Acer took the lead from Asus in the mini-notebook market in late 2008, after having entered the market only in July 2008. And it is bound to cement its number one position with the launch of the Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 - and its stake on the number one spot, not surprisingly, comes down to its almost unbelievably affordable price tag.


Acer’s Aspire One series is perhaps one of the most, if not the most popular series of mini-notebooks in this exponentially growing category. And why wouldn’t it be? At less than four hundred US dollars a piece, you already get a decent netbook that’s stylish, compact and functional. In the highly competitive market of laptops and mini-notebooks, innovation and constant improvement are key, and the latest of Acer’s Aspire One netbooks definitely attempts to take the series to the next level in terms of quality. And the best part is, it is able to maintain an ultra-affordable, value-for-money retail price at only USD350.


At first glance, the Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 does not look very different from its predecessor, but upon closer inspection, various improvements give this latest model a definite edge over its forerunners. Looks-wise, it’s been given a glossy feel and finish that’s considerably different from its predecessor’s much more solid hues. Functionally, it now sports a slightly bigger monitor at ten inches, compared to the previous Aspire One’s 8.9-inch screen. Much of its other technical specifications stay true to the spirit of what mini-notebooks are usually intended for – simple, no-nonsense, and portable computers. It runs on a relatively standard 1.6Ghz Atom Processor, has 1GB worth of memory and a 160GB hard drive, running on Windows XP. Not bad for a computer that will cost you fifty dollars less compared to its competitors.


Opinions are mixed on Aspire One’s “improved” keyboard and touchpad – understandably a common problem in mini-notebooks given their size, but one that Acer’s competitors such as Asus and Hewlett-Packard have managed to improve on with their latest models. Some find Aspire One’s latest keyboard and touchpad - though apparently already improved from the previous model – still difficult and uncomfortable to use. Others have probably gotten used to the older models of Aspire and don’t mind the relatively cramped keyboard and small touchpad. If you’re not particularly sensitive to such details (or have unusually small fingers), this shouldn’t be a problem, especially if there’s one other thing that you’re more concerned about, and that is the matter of price.


Because if there’s one common denominator among reviews of the Aspire One, it’s that it may not be the best mini-notebook out in the market, but it gets away with it by being the most affordable netbook out there.


Price: Aprrox. $400


Acer Aspire One AOD 150-1165 Ratings:

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