Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012: An Excellent Low-Cost PC

Penny-pinching PC purchasers whose fancies lean toward budget computing have enabled netbooks (low-cost, lightweight PCs that typically cost anywhere from $350 to $500), to become the fast growing segment in the portable computing marketplace. If you more of a desktop person, however, you may be thoroughly surprised at just how much computer you can get for $329–a slick PC about the size of a hardcover book. Allow me to introduce you to the Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012.

The specs:

* Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System
* 1.6-GHz Intel Atom 330 CPU
* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M GPU
* 2GB RAM
* 160GB hard drive
* 6 USB ports (two front, four back)
* HDMI
* eSATA
* VGA
* Memory card reader
* 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi radio

The first thing you’ll notice about the Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012 when you remove it from the box is it’s remarkably svelte build. This desktop computer is about the size of a hardcover book and weighs about as much. Due to its small build, the nettop can be easily toted from room to room if need be, or stashed into your entertainment center to serve as media center.

Like the 10-inch Acer Aspire One netbook that we reviewed earlier this year, this nettop is designed for light computing such as web-surfing, checking e-mail, and updating Twitter, but it packs a snappier dual-core Atom CPU that enables it to operate with extra punch. What is dual-core? Well, to break it down in a way that won’t require a PhD to decipher, a single-core CPU (such as in the aforementioned 10-inch Acer Aspire One netbook) is the equivalent of a single lane of traffic on a busy street; it gets the job done, but could use some help. A dual-core CPU is the digital equivalent of adding a second lane, allowing that same amount of traffic to flow more efficiently.

That meager Atom CPU is paired with Nvidia’s 9400M as part of the “Ion” platform, which lets you do a surprising amount in such a small machine. While ION-less notebooks and nettops choke on mid-range games like Spore, ION let us play the game on the Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012. Firing up the Street Fighter IV benchmarking demo program required me to lower the resolution and graphics to their lowest settings to get the game moving at a blistering 56.5 frames per seconds, but the game still looked relatively good (much better than it does in this still shot) and I was quite happy in knowing that I could play Capcom’s fighter on the nettop.

Naturally, the experience wasn’t as robust as what you’d find with a pricier system with a more potent CPU and GPU, but the jaggies were quite tolerable, especially when you factor in the money saved.

Even better, with monitors and televisions going high-definition on recent years, ION smoothly handles high-definition video. When I downloaded the HD version of Iron Man from iTunes, the spectacularly awesome action wasn’t at all hindered by the hardware.

Where the hardware did stumble a bit was when I tried to stream full screen HD content from Hulu. The Atom processor can’t quite handle the hi-def internet video, and the Flash format hasn’t been boosted to take advantage of the Nvidia GPU, but that fix is supposedly coming soon from Adobe.

As such, the Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012 makes a pretty sweet, low-cost multimedia hub when paired with a monitor (like the 21.5-inch Acer H213H) via HDMI. Plus, the eSATA port and six (count ‘em!) six, USB ports will allow you to hook up an external storage drive to play music, or check out movies or photos on a big screen. Acer kindly includes a wireless keyboard and mouse so you can kick back in the easy chair without being tied to the PC. A small pair of wired speakers are also bundled with this slick little PC.

What the Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012 doesn’t have, however, is a monitor, which helps keeps the price low. Chance are, however, that if you’re a computer user, you have at least one in your home. It also lacks a CD/DVD, which gives the PC its slim bod.

Priced at $329, it’s hard to go wrong with Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012, a computer that an blend near-invisibly into your desktop or multimedia area. It’s good for every day computing light-to-mid-range gaming, and multimedia. Once Adobe releases the Flash update for HD video streaming,  the Acer AspireRevo R3610-U9012 will get even better. If you’re looking for a low-cost, non-bulky desktop this holiday season, this is the one to get.