angle 2Acer recently updated the Acer Aspire 1410 laptop to include a dual core Intel CULV processor and Windows 7 Home Premium. And for some reason, Acer knocked about $50 off the price at the same time, making this $400 laptop one of the cheapest computers you can find with an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display and a dual core processor.

I reviewed the original version of the Acer Aspire 1410 a few months ago, and the folks at B&H were kind enough to send me an updated model to review. The model featured in this review has a dual core 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 processor and integrated Intel GMA4500MHD graphics. It has 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and a 6 cell, 4400mAh battery.

The Acer Aspire 1410 is available for purchase from B&H for $399.99.

For the most part, the hardware is identical to the version of the laptop that I previously reviewed, so portions of this review are taken from that earlier article. The primary differences are with the operating system and processor, so I’ve made significant changes to the performance and software sections, along with minor changes to other departments.

Overview

Superficially, the new version of the Acer Aspire One looks identical to the earlier version. But the new laptop has a smaller hard drive (160GB instead of 250GB), and a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 processor instead of the 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 found in the original version of this laptop.

While the SU3500 has a faster clock speed and is part of the Core 2 family of chips, the new model’s dual core CPU helps the computer to perform better at some CPU-intensive tasks. But the Acer Aspire 1410 is not a high end laptop. It’s just a a bit above your average netbook — although with a $400 price tag, you really do get a noticable performance boost and a high resolution display for a netbook-like price. What’s more, the Acer Aspire 1410 ships with Windows 7 Home Premium instead of the stripped down Windows 7 Starter Edition that comes with most Intel Atom powered netbooks.

open

Of course, with an 11.6 inch display, the Aspire 1410 is a bit larger than your typical netbook. But it weighs just about 3.1 pounds, which is definitely within the standard netbook range.

But if you’re looking for better performance or longer battery life, Acer also offers the Aspire Timeline 1810T and 1810TZ notebooks which run between $550 and $600 and which have higher performance chips and higher capacity batteries.

Design

The Acer Aspire 1410 measures 11.2″ x 8″ x 1.2″ at its thickest point. The thinnest point is near the front, where the laptop is just 0.9 inches thick with the lid closed. It weighs about 3.1 pounds. All of which is to say, it’s barely any bigger than your typical 10 inch netbook, and it’s actually lighter than some models (Asus Eee PC 1000HE, I’m looking at you).

Around the sides of the computer you’ll find 3 USB ports, a flash card reader, Ethernet jack, VGA port, and an HDMI output.

side

There are also headphone and mic ports, and it’s worth pointing out that the mic jack actually has a metal rim, which should make it a bit sturdier than the cheap plastic jacks found on most computers. Of course, you’re more likely to use the headphone jack on a regular basis, and that’s made of plastic.

The lid has a glossy finish which will show fingerprints, but it’s not the worst offender I’ve seen.

bottom

On the bottom of the unit you’ll find two panels that can be removed to upgrade the hard drive, RAM, or WiFi module. There are two RAM slots, and the laptop can handle up to 4GB of memory.

The speakers are located just under the front of the keyboard and there are two hardware switches on the front of the unit for turning the WiFi and Bluetooth on and off.

Keyboard and TouchPad

The keyboard is pretty much a full sized keyboard. The keys are nice and large with a little space between them, and the keyboard stretches almost from one end of the chassis to the other.

keyboard

My one and only complaint about the arrow and Page Up and Down keys are crammed into a fairly tiny space in the bottom right corner. The more you use the keyboard, the more you get used to this configuration, which is similar to the layout on Samsung netbooks.

But I often have a hard time hitting the Page Up and Down keys in a hurry. The arrow keys, which also double as volume and screen brightness keys, are a bit easier to use.

I took a 2 minute typing test at TypingTest.com to see how this keyboard stacks up against others I’ve used, and I was able to type about 95 words per minute with 98% accuracy. That definitely makes this one of the better keyboards I’ve used, although I find that keyboard layout can be a matter of taste.

You may find other keyboards more comfortable depending on what you are used to. For instance, the keys on the Acer Aspire 1410 are all flat, and you may be more comfortable with concave keys.

touchpad

The touchpad is small, but it gets the job done. It supports multitouch gestures such as using two fingers to scroll or pinching to zoom in some applications. You can also scroll through web pages and other content using the right side of the touchpad.

