Acer Debuts New Aspire One Netbooks

By Geoff Duncan Published June 18, 2010

Acer has made good money on netbooks, and it’s not done pumping up the business, rolling out four new Aspire One netbooks today, with a focus on portability, battery life, connectivity, entertainment…and affordability. Two of the new systems are built around Intel Atom processors, while the other two are built on AMD processors and boast high-definition graphics capability.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

First up, the Acer Aspire One AOD260 and AO533 netbooks feature 10.1-inch displays, with the AOD260 sporting an Atom N450 processor and the AO533 bumping up to an ATom N475 processor. Both units feature integrated webcams, Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking, and microphones, and top out at a mere 2.76 pounds. The AO533 sports 1 GB of RAM and a 250 GB hard drive, and Acer says the system should be able to get eight hours of battery life on a single charge. Both feature a multi-gesture touchpad and a keyboard that’s 93 percent of standard size. Expect to see both netbooks later this month at retailers, and the AED260 starting at $298, while the AO533 will start at $329.99.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Over on the AMD side of the fence, the Acer Aspire One AO521 and AO721 sport AMD Athlon II Neo K125 processors along with ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics, which reserve 384MB of the systems’ memory. However, both system also sport HDMI output for pushing videos and media to a big-screen TV, giving these systems a bit of a media edge on their Intel-based brethren. The AO521 and AO721 sport Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking, integrated webcam and microphone, multi-gesture trackpads, and keyboards that are 93 percent of full size. The AO521 sports a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display and Bluetooth connectivity and 1 GB of RAM; the AO721 steps up to an 11.6-inch LED backlit display and 2 GB of RAM. Acer hasn’t announced pricing or availability for these new AMD-based Aspire Ones, but reports have the AO521 starting around $350, with the AO721 starting around $430.

Former Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Topics

Computing

Shopping for back-to-school? These are the budget laptops I’d actually recommend

From a $359 Chromebook to the cheapest way into macOS, these are the budget picks worth your money.

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

The back-to-school season often turns into a laptop, especially the budget ones that aren't too heavy on your wallet. Due to the ongoing memory crisis, most manufacturers have already bumped up their laptop prices, including Apple. However, that doesn't mean that I won't help you get a new machine. So, for this one, I spent time digging through spec sheets, customer ratings, and price tags, finding devices that don't just look cheap in an Amazon listing, but actually hold up.

From a flexible touchscreen Chromebook to the least expensive way into macOS, these six laptops balance price and performance well. I'd hand any one of them to a student heading back to campus this fall, depending on what they need and what their priorities are.

Computing

Asus’ latest Zenbook puts a seriously bright OLED screen inside an impossibly slim body

The Zenbook 14 Air is only 11mm thick but still packs a 77Wh battery

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

Asus has introduced a new AMD-powered version of the Zenbook 14 Air 2026, combining a bright OLED display and a large battery inside an 11mm-thick chassis. It weighs 1.19kg, keeping it firmly in ultraportable territory despite the 77Wh battery inside.

The Zenbook 14 Air 2026 itself is not entirely new. Asus launched an Intel configuration powered by the Core Ultra 9 386H in China back in January. The latest version switches to AMD’s Ryzen AI 7 H 445 and is priced at CNY 9,999, or around $1,477. (via Notebookcheck)

Computing

Before you blow your student budget, here’s the MacBook that actually suits your major

Confused by the MacBook lineup? I sorted it out so students don't have to

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

Apple’s MacBook lineup has become much broader in 2026. The MacBook Neo brings the entry price down considerably, the M5 MacBook Air remains the obvious all-rounder, and the MacBook Pro covers students whose coursework can push a laptop to its limits.

But with a wide range, choosing one becomes harder. Spending more can bring a better display, faster storage, additional ports, and considerably greater performance. However, plenty of students will never take advantage of those upgrades. So, I have narrowed the current lineup down to three models, each aimed at a distinct kind of buyer.