Tested using Methodology v0.8.2
Reviewed Aug 07, 2024 at 09:35 am
Latest change: Writing modified Aug 23, 2024 at 12:00 pm
By Caleb Taylor, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong
7.0
School
5.7
Gaming
6.5
Multimedia
7.6
Workstation
7.0
Business
+ Create your own
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Size
Operating System
The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It replaces the Acer Aspire 5 from 2022 (model A515-57). This 2023 model is available with Intel 13th Gen U- and H-series CPUs, integrated graphics, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. It has an FHD IPS display (with or without touch input support), a full-size keyboard with a numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity. Port selection varies depending on the variant—while all models have two USB-As,only select models have a USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 and/or Ethernet port. Keyboard backlighting and fingerprint sensor are optional features.
See our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
7.0 School
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is decent for school use. Despite its all-plastic construction, it feels relatively well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. You can configure the laptop with an Intel 13th Gen U- and H-series processors; the latter provides a good amount of processing power for CPU-intensive tasks like programming and scientific studies. There's no dedicated graphics option for GPU-intensive workloads. The overall user experience is a bit of a mixed bag; its 1080p display gets reasonably bright but looks washed out, and its keyboard feels spacious but mushy. Battery life is decent at around eight hours of light use, so depending on your usage, you may need to plug it in for a quick charge to get through the day. Unfortunately, not all models have a USB-C port, so make sure to check the specifications if this is important to you.
Pros
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Easy to carry around for a 15-inch device.
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Feels relatively well built for the price.
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Available with powerful H-series CPUs.
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Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
Cons
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Battery only lasts around eight hours of light use.
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No dedicated GPU option.
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Mushy keyboard.
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Some models lack USB-C.
5.7 Gaming
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is sub-par for gaming. It's only available with low-power CPUs and integrated graphics, which aren't powerful enough to handle graphically intensive games. It also has a slow 60Hz display with no VRR support to reduce screen tearing. You can play some lighter, casual games, but you'll have to play with low settings to get playable frame rates.
Pros
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Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
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User-replaceable SSD.
Cons
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No dedicated GPU option.
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Can only get up to 16GB of soldered RAM.
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60Hz display with slow response time.
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No VRR support.
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Some models lack USB-C.
6.5 Multimedia
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is okay for media consumption. It's easy to carry around for a 15-inch device, and its battery lasts around seven hours of video playback, giving you plenty of time to get through a couple of full-length movies. Its 1080p display looks decently sharp and gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings; however, its narrow color gamut makes most content look washed out. Also, it isn't ideal for dark room viewing because its low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray. Unfortunately, while the speakers get very loud, they sound tinny and unnatural, with no bass.
Pros
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Easy to carry around for a 15-inch device.
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Battery lasts around seven hours of video playback.
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Speakers get pretty loud.
Cons
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Display looks washed out due to narrow color gamut.
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Blacks look gray in dim settings.
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Speakers sound unnatural, with almost no bass.
7.6 Workstation
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 isn't designed for use as a workstation. It can handle some CPU-intensive tasks if you get a model with an H-series processor, but know that you can only get up to 16GB of RAM, and there's no option for dedicated graphics. It also isn't suitable for color-critical work, as the available displays don't even have full sRGB coverage. The keyboard feels mushy, and only select models have a USB-C port.
Pros
-
Available with powerful H-series CPUs.
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Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
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User-replaceable SSD.
Cons
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No dedicated GPU option.
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Can only get up to 16GB of soldered RAM.
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Display isn't suitable for color-critical work.
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Some models lack USB-C.
7.0 Business
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is decent for business use. It feels relatively sturdy build-wise, and its thin and light design makes it easy to carry around. It's available with Intel 13th Gen CPUs, which can easily handle general productivity tasks like text processing, spreadsheets, web browsing, and presentations. The overall user experience is so-so; its FHD display provides plenty of room for multitasking and gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings. However, the keyboard and touchpad buttons feel mushy and somewhat cheap. Battery life is decent at around eight hours of light use, so depending on your usage, you may need to plug it in for a quick charge to get through a typical workday.
Pros
-
Easy to carry around for a 15-inch device.
-
Feels relatively well built for the price.
-
Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
Cons
-
Battery only lasts around eight hours of light use.
-
Mushy keyboard.
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Some models lack USB-C.
