If you are looking to for a computer but do not have the money or the desire to purchase a full computer or even a laptop; you should look at a netbook. Netbooks are small computers that have many of the same capabilities a laptop has but a fraction of the cost. The Acer Aspire One AOD257-1633 10.1-Inch Netbook (Espresso Black) is a great netbook that will allow you to take your files where you need and have the internet at your fingertips. The Dual-Core Processor allows you to do more while not burning as much power. The CrystalBrite LED Display allows for a better ability to read the screen and view videos.
Pros
- The price is a little below what normal netbooks cost saving you money. The normal price for netbooks is about $300 and this netbook is just under $270. This is a far cry from most laptops which start at $500.
- There is a multi-directional touchpad that makes working on this machine easier. For a person who wants to do work with graphics or articles and want to be able to spin things and move them with ease, this is a great new tool. The multi-directional allows for a two finger touch instead of only responding to one finger on the pad at a time.
- The screen leans back to almost one hundred and fifty degrees. The screens ability to tilt allows for use in all light backdrops.
- The processor is top notch allowing for fast boot up and quickly slipping into sleep mode. The processor is N570 which is Intel’s fastest processor available at the time. This is great for someone on the go because they can just close up the netbook and know that it has already gone in power saving, sleep mode.
- It is the size of a magazine. The screen is just over ten inches and the netbook is an inch thick. It is also just over seven inches wide. This allows for easy slipping into a backpack or briefcase.
Cons
- The battery life is not great. Acer claims that it can have about seven hours without a charge but if you are running windows and applications, it has only about five to six hours of battery life. This can cause problems with a person wanting to use it for conferencing and not near an outlet.
- The glossy display makes for difficulty seeing and the need for a tilting screen. The sleek design is nice but it does not make it easier to use.
Build and Design
The Acer Aspire One AOD257-1633 is only an inch thick and has a ten inch screen allowing it to easily fit into someone’s backpack or a carrying case. The netbook comes in four different colors allowing a person to pick one that matches their style. Netbooks have the ability to make taking a computer with you a breeze and the Acer Aspire One doesn’t let down by being just over two pounds. The lack of a CD or DVD drive allows the slender design. The dual core processor makes taking notes and surfing the internet quick and painless. The water ripple appearance and four different colors available give the computer a sleek look that is all your own. The Aspire One keeps up with the latest by having a built in webcam, built in speakers, and a multi-in-1 card reader to take and store data.
Display & Speakers
The 10.1” LED Backlit screen allows for power saving modes and still great visibility. Videos are easy to make and watch with the 1024×600 resolution and widescreen capability. You can access your email and web research with the 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connection and a fast Ethernet LAN. It comes with a Windows 7 Starter pack to allow you to do work while on the go. This netbook only comes with standard built in speakers, however, but you can still get great quality when watching videos. The built in webcam allows a person to Skype or Podcast with ease. There is even a video conference manager that makes sure your chats and sharing of information such as pictures or documents are smooth. This allows this netbook to be used in video conferencing if necessary.
Ports and Features
The Acer Aspire One D257-1633 also has three USB 2.0 ports allowing you to use a jump drive, connect your phone or any other USB device all at the same time. There is also a Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card reader allows for data to be shared between a digital camera or phone and the computer. There is also a built in digital microphone.
Keyboard and Touchpad
Even though the keys are closer together than a standard laptop or computer, they are easier to use for smaller hands. The best part about this computer is the multi-gesture touchpad. This allows a person more control when navigating through web pages and other programs. A person can use two fingers and either spin pictures or scroll up, down or diagonally.
Performance
The Acer Aspire One D257-1633 is released with a 320 GB hard-drive and only 1 GB of RAM, but that is expandable up to 2 GB. The 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N570 processor makes it possible to fly through work and have many applications running at once. It is also the fastest processor made by Intel at the moment. The GMA 3150 graphics make the netbook attractive to game players and to those who just want to watch movies and videos.
Battery Life
The Acer Aspire One D257-1633 comes with a 6 cell 47 Wh battery and Acer claims that it should give you about eight hours of battery life. This is not as great as other netbooks of the same size, but is not bad either for a student or a person on the go.
Heat and Noise
There are both heat and noise issues with the Acer Aspire One D257-1633 that are not normal for a netbook. There is background noise when running a movie and the fan is a tad noisier than most computers. The heat coming from the vent on the netbook makes it uncomfortable for one to have it on their lap for an extended period of time.
This is for whom?
The Acer Aspire One D257-1633 is best for students in college or a high school student doing work after school is out. It is also a great little computer for a mom on the go and wanting to do work while her kids are at sports or lessons. If you do not have access to an outlet, then you need to make sure you don’t need to use the computer after about five hours. I would buy this for my children to have a cheap computer to Skype with family members.
My Opinion:
Despite the downfalls the Acer Aspire One AOD257-1633 10.1-Inch Netbook (Espresso Black) has, it is a great computer. The downfalls are very similar to almost all netbooks with the exception of the battery life. Acer has upped the processor speed and touchpad allowing the netbook to be tailored to a person who needs to do a lot of work on the computer. The best thing to do with the computer is to buy the 2GB version over the 1GB version so you have more space on the actual computer. This tablet, while a power sucker, is a workhorse and work-at-home parents as well as students.