The palm rest area of the laptop features a brushed metal finish, while the touchpad is smooth. From a distance, it’s hard to see where the palm wrest ends and the touchpad begins, but you can feel it when your finger moves from one area to the other.

There are two distinct buttons below the touchpad for right and left clicks, and they work quite well.

Performance and Graphics

This is where things really start to get interesting. The Acer Aspire 1410 with the SU3500 processor is significantly faster than a typical netbook when it comes to CPU-intensive tasks such as playing HD video, video games, or transcoding audio and video files.

The new model with the dual core SU2300 processor performed even better in some cases, but not in every test. For instance:

Video test (transcoding 2:22 file from uncompressed AVI to XViD):

  • Windows Vista/SU3500 model: 2 minutes, 41 seconds
  • Windows 7/SU2300 model: 2 minutes, 9 seconds

Audio test (Converting 30:03 WAV file to MP3):

  • Windows Vista/SU3500 model: 1 minute, 10 seconds
  • Windows 7/SU2300 model: 1 minute, 18 seconds

So while the new model was faster at transcoding video using VirtulDub, it was a little slower at transcoding audio using WinLame. It’s possible that your results may vary if you use different audio and video files, different codecs, or different trancoding utilities.

It’s worth pointing out that when I ran the same tests on a netbook with an Intel Atom N270 CPU, they took 2-3 times longer to complete. So both versions of the Acer Aspire 1410 blow away a typical netbook when it comes to this kind of CPU-intensive tasks.

When it comes video playback, the laptop can handle 720p or 1080p video playback fairly well. I felt like there might have been a few dropped frames here and there, but overall playback was smooth and pretty watchable.

angle 1

The laptop could also handle HD Flash video from YouTube, something which most netbooks with integrated GMA 950 graphics choke on. What’s interesting is that standard definition video from online video site Hulu gave the Aspire 1410 a little more trouble than HD YouTube videos.

Some TV episodes and movies from Hulu played back flawlessly. But others were a bit jumpy. Overall, this laptop performed noticably better with Hulu video than the Windows Vista/SU3500 model and significantly better than most netbooks with Intel Atom processors and 1366 x 768 pixel displays.

But playback wasn’t perfect. So if you’re looking for a machine that can handle Flash video as well as local videos, you might want to spring for one of the higher end models or grab an NVIDIA ION powered netbook like the HP Mini 311.

Right now that ION graphics processor won’t help with Flash video, but Adobe is expected to release an updated version of Flash Player later this year or early next year that will support NVIDIA graphics, enabling 1080p Flash video playback on low power netbooks and notebooks.

I also ran my new set of benchmarks, which I plan to run on most new computers I test, at least until I run out of systems with different processors and graphics (There’s not much point in benchmarking yet another netbook with a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, and so forth). Here are the results from the new benchmarks:

  • Audio transcoding test: 36 seconds to transcode a 13:24 WAV file to MP3
  • Video transcoding test:  3:56 to transcode a 4:34 file
  • Folder copy: Between 0:55 and 1:05  to copy and paste 2186 files totaling 478MB  (I ran this test several times)
  • Folder zip test: 1:38 to create a 453MB ZIP file containing 2186 files

For comparison’s sake, the Asus UL30A, which has a dual core 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor completed the audio test in 32 seconds, the video test in 3:22, the folder copy test in 10 seconds, and the folder zip test in 1:02. The UL30A is clearly faster, but not a lot faster.

On the other hand, the Asus UL30A received a Windows Experience Index score of 3.4 and had higher subscores than the Acer Aspire 1410 in almost every category. The Aspire 1410 got a 3.2, with the lowest scores concentrated in the graphics and gaming graphics areas.

windex

One problem I had with the older version of the Acer Aspire 1410 was that the webcam seemed to have a milky/foggy quality. It turns out there was a tiny piece of plastic covering the camera that I missed. This time around I made sure to remove the plastic, and the webcam image quality improved significantly.

acer crystaleye webcam

Of course, it doesn’t matter how good the webcam is. If you’re overdue for a haircut, you’re still going to look like you need a haircut.

