Acer Aspire One D150

Acer's 8.9in-screened Aspire One A150L won a Recommended award when we reviewed it, and now it has a bigger brother to look up to, the Acer Aspire One D150.

Design-wise, the D150 treads a familiar path. Glossy blue stretches across the lid and the interior is enlivened by a sparkly textured, blue plastic wrapped around the keyboard. It sounds more interesting than it looks, however; the overall impression is of all-pervading blandness.

It's solidly built, though. The supremely stiff chassis immediately inspires confidence and there are few creaks in evidence. Only the screen hinges give any cause for concern, looking as they do, a touch exposed and delicate.

Elsewhere, the D150 continues in a fairly average vein. The keyboard layout is sensible and the keys are responsive, but it's also noticeably smaller than much of the competition, which makes typing errors common. It's a similar story with the touchpad: while usable, its stiff buttons and small size can cause aggravation.

The 10.1in display is initially very impressive thanks to its high brightness, but that brightness comes at a cost. Highlight detail in our test photos looked washed out, and the panel struggled to reproduce lighter shades with any accuracy. The visual deficiencies are disappointing, and particularly as the speakers on the D150's underside are surprisingly capable. They're not the last word in hi-fi clarity - distortion quickly sets in at full volume - but there's just enough finesse and weight to keep things listenable.

Poor battery life brings the D150's challenge to a close, however. Just three hours of light-use stamina puts the Acer well behind the best on test, and although extended batteries are relatively affordable (£70 exc VAT), it's an expense that puts the D150 out of the running.

Author: Sasha Muller