Poor screen resolution and video on new Acer Laptop

Steve Ladd

New Member
Messages
5
My new Acer laptop has very disappointing screen and video quality. The screen resolution is maxed-out at 1366 x 768 with Intel HD Graphics 4000. Those specs should be just fine for great visuals. My old desktop didn't come close to that but I could watch Youtube videos very well with no pixeling of image. Acer tech support said "new graphics driver download" and I did that , to no avail. Any ideas about settings adjustments etc.? My wife's 3 year old Acer has better screen quality than my new one.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer
    CPU
    750 GB
    Motherboard
    Intel i5
    Memory
    500 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Graphics 4000
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    windows defender and trial McAfee
Hmmm. Sounds like it could be a driver problem.

One of my Acers has the 4500MHD chip, this one has the HD 3000 chip, and I haven't had those issues.
Both run the latest drivers and standard (default) settings, and both play Youtube videos with no problems.
The 4500MHD is restricted to 1366x768, but that res is more than adequate for most purposes, the HD3000
will go to 1920x1080..
I get my drivers direct from the Intel site, not from Acer or Microsoft. This could be worth a try.

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
Wenda
Thank you for the Acer graphics chip insights. Getting the driver directly from the Intel site sounds like a smart idea, I'll give that a whirl. Are you happy with your Acer computers?

Steve
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer
    CPU
    750 GB
    Motherboard
    Intel i5
    Memory
    500 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Graphics 4000
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    windows defender and trial McAfee
Very happy. I have an AS5735 laptop, this AS8951 laptop, and a much-modded SA10 P4 desktop.
None have ever given any trouble, touch wood.:cool:

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
Well, maybe everything is normal, just you wanted too much from acers screen quality ? It doesnt matter, new or old, what matters is that most laptops screen quality is very bad compared to pcs monitors.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ljkhlj
Well, maybe everything is normal, just you wanted too much from acers screen quality ? It doesnt matter, new or old, what matters is that most laptops screen quality is very bad compared to pcs monitors.

Not this one, it's actually VERY good, and is an 18.4" full-HD.
But, it was NOT cheap, far from it.

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
Yeah, maybe my Acer expectations are the real issue. I did think that jagged images edges and pixelated videos were a thing of the past.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer
    CPU
    750 GB
    Motherboard
    Intel i5
    Memory
    500 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Graphics 4000
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    windows defender and trial McAfee
Yeah, maybe my Acer expectations are the real issue. I did think that jagged images edges and pixelated videos were a thing of the past.

They should be, it has nothing to do with the quality of the machine. If that were the case, my four+ year-old AS5735 should be truly pathetic at displaying video, but it's not.
Acer machines are as good as any, and better than most.
What model is your Acer?

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
Well, maybe you could take some pictures with camera or phone of your laptops screen, so we could could see, whats wrong ?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ljkhlj
1366x768 is also what I have on my latest laptop. I knew what I took in house, I was interested in other specs it is 15 inch but has 16gb RAM upgrade and i7, that's all I needed + a decent GFX card.

My older (2007, 17.3 inch) Acer has a bigger screen but it's specs remain behind with it's time.

@Wenda
18.4 inch screen seems to be the biggest we can get on a laptop. I'm sure you don't travel with it much.

I'm quite pleased on 1366x768 remarkably. Sharp image is all that matters here.

Now, my old Acer graphics card died: :cry: Nvidia 8400 m gs, 256MB. Legends say it's a factory error but the card lasted pretty good. It had more and more blues screens recently and I've already used a hot air gun on it once... (temporary fix).
Now, to be able to still use it, the nVidia drivers need to be removed and running on Standard VGA with no acceleration and only on 1024x768 and it works (screen native is 1440x900). I'll replace it myself with something that matches, which I'll probably find at a scrapyard (pretty old card but what am I thinking...) or second- or even third-hand market. :cool:

