Acer has become the first manufacturer to release a netbook using Nvidia's Ion 2 graphics platform.
As revealed over on Electronista, the Acer Aspire One 532g appears at first to be a fairly standard netbook: the 10in screen and 1.66GHz Atom processor you'd expect from this type of machine are all present and correct.
Where the device differs from previous netbooks is in the presence of a low-power GeForce G310M graphics processor capable of providing full hardware accelerated 1080p video playback along with reasonable 3D performance - something which has been sadly lacking in prior netbook devices.
The 532g also has the in-built Intel graphics hardware that comes as part and parcel of the company's Pine Trail platform, but uses a neat trick to save battery: using Nvidia's Optimus hybrid-SLI technology to flip between the integrated and GeForce graphics on the fly, Acer claims that its latest netbook will get a full ten hours of life from a single charge - although that figure will drop as you watch HD video or play games and the GeForce chip kicks in.
While more detailed specifications haven't been released, the promise of 1080p video suggests that the 532g will feature a high-resolution external display connection - most likely HDMI - to make full use of the Ion 2's capabilities. Wireless is likely to be 802.11g, although it's possible that a 3G modem will be included if Acer is looking to position the device at the top end of its range.
The Aspire One 532g is set to launch in the US towards the end of March, at an as-yet unannounced price point - but the device is likely to set you back a premium compared to existing Aspire One models.
Does the idea of a netbook that can do some pretty beefy 3D and video acceleration in hardware fill you with joy, or has Acer missed the point? Will it all depend on how much the company decides to charge for the Ion 2-based device? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
As revealed over on Electronista, the Acer Aspire One 532g appears at first to be a fairly standard netbook: the 10in screen and 1.66GHz Atom processor you'd expect from this type of machine are all present and correct.
Where the device differs from previous netbooks is in the presence of a low-power GeForce G310M graphics processor capable of providing full hardware accelerated 1080p video playback along with reasonable 3D performance - something which has been sadly lacking in prior netbook devices.
The 532g also has the in-built Intel graphics hardware that comes as part and parcel of the company's Pine Trail platform, but uses a neat trick to save battery: using Nvidia's Optimus hybrid-SLI technology to flip between the integrated and GeForce graphics on the fly, Acer claims that its latest netbook will get a full ten hours of life from a single charge - although that figure will drop as you watch HD video or play games and the GeForce chip kicks in.
While more detailed specifications haven't been released, the promise of 1080p video suggests that the 532g will feature a high-resolution external display connection - most likely HDMI - to make full use of the Ion 2's capabilities. Wireless is likely to be 802.11g, although it's possible that a 3G modem will be included if Acer is looking to position the device at the top end of its range.
The Aspire One 532g is set to launch in the US towards the end of March, at an as-yet unannounced price point - but the device is likely to set you back a premium compared to existing Aspire One models.
Does the idea of a netbook that can do some pretty beefy 3D and video acceleration in hardware fill you with joy, or has Acer missed the point? Will it all depend on how much the company decides to charge for the Ion 2-based device? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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