Acer Aspire V3 laptop: technical specifications and reviews. Acer Aspire V3 laptop: description, technical specifications, reviews Acer aspire v3 571g gaming laptop
Here we will focus on what the new processors provide to the laptop user. At the same time, let's see how things are going with the new NVIDIA mobile graphics. Let's start, traditionally, with an acquaintance with the test bench - today this is the Acer Aspire V3, one of the newest laptops from the Taiwanese company.
⇡ Design and usability Acer Aspire V3
The Acer Aspire V3 is an affordable home laptop. However, the design is not at all similar to what we have become accustomed to: last year's Acer Aspire looked completely different. And for the Aspire V3, the design is taken from the more expensive Ethos line.
True, this applies to shape and color, but not to materials. The body of the Aspire V3 is entirely plastic. The black parts are made of glossy plastic, the light parts are made of synthetics of the same grade painted with matte silver paint.
This is a display-grade design: the laptop looks impressive and appears more expensive than it actually is. But in order for it to remain that way, you will have to constantly work with a rag. Electronics hypermarkets, as a rule, have specially trained people who do exactly this. As a rule, there are no such people in the apartments of potential Aspire V3 buyers.
In addition to the design, this laptop seems to have inherited the keyboard unit from Ethos. And it's not just about appearance. The tactile feel of the keyboard is noticeably better than what users of previous Aspire laptops are used to. The keys are quiet and resilient. In general, the keyboard is pleasant to use.
The touchpad in the Aspire V3 is made as a single part with the body. However, the coating is different: instead of a glossy laminate, there is a rough surface. The finger glides over it quite normally. Of course, completely “Teflon” touchpads are more comfortable. But for infrequent use without a mouse, such a panel will do just fine. The buttons are soft, quiet and located at a sufficient distance from the edge of the case. The dimensions of the sensitive area are 91x49 mm, which is not so small even by modern standards. For a desktop laptop, the touchpad is quite good.
The set of connectors is very ordinary - three USB ports, only one of which supports USB 3.0, a memory card reader, a pair of audio jacks, two video outputs, and a network. Everything you need is there, but no frills.
The front and back sides of the case are practically free of useful elements, most of the connectors are located on the right and left. In addition to everything else, there is an optical drive. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to disappear from traditional laptops—what’s up, even some ultrabooks are equipped with it for some reason.
The laptop is equipped with a surprisingly good audio system. In terms of quality, there are some complaints about it - there are not enough lows and mids - but at least it can sound really loud, and even at maximum volume the sound is quite decent.
⇡ Technical specifications
Acer Aspire V3-571G | |
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CPU | Intel Core i7-3610QM: 2.3 GHz (up to 3.3 GHz with Turbo Boost); 4x256 KB L2; 6 MB L3; four computing cores |
Chipset | Intel ID1E57 |
Graphics controller | Switchable graphics, NVIDIA Optimus: Intel HD 4000, integrated into the processor NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M (384 CUDA cores), 2 GB DDR3 (128-bit bus, 2x900 MHz) |
Screen | 15.6 inches, 1366x768 Glossy finish, LED backlight (CMO N156B6-L0B) |
RAM | 6 GB, DDR3-1333 (4+2 Hynix) |
Hard drive | 750 GB, SATA Rev. 2, 5400 rpm (Hitachi HTS547575A9E) form factor 2.5 inches, thickness 9.5 mm |
Optical drive | BD-ROM/DVD-RW (Philips - Liteon DS-6E2SH) |
Flash card connector | SD/MMC/xD/MS/MS Pro |
Interfaces | 1 x USB 3.0 2 x USB 2.0 1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x RJ-45 1 x headphone output (mini-jack 3.5 mm) 1 x microphone input (mini-jack 3.5 mm) |
WiFi | 802.11b/g/n (Broadcom) |
Network adapter | 10/100/1000 Mbps (Broadcom) |
Sound | Realtek ALC269 Two speakers, microphone |
Nutrition | Battery of 6 cells, 47.5 Wh (4400 mAh, 10.8 V) Power supply 90 W (19 V; 4.74 A) |
Other | Keyboard with number pad, webcam |
Size, mm | 381x253x32-36 |
Weight, kg | 2,64 |
operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64 bit) |
Official manufacturer's warranty | 12 months |
Recommended price | 19,000 rub. with AMD processor 23,000 rub. with Intel Core i3 processor 35,000 rub. in tested configuration |
The heart of the laptop in question is Intel's base quad-core mobile processor, the Core i7-3610QM. The maximum frequency of this model in standard mode is 2.3 GHz, but like most Intel processors, it supports Turbo Boost technology and can dynamically accelerate to higher frequencies.
