Acer D250 Review
Rating: 5.5/7
The Acer Aspire One D250, one of Acer’s 2nd generation netbooks, is an excellent addition to Acer’s range of reliable and affordable netbooks.
The netbook, available in white, black, red and blue, has a professional and tidy design. With the standard netbook specifications [ 160 GB hard drive on an Intel Atom N270 rocessor, 1GB DDR2 RAM], the D250 gets the job done.
An interesting addition to this netbook is the added option of being able to replace the 2200 mAh 3-cell battery [with only 3 hours battery life], with a larger 6-cell 5200-mAh that boasts 5 hours battery life – however, the large exterior of this six cell battery may be a nuisance to some. Nevertheless, providing this as an option was most definitely a smart by move by the innovative Acer.
The 6-cell model is available for $350, and the 3-cell version for $300.
Acer D250 Review – Top Features
- Value for money – this is one of the more afforable netbooks on the scene.
- Compact and lightweight – measures in at 10.2 x 7.2 x 1 inches and weighs only 2.2 lbs with a 3 cell (2.8lbs with a 6 cell).
- Good screen – The glossy 10.1″ glossy screen, with a 1024 x 600 native resolution, will provide you with good contrast as well as sharp and clear images.
- Easy access for upgrades – on the base, there are three access panels for the hard drive, RAM and the mini-PCIe card slot.
- Multitouch capability – allows you to use the touchpad to zoom in and out of documents.
Acer D250 – Drawbacks and things to keep in mind
- Low Battery life with the 3 cell option – 3 hours give this netbook a relatively poor battery life.
- Small keyboard and touchpad – at 89% that of standard laptop keyboards, this may be too cramped for some users. In addition, the touchpad is small and comes with a single button.
- No bluetooth connectivity – may be important to some users
- Speakers – as with most netbooks, for decent sound quality headphones are a must.
Acer D250 – Ratings
- Price and Value for Money - 1.0 stars
- Speed and Performance – 1.0 stars
- Screen – 1.0 stars
- Keyboard and Usability - .5 stars. The keyboard and touchpad are too small.
- Portability and Battery Life – .5 stars
- Looks and Design – .5 star
- Connectivity & Extensibility – 1.0 stars – Three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 media card reader, 0.3 megapixel camera, 802.11 g/g wireless, headphone and microphone jacks, a standard VGA out port and an ethernet port.
That gives the Acer Aspire One D250 a total of 5.5 stars out of 7.
Acer Aspire One D250 Review – Our Recommendation
If you’re not too concerned about Bluetooth connectivity and want something compact and reliable, that gets the job done, the D250 should definitely be on your list of potential netbooks to buy. The battery life isn’t the most outstanding, but you have the option of buying one with a 6 cell battery.
At the end of the day, this is a pretty standard netbook and doesn’t really stand out from the netbook crowd – good for ‘getting the job done’ as well as a large enough drive space to save larger files. Available at Amazon for between $300 and $350.
Acer Aspire One D250 Review – Technical Specifications
- Operating System: Genuine Windows XP
- Processor: Intel Atom N270 Processor 1.60GHz
- Memory: 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (533MHz)
- Internal Storage: 160GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
- Display: 10.1-inch diagonal WSVGA+ (1024×600)
- Graphics: Intel GMA 950
- Wireless: 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
- Expansion: 5-in-1 media card slot
- Ports and connectors: (3) USB 2.0 ports, VGA OUT, power connector, RJ-45/Ethernet (10/100), stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, 0.3 megapixel (VGA) webcam
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1 x 10.2 x 7.2 inches
- Weight: 2.8 lbs
Filed under: Acer Netbook Review