Display

Aside from the processor and graphics performance, the thing that sets the Acer Aspire 1410 apart from a typical netbook is the 11.6 inch, 1366  x 768 pixel display. And overall, it’s just about the perfect size and resolution for an ultraportable.


I’ve used several 10 inch or smaller netbooks with 1280 x 720 or 1366 x 768 pixel displays, and they usually give me a headache when I stare at the screen too long. To be fair, the problem is with the operating system and software which don’t scale properly, not the screen itself.

But when using Windows Vista XP on a 10 inch netbook, the text tends to be super-sharp and difficult to read from a comfortable distance.

The 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, on the other hand, was sharp, but not too sharp. Text and pictures were crisp and clear, and video looked great, but we’ll get into that more in the performance section.

The screen is glossy, which means that it turns into a bit of mirror in brightly lit settings, especially if the display is turned off.

Software

The main thing that sets the new version of the Acer Aspire 1410 apart from the previous model on the software front is the fact that it runs Windows 7 Home Premium instead of Windows Vista. This is a huge step up, since the laptop generally feels more responsive.

You also get new features like Aero Peek (which lets you look at the desktop by temporarily minimizing all windows for just a second without actually changing their position) and the new and mostly improved Windows taskbar.

internet tv

Windows 7 Home Premium also includes Windows Media Center functionality, something which you won’t find on the Windows 7 Starter Edition that ships with most netbooks. While Windows Media Center is designed as a full screen interface for music, movies, and photos that looks good on a TV, it also includes some features like an Internet TV section with content from CBS, MSNBC, and others that makes it a welcome addition to a portable notebook like the Acer Aspire 1410.

Acer also made the somewhat baffling decision to throw in a copy of Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 for watching DVDs on this notebook that ships without an optical disc drive.

cyberlink powerdvd

The rest of the software is pretty much par for the course. You get free trial versions of Microsoft Office 2007, McAfee Internet Security and Norton Online Backup as well as a full version of Microsoft Works.

gridvista
GridVista

There’s also an Acer Gaming Console to access online games, and GridVista software, which lets you separate your display into zones so that you can snap windows to the right, left, upper right, lower left, or what have you.

Battery

The new processor and operating system doesn’t seem to have affected battery life very much. The US version of the Acer Aspire 1410 comes with a 6 cell, 4400mAh battery. I was able to get 4 hours and 57 minutes of run time when surfing the web and writing some documents with WiFi turned on and the screen brightness set at about 50 percent.

batteryThat’s almost identical to the experience I had with the single core version of this notebook when running Windows Vista. Interestingly, when I tried installing Windows 7 RC on the original model, battery life went down by about thirty minutes.

You’re probably not going to get 5 hours of run time if you use the laptop to watch video in a continuous loop. But for light weight tasks like web surfing and maybe watching the occasional online video, you can probably expect 4 to 5 hours from the dual core Acer Aspire 1410.

Verdict

The Acer Aspire One strikes an excellent balance between power, performance, price and battery life. The updated model offers marginally better performance and a much improved operating system at a lower price, which makes this $400 laptop look pretty attractive.

But it’s not perfect. It’s bigger and bulkier than a 10 inch netbook, and there are plenty of other machines that offer better performance or battery life. But I haven’t seen another machine that offers as much as the Aspire 1410 at this price point.

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66 replies on “Acer Aspire 1410 review (dual core version)”

  1. I have this notebook and really like it. Only problem i have is that it installed a bluetooth folder into the my documents folder and i cannot seem to get it to move. I repartitioned the drive with a seperate d documents storage drive and intend to move my documents, pics, video, etc to the d drive. No problem moving the other folders but “My Documents” will not move in the standard way with this bluetooth folder inside… any ideas? delete bluetooth and reinstall after moving the folder maybe? Thanks again for the great review… Larry

  2. I run Skype or simply start my Xp excel or MS Word program. It takes forever to open pictures. I’m so frustrated with my Acer I want to return it and get my money back. My IT friend says Windows7 should run on a minimum of 8 Ghz of ram. What am I to do?