Interestingly, Turbo Boost settings for processors based on the Ivy Bridge core are more radical than for Sandy Bridge. For example, the Core i7-2630QM added 600/600/800/900 MHz to the “base frequency” - with a load of four/three/two/one core, respectively. The new Core i7-3610QM under the same conditions is allowed to overclock at 800/800/900/1000 MHz. Thus, the highest frequency at which this CPU model can operate is 3.3 GHz.
As for other characteristics, there are no changes: four cores, eight HyperThreading threads, separate L2 caches of 256 KB per core, plus a shared 6 MB L3 cache.
The memory controller built into the processor has learned to work with DDR3-1600. If only Intel would train its partners to work with this type of memory - while they are installing DDR3-1333 in laptops the old fashioned way. In any case, this type of RAM was used in the Acer Aspire V3-571G. But there was a lot of it: 6 GB, two modules, of course - 4 +2.
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The Core i7-3610QM processor has a twin brother, the Core i7-3615QM - they differ only in the connector. As for the rest of the current line of third-generation Core i7 processors, they will probably be found in laptops much less frequently than this sweet couple - at least this was the case with the second-generation Core family.
Perhaps, with one exception: Intel has developed a quad-core processor model with a reduced thermal package (35 W versus standard 45). The operating frequencies of this CPU are lower, but lower is not critical - so it is likely that the Core i7-3612QM will enjoy some popularity. At least in mobile workstations with display diagonals of 14-15 inches, its use looks quite justified.
The GPU-Z utility and the NVIDIA driver information page show a frequency of 405 MHz. But this seems to be a mistake: the Acer Aspire V3 uses a full-fledged version of the GeForce GT 640M (without the LE suffix), so the frequency should be 625 MHz (and even a little more when turbo mode is enabled).
The graphics, of course, are switchable - thanks to NVIDIA for our happy childhood and Optimus technology, non-switchable video systems are slowly becoming a thing of the past. As an economical option, of course, the Intel HD 4000 graphics core built into the processor is used.
Acer Aspire V3 has very limited capabilities in terms of access to components. There is only one small compartment on the bottom.
It contains a hard drive, two memory expansion slots and space for a single Mini Card, occupied by a wireless adapter.
However, this model does not pretend to attract the attention of computer enthusiasts - it is an ordinary home “tag” with an average level of performance. It would hardly occur to a typical Acer Aspire V3 user to tinker with the hardware.
The share of desktop PCs is slowly but surely declining. Therefore, it is not surprising that in addition to small and lightweight ultrabooks, laptops with a diagonal of 15 inches or more are in demand today. Those that are designed to replace desktops. Judging by its size and contents, the Acer Aspire V3-571G is quite capable of playing the role of a main work computer. Let's see how skillfully.
Specifications Acer Aspire V3-571G
- Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium.
- CPU: Intel Core i7-3610QM (2.3 GHz).
- Display: 15.6 inches, 1366x768 pixels, glossy.
- RAM: 6 GB, DDR3-1333.
- Storage: HDD 750 GB, 5200 rpm.
- Video adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2 GB, Intel HD Graphics 4000.
- Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0+HS.
- Battery: 6 cells, 4400 mAh.
- Ports and connectors: 1xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, microphone and headphone jack, VGA, HDMI, card reader, Blu-ray drive.
- Dimensions and weight: 382x253x25–33 mm, 2.4 kg.
- Webcam: Acer Crystal Eye HD.
Design and ergonomics
Oh, those pianos with their wonderful varnish! They inspired more than one laptop manufacturer and doomed us, users, to endless aesthetic and practical torment. Of course, glitter is elegant. And even solemnly. But when through all this solemnity, fingerprints and adhering dust pass in thick stripes (crossing out all this solemnity), as if during a fingerprint procedure, it becomes sad. Hands reach for a rag, and every now and then thoughts flash through my head: “Well, no, the next laptop will definitely be matte”...
Lacquered cover with all reflective
The Acer Aspire V3 has a “royal” lid, a frame around the screen and (oh, gods!) the palm area. If you can somehow come to terms with the first and second, then the third causes nothing but bewilderment. All this “glossy” is diluted by a silver stripe above the keyboard and rough practical plastic on the bottom.
The body is assembled well, although the frame and palm area bend slightly when pressed. The maximum tilt angle of the lid is very wide, so if you wish, you can easily work or play by placing the laptop on your lap.
