I am rating the Acer Aspire One (AO725-0687) as 5 stars based off what it is, not what it isn't. So maybe the best place to start is to say what it isn't. It isn't an Apple Ultrabook, a tablet PC, or a google or linux machine. If you're expecting a superfast, sleek, no-thought machine then you should cough up the couple grand to get an Apple. It also isn't running linuxso if you want to be able to customize every detail then you should probably go that direction.So what is it? It's a balanced machine, which offers good performance, and nice perks, for a minimal price. Let's be honestif you're looking at an Acer Netbook you're attracted by the price primarily. This computer gives exceptional bang for your buck. It's only $60 more (at the time of writing) than a Kindle Fire HD, but you get a real full-fledged computer, with Win 8, with 320 gig HDD, with a pretty screen, and snazzy color. What more can you expect at this price point?
For the haters of WIn 8, it's not perfect, but it's pretty good. I would say to go with Windows 7 if you want a real work horse (my work computer is a Win 7 Lenovo), but Windows 8 is a great home operating system. It's fast, fun, cool, and integrates pretty seamlessly with a lot of the mobile apps available (e-mail, pulse, netflix, amazon, etc.) The OS is nice and doesn't take long to get used to (contrary to other reviews) so long as you're willing to learn.
Bottom lineif you want something which is a balance of different factors (customizable vs. no-work, price vs. performance, "cool" vs. work machine, etc.) then you can't do betterthis is a great machine and truly a 5 star experience.
Pros:
1. Radeon HD 7920 integrated graphics!!! (manufacturer and retail sites list it with 6920)
3. Computer is FAST for a netbook.
2. Hardware is easy to upgrade. You can remove the bottom plate by unscrewing one screw and sliding it. I replaced the stock hard drive with a 1 TB WD Blue and added a new stick of ram to max out its supported amount "Crucial 4GB DDR3 1333 MT/s (PC3-10600) CL9 SODIMM 204-Pin CT51264BC1339."
3. Computer is VERY lightweight and VERY thin.
4. This can actualy play some games at low settings. I installed Bulletstorm just to see, and it was running at about 28fps.
5. Computer design is pretty awesome. The key setup is very ergonomic, and the touchpad button setup is good. I had an HP-Mini, and the touch pad buttons were integrated with the actual touchpad, and it made browsing with touchpad clicks turned on impossible. Also it's very durable. I've already dropped it getting out of my car a few times. (I'm clumsy)
Cons:
1. Only two antenna cables, so if you are wanting to upgrade your wireless card to something awesome, don't. If you really want it that bad, you will have to install a third antenna yourself.
2. This computer requires Windows 8, not that it is really a con, but I really wanted to use Ubuntu 12.04. However, Ubuntu's proprietary drivers are nonexistent for the graphics card. In fact, the drivers for the graphics card are shady at best. When I put a fresh install of Windows 8 on the system, I could not install the drivers from the Acer website using the ATI catalyst installer. I actually had to go into the device manager, remove the windows display driver, and manually install from the driver folder. (Windows 8 x64 Media Center)
3. 1080p web stream is non-existent. The video will shudder. I recommend keeping it at 720.
Other Thoughts:
UEFI bios is enabled, and no selections will post when booting your computer. In order to access the bios, repeatedly press F2 at boot. Once in, you can change your bios settings from UEFI to Legacy. This will enable you to see the boot commands AND it will allow you to install a fresh copy of Windows or another OS. You MUST change the settings to Legacy, or you will not be able to install a fresh OS.
Battery life is usually lower than what the battery icon says on the desktop. I've been using a Momentus XT 750 to test for speed, and my battery last about 3 hours max with constant web browsing. I get about 2 hours with video playback. However, I will have to post battery life with the 1TB WD Blue since it is a less power hungry drive.
*** I read reviews on all the netbooks, and this one caught my eye. I shopped around a little bit, and I found it at Wal-Mart for $180. I could not believe it. You won't find a better netbook than this for that price. ***Was considering I-Pad, this is a "real computer" for half the price, with three USB ports, Data Port, WiFi, Blue Tooth, 320 GB Storage... and about the same size and weight...I am beginning to sound like a salesperson. Learning Windows 8 and if you had Windows 7 you will be fine.
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