What’s In The Brown Box?
In addition to the Acer Aspire One AOA 110-1722 netbook itself, you get the 2200 mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable battery (3-cell), the AC adapter and power cord, and a leather-like soft case. The soft case offers some protection, but it is very unfortunate that it is completely open-ended on one edge. There is no Velcro or zipper mechanism to prevent an unfortunate spill.
There is also no instruction manual, but there is a sheet of paper telling you that you can download a copy from the Internet. The lack of documentation is likely due to the refurbished nature of this particular netbook, even if it is an “Acer Certified” reconditioning. Aside from that, there really isn’t all that much that is completely out of the ordinary here.
This is Refurbished? Really?
Part of the reason why you are saving some cash with this particular product is that it is a refurbished unit. You could just as easily go to a regular retail store and pick up a brand new Acer Aspire One and it would still (typically) be cheaper than some of its competitors, but the “reconditioned” route further improves these savings.
The inherent risk with refurbished products isn’t really that they will fail on you — they do go through a rigorous testing process before being shot back out to consumers — but you could suffer through a fair bit of cosmetic damage. Some refurbished products can come back with all sorts of scuffs, scratches, dents, and bruises. This, of course, varies widely from case to case and your experience may not be quite the same as mine, but this particular refurbished Aspire One had no visible signs of wear. If it wasn’t for the sticker on the back, the unique packaging, and my pre-existing knowledge, I would have assumed that this was brand new.
Realistically, any physical damage that you see on a refurbished netbook is likely just cosmetic and will not affect the performance of the product. That said, I don’t really want to get a used laptop with a big scar on its outer panel either. A netbook is a lifestyle PC, after all.
Design, Functions, and Ports
Although the Acer Aspire One is a less expensive alternative to some other netbooks, I found the build quality to be reasonably impressive. There is very little flex to the chassis on the lower portion, but the top half (with the display) does have some flex to it. The hinge appears to be well-built and I’m glad to see that there are little rubber feet on the base of the Aspire One. This helps to prop up the bottom when you place it on a table, allowing for improved airflow and cooling. Above the screen are the integrated microphone and VGA webcam.
Instead of using a function button to turn the Wi-Fi radio on and off, there is actually a dedicated switch to the bottom right of the netbook. This hard switch can certainly come in handy when you want to save some battery life. The power button is located to the top-right of the keyboard and you’ll notice the indicator lights to the top-left. The narrow gap between the screen and the lower half of the netbook is also a notable design cue.
Along the left side of the Aspire One, you’ll find the power port, the VGA port, Ethernet port, one USB port, and a storage expansion slot. Along the right side, there is a Kensington lock, multi-card reader, two USB ports, and the jacks for the headphone and microphone.