New Acer Ferrari One: Like a Netbook, But Better

Acer has announced that its popular and ultra-powerful Ferrari One notebook will soon rev stateside, and it'll be packing both plenty of hardware muscle and Microsoft's latest operating system Windows 7.

At 3.31 pounds, the Acer Ferrari One notebook doesn't weigh much more than a standard netbook. However, not only does it boast a larger screen than most netbooks (an 11.6-inch high definition LED backlit display) -- it also packs far more under the hood with a dual dual-core 1.2 GHz Athlon 64 X2 processor, 4GB of DDR2 667 MHz memory, a 250GB hard drive, and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 graphics card.

Windows 7 Joins Long List of Features

Making it even more attractive is the inclusion of Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (64-bit), along with the comfort in knowing that this is one netbook that won't struggle with the requirements. (Source: eweek.com)

The Ferrari One's specs don't stop there. It also includes 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N wireless technology and a CrystalEye webcam with video conferencing software included. Unlike most notebooks or netbooks its size, the keyboard is full-size and the touchpad multi-gesture. There's also a triumvirate of USB ports, a VGA port, and a six-cell lithium-ion battery that reports suggest should power this mini-behemoth for as many as five hours at a time. (Source: electronista.com)

While most netbooks and notebooks this size have office elevator-quality speakers, the Ferrari One includes Dolby Home Theater-enhanced stereo speakers which sound fantastic while watching movies on the system's optical drive.

Those not afraid to tote around a rather ostentatious design will be pleased with the checkered flag pattern and the prancing pony logo. Hey, if you've got it, you might as well flaunt it.

Acer Passes Dell in PC Market Race

You might expect a PC with this kind of portability and power to retail for close to $1,000, but Acer reports that consumers should be able to find it at several major retailers for $599.99, a considerable bargain given the system's specifications.

The Ferrari One's release comes shortly after an impressive third quarter 2009 helped Acer leapfrog Dell to the number two position in the PC market.