- 7.0 School
- 5.7 Gaming
- 6.5 Multimedia
- 7.6 Workstation
- 7.0 Business
+ Create your own
- Updated Aug 23, 2024: Added mention of the Dell Precision 3591 (2024) as an alternative with more powerful GPU options for professional workloads in the GPU section.
- Updated Aug 20, 2024: Added mention of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024) as a Chromebook alternative with longer battery life in the Battery section.
- Updated Aug 07, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Aug 01, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 18, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jun 11, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jun 04, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Acer Aspire 5 15 (model A515-58P-58VF) with an FHD display, an Intel Core i5-1335U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The screen, CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the available options are in the table below. This review applies only tovariants with a model number starting with 'A515-58P' or 'A515-58M'. The Aspire 5 lineup also includes the A515-58GM variants, which are productivity/gaming models equippedwith an NVIDIA RTX 2050 Laptop GPU; however, these variants have very different internals with a more robust cooling system. As such, we consider them separate models.
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See our unit's label here.
Compared To Other Laptops
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is a decent budget laptop. It offers a good amount of performance compared to other laptops in its class, but the overall user experience isn't great, as it has awashed-out display, a mushy keyboard, and a limited port selection.
For more options, see our recommendations for the best Windows laptops, the best laptops for college, and the best budget and cheap laptops.
Acer Aspire 3 15 (2023)
The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2023) and the Acer Aspire 3 15 (2023) are both 15-inch budget productivity laptops. The Aspire 5 is a slightly higher-end model that provides a better user experience. It has a sturdier build anda much brighterIPS display, and unlike the Aspire 3, you can get a model with keyboard backlighting. It's also available with faster Intel 13th Gen CPUs, giving you more processing power for intensive tasks.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (2023)
The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (2023) are both 15-inch budget laptops. The Lenovo provides a better user experience, sporting a more tactile keyboard, a more responsive touchpad, and a better webcam. However, you can get more performance out of the Acer because it's available with faster H-series CPUs. The Acer also has better battery life, lasting almost two hours longer than the Lenovo.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Acer Aspire 5 15 (2020)
The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2023) is a newer version of the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2020). They provide a similar user experience; the most notable difference is that the newer 2023 model has a larger touchpad and longer battery life. The 2023 model is also available with faster Intel 13th Gen CPUs, so you get significantly more processing power to tackle demanding tasks.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
ASUS Vivobook S 16 Flip TP3604 (2023)
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 Flip TP3604 (2023) andthe Acer Aspire 5 15 (2023)are both Windows productivity laptops available with Intel 13th Gen U- and H-series CPUs. The ASUS is a slightly higher-end model thatprovides a better user experience, sporting a more comfortable keyboard, a larger touchpad, and a better webcam. Also, unlike the Acer, the ASUS is available with a 3.2k OLED display, and it's a 2-in-1 convertible, so you can use it as a tablet.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024)
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2023) is a better laptop overall than the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2023). However, there's an important limitation—ChromeOS doesn't have the best software compatibility. If you need a Windows device, go for the budget-oriented Aspire 5 instead. The Aspire 5 offers a larger screen, which can be useful depending on your use case. However, the Spin 714 is a more premium 2-in-1 convertible with better build quality and a significantly better IPS display. Its user experience is also generally better, with a better-feeling keyboard and touchpad, and a much better webcam.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
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Test Results
Design
Form Factor
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is available in a Steel Gray or Iron (slightly darker gray) colorway. See the bottom of the laptop here.
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7.5 Design
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 feels relatively sturdy despite its all-plastic construction. There's some flex on the lid and keyboard deck, and the display twists when manipulating it, but these issues aren't bad enough to be of concern. The finish doesn't easily scratch or pick up fingerprints, and the feet feel solid.
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5.6 Design
Range
Stability
One Finger Lift
The hinges feel fairly smooth when opening and closing the lid; however, they have far too much resistance to allow for a one-handed lift. As for stability, there's some wobble when adjusting the screen's tilt, but it isn't as much of an issue when typing heavily.
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7.7 Design
Size
Thickness
Width
Depth
Volume
Weight
Charger Size
Charger Weight
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6.0 Design
Ease Of Access 7.0
RAM Slots
Storage Slots
Replaceable Battery
Replaceable Wireless Adapter
Accessing the Acer Aspire 5 2023's internals is relatively easy; you need to remove 11 Philips screws and release the bottom panel's clips with a prying tool. The storage slot supports M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs.
