Acer Aspire One 522 AMD Fusion 1080p netbook gets official

Acer's Aspire One 522 – which leaked back in December – has been made official, with the netbook packing AMD's latest C-50 1GHz Fusion processor and Radeon HD 6250 256MB graphics. Fronted by a 10.1-inch 1280 x 720 display, the AO522 promises 1080p HD video output from an HDMI port, along with real time image processing with auto color and contrast adjustment.

There's also a choice of WiFi b/g, WiFi b/g/n and optional 3G and Bluetooth 3.0, together with either 160GB or 250GB of storage. A webcam, mono speaker, up to 2GB of RAM and multi-function memory card reader round out the key specs, while ports include three USB 2.0, audio in/out, VGA and 10/100 ethernet, along with the HDMI.

Battery life is estimated at up to 3hrs with the 2200mAh 3-cell pack or 6hrs with the 4400mAh 6-cell pack. No word on pricing at this stage, but the Acer Aspire One 522 will launch in the UK come Q2 2011.

Press Release:

Acer Aspire One 522
Discover next generation HD experience

CES Las Vegas, January 7th 2011 – Acer multiplies its offer and enriches its best-selling family of netbooks, debuting the Aspire One 522 netbook designed to deliver a fresh and exciting user experience, by providing smoother HD multimedia enjoyment, creation and sharing, and greater multitasking performance.

The new Aspire One 522 skilfully combines a sleek and stylish look with outstanding performance to help users enjoy an all-round HD experience for enhanced content consumption anywhere. Equipped with an AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), this netbook is ready for a next generation user experience and amazing HD Internet multimedia performance.

Users are increasingly focused on enjoying multimedia – movies, games, photos, videos – wherever they go. This is why Acer has equipped the Aspire One 522 with the new AMD C-50 APU, engineered to deliver rich, sharp and lifelike HD Internet entertainment and take advantage of today's visual digital universe anytime, anywhere.

What's more, the Aspire One 522 makes accomplishing any task, from HD movie playback to Internet HD video streaming to simply chilling out a delightful experience. You can go beyond simple internet browsing to experience full high-definition video over the web. But that's not all. The new Aspire One 522 integrates AMD Radeon™ HD 6250 graphics to provide sharp HD video with support for the latest graphics standards including Microsoft® DirectX® 11, 1080p video output via HDMI®, real time image processing with auto color and contrast adjustment, and edge sharpening.

Everyday tasks, such as Internet browsing, streaming online HD video, emailing, chatting, photo viewing, document editing are efficiently performed by the Aspire One 522 that delivers multitasking capabilities, even with visually intense, high-definition applications. Support for fast DDR3 memory further helps tackling even more demanding tasks.

Thanks to HD playback capabilities, this netbook easily integrates into the home entertainment environment. And to provide a seamless experience, it is equipped with an HDMI port to easily connect to HDTV or video-projectors and share Hi-Def video content on a big screen at a larger 1080p resolution. Plus, you can take advantage of the 28 cm (10.1") Acer CrystalBrite™ LED backlit high brightness display, flaunting 1280 x 720 (WXGA) resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio, to make the most of web chatting, browsing and video streaming.

Multiple connection options, including Wi-Fi, LAN and optional 3G or Bluetooth®, maximise your mobile experience and keep you in touch with all you care about. And, to chat live, capture photos or video-conference there are the built-in Acer Crystal Eye webcam and digital microphone.

Just about the size of a magazine, the new Aspire One is available in two colour options – Diamond Black and Green – and offers all the power you need in a thin and light design. The big keyboard for fast-paced comfortable typing is complemented by the multi-gesture touchpad, perfect for scrolling documents, rotating images, zooming and browsing, all with fingertip convenience.

This highly efficient netbook complies with Energy Star® standards and with RoHS and WEEE EU directives, regulating the use and disposal of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Plus, it's also mercury free and ensures 22.2% power savings compared with standard netbook displays, courtesy of the LED backlit panels.

The Acer Aspire One 522 is expected Q2 in the UK, pricing TBA.