The weight of 2.4 kg is, of course, noticeable if you carry the device with you. But a 15-inch device, in principle, can tolerate extra weight; what is much more important is ease of use and performance.
Ports and connectors
As befits a modern productive laptop, there is USB 3.0. There is one in quantity, on the left side. There is also a power port, 3.5 mm jacks for microphone and headphones, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA and HDMI. Next to them is a grill for heat removal. The right side is occupied by a Blu-ray drive, as well as two USBs, this time 2.0.
On the front left side there is a card reader and a row of indicators. A decent set, it seems that nothing important has been forgotten.
Display
Of course, this laptop is mostly intended for use at home, however, if its owner’s freedom of choice or a strong desire to change his surroundings takes him outside on a sunny afternoon, it will not be easy for him to work. Due to insufficient brightness and glare. But in slightly more comfortable (for a laptop, of course) conditions, the display evokes pleasant feelings. Namely - color rendition and contrast. The picture is simply pleasant to look at and doesn't strain the eyes too much. The horizontal viewing angles are quite wide, they, like the whole picture, are only hampered by glare, while the vertical one is traditionally good, the other (lower) - not so much.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard is slightly recessed into the body, island-type, and a number pad is available. Frankly speaking, it seemed to me that the laptop was designed more for left-handers. Judge for yourself: the card reader is on the left, the main connectors are on the left, the touchpad is shifted to the left. And the keyboard is kind of strange. The main keys are all located in such a way that it is more convenient to hit them with the left hand. The digital block is pressed closely to the main one, as for me - even too much. In particular, while typing on a laptop, I never managed to wean myself not to confuse Backspace and NumLock. Another oddity (apparently a family one) is Enter, visually combined with a backslash (\). But in general, the keys here are large and comfortable, including for touch typing. True, the feedback to the fingers is small, some will not like it.
The touchpad on the Acer Aspire V3 is good. Although it is medium in size, it is convenient to use. In addition, conservatives will be pleased with the presence of two physical buttons that can be easily and clearly pressed.
System and performance
Based on the characteristics, this laptop was planned as a universal and quite powerful machine. If something happens, its power is enough to play with toys and render some milk can in 3D-Max without much effort or time.
Acer Aspire V3 became one of the pioneer laptops that received a two-gigabyte discrete graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M from the NVIDIA Kepler series. Thanks to her, during testing, the device received fairly high scores in 3DMark 11, which served as a signal: you can play! To make sure of this completely, we launched Deus Ex: Human Revolution on a laptop. At medium settings the toy simply flew. But the laptop did not fail at high speeds either: 22 fps is not the worst result for a mobile computer that is not positioned as a gaming one.
The combination of the Intel Core i7-3610QM processor, video card and memory also works great: PCMark rated it at 2587 points.
Acer Aspire V3 is the proud owner of a hybrid video subsystem. So if you need to save battery, there’s no point in running the powerful NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M in vain, we switch to the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 (which, by the way, is itself quite powerful for an integrated solution).
The laptop runs the Windows7 Home Premium operating system, in addition to which Acer traditionally installs a lot of applications. Among them are your support and protection, and brakes when running various applications - McAfee Internet Security, the Acer Games store, as well as Acer clear.fi multimedia applications for viewing and managing a database of media files. In addition, the laptop supports Dolby Home Theater 4 technology. Probably thanks to it, the sound in the laptop is better than average, quite deep and clear. Although, of course, low frequencies are traditionally lacking. Among the preinstalled programs there is also a Dolby HD4 control panel where you can adjust the sound using equalizers, as well as switch between music, game and video files.
It’s also very convenient to communicate via Skype using a laptop: the webcam here has HD resolution, so the picture will be large, although in low light it will not be of the best quality.
Autonomy, noise, heating
Of course, such a laptop is preferable as a home solution with the ability to change location. For the role of a portable device, it is still somewhat bulky. However, in economical reading mode with the wireless modules turned off, the Acer Aspire V3 lasted five and a half hours. Not bad for a 15-inch laptop. In normal mode (surfing, typing, music) it lasts about three hours. Quite normal. What was concerning was that the laptop became very hot during performance tests. From its left side (this is where heat is removed) such warm air emanated that it seemed as if the Acer Aspire V3 was able to heat all objects lying next to it at a distance of 20 cm. For example, maintaining the temperature of a cup of coffee. The noise level when performing high-performance tasks is average, but during normal tasks the laptop is quite quiet.
