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The classic Acer Aspire One was one of the originals on the netbook market, scooping various awards thanks to its keen pricing, decent core specification and comfortable keyboard. This rendition of the netbook, the Aspire One 532, is the latest refinement to that original machine.
For a start, it features a better processor: the Intel Atom N450. The key selling point of this relatively new Atom is that it boasts the processor and graphics core in a single package, making it both faster and more energy-efficient than its predecessors.
The battery life on our rundown test came to five and a half hours. The test consisted of running multiple tracks and plug-ins at the limit of the CPU’s capabilities, just using the onboard sound device.
The number of plug-ins the Aspire One can handle is nothing to shout about. The Atom processor and 1GB of RAM could only deal with up to 16 VST plug-ins in Reaper. The Aspire One did marginally better when running PreSonus’s Studio One, with a total of 20 VST plug-ins running before playback was interrupted.
The 1024x600 screen has a high-reflective coating, which can make it tricky to use in brighter conditions, but for dark and dingy nightclubs it works just fine.
The gesture-based touchpad is frustrating to work with, and accidentally tapping it while typing can be infuriating. This obviously isn’t ideal in a live performance situation. Overall, the Aspire One 532 is a neat machine, but it feels a little uninspired against the kind of competition that’s now available. One for those on a budget.
Overall, the Aspire doesn’t inspire us. Compared to the huge number of other Atom N450-powered netbooks that you can find on the market, it doesn’t offer anything special.
Buy Acer Aspire One 532: Scan.co.uk
