Aspire One Netbook Review
Aspire One Average Rating
See the full review on the Aspire One Below!
| Rating One: | ![]() |
The Acer Aspire One ZA3 Aspire One Netbook
Acer Aspire One ZA3
Since I last reviewed netbooks, the number of new choices and models has increased 10-fold while the price has decreased on average $100-$150. Surprisingly, technology and performance have remained roughly the same. The Aspire ZA3 is based on the Z520 Processor, one of Intel's newest, low-wattage CPU's made specifically for small form factor PCs.
What to Like about the Acer Aspire One Netbook
- Battery Life
- 11.6" Screen
- HD 1366-768 Resolution Screen
- 160GB Hard Drive
- Full-Size Key keyboard
- Build Quality
- Thin, Sleek, Great Looks
- Sub-$300 Price Tag
- Web Cam
What Not to Like about the Acer Aspire One Netbook
- Windows XP Home OS
- Slow Processing Speed
- Low, 1GB Memory
- Installed Junk Software and Bloatware
Details, Specifications and Performance of the Acer Aspire One Netbook
The ZA3 Aspire One Model was equipped from Costco with a Z520 1.33 Processor, 3-Cell, 6-hour Battery, 160GB Hard Drive, Web-Cam and Windows XP Home. Also included was a 60 day trial of Office Home and Student and a permanent version of Microsoft Works. Out of the box, the Aspire one looks and feels great. The full sized keys on the keyboard are a real asset for a netbook this size, and they feel good and solid when you press them. Unfortunately, the excitement turns into the need for plenty of patients as you wait for Windows XP Home to boot up and go through the initial user-setup for the first time. The Atom 1.33 Z520 Processor is one of Intel's newer, energy-saving, portable processors. While I appreciate the longer battery life, the speed doesn't seem to be quite as good as the 1.6 used in the first generation of netbook CPUs. To make matters worse, Acer has preloaded the netbook with a bunch of worthless bloatware in the form of McAfee Virus Scanners and games. No way should a netbook be forced to use a processor, task-intensive virus scanner like McAfee. To further test my patience, Windows XP Updates and McAfee began running at the same time, which brought the poor Aspire One Netbook to its knees. I could not complete a single task until the updates were done. As soon as they were, I uninstalled McAfee, then downloaded and installed my favorite, free AVG Anti Virus. I also removed the 60-Day Office trial and all of the unneeded games. The result was the difference between night and day. The Aspire One Netbook actually became a usable computer and I was able to boot and surf the web much faster. Still, doubling the RAM would really help. Unfortunately, there is only one RAM slot, so the 1GB chip will have to be removed and thrown away, in place of the 2GB one I plan on purchasing for it. Once the unneeded software is removed, the Aspire One provides adequate performance as long as you are not
Conclusions on the Acer ZA3 Aspire One Netbook
I am not a fan of XP Home or really any of the Windows-Based OS's on these netbooks. Having owned an i-Phone, I've grown to really appreciate the simplicity of it's icon-launched interface. A Netbook would be well suited for the same type of Operating System. Putting a bunch of programs on a Netbook cripples the performance and greatly diminishes the reason for owning one. The purpose of an ultra mobile computer is to allow you to be productive on the go, not to replace your more powerful laptop or desktop PC. At the very least, maybe manufacturers like Acer should start encouraging software developers to produce more efficient, mobile-type applications to market with their low-priced netbooks. They should be talking to the Apple I-Phone Apps programmers.
Despite any gripes and complaints, the Acer Aspire One ZA3 Netbook, offers quite a few more pluses than minuses. The larger, high definition, 1366x768 screen really stands out from others as does the look, build, quality, appearance and keyboard. The performance is sufficient once you get rid of the unneeded bloatware. Keep in mind, the Atom Z520 is a single-core processor, so it's going to feel pretty sluggish if you are performing multiple tasks, such as running software updates at the same time you are using or installing other programs. For surfing the web, checking your email, writing letters and other simple office tasks, the Z520 will suit you just fine, especially with an additional gigabyte of memory.