Bottom line
A very nice work machine, a good replacement for a desktop PC. In terms of ergonomics and performance, it is second only to some of its non-portable brethren. The Aspire V3-571G allows you to process photos and videos, play resource-intensive toys, and there’s nothing to say about simpler tasks. It can be recommended to those who need a powerful universal computer. Perhaps it may even be suitable for designers as a portable workstation, and for many others as a main PC. In Ukraine, various configurations of the Aspire V3-571G should appear in June, the approximate cost is 7555 hryvnia. 3 reasons to buy Aspire V3-571G:
- High performance
- Hybrid graphics subsystem, NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M video card
- Sufficient number of connectors
2 reasons not to buy Aspire V3-571G:
- Ubiquitous gloss (lid, palm space, screen frame)
- High heat level under load
Laptops with quad-core Intel processors are becoming cheaper every year. So, at the time of writing this article, you can buy a laptop with a new quad-core Intel Haswell processor for 26 thousand rubles, and with a similar processor from the Ivy Bridge family - even cheaper, for 20 thousand.
The hero of our article today costs, of course, noticeably more: about 45 thousand rubles. The price is rather high, but in addition to the quad-core processor, this modification has a good NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M video card and two drives: a hard drive and a 256 GB SSD - and this is already interesting.
⇡ Appearance
The body of the Acer Aspire V3-772G is completely plastic: there is no metal here and is not expected - not the same series of laptops. But the plastic is not of the poorest quality; it’s pleasant to touch. The case also looks good, although, of course, it is not without some drawbacks. Thus, a laptop cover with a “cut here” texture collects fingerprints well.
The first thing that catches your eye as soon as you open the laptop lid is the glossy screen frame. Luckily, this is the only glossy part on the Acer Aspire V3-772G. Fingerprints will inevitably appear, especially in the upper part of the frame - after all, this is where you will have to grab to open the lid or change its angle. The working area is made of the same material and with the same texture as the screen cover. But near the keyboard there is our favorite matte plastic.
The key travel of the keyboard is long, and it bends slightly. There is a number pad to the right of the keyboard, which will make life easier for those who often have to enter long strings of numbers. Our test laboratory received a modification of the Acer ASPIRE V3-772G with an American layout, but in the Russian version of the laptop the sizes and location of the buttons will be approximately the same - of course, with a Cyrillic layout. In general, the keyboard of the Acer Aspire V3-772G turned out to be ordinary - there are no obvious shortcomings, but there are also no serious advantages - such as backlit keys or particularly “tasty” mechanical qualities.
According to the latest fashion, the touchpad of the Acer Aspire V3-772G is large and buttonless - the left and right “mouse buttons” are hidden at the bottom corners. Because of this lack of buttons, in the Acer Aspire V3-772G, as in many other laptops, the touchpad turned out to be imperfect. Manufacturers of such touch panels are constantly trying to repeat the “touch magic” of the Apple Trackpad, but due to imperfect drivers, none of them have managed to ensure that all gestures and “clicks” work as smoothly as in MacBooks.
The set and arrangement of ports and connectors on the Acer Aspire V3-772G is the same as on its competitors. On the left side of the laptop there is a pair of USB 3.0, HDMI, D-Sub and RJ-45 ports for connecting a wired network, and on the right there is a pair of USB 2.0, two 3.5 mm audio jacks for a microphone and headphones, as well as an optical drive and power connector. The memory card reader is located on the front panel - this is where all the LED indicators are located.
The Acer Aspire V3-772G uses a removable battery with a capacity of 48 Wh (4400 mAh, 10.8 V), which is not very much for a 17-inch laptop. All hope lies in the Intel Haswell processor - thanks to which the hero of our article still has a chance to show good results in battery life tests.
The power of the charger inspires respect - 120 W (19 V, 6.32 A). Typically, gaming laptops are equipped with such power supplies. However, in this configuration the graphics system is also not weak.
⇡ Specifications Acer Aspire V3-772G
You can find Acer Aspire V3-772G laptops on sale for both 35 and 45 thousand rubles. These modifications differ from each other in the amount of RAM, video card and disk subsystem. The most affordable version of the Acer Aspire V3-772G is equipped with 8 GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M video adapter and a 1 TB hard drive. Inside the most “pumped up” version there is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M video card, 16 GB of RAM, and in addition to the hard drive, a solid-state drive is installed.
Our test laboratory received a version of the laptop that will not be found in stores. The fact is that the test sample was provided by NVIDIA, which slightly modified it on its own. Therefore, instead of the “hard drive + SSD” pair, in our case, one OCZ Vertex 3 solid-state drive with a capacity of 120 GB was installed.
