Acer Aspire One D260-1270

Acer Aspire One D260-1270

The netbook shelf is a crowded place these days, and it can be tough for buyers to see the difference among the various 10-inch, Intel Atom-powered netbooks out there. Thanks to a few above average specs, like a 320GB hard drive and a long lasting battery, the Acer Aspire One D260-1270 ($399.99 direct) stands out among a crowd of look-alike products. The small size and portability of netbooks has led manufacturers to adopt a bit of an accessory mindset when designing their netbooks, sprucing up the cheap plastics with bright colors and eye-catching patterns. While the D260 line uses lots of color, these netbooks are a little more mellow than the blaring colors of the HP Mini 210-2000 ($599 direct, 3.5 stars). Available in black, silver, burgundy, and in our case aquamarine, the D260-1270 manages to be stylish and sophisticated, embracing color in a way that won't drive potential buyers away. The molded plastic chassis is fairly light, with a system weight of 2.65 pounds. The touchpad is seamlessly molded into the palmrest, differentiated by only a subtle ridge on either side and a combined right and left button running along the bottom.