Packard-Bell Dot S

Packard Bell Dot S review

Since being bought by Acer in 2008, Packard Bell has gone from strength to strength, releasing a wide range of high-quality laptops and netbooks. The updated Dot S adds to this legacy, combining great usability and unique features at an equally pleasing price. Acer's involvement can be seen in the design of this device, as it is built around the same chassis as the Aspire One D260. Available in a choice of black or champagne colour schemes, you will either love or hate the patterned finish. Build quality is excellent and the resilient plastics will be more than tough enough to withstand daily family use. The slim chassis can easily be carried in a small bag, with the fantastic 502-minute battery life only beaten here by the Acer Aspire One D260. The spacious keyboard has all the strengths of the Acer. It is a pleasure to use, with a near flawless typing action. The white keys of the champagne model are easily tarnished, however, so you may prefer to opt for the black model. The spacious touchpad is great to use, with its wide design matching the screen of the Dot S perfectly. A slim scrollbar on the right-hand side of the touchpad makes it easy to scroll vertically through documents and web pages.