  3. halo iam EDy from indonesia,, i bay 1410 in sintmarteen and i use for 3 mounth it’s OK but when i go vacation ,, i have problem with my computer that my commputer can’t read harddisc and i go to accer care in my country , i can’t not complain cause my garanti is travel waranti, and this accer 1410 is not avalaibel in my country ( indonesia ) and i cek in computer shop in my country that problem only in cable flexible from motherbord to harddisc, but i tray to fine part in my country olso not avalaible in my country , so if any suggest to fine that,, pls info me for part that and olso price for that,, at [email protected]
    thank’s and regard.

  4. What everybody seems to have missed is that this is a 64 bit machine, with a 64 bit operating system. It will take 8 GB of fully addressable RAM, which yields 1,695 MB of graphics memory. This thing rocks.

  5. I purchased my aspire 1410 in November 2010 at Costco who told me it just came out as Acer’s latest release with 3 Ghz Ram running a pentium single cpu on Windows7 64 bit home premium. I’ve done all the tweeks listed on websites however this netbook runs slower than my old Toshiba I purchased in 2002. This 1410 takes so long to start, it often freezes when I run Skype or simply start my Xp excel or MS Word program. It takes forever to open pictures. I’m so frustrated with my Acer I want to return it and get my money back. My IT friend says Windows7 should run on a minimum of 8 Ghz of ram. What am I to do?

    1. Ok, firstly, I’m going to help you correct some of your ‘tech lingo’. Ram is measured in terms of gigabytes, abbreviated to GBs, so you have 3 GBs of Ram, not 3 Ghz.

      Secondly, you either misunderstood your IT friend or he’s a dunce. Windows 7 requires a minimum of 2 GB of ram to run well in most cases.

      As for your slow computer problem, was it slow when you first started using the computer? If it was fast when you first started then you’ve just accumulated a good amount of malware that’s slowing down your system.

      If it has always been slow, then your machine specifically may be defective, then your best option is to return it.

      Before returning it, I would also consider wiping the hard drive and reinstalling Windows 7 from scratch. You can download the DVD Image from where ever, torrent, file sharing website or forum link, and then use your serial key on the bottom of the laptop to activate it.

  6. If you had an eee pc 1005 HA bought at 400, and were offered the acer 1410 SU3500 refurbished for 290 which would you go for?

    Main use is for school!

    Thanks for your input!

  7. I got my 1410-8913 a couple of months ago. I am having issues with speed when I try to play my music while using the internet and doing a few tasks at once. I am looking to get a faster processor. I have the Intel Core 2 solo SU3500 1.4GHz, 800MHz FSB. What is a good Dual processor that I can upgrade to?

  8. I have the single core version and its a decent beater book. It is snappier than my old Asus 1005HA by quite abit, however the keyboard feels cheap especially around wasd keys, they feel smooshy. The other huge negative is the terrible viewing angles, this has the worst viewing angles I have ever seen on any LCD screen, but for 300 bucks I am happy overall.

  9. I bought my 1410 last week as a replacement for a full size laptop. I found it at a wholesale club for $365. and rolled the dice. What a great machine. I use a tether to my Blackberry for internet and speed and surfing have been great. Hulu runs better than it did on the old full size.
    I was leary about Windows 7 after unhappy experiences with Vista but it has been fine. The display seem more than adequate for viewing and the keyboard ergonomics are fine.
    I want to up the memory to 4gigs abd see what it does for performance.

  10. I have the same question – there’s a version with the Intel Celeron ULV 743 1.3GHz…

    Brad/whoever knows about them — which one provides better performance, the SU 2300 or the ULV 743? I couldn’t find a review on the 743 and don’t know which one to choose…

    Also, does anyone know how it compares to the MSI X340? (Core 2 Solo SU3500 CULV)

    Thanks!

  11. Thank you for a very useful review. There are far too many useless “reviews” on the internet which are simply rehashes of press releases or specs.

  12. Question for Brad: First, THANK YOU for your in depth review of the 1410 – core 2 solo AND duo… do you happen to know if Acer will be releasing the 250GB version of the 1410 w/core 2 DUO su2300 processor here in the U.S. any time soon? I’ve only seen it in videos from abroad.
    Also, if anyone could advise me…I’m also confused as to the difference between the following 1410 processors: the Celeron M 743 1.3GHz and the Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500.
    My main usage for this netbook will be for photography – on location viewing and some editing as well. I’d like to be able to run editing software such as Adobe Elements – not the full Photoshop version, and be able to store a good amount of photos. This would not be my main computer for this, but just for portable use.
    Any advice or comments?
    Thank you!
    Fifi

    1. I have the same question – there’s a version with the Intel Celeron ULV 743 1.3GHz…

      Brad/whoever knows about them — which one provides better performance, the SU 2300 or the ULV 743? I couldn’t find a review on the 743 and don’t know which one to choose…

      Also, does anyone know how it compares to the MSI X340? (Core 2 Solo SU3500 CULV)

      Thanks!