Aspire V3-772G | |
---|---|
CPU | Intel Core i7-4702MQ; 2.2 GHz (up to 3.2 GHz in Turbo Boost mode); 6 MB L3; Four computing cores, TDP 37 W |
Chipset | Intel Lynx Point HM86 |
Graphics controller | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M (2 GB GDDR5); Intel HD 4600 |
Screen | 17.3 inches - declared by the manufacturer; 17.3 inches - physical diagonal of the matrix; 1920x1080, TN; Matte finish, LED backlight; Matrix model: Chi Mei N173HGE-E11 |
RAM | 16 GB DDR3-1600 Four expansion slots, four 4 GB modules installed |
Hard drive | SSD 120 GB OCZ Vertex 3 |
Optical drive | DVD+RW/DVD-RW/DVD-RAM |
Flash card connector | SD (HC/XC) |
Interfaces | 2 x USB 3.0 2 x USB 2.0 1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x Ethernet 1 x headphone output (mini-jack 3.5 mm) 1 x microphone input (mini-jack 3.5 mm) |
WiFi | 802.11b/g/n, 2x2, 2.4 GHz (Broadcom BCM43228) |
Bluetooth | 4.0+LE |
Network adapter | 10/100 Mbps (Broadcom NetLink BCM57780) |
Sound | Two speakers; One microphone |
Battery | Removable, 48 Wh (4400 mAh, 10.8 V) |
power unit | 120 W (19 V, 6.32 A) |
Size, mm | 414x274.3x35.5 |
Weight, kg | 3,2 |
operating system | Windows 8 |
Approximate price, rubles | 45 000 |
The Acer Aspire V3-772G processor has been mentioned more than once. The quad-core Intel Core i7-4702MQ is enough for almost any task. Its nominal frequency is 2.2 GHz, and when you enable TurboBoost it will increase to 3.2 GHz. The second level cache is also quite large - 6 MB. But the TDP of the processor is relatively low - 37 W. A year ago, a similar thermal package was found only in dual-core processors.
The manufacturer did not spare the RAM: all four expansion slots were occupied by DDR3-1600 modules with a capacity of 4 GB each. If this seems not enough to someone, then the memory can be increased to an even larger volume: the laptop processor can support up to 32 GB of RAM.
We have already written about our test subject’s drive above; it is an OCZ Vertex 3 with a capacity of 120 GB. You won’t find such a modification of the Acer Aspire V3-772G in Russian retail.
In our market, SSDs are necessarily complemented by a “regular” 1 TB HDD. In all other respects, the tested configuration corresponds to the one that is sold in Russia at a price of about 45,000 rubles.
⇡ Internal structure of Acer Aspire V3-772G
There is a panel on the bottom of the laptop that can be easily removed by unscrewing a few screws.
After simple and quick removal of the panel, the user gets access to two hard drive bays, an mSATA connector (there can be as many as three drives!), a wireless network module, and all four RAM expansion slots. The last fact is quite interesting: in many laptops with four RAM slots, the second pair of modules is placed on the back of the motherboard, under the keyboard - accordingly, it is much more difficult to get to them.
Most recently, we reviewed the world's first 15.6-inch ultrabook with discrete graphics, and today we will introduce you to a much less thin, but much more productive medium-format Acer Aspire V3, based on the trending hardware combination of Intel Ivy Bridge and NVIDIA Kepler.
Design
Even though Aspire V3 It looks very fresh and unusual for the Acer brand; the design of the V-series cannot be called completely new, since a similar solution has already been tested on the third generation line.
The laptop lid is finished in glossy black plastic with a characteristic sparkle. Its surface is absolutely flat, only in the back there is a small cut, smoothly transferring the silhouette to the silver tubular element at the back of the case.
The bottom is made of rough matte plastic, which has three perforation zones. Closer to the side edges, the bottom is rounded so noticeably that it was necessary to provide a separate protrusion in the case for the hard drive. To remove the six-segment 48 Wh battery, you will have to use a handle.
Silver-black back edge Acer Aspire V3 does not contain connectors; on the pointed front edge you can find a card reader and four activity indicators.
On the right side there are two USB ports, an optical drive (in this configuration - Blu-ray) and a hole for a Kensington lock. On the left side you can find a pair of audio ports, one USB 3.0, HDMI and D-sub video outputs, a cooling system radiator, as well as an RJ45 network and power supply socket.