See the service guide here.
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Design
- 65W power adapter and cord
- Documentation
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Display
Resolution
Aspect Ratio
Pixel Density
Panel Type
Touch Screen
Screen-To-Body Ratio
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is only available with an FHD display, with or without touch input support. A 1080p resolution is passable at this screen size; you can see individual pixels up close, but this isn't an issue at typical viewing distances. 16:9 is a standard aspect ratio that's well suited for media consumption since most videos are in that format; however, a 16:10 or 3:2 aspect ratio would have been better for productivity, as the increased vertical space lets you see more text when reading a document or website, so you don't have to scroll as much.
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5.9 Display
Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
The display has a slow response time, resulting in noticeable ghosting in fast-moving scenes.
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7.3 Display
Native Contrast
The display's contrast ratio is decent and within the typical range for most IPS panels; however, it's still relatively low compared to other display technologies like VA and OLED. Blacks look gray in dim settings.
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6.8 Display
Maximum Brightness
Minimum Brightness
The display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings but not in sunny environments or outdoors in broad daylight. It gets very dim at the lowest brightness setting, which is great for dark room viewing as it causes less eye strain.
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7.2 Display
Screen Finish
Total Reflections
Indirect Reflections
Calculated Direct Reflections
The display's reflection handling is decent. Its matte coating does a fairly good job of diffusing and reducing the intensity of bright light sources. You can see some reflections when viewing bright-color content with the screen at maximum brightness, but they aren't overly distracting.
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8.1 Display
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
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6.6 Display
Color Washout From Left
Color Washout From Right
Color Shift From Left
Color Shift From Right
Brightness Loss From Left
Brightness Loss From Right
Black Level Raise From Left
Black Level Raise From Right
Gamma Shift From Left
Gamma Shift From Right
The horizontal viewing angle is okay. However, the image gets dimmer and more washed out fairly quickly when moving to the side, so you have to be close or directly in front of the screen to get the best accuracy.
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6.5 Display
Color Washout From Below
Color Washout From Above
Color Shift From Below
Color Shift From Above
Brightness Loss From Below
Brightness Loss From Above
Black Level Raise From Below
Black Level Raise From Above
Gamma Shift From Below
Gamma Shift From Above
The vertical viewing angle is okay. Like the horizontal viewing angle, the image dims and washes out when viewing from above or below. You need to look at the screen almost straight on to get an accurate image, which can be hard in places where you don't have much space to tilt the screen, like on a bus or airplane.
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4.8 Display
Avg. White Balance dE
Avg. Gamma
Avg. Color dE
Avg. Color Temperature
The display's out-of-the-box accuracy is bad, mainly because this panel has a narrow color gamut and can't reproduce bright, saturated tones. The gamma is also too low in most scenes, making them too dark.
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4.0 Display
sRGB xy 64.27%
sRGB uv
Adobe RGB xy
Adobe RGB uv
DCI P3 xy
DCI P3 uv
Rec. 2020 xy
Rec. 2020 uv
The display has a poor color gamut. It doesn't even have full coverage of the commonly used sRGB color space, making most content look slightly washed out. It also doesn't have enough coverage of the wider Adobe RGB and DCI P3 color spaces for color-critical work like print photography and HDR video production. The touch-sensitive panel is identical.
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10 Display
Flicker-Free
Flicker Frequency
Flicker Active Below
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5.8 Interface
Typing Quality 7.0
Numpad
Backlighting
Operating Force
Actuation Force
Pre-Travel
Total Travel
The Acer Aspire 5 2023's keyboard provides a decent typing experience. Its layout feels spacious and is easy to get used to. While the keys are reasonably stable and require little force to actuate, they could use a bit more travel and tactility. The mushiness is especially noticeable on the spacebar and backspace keys. Backlighting is optional, so check the specifications if it's something you care about.
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6.5 Interface
Tracking Quality 6.0
Size
Material
Dedicated Buttons
The touchpad is okay. It's reasonably large for a 15-inch device and tracks movements and gestures well. However, palm rejection and dragging and dropping items across a long distance don't always work. This is a diving board touchpad, so you can only click in the bottom half. Unfortunately, the buttons feel mushy and cheap, providing almost no tactile feedback.
