Style is not the only thing to consider when selecting a laptop, and opting for one of the best lightweight laptops is wise. Ultimately, it is more beneficial to have a computer that performs well, even if it isn’t aesthetically pleasing, as evidenced by an Acer Aspire 5 review.
In this blog post, we have provided an impartial overview of the features of this Acer laptop. All aspects of the device have been discussed in detail to help you make an informed decision.
About Acer Aspire 5
Acer Inc.’s Aspire series of personal computers are created with casual household users in mind. This range of products includes desktops and laptops with various performance levels. When competing against other brands, the Aspire line of computers goes up against Asus’s Transformer Book Flip, VivoBook and Zenbook, Dell’s Inspiron and XPS, HP’s Pavilion, Spectre, Stream and Envy, Lenovo’s IdeaPad, Samsung’s Sens, and Toshiba’s Satellite.
Acer’s Aspire series was first released in 1999 with the Aspire 1151, which had a 200 MHz Intel Pentium. And the Aspire 5 has consistently been one of the most popular laptops in recent years. Additionally, it has been featured on the best budget laptops and best laptops for beginners in podcasting lists. Its Intel Core i5 processor is quite powerful, a great deal for its cost.
Design & Build
The Acer Aspire 5 is lightweight at 4.9 pounds and slim at 18mm thick, so you can easily bring it with you and not worry about your arms getting tired from carrying it.
The Aspire is constructed with a combination of metal and plastic, blended seamlessly together. Acer has opted for a simplistic look with its exterior design. It features a metallic Acer logo on the lid and two small decorative bars on the top left and right of the laptop, extending to the sides. The lid is made of aluminum, while the rest of the computer is strong plastic. It is large enough to accommodate a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad, albeit with smaller keys.
The laptop’s hinge is still slightly loose, causing the lid to wobble while typing. The screen hinge, however, is incredibly robust and may be too stiff, as the entire chassis will move if the lid is lifted with only one hand.
There is nothing remarkable about the space between the lid and the keyboard where the display is placed.
However, the eye-catching backlit chiclet keyboard of the Aspire includes a convenient number pad on the right side, although it does not produce a satisfying click. Typing on the keyboard is pleasant, while the touchpad located slightly towards the left is made from the same aluminum material and works well with touch. Additionally, the touchpad includes a fingerprint sensor for added security.
Display & Audio
The 15.6-inch screen boasts a Full HD ComfyView widescreen display with LED-backlit for a bright and clear viewing experience with good viewing angles, offering a resolution of 1920×1080. Moreover, the screen brightness of 245 nits is not ideal, making it difficult to view things clearly in brightly lit environments.
Still, this 16:9 widescreen panel is suitable for web browsing, video streaming, and audio editing on this computer.
The integrated webcam is quite basic, as it has a resolution of 720p and is not capable of face recognition for Windows Hello logins. Additionally, there is no fingerprint reader, so you will need to type in your passwords manually.
The Aspire 5’s audio is a definite plus, with its ability to adequately fill a room and its surprisingly good bass. The sound reproduction is close to accurate, making it an excellent choice in sound quality.
Performance & Battery Life
The Acer Aspire 5 is a convenient laptop for novice podcasters, equipped with a powerful 8th-Generation i5 processor that can reach speeds of up to 3.9GHz. This configuration provides ample power for audio editing and hosting. In addition, 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of hard drive storage ensure that users can run heavy applications without hiccups.
The Acer Aspire, priced at an affordable price, features Intel Xe integrated graphics, making this laptop a great choice for podcasting. Although the integrated Iris Xe graphics won’t win any awards, if the graphics quality is lowered, it is possible to get some casual gaming done.
The Aspire 5’s audio is a definite plus, with its ability to adequately fill a room and its surprisingly good bass. The sound reproduction is close to accurate, making it an excellent choice in sound quality.
Additionally, the Aspire 5 efficiently manages heat. Allowing it to run quietly during typical content creation activities with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, well below the 95-degree threshold. Despite the occasional loud fan noise during more intense tasks, the laptop never gets uncomfortably hot.
This laptop is ideal for podcasting as it offers an average battery life of 5 hours, allowing you to get some editing done even while on the go.
Specifications |
Basic InfoManufacturer: ACER Product Type: Notebook Laptop (2021) Model No: Aspire 5 Model Name: A515-56-55J8 Part Number: NX.A1HAA.002 Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit Processor & Chipset
RAM Memory: 8 GB LPDDR4x Solid State Drive (SSD): 512 GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD Keyboard: Full size Backlit LED lighting keyboard, Spill resistant Pointing Device Type: Touchpad Physical Dimension: Height 0.70 x Width 14.3 x Depth 9.4 Weight: 4.19 Ibs Color Options: Pure Silver Security features: Firmware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) solution Kensington lock slot Memory card reader: Yes Manufacturer Warranty: 1 Year |
DisplayScreen Size: 15.6 inch Resolution: 1080 x 1920 Pixels Screen Type: FHD LCD LED ComfyView In-plane Switching (IPS) Technology Backlight Technology: Yes Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics shared memory |
Network & CommunicationWireless LAN: IEEE 802.11 a/g/n/ac/ax, Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth: Yes, 5.0 Ethernet Technology: Gigabit Ethernet |
Battery & PowerType & Capacity: 3-cell Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery Battery Timing: Upto 8 Hours Maximum Power Supply Wattage: 45 W |
Interfaces/PortsUSB
HDMI: Yes VGA: 720p HD Optional: Hybrid Infrared (IR) & HD 720p Audio: Dual stereo speakers, Acer TrueHarmony |
Final Verdict On Acer Aspire 5
PROS | CONS |
Great for beginners | Low brightness |
Long lasting battery | No SD card slot |
Robust construction | Limited internal storage capacity |
Affordable | |
Comfortable keyboard and touchpad | |
Compact and lightweight |
The Acer Aspire 5 is a great choice for those looking for an affordable laptop for podcasting. Its powerful processor, ample RAM, and internal storage make it ideal for any podcasting task. The clear LCD display and long-lasting battery make it an even better option. All in all, the Acer Aspire 5 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an entry-level and reliable podcasting laptop.
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