      1. Hi new buyer… I didn’t get an answer on the processor questions, but I actually went with the more expensive Acer 1810TZ model w/ dual core and 320gb. If you can spend a little more, I think it’s worth it…I’m very pleased with it – it’s more like a notebook than a net-book but has the 11.6 size -same as the 1410.
        Sorry I can’t help you with the performance questions on the cpu’s.
        Good luck with your purchase,
        -fifi

      2. out of those three i would choose u2300 it’s a dual core much better than su3500 and celeron 743 both single core

  13. Message for Brad – thank you for the detailed review of the Acer 1410. I’ve noticed links to the Netbooked video where they show a Japanese version of the 1410 core 2 duo with a 250gb harddrive, rather than the 160gb hd version found here in the U.S.
    Do you happen to know when and if Acer plans to release the 250gb version of their duo core 1410 here?
    Thank you

  14. there are still some notebook components inside, so it’s still not a true desktop, and despite Acer’s claims, there could be a performance hit as a result.

  15. If anyone out there can answer this, I woudl appreicte it it…
    Acer has their new line of 11.6 netbooks. How much “better” is the best processor, the 7300 in the 1810T, than the 2300 found in the 1410? Will you see a huge preformance difference in everyday activities (flash videos, spreadsheets, casual websurfing)? And will upping the memory from 2GB to 4 GB in the 1410 make up for some of the difference in lack of processing power? besides the smaller battery and hard drive, I am trying to figure out how much slower the 1410 will be for average use than the high end 1810T
    Thanks

  16. How does the keyboard on the Acer 1410 compare to the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 keyboard? I need something comfortable for extensive, accurate typing.

  17. O.K. As a dad who doesn’t care whether it’s called a laptop or a netbook, I’d like to know how well this would suit a high school junior who will use it mostly for school work and internet. He is not into gaming, and has a IPod touch for music. I’m looking for a decently priced tool he can use to run WORD and POWERPOINT. Will this suffice?

  18. Not to be sassy, but why are you calling this a laptop? Is it because you have to? Is your gut telling you something else?

    I mean, I get the interests wanting to call this a laptop, but almost everthing you talk about is how it is like a netbook. Size, weight for example. So, I assume that you (and others) draw the line at the processor? So the processor makes this a laptop? So, when they come out with an 10.2″ CULV computer it’s a laptop? Therefore, when an Atom 11.6 or 12.1″ computer comes out, it’s also a laptop? Somewhere I’m getting confused, as should you since you are a so called expert.

    Sometimes this situation makes me want to barf. I get the special interests out there who hold “laptop” so dearly. Their income depends on it. However, let’s get our brains working together on this shall we?

    Forget about what’s inside the computer for starters. Shouldn’t we? If you have a computer that is say, 3lb, 12 inches or less, is about 1″ thick and take it out into public, what will people say to you? Geez nice laptop man! Or will they say, geez man, nice netbook! You have half of cyber space calling this a netbook, and you have the other half calling it a laptop. I strongly suggest, those out there holding onto “laptop” have special interests at heart. I mean, don’t laptops have optical drives? Really must this go on? You describe a netbook in your friggin review, but you are using “laptop” to describe it.

    Again, so to get this straight, when you review a 10.2 inch CULV or non Atom computer, it will be a laptop correct? But, if you have a 11.6″ inch computer with Atom processor, you are going to call it….what? A laptop also? C’mon you’re supposed to be the expert here.

    Regardless, most people out there will want the best graphics and video playback abilities possible. They aren’t going to say wow Windows 7 premium or wow dual core CULV if that ION netbook can play more video and new games at better framerates. Perhaps CULV has some magical graphic solution up their sleeve but if they don’t, then people will buy “netbooks” and not wannabe netbooks that some people want to call laptops.