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7.8 Interface
Max Volume
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
The speakers get pretty loud with minimal compression at high volume levels. They sound clear but unnatural, with almost no bass.
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6.5 Interface
Video Quality 6.5
Resolution
Position
Privacy Cover
Face Unlock
The Acer Aspire 5 2023's webcam is okay. The image looks decently detailed but a tad overexposed, with slightly washed-out colors. As for the audio, while voices come across clearly with little to no static background noise, the volume is far too low, so you'll have to adjust the gain manually.
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6.0 Connectivity
USB-A Ports
USB-C Ports
Thunderbolt
USB-C Charging
USB-C Display Out
HDMI
DisplayPort
3.5mm Jack
Card Reader
Ethernet
Proprietary Port
Security Lock
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 has a mediocre port selection. Both USB-As support USB 3.2 Gen 1 data transfer speed of up to 5Gbps. Some models have a USB-C (with charging and Thunderbolt 4 support) and/or Ethernet port, so check the specifications if this matters to you.
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Connectivity
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
The Acer Aspire 5 2023's wireless adapter is an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201.
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Configuration
Brand
Model
Core Count
Thread Count
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is available with the following CPUs:
- Intel Core i3-1305U (5 cores/6 threads, up to 4.50GHz, 10M cache)
- Intel Core i3-1315U (6 cores/8 threads, up to 4.50GHz, 10MB cache)
- Intel Core i5-1335U (10 cores/12 threads, up to 4.60GHz, 12MB cache)
- Intel Core i7-1355U (10 cores/12 threads, up to 5.00GHz, 12MB cache)
- Intel Core i5-13420H (8 cores/12 threads, up to 4.60GHz, 12MB cache)
- Intel Core i7-13620H (10 cores/16 threads, up to 4.90GHz, 24MB cache)
- Intel Core i9-13900H (14 cores/20 threads, up to 5.40GHz, 24MB cache)
The available processors are in two categories: the low-power U-series CPUs typically found in ultraportables and the more powerful and power-hungry H-series CPUs typically found in gaming laptops and workstations. A U-series CPU is likely more than adequate if you only perform general productivity tasks like web browsing, text processing, spreadsheets, and video playback. More CPU cores will give you better multi-thread performance, so heavy multitaskers should opt for a Core i5 or i7. As for the H-series CPUs, these are faster processors that can handle more demanding workloads, like programming and scientific studies. The downside is that they consume more power, so expect the battery life to be noticeably shorter. All the available CPUs have a hybrid architecture comprising performance and efficiency cores; see here for more information.
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Configuration
Brand
Model
Dedicated/Integrated
VRAM Size
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 is only available with integrated graphics. Depending on the CPU, it's either Intel UHD Graphics or Iris Xe. There's some performance difference between these two integrated GPUs, and even between the Core i5 and i7/i9's Iris Xe, but ultimately, these are all low-power GPUs designed for light productivity tasks, so don't expect to do anything intensive. Check out the Dell Precision 3591 (2024) if you need a laptop with more powerful GPUs for professional workloads like 3D design and simulation.
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Configuration
Capacity
Modules
Type
Speed
You can get this laptop with 8GB or 16GB of RAM. The memory isn't user-replaceable.
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Configuration
Advertised Capacity
Usable Capacity
Drive 1
Drive 1 Type SSD
Drive 2
Drive 2 Type No 2nd Drive
You can configure this laptop with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. The SSD is user-replaceable: the slot supports M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs.
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8.7 Performance
CPU Single-Thread
CPU Multi-Thread
GPU Compute
The Acer Aspire 5 2023's Intel Core i5-1335U CPU scores well in the Geekbench 5 benchmarks. It can handle a variety of general productivity tasks with no issues; however, it isn't ideal for heavily multi-threaded applications. For more demanding workloads, getting a model with a higher-wattage H-series CPU, like the Core i7-13620H or i9-13900H, is best. The integrated graphics perform poorly and aren't suitable for GPU-intensive tasks.
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LEARN ABOUT GEEKBENCH 5 (SYNTHETICS)
9.4 Performance
Single-Thread
Multi-Thread
The Acer Aspire 5 2023's Intel Core i5-1335U CPU performs reasonably well. That said, if you're a heavy multitasker or plan on running intensive, multi-threaded applications, getting a model with an H-series CPU is best, as it'll provide a smoother experience and complete tasks faster.