The working panel is made according to a visually advantageous contrast scheme - light top and dark bottom. The under-palm panel is finished in the same glossy plastic as the lid. The entire upper part of the working area, including the backing of the chiclet keyboard, is painted to look like metal, but in fact it is just plastic.
Screen
Thanks to the rather weighty base of the case and the well-thought-out shape of the lid Acer Aspire V3 Can be easily opened with one hand. The maximum tilt angle of the display is noticeably wider than average, and the two-hinged hinge is tight enough for comfortable use.
The inner edge of the screen is glossy, as is the 15.6-inch matrix itself with a standard resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. The backlight brightness is adjustable from 20 to 160 cd/m2 within 9 gradations. The image quality of the display is below average; complaints arose not only about the traditionally small viewing angles of the TN matrix, but also about the display of color gradients.
Ergonomics
Laptop Acer Aspire V3 equipped with an island-type keyboard with a dedicated numeric keypad. The keys are made of rough material, the layout is interesting with the presence of a number pad, a T-shaped arrow block and a large Enter of a complex shape.
A number of functional buttons, traditionally for Acer, are smaller in area than other keys. There are no additional buttons on the operating panel; a number of multimedia functions (play, stop, pause, rewind) are assigned to the top buttons of the number pad.
As we already mentioned, the under-palm area is made of shiny, glossy plastic. The touchpad with a dedicated rocker key is integrated into the panel itself, and thanks to its clearly defined borders and rough surface it is comfortable to work with.
During operation Acer Aspire V3 No particular ergonomic shortcomings were found. The greatest complaints were caused by the abundance of gloss, but the contrasting design, high-quality acoustics and high level of performance can definitely be attributed to the advantages of this model.
Functionality
Laptop Acer Aspire V3 will go on sale in two main modifications - a hybrid based on NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M/640M “Kepler” integrated into the processor and discrete graphics, or only with an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 solution. One of the widest range of solutions from Intel can be used as a central processor , starting with the budget Pentium B960 and ending with the most powerful quad-core Intel Core i7 “Ivy Bridge”.
You can see the characteristics of the model we visited (test sample) in the corresponding table; in this configuration, it scored 2650 points in PCmark7 and 3000 points in 3Dmark11.
Battery life Acer Aspire V3 was 1 hour 10 minutes in maximum load mode and almost 4 hours in read mode, which is quite good for a system with a powerful quad-core processor and discrete graphics.
First deliveries Acer Aspire V3 should arrive in Ukraine in early June, the cost of a basic configuration based on an Intel Core iX Ivy Bridge processor, 4 GB of RAM, 750 GB HDD and NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M graphics will be UAH 7,555.
Results
Acer Aspire V3 is a new 15-inch laptop based on the long-awaited Intel Ivy Bridge platform and equipped with the latest NVIDIA Kepler discrete graphics. The creators of this model did not pursue the trendy thinness of the case, they equipped it with a full set of necessary connectors and a comfortable keyboard, as a result, the Aspire V3 can become a fairly successful workhorse.
Acer Aspire V3 laptop specifications
CPU | Intel Core i7-3610QM (2.3/3.3 GHz; TDP 35 W) |
Chipset | Intel HM77 (Ivy Bridge) |
Integrated Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
Discrete graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M, 1 GB DDR3 VRAM |
Switch graphics | NVIDIA Optimus |
RAM | 4 GB, DDR3-1333 |
HDD | 750 GB |
SSD | — |
Screen | 15.6″ (1366×768), glossy |
Screen brightness, min./max. | 20 / 160 cd/m2 (9 gradations) |
Drive | Blu-ray |
Connectors | 1×USB 3.0, 2×USB 2.0, RJ45, HDMI, D-sub, head-out, mic-in |
Card reader | SD/MMC/xD |
Net | Gigabit Ethernet Adapter |
WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0+HS |
3G | — |
Webcam | 1.3 MP |
Acoustics | stereo speakers, Optimized Dolby Home Theater |
Battery | 48 Wh (4800 mAh, 10.8 V) |
Autonomy | 1 h 10 min / 3 h 51 min |
Dimensions and weight | 381.6×253×25.2-33.2 mm, 2.6 kg |
Pre-installed OS | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium |
Modification | Aspire V3-571G |
Peculiarities | Glossy cover and palm panel |
Class | medium format laptop with discrete graphics |
Product provided by Acer,
The entry into the market of the Acer Aspire V3 series of laptops in various modifications clearly did not go unnoticed by either potential buyers or competitors. Judging by numerous reviews in the media, the mobile device has countless advantages, first of all, low price and very high performance. In this article, the reader will be able to take a closer look at the culprit behind the hype in the laptop market. Having learned the technical characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, as well as having studied the reviews of the owners, anyone can independently draw conclusions about the device and make the right decision before making a purchase.
