The layout is a bit tricky to get used to, as you click on the hard palmrest surface, and try to scroll on the touchpad button. The only other notebook we have seen with this layout is the HP Mini-Note 2133. The touchpad design is slightly unique compared to other netbooks and notebooks in general, with the buttons on each side of the touch surface. For scrolling through long webpages, especially with mini touchpads, page up and page down keys can provide a more accurate way of navigating a webpage or document at a fast pace. One aspect that I really enjoy about the keyboard layout is the dedicated page up and page down buttons. The typing surface feels strong with no keyboard flex and individual keys feel strong with no wobble. The keyboard is cramped compared to a fullsize notebook, but is easy to get the hang of with enough practice. You have the slight disadvantage of having huge screen borders, but you get some much needed keyboard real estate. The keyboard is spacious as far as netbooks go, since the Aspire One is a 9″ netbook inside the body of a 10″ model. 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. Another disappointing aspect about the Aspire One is the open Mini-PCIe slot which is lacking any connector.
#Acer aspire one upgrade install#
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.
The case does not separate as easily as others to access vital components like RAM or the hard drive. The screen cover feels especially strong, which is important for protecting the relatively fragile LCD panel.įrom an upgrading perspective, the Acer Aspire One is a very difficult netbook to make enhancements to.
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. At times the reflective boarder does get on your nerves if you are in a brightly lit room with many sources of glare.īuild 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). Glossy plastic is found on the top of the screen cover, as well as around the entire LCD. 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. 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. 120GB 2.5″ 5400RPM Hitachi Hard Drive (with SDHC storage expansion slot).8.9″ 1024 x 600 WSVGA glossy LED backlit display.