-Writer Double-Layer Drive (DVD-RW)
  • 802.11AC Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet LAN & Bluetooth 5.0
  • 1 - USB 3.1 Type C Gen 2 port (up to 10 Gaps), 1 - USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, 1 - USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 4 - USB 2.0 Ports & 2 - HDMI ports & 1 - VGA Port

Description

Acer Aspire TC-885-ACCFLi5O desktop PC comes with these specs: 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8400 processor 2.8GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 technology up to 4.0GHz, Windows 10 Home, 24GB total memory: 16GB Intel Octane Memory & 8GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM Memory, Intel UHD Graphics 630, 8x DVD-Writer Double-Layer Drive (DVD-RW), 2TB 7200Rpm SATA Hard Drive, High-Def Audio with 5.Channel surround sound support, 1 - USB 3.1 Type C Gen 2 port (up to 10 Gbps) (front), 1 - USB 3.1 Gen 2 port (Front), 2 - USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (Rear), 4 - USB 2.0 ports (Rear), 2 - HDMI ports (Rear), 1 - VGA Port (rear), 802.11AC Wi-Fi, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port), Bluetooth 5.0, 300W power supply, USB keyboard and optical mouse, 17.2 lbs. | 7.8 kg (system unit only), 1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll Free Tech Support (DT.Bapaa.013)



I think this is an excellent PC for the money. It's lightning fast (as are pretty much all new computers), but I believe it has all the right hardware in place to be a very solid, dependable home computer for a long time. I've very pleased with this purchase.

In the last 20 years, I've used, built, cursed and drooled over many a PC. Currently, I alternate between using both Mac and PC systems (both laptops and desktops), but this is the first PC I've ever had with Optane Memory.

Optane Memory essentially is cache (short term) memory that assists system memory in processing tasks.

Ideally, Intel Optane Memory makes a traditional hard drive (like the 2TB 7500 rpm one in this PC) perform like an SSD drive. It works to quickly access metadata, that resides between system memory (RAM) and the main storage (hard drive).

The PC configuration that I have has 16GB of Optane Memory and 8 GB of traditional RAM. It's quicker in terms of read, but write speeds for the hard drive are minimally impacted by this configuration.

To truly maximize this system's speed, I'm hoping to boost the system by adding an SSD using a PCIe expansion port that supports M.2 for SSDs. I will then clone the Windows 10 Home operating system to the new drive and make it the boot drive, using the 2TB drive as storage. (NOTE: I will be getting that drive in the next week and will update this review after making that update.)

When I review a PC I think about who might like using it. I think this PC is a good fit for a user who does basic tasks: email, web browsing, minor photo editing, listening to music and watching movies.

It's a budget-priced desktop with great storage and room to grow. It has ample ports and can connect via HDMI to any size monitor or HDTV, making it a decent choice for a home media PC with apps for Netflix, Hulu, and Xbox.

But it's not for a user who wants separate audio and graphics cards, although you could add your own via an expansion card.

It's also not (as other reviewers have said) a gaming computer. If you consider the installed apps of Solitaire and Candy Crush "gaming" then I'm wrong. But if you're looking for a computer that can handle high frame rate games this is not for you. (NOTE: The refresh rates are 59fps and 60fps for this PC's video.)

Audio is average with onboard integrated audio but can be improved if you use a Bluetooth speaker and stream music from a device like a smartphone.

What I liked about this PC:

1. There is room to upgrade it just a bit.

2. Intel Coffee Lake Processor seems capable and zippy.

3. Entry level online gaming is OK with this PC.

4. Easy access to the interior of the case for upgrades - two screws and you slide off the side panel to get to work.

5. A good number of ports both front and back, with SD card reader, (2) USB 3.1, (4) USB 2.0, (2) HDMI, (1) VGA, USB- Type C, and microphone and headphone jacks.

6. DVD-RW drive is easily accessible at the front of the PC.

7. Small footprint makes it easy to stash this PC on a shelf or under the desk. 15" H x 7" W x 14" D

8. Runs so quietly you forget it's on.

9. The latest in Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity are on this PC.

10. This PC has both wireless and wired internet connectivity options.

11. Maximum RAM (Random Access Memory) can be upgraded to 32GB via (2) DIMM slots. **This is in addition to the existing Optane Memory of 16GB on the system I received.

