When the netbook revolution began in late 2007 and early 2008 netbooks were small, light, and cheap computers with a variety of Intel and VIA processors, running Windows or Linux. Over the past year so many Intel Atom powered mini-laptops have been released with Windows XP that it's easy to forget that there are other options. The Acer Aspire 1410 is a good reminder. At around $450, it's priced competitively with most netbooks, but it has a faster Intel Core 2 Solo processor, GMA 4500MHD graphics, and still weighs about 3.1 pounds, which makes it lighter than some Intel Atom powered netbooks.
The model featured in this review has a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, Bluetooth, and 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi. It has a 6 cell, 4400mAh battery. It's available from B&H for $449.
Design
The Acer Aspire 1410 measures 11.2″ x 8″ x 1.2″ at its thickest point. At the front, 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.
Around the sides of the computer you'll find 3 USB ports, a flash card reader, Ethernet jack, VGA port, and an HDMI output.
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 black finish which will show fingerprints, but it's not the worst offender I've seen.
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, which means you can upgrade the laptop to 4GB by picking up a 2GB stick. The model reviewed here came with a single 2GB stick occupying one of the slots.
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.
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 com
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