Acer Aspire One D270 Review

If you plan on using your netbook only for basic computing tasks, critics say the Acer Aspire One D270 is a solid budget netbook, thanks to its all-day battery life and stutter-free video streaming

Don't expect much in the way of performance.

The Intel Atom Cedar Trail processor at the heart of the Aspire One D270 plays high-definition video like a pro, but it struggles with virtually all other tasks, reviewers report. It can handle web surfing, checking email and basic document editing, but that's about it -- and the programs will be slow to open, to boot. The RAM is permanently soldered to the motherboard (rather than installed in a socket) so you can't upgrade it. The display has a fairly low resolution and poor contrast, reviewers complain, and the speakers are weak.

It has good ergonomics for a netbook.

Even though they're shrunk to fit the 10.1-inch netbook's frame, the keyboard, trackpad and mouse keys all respond well and are fairly comfortable, users report; multitouch gestures are supported. Connectivity options are the standard fare, with two notable exceptions: an HDMI port and Bluetooth 4.0. Trying to watch video on an external monitor via HDMI leads to excessive stuttering, however.

The design is unique and divisive.

This netbook sports the same molded plastic, water droplet design of the beefier and better regarded Acer Aspire One 722 (*Est. $330 and up), and users are split down the line as to whether the case is a positive or a negative. One version sports colorful balloons instead of water droplets.

Acer makes solid devices, but its customer service is the pits.

The one-year warranty is nothing special, but reliability is high enough that few users need to take advantage of it. However, if there is a problem, Acer has a poor reputation for customer service.

The Aspire One D270 is a good pick if you have limited funds.

The Acer Aspire One D270 can handle only basic computing tasks before bogging down, but it's a low-cost netbook with a whopping nine-hour battery life. That's enough to keep you working for a full coast-to-coast airplane trip, with time for a two-hour stopover in Tulsa. Great video streaming adds to the value, but if you have a bit more to spend, experts say its line mate, the Acer Aspire One 722, offers a better blend of price and performance.

Finding feedback.

Professional reviews are hard to come by, but a European version of the Acer Aspire One D270 has been reviewed by NotebookCheck.net. Otherwise, configurations of the netbook that are available in this country have been reviewed by dozens of Walmart.com and Amazon.com users.