The days of pure netbook devices might be numbered, but that isn't stopping manufacturers churning the little beauties out while the going is good: Acer has announced new Aspire Ones to tempt the low-cost crowd.
The first – according to the guys over at Fudzilla – is an update to the existing 10” model we know and love. The specs of the Aspire One 531 are pretty much the same as the existing model – a 10.1” screen with a 1024x600 resolution, on-board WiFi networking, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB mechanical hard drive. This time, however, Acer has opted to move to the newer Atom N280 chip, rather than the N270 which seems to be all the rage at the moment. While the specifications might not excite, the good news is that the manufacturer has managed to slim an already pretty lightweight netbook down a smidge.
Rather more interesting is the new Aspire One 751, which represents an entirely new model. Presenting a design that appears to be half netbook and half notebook, the 751 has a larger 11.6” LED backlit screen with a higher 1366x768 resolution. Buyers will be given a choice of chips, with Intel's Atom Z520 1.33GHz for the budget-concious or a Z530 1.6GHz if you're splashing out. A three cell battery providing four hours usage will be provided as standard, although buyers will have the option of upgrading to six cell version for a claimed eight hours. Graphics are nothing to write home about, being provided by an Intel GMA500 chip – although anyone interested in running one of the new netbook-oriented Linux distros will be pleased by Intel's excellent Linux driver support. Sadly, this will be an aftermarket experiment – so far Acer has only revealed a version running Windows XP Professional.
If you find the small, low-resolution screen of a netbook cramped and awkward, but still want the portability without the pricetag, a design not unlike the Aspire One 751 could be the way to go. Unfortunately, the company has yet to provide pricing details – and it will be cost that makes or breaks this model.
Do you think the incremental upgrade offered by the 531 is enough to grab peoples' attention, or has the larger 751 finally got you interested in owning a netbook? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
The first – according to the guys over at Fudzilla – is an update to the existing 10” model we know and love. The specs of the Aspire One 531 are pretty much the same as the existing model – a 10.1” screen with a 1024x600 resolution, on-board WiFi networking, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB mechanical hard drive. This time, however, Acer has opted to move to the newer Atom N280 chip, rather than the N270 which seems to be all the rage at the moment. While the specifications might not excite, the good news is that the manufacturer has managed to slim an already pretty lightweight netbook down a smidge.
Rather more interesting is the new Aspire One 751, which represents an entirely new model. Presenting a design that appears to be half netbook and half notebook, the 751 has a larger 11.6” LED backlit screen with a higher 1366x768 resolution. Buyers will be given a choice of chips, with Intel's Atom Z520 1.33GHz for the budget-concious or a Z530 1.6GHz if you're splashing out. A three cell battery providing four hours usage will be provided as standard, although buyers will have the option of upgrading to six cell version for a claimed eight hours. Graphics are nothing to write home about, being provided by an Intel GMA500 chip – although anyone interested in running one of the new netbook-oriented Linux distros will be pleased by Intel's excellent Linux driver support. Sadly, this will be an aftermarket experiment – so far Acer has only revealed a version running Windows XP Professional.
If you find the small, low-resolution screen of a netbook cramped and awkward, but still want the portability without the pricetag, a design not unlike the Aspire One 751 could be the way to go. Unfortunately, the company has yet to provide pricing details – and it will be cost that makes or breaks this model.
Do you think the incremental upgrade offered by the 531 is enough to grab peoples' attention, or has the larger 751 finally got you interested in owning a netbook? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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