Low Auction Prices on Acer ZA3 Aspire One and More
|
Acer Aspire One Netbook D257 1417 AS IS For Parts or Repair $55.00 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 41m |
Acer Aspire ZG5 Netbook Pink Working AS IS $50.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 42m |
Acer Aspire One ZG5 Netbook Laptop As Is Parts Repair $67.00 (11 Bids) Time Remaining: 1h 1m |
|
ACER NET BOOK AO532h Used 3 times in perfect condition with extras $180.00 Time Remaining: 1h 35m Buy It Now for only: $180.00 |
BRAND NEW FACTORY SEALD Acer Aspire S3 391 6616 133 Intel Core i3 2377m 4GB $520.00 Time Remaining: 2h 2m |
Acer Aspire One Netbook parts as is working lcd zg5 aoa150 1691 $50.00 Time Remaining: 2h 13m Buy It Now for only: $50.00 |
More Netboks: Netbook Reviews and Sales
Asus Netbooks on Auction
|
Asus Disney Netpal Netbook $325.00 Time Remaining: 1h 10m |
7 Mini Netbook Notebook Laptop Android 23 OS 4GB $110.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4h 8m |
Asus EEE Pad Transformer Prime TF201 and Docking Keyboard with boxes $350.00 Time Remaining: 5h 13m |
|
ASUS Eee PC 1001PXB 101 160 GB Atom 166 GHz 1 GB Netbook Notebook Black $134.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 7h 18m |
Asus EeePC 1005HAB RRED001X NETBOOK 16GHZ 1GB 160GB RED XP FREE SHIPPING $248.95 Time Remaining: 8h 14m Buy It Now for only: $248.95 |
Asus Eee Netbook $135.00 Time Remaining: 11h 36m Buy It Now for only: $135.00 |
HP Netbooks on Auction
|
Hp Mini 5103 Netbook 101 Atom 166Ghz 2gb 160gb Windows 7 BLUETOOTH Webcam $184.99 Time Remaining: 2h 28m Buy It Now for only: $184.99 |
HP Mini 1103 XT982UT Netbook Intel Atom N455 166GHz 250HD 2GB 101 LED BLUETOOT $184.99 Time Remaining: 2h 28m Buy It Now for only: $184.99 |
HP Mini 1103 XT981UT Netbook Intel Atom N455 166GHz 250HD 1GB 101 LED BLUETOOT $174.99 Time Remaining: 2h 28m Buy It Now for only: $174.99 |
|
HP Mini 311 1037NR Netbook Windows 7 Ultra portable PC $202.50 (28 Bids) Time Remaining: 4h 41m |
HP Mini 311 1037NR Netbook Windows 7 Ultra portable PC $202.50 (27 Bids) Time Remaining: 4h 43m |
HP Mini Netbook 110 4250NR 101 16Ghz 1Gb 320Gb Windows 7 Starter B5S14UA $192.50 (8 Bids) Time Remaining: 10h 38m |
Dell Netbooks on Auction
|
Dell Inspiron 14R Laptop Notebook $350.00 Time Remaining: 2h 46m |
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 1012 101 160 GB Intel Atom 166 GHz 2GB Netbook $137.50 (7 Bids) Time Remaining: 4h 38m |
DELL INSPIRON MINI 10 WHITE ATOM 16GHz 16GB LAPTOP WIN XP EXT USB DVD CD NIB $279.99 Time Remaining: 6h 25m Buy It Now for only: $339.99 |
|
Dell Inspiron 1012 101 160 GB Atom 166 GHz 1 GB Netbook Black $105.00 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 7h 42m |
Compaq Mini 110C 1100DX WIN 7 PROFESSIONAL INTEL ATOM 160GB 1GB RAM $164.99 Time Remaining: 11h 57m Buy It Now for only: $164.99 |
Dell Latitude D610 141 Notebook Intel Pentium M 159GHz 2GB RAM WORKING GOOD $117.75 Time Remaining: 16h 20m Buy It Now for only: $117.75 |
Sony Netbooks on Auction
|
Sony PCG 632L Netbook w Original charger $45.00 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 42m Buy It Now for only: $85.00 |
PINK Sony VAIO CR320E 141 250GB Core 2 Duo 2GHz 2GB Notebook Office webcam dvd $204.85 (25 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 22h 14m |
Sony VAIO VPCYB35KX 116 500 GB AMD Dual Core E 450 165 GHz 4 GB Netbook $354.00 (22 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 23h 30m |
|
Sony W111XX P 101 Netbook Laptop $61.00 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 1h 7m |
sony vio vpcm121ax $149.00 Time Remaining: 2d 2h 17m |
Sony Vaio 10 Pink Rose Netbook $187.50 (16 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 3h 52m |
Toshiba Netbooks on Auction
|
Toshiba L305D S5868 Satellite Laptop Netbook No HD Great Working Condition $107.50 (17 Bids) Time Remaining: 1h 7m |
Netbook Toshiba Mini NB505 Atom N455 166GHz 1GB 250GB 101 WebCam Win7 BLUE $175.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1h 12m |
Toshiba Mini NB505 N508BL 101 250 GB Intel Atom 166 GHz 1 GB Netbook $249.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1h 18m |
|
Toshiba NB255 N250 101 250 GB Intel Atom 166 GHz 1 GB Netbook Celestia $100.00 Time Remaining: 15h 29m |
Toshiba Tecra M9 Netbook Laptop 14 141 2GB 2GHZ DVD 150GB Windows 7 Office $308.85 Time Remaining: 19h 50m Buy It Now for only: $308.85 |
Toshiba NB100 Netbook Notepad Laptop 9 89 1GB 160GHZ 120GB Windows 7 $178.81 Time Remaining: 22h 20m Buy It Now for only: $178.81 |
IBM Netbooks on Auction
|
IBM Lenovo Ideapad S10e Netbook Intel Atom 16 GHz 101LCD 1GB RAM PartsRepair $27.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 18h 16m |
IBM ThinkPad X32 Netbook Laptop 12 121 1GB 18GHZ 40GB Windows 7 $276.34 Time Remaining: 22h 50m Buy It Now for only: $276.34 |
IBM Thinkpad T42 Netbook Laptop 14 141 15GB 170GHZ DVD 120GB Windows 7 $325.10 Time Remaining: 22h 51m Buy It Now for only: $325.10 |
|
IBM Workpad Z50 and Power Adapter Works Well Laptop PDA with Windows CE RARE $10.00 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 1h 32m |
Lot of 4 IBM ThinkPad X40 Notebook Laptops 121 LCD Intel Pentium M Netbook $348.45 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 4m Buy It Now for only: $348.45 |
IBM ThinkPad T41 Netbook Laptop Notebook 14 141 1GB 16GHZ DVD 30GB Windows 7 $260.08 Time Remaining: 1d 17h 46m Buy It Now for only: $260.08 |
Tagged with: acer netbook • acer za3 • aspire one netbook • aspire one netbook review
Filed under: Technology
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!