This acer was pretty expensive but now I see why: the pci-e x16 card is replaceable (GFX is not soldered on-board).
You usually get this with bigger models from 17 inch and up (some lucky 15 inch have it too) and you also get room for 2 disk drives inside.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
The model of my Acer Aspire is V5-571P-6815, a mid-range laptop with touch screen. I like its responsiveness and stability, which in the end is most important. The screen issues would be a bit difficult to photograph as they are primarily pronounced in video mode. Here's a more detailed description: youtube videos for example have harsh fugitive colors and the pixels show up most during movement on a screen, say someone's arm moving and leaving a ghost image trail behind the moving form. This is a clumsy description, but the point is that something is amiss if machine quality isn't the culprit. I'm a painter and demonstration videos are fun and interesting, if not vital. I don't think it's internet speed which is DSL, as it worked fine on my old desktop and also is enough for my wife's older Acer laptop. In any case thank you all for your ideas and concern; it helps me narrow-in on the problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer
    CPU
    750 GB
    Motherboard
    Intel i5
    Memory
    500 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Graphics 4000
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    windows defender and trial McAfee
The model of my Acer Aspire is V5-571P-6815, a mid-range laptop with touch screen. I like its responsiveness and stability, which in the end is most important. The screen issues would be a bit difficult to photograph as they are primarily pronounced in video mode. Here's a more detailed description: youtube videos for example have harsh fugitive colors and the pixels show up most during movement on a screen, say someone's arm moving and leaving a ghost image trail behind the moving form. This is a clumsy description, but the point is that something is amiss if machine quality isn't the culprit. I'm a painter and demonstration videos are fun and interesting, if not vital. I don't think it's internet speed which is DSL, as it worked fine on my old desktop and also is enough for my wife's older Acer laptop. In any case thank you all for your ideas and concern; it helps me narrow-in on the problem.

You can see the drivers from acer here: Acer | Download
Type the model there or select it.

You can also search Intel drivers on: Intel Download Center
I also have HD4000 and the drivers were updated several times.
See this in particular: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...rsion=Windows 8, 64-bit*&DownloadType=Drivers

For youtube:
Make sure you try different (latest version) browsers with the latest version of Flash Player installed and see if the problem persists.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
@Wenda
18.4 inch screen seems to be the biggest we can get on a laptop. I'm sure you don't travel with it much.

No, it's a 'desktop replacement' laptop, and doesn't go far from my lounge-room.
It really is a lovely piece of kit, there's nothing it can't do.I paid a lot for it, but it's
been worth every penny so far.
I have a 15.6" laptop and a 7" Android tab for mobile use.

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
The model of my Acer Aspire is V5-571P-6815, a mid-range laptop with touch screen. I like its responsiveness and stability, which in the end is most important. The screen issues would be a bit difficult to photograph as they are primarily pronounced in video mode. Here's a more detailed description: youtube videos for example have harsh fugitive colors and the pixels show up most during movement on a screen, say someone's arm moving and leaving a ghost image trail behind the moving form. This is a clumsy description, but the point is that something is amiss if machine quality isn't the culprit. I'm a painter and demonstration videos are fun and interesting, if not vital. I don't think it's internet speed which is DSL, as it worked fine on my old desktop and also is enough for my wife's older Acer laptop. In any case thank you all for your ideas and concern; it helps me narrow-in on the problem.

You can see the drivers from acer here: Acer | Download
Type the model there or select it.

You can also search Intel drivers on: Intel Download Center
I also have HD4000 and the drivers were updated several times.
See this in particular: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...rsion=Windows 8, 64-bit*&DownloadType=Drivers

For youtube:
Make sure you try different (latest version) browsers with the latest version of Flash Player installed and see if the problem persists.

I went and checked the system specs for your machine, and they're more than adequate for most tasks.
Have a look at Hopachi's links, you may find them useful.
And yes, if you are using IE, install Firefox and Adobe Flash Player, then give it a try.
Also, before playing a Youtube clip, check the little taskbar at the bottom of the clip, you
can often select a clip with better-than-the-default resolution. Some are pretty woeful.

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
Excellent suggestions, I will try some or all of them. Adjusting the video quality on the video task bar does help the clarity, I will make sure to do that each time. Also , the Intel driver download site is now saved and could be the difference maker. I had Firefox on my old desktop and liked it, so maybe it's time to jettison IE for a better browser. Another idea occurred to me, which has just been tried with positive results: The Graphics Media Control Panel. It brings up display properties, color, contrast, brightness, hue, saturation, etc. There are default settings but I was able to soften that solarizing effect by decreasing the contrast and increasing the saturation a little. I think that maybe the factory display settings were too bright and washed out. This doesn't cure the questionable 'movie' quality completely but does make it easier to live with. All your suggestions are excellent and much appreciated; my floundering has diminished because of them. Thank you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer
    CPU
    750 GB
    Motherboard
    Intel i5
    Memory
    500 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Graphics 4000
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    windows defender and trial McAfee
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