Acer has led the way at the budget end of the netbook market, but there's little to distinguish its more expensive offerings. The Aspire One 531 looks set to change this, offering a desirable design and good quality. The chassis is stylish and thinner than most of its rivals, making it easy to slip into a bag. Glossy highlights around the side look good, but matt plastics are used for most of the design, helping to hide fingerprints. Weighing 1.1kg, portability is impressive, although the use of a 3-cell battery limits battery life to 195 minutes.



Link: TechRadar