    1. Actually, I have two points to make:

      1. Netbooks *are* laptops, and if you read my reviews of other machines you’ll see that I frequently use the words interchangeably.

      2. I’ve always drawn the line between netbook and non-netbook at screen size. In order to be a netbook it needs to meet several criteria. It needs to have a 10.2 inch or smaller display, weigh about 3.5 pounds or less, and cost around $500 or less (although this price has dropped a lot in the last few years, so that I might think about revising it to $400 or less).

      It’s never been about the processor. The first OLPC had an AMD Geode processor, but it’s still a netbook. The first Eee PC had an Intel Celeron processor: still a netbook. And there are plenty of machines with VIA C7-M or VIA Nano processors. They’re netbooks too, as long as they’re small, light, and cheap.

      I’ve also never called the Sony Vaio P a netbook, because it doesn’t meet all the criteria either. It’s small, light, but expensive.

      In the end, it’s all semantics though. It doesn’t matter what you call these devices. They’re all changing the way we think about computer price, size, and performance.

      1. I appreciate where you are coming from. I do however, disagree with your point #1. I think you mean to say that netbooks are computer and laptops are computers. That really is where you can draw the line. So in my opinion, netbooks are computers.

        I’m just curious about your criteria. It’s great that you have such a criteria. When you have a site like yours you need to be balanced and consistent.

        I think, if you really reflect on what terms you should be using, your heart must be going in a different direction. You haven’t mentioned that netbooks don’t have optical drives. Shouldn’t that play a role in your choice of category? Where did you come up with the magical number of 10.2 inches? Think about it. You are reviewing a 3lb, 1″ thick computer, no optical drive, a keyboard and trackpad that leaves no extra space, a computer with a built in webcam, that is cheap. Which part am I missing here? And this is a laptop why?

        The reason you need to think this over a bit more, is simply because people in the public associate laptops with optical drives. Think not? I beg to differ then. Netbook are known not to have optical drives, and now you are labeling “netbooks” as “laptops”.

        I only take issue with this because you run a popular website. Saying 10.2 inches and under is netbook, may need some rethinking. Why wouldn’t you include 11 inch computers in the netbook category? You might be able to argue about 12 inch, but be honest. Is somebody out there telling you what to call this computer? Don’t confuse the public more than they already are. Either that, or you need to explain that this “laptop” doesn’t have an optical drive. Don’t laugh. People miss a lot of information when you put it in a review. Perhaps you mentioned it, or it was supposed to be obvious from the photos.

        In closing, I just say that I get it. I get the industry holding onto “laptop” so dearly and not wanting to let that go. Perhaps you are part of that special interest group, I’m not sure. You need to figure it out on your own. Again, 10.2 inches why? What happens when it goes to 11″? It’s no longer netbook? One thing to consider, is that nobody buys 8 inch netbooks. Why? Keyboard size that’s why. A netbook really is the smallest possible computer that will allow for a full size keyboard. End of story.

        1. I’ve spent the last two years thinking about these issues. There have been
          laptops without optical drives that are most certainly not netbooks. The
          Asus UL30A I reviewed recently lacked one. But it has a 13.3 inch screen.
          Would you call that a netbook?

          I’ve written several manifestos over the years describing what I think a
          netbook is, and while it may not entirely be up to me to decide, I’ve been
          pretty consistent. If you check the “about” page, you’ll find the
          description I wrote over a year ago and it’s the same as the one I just gave
          you in terms of size, weight, and price.

          I’m not sure why you’re insisting that netbooks aren’t laptops though. Are
          they smartphones? If it has a nearly full sized keyboard, folds in half, a
          battery, and can rest on your lap, I’m pretty sure that makes it a laptop.

          1. I appreciate what you’re saying. To clear up my point about optical drives, the appropriate term for a large laptop without optical drive would be “ultra thin” or “thin and light”. Again, why confuse consumers? It was hard enough teaching them that netbooks don’t have optical drives. Laptops = optical drives. If it doesn’t then it’s a thin and light.

            I do ask though, why the other great big site tell me that netbooks are call such because of their processor. So, the other biggest site differs in view from the other biggest site. What does that do for the general public? Think about it.