Positioning of the device in the global market
The Acer Aspire V3 laptop is designed for home use, and its target audience is owners who need the most powerful mobile device to run all kinds of multimedia applications. However, in our country, for some reason, it is generally accepted that the presence of a sufficiently powerful discrete adapter indicates that the device is aimed at the gaming market. This is an erroneous opinion, because the video system is still in demand when working with video editors or viewing programs, graphic editors that use video filters, in plotting and 3D modeling.
And if we are talking about games, then the user should initially know that Acer Aspire V3 series laptops are not positioned on the market as mobile gaming devices.
Branded packaging from the manufacturer
As subtly noted: “They greet you by their clothes.” The buyer needs to perceive the manufacturer’s decision to abandon luxurious packaging as a desire to reduce the price for this mobile device. In fact, the box is needed only to carry the laptop to the door of the house. It is made of ordinary cardboard and presented in the form of a diplomat. At one end of the box, the manufacturer gave a brief description of the laptop's functionality. And on the main panel of the packaging there is even a graphic image of the device itself with the name of the modification.
The package contents of the device are a little more interesting: the Acer Aspire V3 laptop itself, a Recovery disk for restoring the Windows system, drivers, a power supply, a quick guide and a cloth case. Some modifications of mobile devices, as owners note in reviews, include complete instructions for setting up the system and operating the laptop. Regarding the included case, opinions agree that it is designed to protect the device from dust and moisture during storage.
First acquaintance
The design of the laptop is largely conservative. The complete absence of glamorous bevels around the edges, additional drawings on the lid of the laptop and mirror gloss on all surfaces make it clear to the potential buyer that this is a device for business and home use, and not just another toy that will be the envy of others.
Due to the fact that the Acer Aspire V3 laptop has many modifications, the manufacturer decided to release several types of case design - metal and plastic. This decision allowed us to significantly expand the target audience of buyers.
A laptop with a metal case is less susceptible to fingerprints, and its appearance, unlike a plastic device, is more presentable. However, do not forget that you will have to pay extra for a metal solution; the manufacturer did not make this innovation free.
The most important component
Acer has a rather strange attitude towards its customers. All modifications existing on the market have different liquid crystal matrices, and it seems that the manufacturer installed what he had on hand at that time. The business class of 17-inch devices received a low-quality TN+Film matrix, but with support for FullHD resolution. The classic 15-inch laptop was the most unlucky of all; it was equipped with an antediluvian TN matrix with a resolution of 1366 x 768 dpi. Even the LED backlight, implemented to equalize the color balance of the screen, is not capable of reflecting true black color.
But 13-inch devices, the same Acer Aspire V3 371, reviews of which in the media claim that the device is aimed at mobile users, have received all the latest technologies. This is an IPS matrix, 1920 x 1080 resolution and LED backlighting. Naturally, this series of laptops has excellent color reproduction and excellent viewing angles, and, accordingly, there will be no negativity from buyers in the media.
Interfaces and connectors
I'm very pleased with the manufacturer's decision to install an optical drive in the Acer Aspire V3 line of laptops. As practice shows, the technology is in demand again after USB drives began to fail over their service life. The DVD drive is missing only in the 13-inch device, which is why there are a lot of negative reviews in the media, because instead of a disk drive, the manufacturer did not deign to place additional connectors, leaving the panel empty.
In addition to the optical drive, the right panel of devices contains a connector for connecting a charger, two USB ports, an audio output for connecting headphones and a corresponding input for a microphone. The left panel of the laptop has two more USB connectors, an RJ-45 connector for connecting to a local network, an HDMI output and an analog signal output implemented in the form of the old D-Sub interface. It is worth noting that on the same panel there is also a huge grille with a radiator, through which hot air is removed from the processor and video card.
This is the keyboard!
When you open the laptop lid, the first thing that catches your eye is the gorgeous keyboard. It is very important that the manufacturer did not try to be clever, as it did with screens, and provided all its devices, including the most popular Acer Aspire V3 571g line, with an excellent and practical input device. The keyboard is complete: there is a number pad, all the buttons are full-size and spaced a couple of millimeters apart.
The key travel is short, but very hard, with little feedback to the finger. Even the long space button is capable of controlling the press. Judging by numerous reviews in the media, the owners express special gratitude to the manufacturer for installing a professional input device.
