Acer Review, Asus Review – Netbook 10

Aspire One 751h is Acer’s “notebook-netbook.”  Aspire One 751h looks like a notebook computer with its 11.6-inch display and full-size keyboard.  This netbook is worth checking out if you’re tired of mini-size screens, mini-size keyboards and endless vertical scrolling.

Acer’s Aspire One 751h is Bigger and Thinner

The Aspire One netbook doesn’t just look like any notebook.  What it looks like is an ultra-thin notebook.  Believe it. Aspire One 751h is only 1-inch thick.

Compare this to the AOD250, Acer’s mainstream netbook. With the AO751h, you get more screen real estate with no extra bulk.

Is it heavier? Sure. At 2.8 lbs, the AO751h with a 3-cell battery is around 0.4 lbs heavier than the AOD250 with a 3-cell battery. At 3.0 lbs, the 6-cell AO751h netbook is also heavier by 0.2 lbs than the 6-cell AOD250.  The cool thing about the 751h, though, is that you may feel the weight – but you won’t see it.

The biggest plus point for the Aspire One 751h is obviously the big display and the full-size keyboard.  The glossy screen is great, and you’ll enjoy watching videos on it.  The keyboard size is perfect. The touchpad is large enough; it’s definitely easier to do finger acrobatics on the 751h than on the D250.

The AO751h also actually looks better than other Aspire Ones.  The battery pack slots in and slants down at the back of the unit, right below where the lid is hinged to the base. I bet some people don’t like this.  Before you make this about the battery pack, however, just remember that it is this feature that gives the 751h it signature slimmer look.  So there.

But the AO751h is Still a Netbook

Acer’s Aspire One 751h may look like a netbook, but it still is very much a netbook.  A peek under the chassis will reveal pretty much the same hardware you’ll find in most netbooks.

The AO751h is not meant to perform like a notebook, as most people expecting notebook-like prowess from it were disappointed to find out.  If you’d like to know what the 751h is all about, this just about sums it up.

Acer Aspire One 751h is for people who want a netbook with a bigger display and a full-size keyboard.

Aspire One 751h is not just Larger; it is  also Louder

If you ask Acer, the AO751h is so much more than just a netbook with a large display.  With the AO751h, you can listen to 5.1-channel audio using a pair of headphones.  AO751h has Dolby’s proprietary optimized headphone technology.

But…

While this is true (and the AO751h netbook can and does deliver superior audio), this is not enough to make the AO751h stand out.  In fact, if

a) you are in the market for an Acer netbook, and

b) optimized Dolby headphone technology is one of your decision points,

you should check out not only the AO751h but also Aspire One D250, Aspire One 531h and Aspire One P531h – all of which have optimized Dolby headphone technology like that onboard the AO751h.

Acer AO751h:  The Drawbacks

Ironically, Acer put an Intel Atom Z520 on the 751h.  Atom is the standard processor for netbooks, but the Z520 is definitely the underachieving sibling in the Intel Atom brood. Consequently, the 751h is rather slow. No, make that prone to freezing, hanging, etc.

The mouse button is also difficult to use.  First, there’s only one of it underneath the touchpad.  Second, it is so stiff some hard clicking is needed before it responds.

Want an Aspire One 751h netbook?

If you want to know which AO751h netbook is best, you can skip the chart. The answer’s right here.

Which AO751h is best?

Among the above choices, the best Aspire One 751h netbook version is the AO751h-1196. This netbook has the best possible configuration among the AO751h netbook versions. Its specifications are as follows:

• Windows XP Professional – Better than the basic XP  (Home Edition) with its enhanced security and networking features. Most people would also probably agree that Windows XP Professional is better than Windows Vista Home Basic. The Vista interface looks nicer, but Windows XP is a leaner and more mature platform.
• 250GB hard drive – More room for your files
• 2GB RAM – Certainly better than 1GB
• 6 cell-battery – Gives you around 7 hours of battery life under normal operating conditions
• Bluetooth – The AO751h-1196 is one of the 2 (still available) AO751h netbook versions that come with built-in Bluetooth functionality

Best of all, the AO751h-1196 is one of the versions that Acer still manufactures. Aspire One 751h-1401 is the other one.

Want the AO751h-1196? It is available at Amazon.

If you’re not convinced that the AO751h-1196 is the best or if you want to make your own comparison of all 751h versions, proceed to the AO751h netbooks guide and comparison chart below.

Using the Netbooks Comparison and Guide

There are four sections to this guide.

• The first section tells you the names of the different Aspire One 751h versions. Use this to familiarize yourself with your options.
• The second section details the basic specifications shared by the different Aspire one 751h netbooks. Use this to confirm whether or not the AO751h is the right Acer netbook for you.
• The third section sums up the differences among the AO751h netbook versions. Use this to create a list of your preferred specifications.  Would you like a 3-cell or 6-cell battery?  Would you like a white or blue netbook?  And so on and so forth for every category in which different AO751h versions vary.
• The fourth section gives you a ready comparison of the different versions. Use this to choose your Aspire One 751h netbook.  Using the list you’ve drawn up using the third section, refer to the matrix in section 4 to find the netbook version that has all your preferred specifications.