            Netbook are not laptops in the sense that towers are not laptops. You don’t take your tower out as a portable pc. Why? It’s too heavy and big. Laptops, in reality, as those computers that sit at home on your table or desk. Why would you take that out in public when you have the netbook option? That’s my point. Perhaps you still feel like “laptop” indicates a portable PC, but that’s old school thinking. Since netbooks have showed up, those are the new portable, whether you choose to accept that fact or not. Guarantee, like the iPods of years past, things will get smaller and more powerful. This first generation of netbooks were weak, but guess what? The industry will and has responded. They can and are making netbooks extremely powerful in terms of graphics and video. That’s all people really want for a portable. Graphics, video, and a full size keyboard. Nobody cares about how big the hard drive is. Nobody cares about 3 gigs of ram. Maybe if it was that stay at home PC, but a netbook is the new go between.

            Revisit your labeling of laptops and netbooks please. Here is my check list, and please tell me where or what doesn’t make this 1410 a netbook. (not trying to spam, just wanting your take)

            -light (check)
            -thin (check)
            -cheap (check)
            -no optical drive (check)
            -weak graphic/video performance (check)
            -long battery life

            Did I miss something here? Seriously, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck….. Are you big sites under some pressure? You have to be sheep? In a sense, you owe it to the general public to be clear. If you want to call this 1410 a “laptop”, then have the decency to include “ultra thin” or “thin and light” so that people will learn what computers do or do not come with optical drives. People out there aren’t as smart as you think.

          2. I wish I could have gman over for thanksgiving. The combo of trytophan and his netbook/laptop conspiracy theory could put an insomniac to sleep.

          3. I normally don’t engage crosstalk but…

            I disregard your comments or thoughts based on your ignorance of the subject you are commenting on. You don’t have a clue on how the internet works and I can appreciate that. I certainly won’t hold ignorance against anyone. I’m sure you are a decent person deep down.

            There really isn’t a platform here for such debates, but the fact still remains. This site is a “top dog”. At some point, you have to understand your place and influence and act accordingly. The blog is about “netbooks” apparently, but the definition is now skewed. What I see, is that 10″ computers are netbooks, and everything else is a laptop. That’s what I see here anyways. I don’t see many reviews of 7,8,9″ computers, so 10″ are what you would be covering on this site because those are netbooks. Everything 11″ and bigger is a laptop, so… perhaps it’s time to update the “about us” page. Not an important debate to most, but for some it is. I fall into the latter category obviously. I don’t want to spam, so I’ll leave it at that. I didn’t see a reply to my “walks like a duck…” so I’ll take that as pwned. 🙂 Cheers!

          4. Just start your own “top do” blog. Let the people decide the merits of your arguments. Then you can truly find out if people will or will not subscribe to your theory, or if they even care.

          5. Just start your own “top do” blog. Let the people decide the merits of your arguments. Then you can truly find out if people will or will not subscribe to your theory, or if they even care.

    2. SERIOUSLY!? Shut up! You sound so incredibly ignorant and pompous. Nobody gives a shit whether its called a laptop or netbook, we just want to know how the damn machine runs! Do us all a favor and back the hell off!

  19. I got this computer and installed a full box copy of Windows 7 Ultimate on it. I updated the drivers from the Acer site. Only one problem – the audio crackles/pops the speakers when I use Skype. I’m wondering if this is a issue related to Skype or maybe I need a better audio driver? The sound/speakers work just fine when playing music interestingly. So, this seems to be related to when using the microphone and webcam applications?Anyone had this problem? Can recommend the correct/better audio driver?

  20. Hey quite insightful…I have been using Aspire 4738 series for almost two years and with zilch problems. I think there is a lot of misconceptions about Acer which happens due to sterotyping. I think Acer is quite felxible in it’s configurations and money’s worth. I heard Acer is going to launch a multi-touch laptop in November in India. Looking forward to that.

  21. I know it has a bluetooth switch but does it actually have bluetooth? all the user reviews i´ve seen mention that it doesnt have bluetooth.

    1. I do not know why acer would produce a laptop with the capabilities to have bluetooth but not actually install it. I would like to up grade mine if you find a supplier please post it.

  22. An even better choice is the new Gateway EC1430U with a dual core pentium 3gigs ram, & 320 gig hard drive .as a novice I will tell you this thing rocks. Can watch HD video and runs MS Office professional with ease.

