Ever since Intel introduced the dual-core Atom N550 processor, all major netbook manufacturers updated their offerings in order to include this new, more powerful processor, so Acer couldn't remain idle and introduced the new Aspire One D255 that carries a very attractive $329.99 price tag.

For that money customers get a 1-inch thin netbook that weighs just over 2-1/2 pounds, promises eight hours of battery life while also coming with a 10.1-inch CrystalBrite (aka glossy) LED-backlit display, 1GB of DDR3 memory, a 250GB internal hard drive and, of course, the new Intel dual-core N550 processor.

So nothing revolutionary over here except a small bump in performance.

If you want to save some money, the Aspire One D255 can also be configured with a single-core Atom N450 processors dropping the price to $269.99, but I don't think the $50 gained justifies the performance loss.

However, if performance is what you are after you could go for either Aspire One AO721 or AO521, both of these AMD Athlon II Neo K125 packing netbooks being also announced together with the D255.

Of course that you will have to give up on the eight hours battery life in the process, since the K125 has a 12W TDP compared to the 8.5W TDP of the dual-core Atom, while multi-threaded apps might still work better on the Intel chip, but you will get a much more responsive system that won't make you feel like you are using a netbook.

The Aspire One AO721 or AO521 come with 11.6-inch and 10.1-inch CrystalBrite LED-backlit display, respectively, both of these being available with ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics and HDMI connectivity, the former model also packing 2GB of DDR3 memory and up to 250GB internal hard drive, while the smaller AO521 gets only 1GB of DDR3 memory and 160GB internal hard drive.  

"We have enhanced our best-selling Aspire One netbook line with the improved performance and better power efficiency to improve the mobile computing experience for consumers," said Pete Dailey, senior product marketing manager for netbooks.

"With the new Aspire One AOD255, users are able to multitask, explore the Internet, connect with friends, and enjoy entertainment applications, without worrying about battery life or being tethered to an electrical outlet."

All three netbooks will be available later this month, the Acer Aspire One AOD255 with dual-core Atom N550 processors coming in at $329.99 while the single-core Atom N450 version begins at $269.99.

The Acer Aspire One AO721 will be available at $429.99, while the 10.1 inch AO521 offering comes at $349.99.

All of these seems like reasonable prices, although I would love for Acer to throw in a dual-core Athlon II Neo K325 to the 11.6 inch Aspire One AO721, to build one of the fastest notebooks available, at least until the new AMD Ontario processors join the party.