You're right, Acer generally doesn't have the best reputation for computers. If this is one you are pretty sure will have the quality you need then go ahead, though, it might be wise to get New Egg's warranty.
As far as the specs... they look pretty good for the price. My only suggestion is to get a SSD as soon as you can. It will make the world of a difference in the performance.
Out of curiosity, how long have you had your HP?
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