    1. They are an Acer subsidiary, that’s the same machine as the Acer 1410/1810 ^^ 🙂

      1. The 1410 and the 1810 have quite different hardware, for example the 1410 has only a 4400mah battery, the 1810tz has a 5600mah battery.
        Also the cpu of the 1810tz is a su4100, the 1410 has only a su2300.

        So i could very well be that those gateways are faster or have better battery life then a 1410.

        1. Yes, sorry, that wasn’t entirely clear was it.

          Both the 1410 and 1810 have equivalents in the Gateway lineup (and within a third brand, if I remember correctly) that are identical machines but with different branding.

          You can get different memory/hd (and presumably battery) configurations between and within each brand but they are the same base machine, stamped out with different branding.

          They even all share the same dismal battery life under Windows 7 and the irritating fan 🙁

  23. Got mine yesterday (dual core) and honestly I was expecting a little more. Granted the CPU makes for a somewhat smoother experience but it still struggles with Windows 7 and the battery is frankly appalling compared to my eee901. As for the graphical performance? Well, like the CPU its creates a slightly smoother experience but in my mind not enough to justify the huge jump in power consumption/battery usage.If anyone is wanting one of these CULV machines I’d highly recommend waiting for the Lenovo U150 which will be available worldwide by the end of November and, in the UK at least, will be priced identically.For me? Ion 2 + CULV is coming. I can wait.Mine will be on eBay quicksharp. Despite the limitations of the 1.6ghz/smallscreen standard netbooks I’ve been working round the quirks for the last year, a couple more months won’t hurt.

  24. Brad, fyi some of the functionality of GridVista is built into Windows 7. Just drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen to resize it to half width, or to the top to maximize it.

  25. PowerDVD probably interacts with the HW acceleration intel GPU in some fashion … allowing DXVA, I expect.

    1. Correct, you could also have used media player classic homecinema or gomplayer.
      Both are free and have dxva support.

      1. Yes, so tell acer to supply those instead. Either way, you get DXVA… except with powerdvd8, you have the codecs (and thus options) to use ANY media player you want.

  26. Hi Brad. A quick question. I have a 1000HE but after updating Windows and Office 2007,
    the system crawls despite a fresh istall of XP. Multitasking is so slow.

    Which machine would be faster for just normal multitasking ie opening abt 5 or 6 webpages
    on IE8 and using Microsoft Word.

    Will a 1410 dual core be faster that a HP 311 with ION?

    1. Yes, dual core = better multitasking
      Yes, faster than an HP with ION, but not quite so nice a graphics adapter.

      Also, the intel atom has amazing OC ability. 2.1 ghz for most, with ~5 degree increase in heat, (upto about 65), well below the 110/125 degree danger point.

      1. We’ve come to a really sad state of affairs if multicore CPUs are expected for Office2k7 and few webpages… (well, one can also use more efficient software; I imagine replacing Office2k7 is a bit out of the question, but a browser is a browser, and Opera is much more effiecient with many tabs)

  27. I absolutely love mine. Because of this website, I made the decision to get the dual core Celeron over the pricier 1810. I clean installed Win7 on it and added another 2GB of RAM and this thing runs like a champ. One note: the memory comes in 2x1GB modules so I had to uninstall them both to install the RAM.

    1. Is this little gem available for sale in the United States yet? I guess we have to get used to getting the best and the coolest after the rest of the world does. Sigh.

      1. It appears so! I just picked my 1410 today (12/05/2009) from a Fry’s Electronics in Renton, WA (Seattle area). In fact, I’m posting here using the 1410, and I gotta say I’m already loving this thing! Earlier in the year I bought one of the AspireOnes at $299, and that was a decent deal. But after seeing some reviews on this model, I just had to get my hands on it. This machine is awesome!

        Good luck in your search steelman! 🙂 Although I haven’t hit their site in quite a while, I believe they are at http://www.frys.com, and think they do ship as well.

        – dmartine40

        1. I guess the day for these are already on their way out, but it seems that notebooks are going to be coming in stronger with the new advancements in technology. Everybody going green has allowed more things to become smaller without burning your legs off when they sit on you for more than 10 minutes.

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