The Acer Aspire One 751h Netbooks Guide and Comparison Chart

I.  The Different Acer Aspire One D250 Netbook Versions

As per the US Acer website, there are only two AO751h versions available to US consumers.  They are:

• AO751h-1196
• AO751h-1401

Nevertheless, a quick Google search should reveal that the A0751h originally had more than two flavors. I could find traces of at least 21 other versions online. Among these, 7 are still currently available in at least one online store. They are the following:

• AO751h-1145
• AO751h-1192
• AO751h-1259
• AO751h-1273
• AO751h-1545
• AO751h-1885
• AO751h-1948

Word of advice: Get either the AO751h-1196 or the AO751h-1401. They are still being manufactured and supported by Acer.

II. Summary of Acer Aspire One 751h 11.6-inch Netbook Similarities

What do the Aspire One 751h netbooks have in common? The following are the basic specifications of the AO751h netbook:

Display: 11.6″ WXGA (1366 x 768) TFT display
Graphics: Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500
WLAN: 802.11b/g
LAN: 10/100 Mbps LAN
Features: Optimized Dolby headphone technology, integrated stereo speakers, webcam, digital mic, multi-gesture touchpad
USB Ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports
Card reader: 6-in-1 card reader
Jacks / Ports: Headphone/speaker/line-out jack, microphone jack, Ethernet LAN port, VGA port (video-out)
Dimensions: 11.18 x 7.79 x 1.0 inches; 2.75 lbs with a 3-cell battery pack or 2.97 lbs with a 6-cell battery pack.

III. Summary of Acer Aspire One 751h 11.6-inch Netbook Differences

What are the differences among the AO751h netbook versions?

Processor: Aspire One 751h comes with either the Intel Atom Processor Z520 (512 KB L2 cache, 1.33, 533 MHz FSB) or the Intel Atom Processor Z530 (512 KB L2 cache, 1.60 GHz, 533 MHz FSB). However, the AO751h versions in the netbook comparison chart below all have the Z520 processor.
Storage: Aspire One 751h netbooks have either a 160-GB or a 250-GB hard disk drive. All versions’ storage capacities may be expanded through the use of a storage card.
Operating System: The AO751h ships out with Windows XP Home Edition (SP3), Windows XP Professional (SP3) or Windows Vista Home Basic (SP1).
RAM: Random access memory varies between 1 GB and 2GB.
Battery: The AO751h comes with a 3-cell battery or a 6-cell battery. There are two variants of the 6-cell battery: 4400 mAh (6 hrs) and 5200mAh (7 hrs). All of the 6-cell-battery netbooks listed in the netbook comparison chart below has the 5200 mAh variant.
Color: Aspire One 751h comes in 4 different colors: sapphire blue, ruby red, seashell white, and diamond black.

IV.  Acer Aspire One 751h Netbooks Comparison Chart

Important Notes:

• The prices in this netbooks comparison chart are the list prices at the time of writing. Prices at online stores change often so do follow the links provided to learn the most recent list prices as well as to check whether the units are being sold brand new, refurbished or used.
• Generally, specifications for the AO751h versions (e.g. battery life) are taken from the US Acer website.
• RAM upgrade information is based on product description. When a unit has no RAM upgrade information, this means that a) no information regarding RAM upgradeability is available, or b) the unit is already at maximum RAM capacity. Check the product description before purchase to see which applies.

AO751h Versions	Processor	Operating System	RAM	Hard Drive	Battery*	Bluetooth	Limited Warranty	Color	Price	Where to Buy
AO751h-1196	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows XP Professional	2GB	250GB	6-cell, up to 7 hrs	Yes	1 yr	Blue	$488.55	Amazon
AO751h-1401	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows Vista Home Basic	2GB	250GB	3-cell, up to 3hrs	No	1 yr	White	$349.99	OfficeMax
AO751h-1145	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows XP Home Edition	1GB, 2GBmax	160GB	6-cell, up to 7hrs	No	1 yr	Red	$419.00	Amazon
AO751h-1192	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows XP Home Edition	1GB	160GB	6-cell, up to 7 hrs	No	1 yr	Blue	$419.99	Amazon
AO751h-1259	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows Vista Home Basic	2GB	250GB	3-cell, up to 3 hrs	No	1 yr	Red	$429.99	Amazon
AO751h-1273	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows Vista Home Basic	2GB	250GB	6-cell, up to 7 hrs	Yes	1 yr	White	$419.99	Amazon
AO751h-1545	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows XP Home Edition	1GB	160GB	6-cell, up to 7 hrs	No	1 yr	Black	$419.99	Amazon
AO751h-1885	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows XP Home Edition	1GB	160GB	6-cell, up to 7 hrs	No	1 yr	White	$319.00	Amazon
AO751h-1948	Intel Atom Processor Z520	Windows XP Home Edition	1GB	160GB	3-cell, up to 3 hrs	No	No info	Black	$309.99	Amazon

*Product information at the online store may indicate a longer battery life. The battery information here was taken from the Acer website.

Related posts:

1. Acer Aspire One D150 10.1-Inch Netbooks Comparison and Guide
2. Acer Aspire One 531h 10.1-Inch Netbooks Comparison and Guide
3. Acer Aspire One P531h 10.1-Inch Netbooks Comparison and Guide
4. Acer Aspire One A110 8.9-Inch Netbooks Comparison and Guide
5. Acer Aspire One A150 8.9-Inch Netbooks Comparison and Guide

Filed under: Acer Aspire One Netbooks, Netbooks Comparison