Acer Aspire One Review

The Acer Aspire One is a 8.9" netbook with a starting price that is aimed to undercut nearly all the current market competitors. The base Aspire One, which includes an 8GB SSD and Linux starts at $329, which is far under anything else that has the Intel Atom processor. The big question running through everyone's minds is if this model is built like a budget computer, or if it has what it takes to go up against some models that sell for nearly double the retail price. In this review we cover all aspects of the Acer Aspire One, and let you know if this is a netbook you should consider purchasing.

Our Acer Aspire One specifications:

* 1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom Processor
* 1GB DDR2 533MHz
* Windows XP Home SP3
* 8.9" 1024 x 600 WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
* 120GB 2.5" 5400RPM Hitachi Hard Drive (with SDHC storage expansion slot)
* 802.11b/g Atheros Wireless
* 3-Cell 23Wh battery
* Size: 9.75" x 6.625" x 1.28"
* Weight: 2lb 5.0oz

Build and Design

The design of the Acer Aspire One is very sleek with softly rounded edges and a smooth glossy surface that is comfortable to hold when closed. The look is fairly basic, but it does have a few chrome accents here and there which add a bit of spice into the look of the netbook. Glossy plastic is found on the top of the screen cover, as well as around the entire LCD. At times the reflective boarder does get on your nerves if you are in a brightly lit room with many sources of glare.

Build quality looks solid for a subnotebook and the construction feels strong enough to handle being tossed around inside a bookbag without much concern for its safety (well apart from the glossy surfaces). Holding it while it is folded in half is similar to holding a hard cover book, having a good amount of rigidity to resist flex and compression. The screen cover feels especially strong, which is important for protecting the relatively fragile LCD panel.

From an upgrading perspective, the Acer Aspire One is a very difficult netbook to make enhancements to. The case does not separate as easily as others to access vital components like RAM or the hard drive. While most users won't touch the insides, it is worth mentioning it for those thinking about upgrading to Vista which enjoys additional RAM, or something looking to install a faster drive. Another disappointing aspect about the Aspire One is the open Mini-PCIe slot which is lacking any connector. This area is prepped with a SIM-card port for obvious 3G features, but unless you can solder on your own connector you are out of luck.