It's quite strange to see function buttons on full-size keyboards. However, upon closer examination, everything falls into place - the buttons control wireless interfaces, screen and sound. It’s a pity that the manufacturer decided to save money here, because the keys placed separately on the device panel would have looked much more refined.
Special attention - touch panel
A rather strange touchpad is installed in the Acer Aspire V3 laptop. User reviews on this issue are twofold. On the one hand, the touch panel has a matte finish with a slight roughness. This solution allows you to control the sliding of your finger as effectively as possible. Accordingly, the touchpad can even be used to create sketches in drawing.
On the other hand, the touchpad attracts a lot of questions regarding its size and placement. For some unknown reason, the manufacturer recessed it a couple of millimeters deep, reducing it in size, and the placement of the touch panel almost on the front end of the laptop causes negative emotions when using it. After all, it is inconvenient to constantly hold your hands in weight. Also, many users were outraged by the lack of multi-touch technology for the touch panel.
Pleasant sound
Recently, most manufacturers have not paid attention to the audio system of their devices, and this has already become the norm, which cannot be said about laptops from the Acer Aspire V3 line. Reviews from the owners of this gadget claim that they have not heard such wonderful sound for a long time. The speakers are located under the panel located between the screen and the keyboard. They are positioned as a stereo system, but the manufacturer decided not to stop there and provided them with the “Home Cinema” function, which is implemented through the standard Realtek driver.
Users note that the sound quality extends to the audio output, which honestly produces a range from 40 Hz to 15 kHz. And if we compare the sound quality on active speakers connected to the laptop’s audio jack, it is no worse than an entry-level external sound card from Creative E-MU 0204USB. This is a serious statement from the manufacturer Acer on the multimedia device market.
About "goodies"
All potential buyers will be interested to know that the concept of “weak components” is completely absent for the entire line of Acer Aspire V3 laptops. The technical characteristics of all devices begin with a description of the processor. Depending on the modification, you can find Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, for which the manufacturer has installed the appropriate sets of RAM, the volume of the latter varies in the range of 4-16 Gigabytes.
Manufacturer-installed video adapters start with the GeForce GT 640M gaming line. Judging by the numerous reviews from satisfied owners, Nvidia GeForce GTX 760M video adapters are very common, which work in conjunction with the integrated 4600 adapter and can be disabled by hardware to save battery power.
Most laptops have modern SSD drives with a capacity of 120 to 240 GB. Seventeen-inch devices are equipped with two hard drives: an SSD and an HDD. And this is for the entire Acer Aspire V3 line. The BIOS system is protected from failures and is duplicated by an additional chip, as is implemented on gaming computers.
Autonomy
Many potential buyers are never interested in the autonomy of laptops with high performance, because a priori these are two mutually exclusive factors - either performance or autonomy. Unless we are talking about Acer Aspire V3 series laptops. The battery in all devices is guaranteed not to allow the device to turn off for two hours at a constant processor and video card load of no more than 70% - this is the majority of dynamic games.
Watching a video will allow you to use the battery life for up to four hours, like any laptop of this class. However, users note that it is not possible to extend the operating time of the device on a single charge by disabling the wireless interfaces, since their consumption is negligible compared to basic components. If you disable the discrete video adapter in hardware and lower the screen brightness, you may be able to gain twenty to thirty minutes of battery life.
Positive points
Many owners of Acer Aspire V3 devices will like the characteristics of wireless interfaces. All laptops have a Wi-Fi module from the famous Qualcomm Atheros brand, which, according to IT specialists, is considered today the most stable in the world and will never freeze due to overheating or transferring large amounts of information. Also, all mobile systems are equipped with a modern Bluetooth 4.0 module with support for all available technologies that comply with this standard.
The wired interface for connecting to the Internet or local network is gigabit and is based on the well-known company Broadcom. When installing components, the manufacturer gives preference only to well-known brands that provide their products with a long warranty period. Thus, RAM modules from Kingston have a lifetime warranty, and hard drives from the Japanese manufacturer Toshiba are limited to five years of operation.
All users, without exception, are very pleased that the manufacturer has installed a modern webcam with a resolution of 1.3 megapixels, FullHD support and video recording speeds of up to 60 frames per second in all models of the Acer Aspire V3 series.
Equipment features
The manufacturer did something quite interesting when equipping laptops with an operating system. In most cases, the buyer is offered a laptop without Windows, but each such device comes with a recovery disk from which any owner can deploy the mentioned operating system on his device.
Some modifications, on the contrary, have a licensing system with a sticker on the case, as is implemented for all devices