Acer's next-gen Aspire One Netbooks available now

We've already seen them previewed with the rest of Acer's upcoming lineup back in April, but the official release of the next generation of Aspire One Netbooks is finally here. Most notable is the inclusion of a new, bigger 11.6-inch model, the Aspire One AO751h; also new is a revamped 10.1-inch system, the Aspire One AOD250. (Confidential to Acer: we're available as product naming consultants for the low, low price of free).

Both new Netbooks are thinner than Acer's previous models, and the 11-inch AO751h has a full-size keyboard, along with a 16:9 LED display. "We predict that the larger display and keyboard will be a game-changer for mobile consumers looking to take it to the next level with the ultimate mobile device," says Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product management for Acer America. Thanks to the popular Aspire One line (and its low $350 starting price) Acer currently claims 30.5 percent of the global Netbook market, and has shipped 1.8 million Netbooks in the first quarter of 2009.

Available colors include Diamond Black, Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue, and Seashell White, and both models weigh less than three pounds. Like other recent Acer laptops, the new Netbooks include multi-touch gesture support for the touchpads, letting users pinch, rotate of flip through content.

Click through for full specs on both new models :

Acer Aspire One AO751h

(Credit: Acer)

Acer Aspire One AO751h-1192
* Intel Atom Processor Z520 (1.22GHz, 490MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
* Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home
* 11.6-inch WXGA 16:9 ratio Acer CrystalBrite High Definition LED back-lit TFT LCD (1364 x 768 resolution)
* Mobile Intel US15W Express Chipset
* 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory
* Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
* 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
* Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader and Dedicated SD Card
* Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
* Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
* Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
* Three USB 2.0 Ports
* 6-cell Li-ion Battery (5200mAh)
* 11.18" (W) x 7.79" (D) x 1" (H)
* Sapphire Blue
* One-Year Standard Warranty
* Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: $379.99

Acer Aspire One AOD250

(Credit: Acer)

Acer Aspire One AOD250-1042
* Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
* Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home
* 10.1-inch WSVGA 16:9 ratio Acer CrystalBrite(tm) LED back-lit TFT LCD (1024x600 resolution)
* Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset
* 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory
* Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
* 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
* Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
* Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
* Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
* Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
* Three USB 2.0 Ports
* 3-cell Li-ion Battery (2600 mAh)
* 10.17" (W) x 7.24" (D) x 1" (H)
* Ruby Red
* One-Year Standard Warranty
* Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: $298.00

[seemedfine]

New stuff, new me; Thanks. I Have been obsessed, researching my first truly portable laptop. Legally blind so yep, bigger IS better in a netbook; I mentor young folks with RA, so 'Budget & Light' are also Musts.
Personally must have access to a computer at all times now. In less than a month I've watched a year of your videos. Thanks, truly.
*Just read 3 hours ago someone bought the 11.6" by accident at a Walmart.. the employees had no clue what it was. Good for FL I can't drive.

[msalsbury]

As a satisfied netbook user currently on his second device (first was the Asus Eee PC 701, second is the Asus Eee PC 1000H), I'm glad to see netbook makers working to continually improve their products. On the other hand, it's disappointing to see Microsoft placing arbitrary limits on what constitutes a netbook (Google "Microsoft netbook restrictions" if you doubt that) because it means we're doomed to single-core 1.6GHz or less CPUs, DirectX 9 graphics, 1GB RAM, and 160GB HDs until Windows 7 is released... and early indications from Dell are that Microsoft is going to up the license fees for Windows 7, which will no doubt bump up netbook pricing or (if manufacturers use Win7 but cut corners elsewhere) lower system specifications to offset the increased cost. Not the smartest move for Microsoft to make in a downturned economy, if you ask me...

Still, I think once we get past the Windows 7 release date we'll see some exciting changes in the netbook space as manufacturers are freed from the Windows XP qualification limits and can incorporate faster CPUs, dual cores, more RAM, etc. Until then, we're destined to see more netbooks like those above, artificially topped out at Microsoft's XP limits: 1.6 GHz or less CPU, 1GB RAM max, 16GB SSD or 160GB HD, DirectX 9 or below graphics, and 10.1"/14.1" screens. Perhaps Linux on netbooks will make a resurgence or Apple will get in the game and force Microsoft to relax the restrictions to remain competitive.