What do you think is the max screen size of a netbook before it turns into a notebook?
Good question. My opinion is that screen size is only part of the netbook equation. Overall size, weight, battery life and wireless capabilities all count. The za3 Aspire one is a very small 11.6″ netbook. It is an inch thick, runs much cooler than any laptop and has no optical drive. The upshot of the bigger screen is the high resolution. All said, my thinking is that a netbook should not go beyond 12 inches.
Did just what you suggested and the performance speed at least doubled. I was very disappointed in the the speed and your suggestions settled me down. One other suggestion is to remove the McAfee Bloating from your registry otherwise it will keep coming back and annoying you, slowing things down and being a regular pest. Just un-installing that program is not enough.
Where can I get the 2MB memory for the ZA3?
Mirin,
So glad that your netbook performance improved significantly with the removal of the unneeded software. It works every time. It’s a shame that netbook manufacturers do this, but that’s how they are able to sell them to us for so cheaply. The Netbook and Notebook resellers, like Dell, Acer, Toshiba, Gateway, etc., get kickbacks from the software companies for installing their junk on them.
Thank you for the suggestion about removing the McAfee registry entries.
Rob
Dwight,
I apologize that I did not record the specification of the memory chip that is installed inside of the ZA3. Since then, I have given the netbook back to my Mother in Arizona. Therefore, I cannot say for sure with any confidence what kind of memory chip you need. The memory in these netbooks is very common.
I am pretty sure any RAM with the spec SODIMM DDR2-533 or DDR2-667 PC 5300 will work.
To make sure, Remove the bottom panel of the netbook with the little icon that looks like a memory chip. Write down the numbers, specifically for something that looks like SODIMM PC5300, or something similar.
NewEgg.com sells 2GB SoDimm’s like these for about $35.00. If it doesn’t work, you should be able to send it back to them. Best of luck.
Thanks,
Rob
Rob or Mirin: Can you please tell me how to remove the McAfee registry to maximize performance? This is on the Acer Aspire One ZA3.
Thanks,
Doug
Doug,
To completely remove the McAfee program, simply go to your control panel – choose ADD and REMOVE programs, and scroll down to the McAfee virus scanner to uninstall it. It will take a while, so be patient.
Make sure to use another virus scanner in its place. I recommend the free version of AVG. Thanks for writing, Good Luck.
Rob
I’ve implemented a User Ratings feature for the Acer Aspire One Netbook. Please take a moment to rate the product.
Thanks,
Rob
i have this computer and i think its a piece of crap even though i use it everyday. i like the size an full keyboard but the computer is so damn slow. its pretty much only good for surfing the web and checking emails. when i watch videos on youtube or any other site, the processor is so slow that the video looks more like a slide show! thats the thing i hate about it the most! what good is a hd screen if its gonna be an hd slide show! haha
i got mine at costco a couple years back for $300 and now i am looking for a macbook or a macbook pro since i film a lot of concerts n vids of me messsing around with my friends and would like to be able to edit the vids.
my question to u is do u have a mac vs pc review? i’d like to know what u recommend and what the pros and cons of each is before i go n shell out over $1000 for a macbook.
also do u know how i an get a macbook for cheaper than the retail price? my sister is a teacher and she said she can get me a educator discount but thats all i know of so far.
thanks for the help.
feel free to email me robrivera333@yahoo.com
what is the max upgrade for ram and processor for my acer one az3