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LEARN ABOUT CINEBENCH R23 (CPU RENDERING)
7.1 Performance
CPU Render Time
GPU Render Time
GPU Render Time (Optix)
While you can render 3D images in Blender using the CPU, it's best to get a laptop with a discrete GPU, as even an entry-level GPU, like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, can render images much faster.
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LEARN ABOUT BLENDER (3D RENDERING)
4.5 Performance
Overall Score
The CPU's integrated graphics perform poorly and aren't ideal for gaming. You can play some simple, puzzle-like games or older titles, but you'll have to play at a lower resolution or with low graphics settings to get playable frame rates.
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LEARN ABOUT BASEMARK GPU (GAME SCENE)
9.1 Performance
Sequential Write Speed
Sequential Read Speed
Random Write Speed
Random Read Speed
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7.1 Performance
Capacity
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
Battery Life (Video Playback)
Battery Life (Gaming)
Charge Time
Models with an H-series CPU likely have shorter battery life. For a 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook with better battery life, consider the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024).
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LEARN ABOUT BATTERY
1.8 Performance
Avg. FPS
1% Low
0.1% Low
1% Low Delta
0.1% Low Delta
Avg. FPS On Very Low
Borderlands 3 is unplayable on the Acer Aspire 5 2023. The integrated graphics can't handle this and other similarly demanding games.
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LEARN ABOUT BORDERLANDS 3
3.2 Performance
Avg. FPS
1% Low
0.1% Low
1% Low Delta
0.1% Low Delta
Avg. FPS On Minimum
Avg. Turn Time
Civilization VI is playable; however, you'll have to lower some graphical settings to get smooth gameplay, and the average turn time is very long. The H-series CPUs will get you faster turn times.
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LEARN ABOUT CIVILIZATION VI
2.5 Performance
Avg. FPS
1% Low
0.1% Low
1% Low Delta
0.1% Low Delta
Avg. FPS On Low
Counter-Strike 2 isn't playable on the Acer Aspire 5 2023. The gameplay is extremely choppy, sometimes freezing completely.
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2.0 Performance
Avg. FPS
1% Low
0.1% Low
1% Low Delta
0.1% Low Delta
Avg. FPS On Lowest
Shadow of the Tomb Raider isn't playable at 1080p. The game is too choppy and sometimes freezes completely, even with low graphical settings. The integrated GPU can't handle this and other similarly demanding games.
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LEARN ABOUT SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER
8.4 Performance
Keyboard Temp While Idle
Keyboard Temp Under Load
Fan Noise While Idle
Fan Noise Under Load
Power & Fan Control App
The keyboard deck only gets mildly warm under load, and the hot spot is near the top, away from where most people rest their hands. The fan is audible but no more than a whisper. Models with an H-series CPU will likely get hotter and louder.
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LEARN ABOUT THERMALS AND NOISE
9.1 Performance
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
GPU Temp (Heaven)
GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven)
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LEARN ABOUT PERFORMANCE OVER TIME
Additional Features And Software
Additional Features And Software
Operating System
Additional Software
The Acer Aspire 5 2023 has many pre-installed applications, including:
- Acer Jumpstart: Contains basic information about the laptop and its features.
- AcerSense: Lets you monitor system status, apply noise-canceling on video calls, optimize battery charging, see system information, and apply a blue light filter.
- App Explorer: Lets you explore the pre-installed apps on the laptop and contains ads for other apps.
- Care Center: Keeps drivers up to date.
- Dropbox Promotion: Ad for Dropbox file hosting service.
- Evernote: Note-taking app.
- ExpressVPN: Link for virtual private network service.
- Google Play Games beta: Lets you play mobile games from the Google Play Store.
- Intel Unison: Lets you connect your smartphone to the laptop, allowing you to send and receive messages, view photos taken on your smartphone, and transfer files, similar to Windows' MyPhone app.
- McAfee: Antivirus software. Requires subscription.
- Solitaire: Card game.
- Solitaire & Casual Games: Solitaire, FreeCell, Spider, Mahjong, Sudoku, and other casual games.
- Spades: Card game.
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Additional Features And Software
RGB Illumination
Touch Pen
Secondary Display
Biometrics
Some models have a fingerprint sensor, so check the specifications if it's a feature you care about.
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