5. Aspire One D260 - £250
Acer was among the first to release a netbook back in 2008 and its Aspire One range has gone from strength to strength ever since. The Aspire One D260 is among its latest additions and what it lacks in storage it compensates for with all-day battery power. Running for nearly nine hours under the most demanding use, it delivers enough juice to keep you working throughout the day.
Weighing 1.2kg and with a depth of just 30mm, the slim design lets it slip easily into even the smallest hand luggage.
Despite the slim dimensions, a decent sized keyboard is in place and all the keys are large enough to comfortably type at speed. The board is firmly fixed to the chassis, with no flex on show, and all keys respond smoothly and accurately.
Graphics are limited and are intended for multimedia consumption, rather than creation. Video plays back smoothly, though, with even high-definition 1080p content handled with ease.
With so little to differentiate most netbooks currently on sale, it takes a unique feature or two to really stand out. The fantastic battery life and great usability of the Aspire One D260 are what raise this machine above its similarly specified rivals.
