Upgrade to AO532h from AOD250?

I have an AAO-D250, upgraded to 2gb, running Windows 7 HP. I have it configured the way I want it and its a great little machine, but I'm always enticed by the latest and greatest. I'm looking at the new AO532h, and I'm sort of confused on how much better that new machine really is. I realize with the new processor/gpu/chipset architecture it uses much less power, but what about the performance? My only real problem with my D250 is the GPU performance, especially when Aero is turned on with transparency. Is this going to be better on the AO532h?

In checking some technical docs, it also appears that the AO532h only supports a max resolution of something like 1400x1100. This is bizarre, as my D250 will run full 1920x1080 when connected to an external monitor. Maybe they did this to lower the energy usage, but it could be a big detraction. I have the Crystal HD board in my machine and I do occasionally connect it to my HDTV to watch movies in stunning quality.

I guess I'd just like to start a dialog on what really separates these AAO models, and if the newest offering really gives you more than just battery life.

 

the 532h has a bigger better keyboard.

pretty much the broadcom would be the deal breaker for me. as much as i love the bigger chicklet keyboard, I wouldn't upgrade from the d250 unless the 532h has a 2nd workable slot for the broadcom.

as for cpu/gpu the cpu is fine, its the newer n4xx series atom. same speed as the d250, just with a higher system bus (533 vs 667). the one you want to watch out for is the z5xx series of atom chips with the gma 500. the 532h comes with the gma 3150, which is only a little bit less powerful than the 950 in the d250. I would prefer the 950 myself, especially if you have a crystal hd card. The only good thing about the 3150 is native mpeg support. which isnt needed with the crystal hd card.

so overall it comes down to the keyboard, and compatibility, EVERYTHING netbook related works with the n2xx/gma950 combo.

personally i dont think the upgrade is worth it, unless someone pays you a good price on the d250. it would be a much better idea to wait for the 532g which will be the first netbook with the new ion 2 gpu. it has both the intel 3150 and the ion 2 with some sort of graphics switching (I assume for battery life). I might do this upgrade depending on price of the 532g.

edit: some d250s came with the n280 atom (1.66/667) which is the same specs as the n450 (1.66/667) in the 532h. the speed differences compared to the n270 (1.60/533) is pretty much unnoticeable.

edit#2: another big difference with the 532h is that it also has a bigger (wider) touchpad, and the 6 cell battery is flush with the system, like the 3 cell is with the d250.

 

I've owned the AOD250 and currentllyk own an ao532h. There are no benefits in upgrading, especially if you have the Broadcom card and it is working fine. I have the Broadcom card in my ao532h but Flash 10.1.3 and Broadcom driver 3.1.8 are still buggy - supposedly the Broadcom BCM 70012 runs better with N270/N280 machines than with the newer N450s.

There are only three benefits to the N450 series:

1. Based on the Windows Experience Index, Aero Graphics with the GMA 950 in the N27/N280 machines is only 2.0, but 3.0 with the GMA 3150 graphics in the N450 machines. No big deal, since I run Starter with no Aero anyway. Running Hulu with Broadcom is more important to me.

2. Battery life is better with the N450 - assuming you have the same milliamper battery pack. In practice if you have the higher capacity 6 cell battery you won't go wrong, especially since the Broadcom draws less than a watt.

3. The N450 will run 64 bit code; the N270/N280 won't. A dubious advantage, currently, since it won't support more than 2 gb anyway, and since most apps run 32 bit.

A minor advantage of the N450 is speed stepping the processor. But since I run mine full speed all the time, full screen brightness even on battery, that doesn't impress me - I don't want to sacrifice a good computing experience for some crazy long battery life.

Keep and enjoy your AOD250, it's a great machine, and if I didn't have to come up with a quick Christmas present for a friend last December, I'd still have it.

Can you run 480p Hulu full screen on your AOD250 with Flash 10.1 beta, the 3.1.8 Broadcom driver, without frame drops or stuttering?

 

I can't get the Broadcom card to work with Flash in IE. I have tried Beta 2 and Beta 3, no luck with either. It does work in Chrome though, so I'm not sure what's going on. I'll have to try Hulu and see what happens.

(I am installing both Flash apps, the regular and ActiveX, so IE should work)

 

As a chrome only user, i havent tried using the broadcom on IE. are you running the info app? its just a simple program that adds an icon in your system tray that will light up when the card is in use. i find it useful when trying to see if a flash video is actually using the card or not.
C:\Program Files\Broadcom\Broadcom CrystalHD Decoder\DTS_Info.exe

I have noticed videos before not using the broadcom, but this should at least help narrow it down if its IE or some specific video.

On Topic: forgot about the newer pinetrail chips support x64 code, but as stated above, youre not missing much. none of the mobos that i know of support over 2gb, and youre not going to notice any sort of performance increase running x64 code on an atom chip. it wont be until the next gen of netbook atom chips come (I assume an N5xx like the D5xx on nettops, dual core support!) that running 64 bit might actually help a bit.

 

I am thinking about upgrading from a d250 to a 532 mostly because of the higher resolution. So that might be a good reason as well.

 

Resolution is the same, 1024x600.

The ao532g ("g") is supposed to come with a 13..x7.. screen for 720p high def - also with the Ion 2 - for maybe $380 - but so far just a gleam in reviewer's eyes, vapor ware. The a0532h that we know and love (and I own!) is no higher rez than the d250.

 

well, the interesting thing is that I ordered a used 532, and the seller claims that it has a resolution of 1380x960, 2GB RAM and 250GBHDD. I really wonder what version that is as I can't find that one anywhere on the net. It's a store, so I can still return it if it's not right.

 

Wow - if it is - you will have to tear that puppy apart so we can all figure out how to upgrade our graphics! :mrgreen:

 

I am indeed looking at this with suspition, as the D250 I had ordered before had been sold to me as WXGA but turned out to be WSVGA. As I wrote, I can always return it, so I'll just wait, see and post

 

Well, they screwed up again (http://www.gg-net.de) - this time it's at least the 1280 variant. As I already smelled the poop as we say here I'll keep it but ask for a spicy reduction on the price (which was good anyway, 200€ almost new, completely refurbished including Win7).

BTW, shipment was lightning fast, all across Germany via UPS in 16 hours - at least they got that right.

Yee-ha.

 

I checked some of my other netbooks and they allow me to SET a resolution higher than 1024x600. Not as high as you can set with an internal monitor, but slightly higher.

Only problem is, the pixels are sized for 1024x600 so if you set a higher resolution, the viewing quality is terrible.

So don't be surprised if your new unit will theoretically display a higher rez, but you aren't happy with what you get.

 

The resolution is 1280*720 and everything is very crisp and good looking (except my ugly mug mirrowing in the shiny display). W7 Ultimate runs very smooth as well, all is roses at last. Very satisfied with this netbook, just the way I need it to be.

 

yep, they made a few d250 models at the end with 1280x720 screens. as far as I know, they did not do this with the 532h (yet?). if you happen to have one of these models, there is no reason to upgrade. get a broadcom crystal hd card and enjoy your nice crispt screen.