Netbook Review
The Acer Aspire One 11.6″ netbook is one of the netbooks of choice for individuals on the go. I recently purchased an Acer Aspire One 11.6″ netbook at Wal-Mart for $348. The current price is $298, making it a very affordable laptop.
Specifications of the Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook
Model: Acer Aspire One 11.6
Processor: Intel Atom Z520
Processor Speed: 1.33 GHz
Hard Drive: 250 GB
Wireless Card: 802.11 b/g
Software: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Cyberlink PowerDVD , Microsoft Windows Media Player, Google Toolbar, Adobe Flash Player, Google Setup, Acer Recovery Management, Google Desktop, Windows Live Essentials, Microsoft .NET Framework, McAfee Internet Security Suite (Trial), Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0, Acer Video Conference Manager, Acer GameZone, eSobi, Carbonite Online Backup, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 60-day trial
Battery: 3 cell
Battery Life: Up to 4 hours
Size: 11.2″ wide, 2.97 pounds
USB Ports: Yes
From this information, the Acer Aspire One 11.6 sounds like a great machine. Or is it?
Why I Returned My Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook to Wal-Mart
I owned my Acer Aspire one 11.6″ netbook for approximately 9 days. I returned my machine to Wal-Mart within their customary 15 day return period for computer hardware.
Why did I return my Acer Aspire One 11.6″ netbook? Although this machine was convenient, easy to carry around, and had great storage, I found it to run slow. In addition, I had trouble keeping the wireless connection connected. Every time my computer would go to sleep, it would shut off the WiFi and I would have to restart my computer to get it to work again.
Yes, I know that the wireless card has an on-off switch. Toggling the on-off switch located on the front of the computer NEVER worked when the wireless card shut off.
I returned the Acer Aspire One 11.6″ netbook because I did not like having to restart it every time I wanted to use the Internet. While my glitch could have been unique to my machine, I didn't want to take the risk.
My Rating of the Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook
If I had to rate the Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook, I would give it 3/5 stars. It's lightweight, portable, and has a lot of storage. On the other hand, the machine I purchased was glitch-y and ran a little slower than I wanted. With the dropping price, $298 isn't much to pay if you need a portable netbook for class or just to be able to surf the Internet on the go.
I returned my Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook in favor of a HP Mini from Office Depot. The Mini cost the same as the Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook, and so far has been a much better machine.
Sources:
WalMart.com spec listing for the Acer Aspire One 11.6″ Netbook
Personal Experience