12. It is a zippy computer when you're multitasking. I can watch a YouTube video, draw using 3D Paint and have several tabs open in a browser and all of it moves quickly without bogging down.

-----------------------------------

What I wish was better about this PC:

1. Very average looking case.

2. UHD Graphics 630 has a very low frame rate and I found it was glitchy - making YouTube videos freeze and the monitor go black. Happened twice during my 4 hours initial testing of the PC. **I suggest considering adding a video card to this PC.

3. Integrated sound and graphics are a cheap way to go, and while functional they offer no great sound or visuals - just average performance at best.

4. Norton Antivirus software installed, but only good for 30 days. C'mon... 1 year should be standard! But you can use Microsoft's Windows Defender suite which is part of Windows 10 and FREE. Just uninstall Norton when your trial is up and switch to Defender in Settings.

5. Some bloatware apps installed. You can uninstall them though.

6. Super cheap feel to the wired keyboard and mouse. Loud, clunky and not well made, mine is destined to be in the Goodwill bin very soon. Thankfully wireless keyboard and mouse combos of better quality are inexpensive upgrades.

------------------------------------

Upon unboxing you should sign in with your Microsoft account if you have one. Your browser bookmarks and some other things will be updated on your new PC if you do so.

You should also do a search for Updates and then let the system do a Windows 10 update.

The updates will take some time and require a couple of restarts to get the job done. I have a 100 Gbps internet connection via Wifi and it took about 1 hour to complete all the updates and restarts to my system.

-----------------------------

This PC is not bad, nor is it slow as some have claimed, but it is not going to blow your doors off via its speed with the 7200rpm HDD even with Optane Memory.

It's probably best suited for those who don't ask too much from their PC experience, but want a daily driver for general tasks.

My expectations were that this PC would be a good basic, budget PC and for the most part, those expectations were met.

My greatest concern about the overall mechanical integrity of this PC is how the integrated graphics were glitchy out of the box. I wonder if that will continue? Perhaps adding a video card would clear it up?

Time will tell.

----------------------------
-------------------------------

NOTE: 3/22/19 - Regarding the NVMe M.2 slot available to an SSD.

I tried to install a Samsung 970 EVO SSD NVMe into the M.2 slot on the motherboard of this PC. It was a royal pain to get to the port as it's located under the cage that holds the hard drive and DVD drive. A lot of tearing apart the case had to happen just to access the connection.

Since there's only one NVMe M.2 slot on the board for SSDs, I had to remove the Optane Memory module to swap it with the Samsung SSD.

The Samsung was recognized by the BIOS, but never initialized correctly. Windows 10 refused to boot as before despite making the changes that should have had it going.

When I swapped out the Samsung SSD and replaced the Optane memory back into its place, all was back to as out of the box working order.

I did change the Advanced - Onboard SATA Mode from RST with Optane (disabling it) when I put the Samsung SSD in. I reversed that process when I replaced the Optane memory.

So with regards to this PC having a M.2 slot that can accept a NVMe M.2 I'd say ... not really.

You do have (2) DIMMs for RAM with a capacity for up to 32GB though, so if you can get the BIOS configuration and SSD drive that plays nice with this system, you could theoretically remove the Optane Memory and add an NVMe SSD to the M.2 slot currently occupied by Optane Memory.

The bottom line: It's a trade-off even if you get a drive that is initialized and one I'm not sure you should make.

I have ordered an enclosure for the Samsung EVO 970 NVMe SSD and will be using it via a USB 3.1 port on the front of the case. I plan on cloning the hard drive to make it the boot drive, which may increase system speed that much more and would allow it to work with the Optane memory.

I'll keep you posted!

---------------

4/23/19: Never did get the Samsung EVO NVMe SSD to get recognized by the system. Maybe it's the drive.

I did add a 2GB MSI graphics card to this system and it made an appreciable difference. It was cheap at about fifty bucks and easy to put into the case in about 5 minutes. A simple upgrade that anyone can do.

Overall, a good basic system that is nicely boosted by Optane memory. TPM security (for encryption) also makes this system a good choice for business.

------------------------------

Great product for the price. A lot faster than my old computer.

Very nice desktop computer. Does everything I need it to do. Fast. Very satisfied.

I upgrade these with SSD drives and more ram. They're fantastic.

Get it Now

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Search Our Site