Key Specs | |
| 1.6GHz Atom N270 512MB DDR2 8GB solid-state drive None 8.9-inch TFT Integrated Intel GMA X3100 Linpus Linux Lite | |
Review | |
| Those who haven't yet tried out a netbook—the new category of cheap ultraportable laptops that have quickly followed on the heels of the Asus Eee PC's runaway success—may not appreciate the appeal of one, but it doesn't take more than a few minutes using a model like the Acer Aspire One to surmise the reasons behind their popularity. Like others in the genre, the Aspire One is a featherweight (tipping the scales at just 2.2 pounds) that's perfect for throwing into a bag or backpack or typing away in bed. And like the original Eee PC and the new MSI Wind U100, it makes use of Linux to keep startup and shutdown times short, though like those others (and HP's 2133 Mini-Note PC), it will be offered in both Linux and Windows XP flavors. The Aspire One is currently offered in blue or white (our test unit came in white), and Acer says brown and black versions will be available later this year. HP has so far marketed the Mini-Note as an educational product, which means Acer is the first top-tier laptop manufacturer taking aim at this nascent consumer market (Lenovo has just announced its forthcoming entry, the IdeaPad S10, and rumors are swirling about Dell and Sony soon joining the netbook fray.) The Aspire One probably won't disappoint the target audience of students or users looking for an inexpensive, highly totable second system, though we found the Wind unit we tested to be a more compelling buy. One reason is that the Windows XP-based Wind packs an 80GB hard drive, whereas the Aspire One we received has just 8GB of onboard storage. That storage does come in the form of a solid-state drive, which can boot faster than a hard drive and lacks moving parts that could get damaged if the laptop takes a tumble. But if you want to place a sizeable multimedia library on your netbook, this Aspire One configuration doesn't offer you a lot of room. (The Windows XP version, however, ups the ante on the Wind by coming with a 120GB hard drive.) Both versions of the Aspire One do offer a dedicated SD memory-card slot, as well as an additional multiformat memory-card slot (which also reads SD cards) and three USB ports, which you can use to attach external storage to the system. The Wind's 10-inch screen is also slightly larger than the Aspire One's 8.9-inch display. Nonetheless, the glossy LED-backlit screen on the Acer has good viewing angles and is more than fine for everyday use, until it gets washed out in bright light; under those circumstances, the display also suffers from a moderate amount of glare. Speaker volume is decent, though audio lacks warmth since there's almost no bass output. Like the Wind, the Aspire One uses Intel's new Atom low-power mobile processor, but because its Linux OS needs fairly meager system requirements to run, the Acer comes with just 512MB of memory. (The Windows XP configuration comes with 1GB of RAM, and Acer also offers a $449 Linux version with 1GB of memory.) It runs Linux, so we couldn't run any of our normal benchmarks, but we didn't experience any hiccups doing everyday tasks like word processing and Web browsing at the same time. Bootup time was indeed impressive, taking only 20 seconds to get to the main interface screen. It did take another 30 seconds, however, for the device to find and connect to our wireless network. As you can imagine with a laptop that measures just 1.1x9.8x6.7 inches (HWD), the Aspire One's keyboard isn't full-size, but it is large enough to make touch-typing possible, though we suffered the occasional spelling mishap with the slightly cramped keys. More problematic was the touch pad, which gave us problems, even after turning down its sensitivity. Acer has gone to great lengths to make sure that the Linux underpinnings have been gussied up enough for consumers used to a Windows-based GUI. The main interface (which can be reached at any time by clicking on the house-shaped icon at the bottom of the screen) is divided into four sections—Connect, Works, Fun, and Files—under which the Aspire One's apps are grouped. The home screen also features an Internet search bar to speed up jumping online even further. Apps grouped under Connect include Browser (Mozilla's Firefox), Messenger (an instant-messaging client that supports AIM, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger), Mail (an e-mail app that supports IMAP4, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange, POP3, and SMTP), an RSS reader, and direct links to Google Maps, Microsoft Hotmail, and Wikipedia. The free office suite OpenOffice.org makes up three of the programs in the Works quadrant, providing a word processor, spreadsheet program, and presentation software; Acer also provides calculator, calendar, contacts, and notes apps. Under Fun, you'll find a media jukebox, photo and paint apps, a utility to make use of the Aspire One's built-in Webcam, and a number of games (including one identified as Tetris, but which is really a knockoff called LTris). Files houses icons that let you access your documents, music, photos, videos, downloads, and miscellaneous files. In addition to its memory-card slots and USB ports, the Aspire One offers VGA out, an Ethernet port, and headphone and microphone jacks. It ships with a three-cell battery, but because it doesn't feature an optical drive, we couldn't formally test its stamina with our DVD-playback benchmark. In our everyday use, however, it lasted roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes per charge. That duration doesn't really jibe with the idea of the netbook as an ideal traveling companion—if you're looking for the Aspire One to stay juiced for a cross-country flight, you'll need to secure the optional six-cell battery for a pretty price. With its availability in Best Buy and Circuit City stores, the Aspire One is going to be successful, especially since Acer has the jump on Lenovo and any other major laptop manufacturers that decide to join the netbook fray. That doesn't make the Aspire One—particularly this configuration, with its puny amount of onboard storage—the best choice in the category. It does have a more appealing price than the MSI Wind, however, and it largely succeeds in showcasing the (albeit limited) charms of the netbook, a laptop that can finally serve as a lifestyle accessory for the masses. | |
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