14 DAY TRIAL // Just a short while ago, reports emerged stating that Acer would be showcasing the world's first NVIDIA ION 2-powered netbook at the Mobile World Congress and, sure enough, the company did not tarry long in making the official announcement. Just as the reports said, the device is dubbed the Acer Aspire One 532G and sets itself apart from its peers through its higher graphics capabilities provided by the NVIDIA graphics accelerator.
Unsurprisingly, the prime feature of the netbook is its ability to handle HD media files, including performing playback at 720p. Normally, netbooks are built with entry-level graphics and processing capabilities, because they are not meant for more than just basic Internet-browsing tasks. Online video, however, is becoming increasingly popular and, as such, Acer used NVIDIA's new platform to create a portable device with this capability.
The Acer Aspire One 532G runs on an the Intel Atom N450 CPU at 1.66GHz, has a 10.1-inch, LED-backlit LCD screen, weighs about one kilogram and is one inch thick. The netbook also features GMA integrated graphics, which it will use to perform most operations (in order to save power), except accelerating video and CUDA-enabled applications. These last two will be handled by the GT218 GPU with 512MB of memory. Switching between the two graphics solutions is done automatically thanks to the NVIDIA Optimus technology.
In addition to being able to view online video in HD quality, the netbook also features an HDMI output, which allows it to connect to a secondary HDTV or LCD and play back video in a 1080p resolution. The device will also be able to easily handle web multitasking and has a high power efficiency that earned it the Energy Star v5.0 qualification. Acer's mobile PC is also compliant with RoHS and WEEE EU directives.
Through the use of the Optimus and thanks to the high energy efficiency, the Acer Aspire One 532G netbook can operate, on a single battery charge, for up to ten hours. Prices have not been mentioned, but the device is expected to start shipping by the end of the current quarter and will boast WiFi and optional 3G connectivity.