[Renegade Knight]

Linux has no such restricrictions so it comes down to the software you are needing to run.

[Myshkin57]

I have a netbook in which I installed a 2GB ram module. It was easy. Some motherboards allow it and some don't. Mine also has 40gb SSD space.

[paperwhite]

If Acer Aspire One AO751h-1192 has a full-size keyboard,
why can't it have a 12.1" screen? I still prefer a notebook size
laptop to a sub-notebook size one for practicality.

[Turbomother]

why did they put a 1.22 ghz processor in the bigger 11"netbook, and put the 1.6ghz in the smaller one? that makes no sense.

[deniceels]

Well, if they're going with the 12.1", the cost will likely to be the same as the current market's 14inchers, thus, leaving a duplication of product with the the difference being the hardware (as the pricing will be of not much difference), an unnecessary entry to that market segment.

[Firehazel]

why would they underpower the bigger netbook? that turned me off to buying it.

[Myshkin57]

Yeah. it doesn't make much sense. How much more could the chip cost wholesale? If they put in the faster chip and only increased the price of the netbook by that price, they'd move them a lot easier.

[Neumenon]

Putting a 1.22 processor in the Acer Aspire One AO751h-1192 was a grave mistake. Too bad.

[AdeBarkah]

Why the "slower" processor on the larger netbook? Easy answer.

Intel limits the Atom N270 processor to 10-inch class displays or smaller, through hardware restrictions. That's the primary reason why the 11.6" version must use a "Z"-series processor. The Z520 nominally runs at 1.33 GHz and 533 MHz FSB.

Also, the Z520 with the US15W chipset is very power efficient (4.3W TDP, compared to over 11W for N270-based solutions.) The Z520 also supports Demand-Based Switching and enhanced Halt State for aggressive power management, features missing from the N270. I suspect Acer further de-rated the CPU to 1.22 GHz and FSB to 490 MHz to help extend the battery life, since the larger LCD draws a lot more power. (The 11.6" LCD has 70% more active pixels than the 10.1" unit.)

Even then, notice the battery on the 11.6" unit has to be twice as large (5200 mAh vs. 2600 mAh.)

On the up-side, the Z520 supports the Intel VT-x virtualization technology, while the N270 does not. Not sure if anyone really wants to run a hypervisor on a netbook, but it could be useful to quickly swap between Linux and Windows.

[make_or_break]

Newsflash: the battery on the 8.9" HAS to be twice as large just to make *MY* Acer Aspire One run for any reasonable amount of time. Acer's old 3-cell was pathetic, and to top it off my unit (made by Panasonic) didn't even last four months before it refused to hold a charge. The 6-cell from Acer is a far more usable solution, so much so that I just ordered a second one.

I enjoy using my AOA150 quite a bit; I use it in the field to transfer RAW files off my Nikon D300 and do some preliminary review work and even rudimentary editing...though it IS rather pokey. Then again, I try to carry as little gear (aka bulk and poundage) as possible, and the FF of the little Acer suits me and stress-challenged spine perfectly. All the other traditional "netbook" attributes are just sweet bonuses.

[seemedfine]

Odd.Reading off the box of my new AO751h, purchased May 20:
'Vista Home Basic. Intel Atom processor Z520. Ram: 2 GB DDR2, Storage: 250 GB. Wireless 802.11b/g wylan. Bluetooth enabled'.. fairly sure the battery is not 6 cell as I'm legally blind, & this is lighter than the tiny (nonfunctioning)AAO i ordered. Getting 4 hours pretty consistently so far playing streaming TV/weather news videos- I'd been evacuated so hadnt checked this out at all. without thinking had 5 windows running while setting up accounts with no problems.The keyboard is perfect & very pleased with the display even before i realised set on a power saving option. The mystery.. All 7 stores I called were told to PULL this model the very day they arrived-? To quote an an associate: HE "was told that the name 'ACER' had been misspelled, and they were to pull off shelves immediately & forbidden to sell any."
During my own purchase a confused manager just over-rode the "Do not sell" notice that displayed at check out. And the machine does spell out 'Acer' -altho 'Race' would made me rich, here in Daytona Bch. A deal, but I'm quite in the dark.
Update,this minute;some TV shopping channel may be offering Almost this particular config as of today(thanks grandma) for more $.. but Betty crocker added. Could this all be a colossal shipping mistake?