the Acer Aspire 3 is a good budget laptop, with a spacious keyboard and trackpad, and good performance for the price. However, it has a dim display, a mushy keyboard, and isn’t very good for entertainment or anything beyond basic web browsing and light, office tasks.
Pros
- Sturdy construction
- Good build quality
- Fast storage drive
- Wide port selection
Cons
- The display doesn’t look great
- Panel suffers from severe contrast shift
- mushy keyboard
- Not backlit keyboard
- The display doesn’t get very bright
- Not recommended for entertainment or anything beyond basic web browsing and light, office tasks
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 15-inch Acer Aspire 3 with an Intel Core i3-N305 CPU, integrated Intel UHD graphics, 8GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. Our review applies to all variants with a model number starting with ‘A315-510P’.
| Screen | 15.6″ TN 1920 x 1080 60Hz |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i3-N305 (8 cores/8 threads, up to 3.8GHz, 6MB cache) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 750 (integrated) |
| Memory | 8GB LP-DDR5 4800MHz16GB LP-DDR5 4800MHz |
| Storage | 256GB M.2 PCIe Gen. 3 x4 NVMe SSD512GB M.2 PCIe Gen. 3 x4 NVMe SSD |
| Color | Silver |
Acer Aspire 3: Design and build quality
With a weight of little under four pounds, the Aspire 3 isn’t very light, but you do get a broad 15.8-inch screen with enough space for a full-width keyboard in return for about an extra quarter of a pound of carry weight. I’m a sucker for a number pad on my keyboards and live and die by spreadsheets, so having one on such an inexpensive device is quite amazing. When typing heavily, this keyboard doesn’t bend or bounce too much under the fingertips. This is significant because low-cost computers sometimes forgo chassis rigidity in an effort to save money. The effect can be weak and even cause the trackpad to bounce, which moves the mouse pointer across the screen. But no such worry on this Acer; it’s actually a pleasure to type on.
Before that broad keyboard, there’s a really roomy 3-by-5-inch touchpad. This trackpad reacts with a solid, quiet click and feels smoother to the touch than those of other Acer laptops we’ve tested. It tracks well with single-digit and multi-touch motions, according to our findings.
With its thickness of around 3/4 of an inch, the Aspire 3 is somewhat large, yet it still has plenty of ports. Compared to the majority of other sub-$500 laptops we’ve reviewed, the entire laptop has a far more robust appearance and feel. It’s not a cheap, plastic kid’s computer—rather, it’s a machine suitable for a working adult. Our main issue with the construction quality is that, instead of sitting firmly, the screen wobbles a little when we move it while it’s open. This implies that if you move the device while using the webcam, as we experienced during testing, the image would waver.
Acer Aspire 3: Display and audio
Budget laptops from Acer, such as the Aspire 5 that we examined a year ago, have long been notable for their 1080p screens. The Aspire 3 is similarly equipped, but as the market develops, competitors are also introducing the same resolution to their entry-level models, so it is no longer unique in this regard. Nevertheless, 1080p is the lowest resolution a customer should tolerate if purchasing a laptop in 2024, as 768p hardly accommodates the majority of contemporary websites in their native resolution. While responsive web design is great, you might as well be using an iPad Mini for surfing if your 15-inch laptop screen forces a minimal layout with the browser window maximized.
You’re right in the acceptable resolution range for current devices with the Aspire 3, but as I mentioned before, that’s the very least we’d require at this moment. Overall, we thought the Aspire 3’s video and movie display looked good. Brightness was adequate for comfortable usage in direct sunlight, and color quality was passable but unexceptional.
The audio from two tiny, downward-pointing speakers is rather powerful and well suited for YouTube videos and video conferences, although it sounds a touch tinny while listening to songs with a lot of bass.
Acer Aspire 3: Webcam and microphone
The Aspire 3 exceeded our expectations for an inexpensive laptop in our videoconferencing testing. The HD camera captured clear, detailed images, and the microphone did a good job of picking up and isolating conversations from background noise.
We were very pleased with the Aspire 3’s low-light camera performance when compared to a Macbook Pro. Featuring Temporal Noise Reduction, the high-definition camera enhances the exposure levels and smoothes out low-light footage that would otherwise be grainy. This results in a bright, clear image that surpasses the majority of other built-in webcams we’ve tested, even on more expensive PCs.
Comparably, the microphone enhances in-room audio quality by filtering out background noise and transmitting crisp, clear audio to the recipient using Acer PurifiedVoice software. That’s saying a lot for a PC in this price bracket. Overall, we’d choose to have a Zoom with the Acer Aspire 3 over certain devices that are four times more expensive because to its voice and image capture quality.
Conclusion: A Simple Laptop a Bit Too Easy for 2024
Nothing about the Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P) is noteworthy. It’s a low-power device that is only really capable of basic tasks. For anything more than moderate office work and standard online browsing, I wouldn’t use it for enjoyment. However, because of its low-power processor, it manages those latter duties with remarkably little trouble and operates for a very long time on its battery. If the $379 price tag is met, it represents a good deal. But since you’re already paying $400, it makes sense to finance or save an additional $500. Even while the $499 model is more widely accessible and may be more powerful, it falls short of the features supplied by competitors in the budget market that are highly recommended, such as the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i 15 (2022) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Windows Duet 5i.
FAQ
Is Acer Aspire 3 worth buying?
Nothing about the Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P) is noteworthy. This machine has a lower power consumption and is only capable of doing basic tasks. I wouldn’t suggest it for anything other than light office work and simple web surfing for amusement.
Is Acer Aspire 3 good for university students?
You may use the Acer Aspire 3 in a classroom. It is lightweight and seems relatively well-built.
Is Acer Aspire 3 good for work from home?
Performant and Ready. With the newest Intel® CoreTM i3 N-Series Processors1 with UHD Graphics, the Aspire 3 is prepared for use and is perfect for the whole family, with performance and productivity being its primary concerns. ideal for maximizing the benefits of work, education, or leisure.
Does Acer Aspire 3 overheat?
Customers specifically complain that the Aspire 3 slows down or crashes in addition to being quite hot. This process, referred to as “thermal throttling,” cools a laptop but significantly impairs its performance.
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