Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsNot a powerhouse but acceptable for low end workstation use
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 9, 2023
This is an economy laptop that is marginally better than the average Chromebook. Do not expect it to run the latest games or any graphically intensive applications. With that stated, I am utilizing these at a non profit charity that which mostly utilizes cloud based applications. These computers work very well at this task while providing the future proofing of being Windows 11 compliant.
We are replacing ACER Aspire E15 series laptops with this model. The E15s were mostly generation 7 & 8 I3 and i5 models with SATA III SSDs and 8GB of RAM. The NVMe drives are much faster than the older SATA III drives. I miss the extra RAM, but not enough to crack open these cases for upgrades. My volunteers appreciate the lighter weight and slimmer size. I don't remember the last time we actually utilized an optical drive or card reader which were lost with the slimmer case.
These have smaller batteries than our older models. That coupled with the CPU and RAM workload increase, means that I anticipate 5 - 6 hours of battery life utilizing basic cloud based applications. Streaming movies or playing basic games will decrease the life more. Non CPU intensive desktop productivity software should increase the battery life. The power port is proprietary so you will need to carry the brick and cords if you need more battery life during your day. From an IT prospective, this is a blessing due to the number of infected USB C chargers that have begun popping up in public spaces.
Most of the volunteers in the organization are older and greatly appreciate the larger display size. There is no touch display option. The maximum resolution is 1920x1080, but the overall quality does not keep up with mid level or elite laptops. The viewing angle is about 120 degrees from the side and less from the top. Graphics performance is low. The colors are not as rich and the contrast is not as dynamic as better displays. This does include HDMI 2.0. I do not think it could drive a display with higher resolution very well though. It is fine for plugging presentations in to a projector or large display. I do not see much improvement on this display vs the 2017 - 2019 ACER E15 series laptops these are replacing.
The webcam is basic. The speakers are small and face down. There is a single microphone. If you speak on calls, a headset is a must. If you listen on calls, this is adequate provided your space is quiet enough for the small speakers. The overall sound quality is a compromise between value and quality leaning heavily on value.
The keyboard is textured. It is not backlit. There is not indication that Caps lock or Number Lock are engaged. So far, I prefer it to the usual flat chiclet keyboards that haunt modern laptops. The key response is good. The number pad keys are smaller than the regular keys and some of the buttons are not in standard 10 key locations. The keyboard also does not use the standard inverted T for the arrow keys. This is either a learning curve or an annoyance depending on the user. Time will tell regarding dust and foreign debris issues and how difficult it is to change a key, switch or the entire keyboard.
The touchpad is large enough to cover the display area adequately. It is sensitive enough to cover tap clicking or actual clicking depending on user preference. I do miss the button that disables the touchpad to eliminate palm pressing, but that disappeared with optical drives on every computer.
The ports are great. This laptop has 2 USB 3.2 and one USB C on the left side, and one USB 2.0 on the right side. It also has gigabit ethernet and HDMI 2.0 on the left side and a headphone port on the right side. The SD card reader has disappeared to no big loss. Many of my volunteers prefer corded mice and happen to be right handed. A USB port on the right side is really nice. The power port is proprietary since this is USB C instead of Thunderbolt 3/4. That is a nice range of current and future connectivity. The average user will not need to utilize a dock or USB hub with this laptop.
The WI-FI supports both 2.4 and 5.0 Ghz protocols. It maxes out at WI-FI 5 speeds. The built in ethernet port is gigabit which maxes out at 125mbps. Both are adequate for streaming, web browsing, email, and basic Internet use. Most home networks are gigabit so this slots in very well. I was able to maintain transfers at 2.3GBe with a USB 3.2 to 2.5GBe adapter. There is no wireless upgrade option.
You can access the main board and components with nothing more than a 00 Phillips screwdriver. There is a single RAM slot and it utilizes NVMe 3.0. The base model is a little light on both RAM and storage, but for a workstation, it is adequate. For a more power user, you can upgrade both, which is nice and becoming rare in most laptops. The NVMe drive is not heat shielded nor is it installed in a place with good airflow. I would not be surprised to encounter heat throttling during periods of heavy use. The overall drive life may be compromised as well. Time will tell. There are no additional unused SATA, PCI, or NVMe ports for expansion. You cannot upgrade the CPU and there is no expansion port to add discrete graphics. No surprise there.
I immediately exited Windows S mode during initial setup. Any program that won't allow a user to even utilize a different browser, isn't right for me. This may be nice if you are attempting to keep users away from applications and websites of questionable origin but our desktop software will never be listed in the MS store and our cloud based software is not stable in Edge.
The bottom line is that this laptop is designed for non power users and companies looking for a laptop that is more powerful and less controlled than the average Chromebook. If your user experience is surfing the Internet, streaming videos, checking email, and running software that will never be listed in an App Store, this is a great option. If you want to play games, or edit video or graphics, this is not the right choice for you. Based on previous ACER experience, we anticipate 5 years of service out of these which is a great return of investment.
