Acer Aspire V5, in-depth analysis

Acer Aspire V5 01

Acer renews the V5 series of its most popular laptops . The Taiwanese company has just presented a new collection of devices, now thinner and lighter , specially designed for an audience that does not want to stop having a laptop to work, study or surf the Internet anywhere. The firm will make this new collection of laptops available in different capacities, designs and colors; but also with very different characteristics, to be chosen according to the needs of each user. We say this because some of these laptops are presented with a touch screen, while others have an ordinary screen. They are also distinguished by disparate benefits in terms of performance and position themselves as great allies of entertainment.

This makes the Acer V5 series so designed for users who want to enjoy their notebook at leisure, but also when it comes to work. Not surprisingly, all the computers in this family incorporate high-definition screens , more powerful graphics and high-capacity hard drives . The result? Paradoxically, a much thinner and lighter series, up to 9% compared to the generation that preceded them . Next, we offer you an in-depth analysis of the new laptops in this range that we hope can help you in your final choice if you are thinking of renewing your equipment.

Design and display

It is clear that the new V5 series is an elegant and light proposal, with metallic designs and materials in matte finishes, a detail that gives the equipment a beautiful and distinguished design , especially designed for those who also look at those little ones. Details: once purchased, the laptop will become a true travel companion: to work, to team meetings, to your vacations… For its comfortable condition, size and weight play a fundamental role here. The 11-inch edition weighs between 1.38 and 1.55 kilos (depending on the battery we add); the 14-inch is between 1.95 and 2.1 kilos, for the non-touch and touch version, respectively. The 15-inch edition , whose weight ranges between 2.1 and 2.3 kilos , follows in its wake , depending on the properties of the screen. Following the list of screens indicated so far, the dimensions of each of these devices are as follows: 289 x 206.3 x 19.35 millimeters (11 ″) ; 340 x 240 x 20.75 millimeters and 340 x 240 x 22.85 millimeters (14 ″ touch and non-touch) ; and 381.6 x 255.95 x 20.75 millimeters and 381.6 x 255.95 x 22.85 millimeters (15 ″ non-touch and touch) .

The user can acquire this device by choosing among three different models , according to the inch and thus the dimensions of each screen, beginning with the smallest, of 11 inches and HD resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels . Acer also introduces a couple of larger screen models, the 14-inch and 15-inch . Within these dimensions, the user can select a computer with touch screen and HD resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels or a non - touch screen, full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and IPS technology. These two variants will be available, in the same way, in the two products of 14 and 15 inches .

The equipment is wrapped in a resistant aluminum structure that will be extremely useful when it comes to taking the laptop everywhere without having to suffer from scratches and dents , typical in daily transport. It incorporates a central hinge that allows a classic, book-like opening with a classic keyboard . The keys are arranged in the usual way, but have a more than noticeable separation between them, which will allow the user to work comfortably.

Acer Aspire V5 03

Memory and power

Future owners of the V5 series will be able to choose their ideal model taking into account the characteristics and performance of the screen, but also - of course - the potential and memory of the computer. In the case of the 11.6-inch computer , the user will be able to select an AMD Dual processor , with a conventional 500 GB HDD and a UMA GPU . Another interesting possibility is to configure, within editions of 14 and 15 inches, a processor Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 , all third generation, with GPU UMA / NV GT740M of 2 GB DDR3 or NV GT750M of 4 GB DDR3, exclusively for the 15-inch team. In addition, the customer will be able to choose between a conventional hard disk (HDD) of 1 TB or solid state (SSD) of 256 GB , maximum, for all options.

Connectivity

The Acer Aspire V5 family does not have an Ethernet port that makes it easy to connect over a stable network. In any case, users will be able to access WiFi connectivity without any problem . All the models, of course, have a built-in USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports , which are mainly differentiated by speed. The USB 3.0 transfer protocol can be ten times the speed reached by the USB 2.0 protocol . To these connections, you must add an HDMI portthat will help us to enjoy high definition content through larger screens (televisions, monitors, ...) and enjoy reading content on microSD and MMC cards . Appealing to convenience, Acer has added an Acer Converter Port to all its models to facilitate connection to external displays, hard drives, routers, and more . This same wire connections supports VGA, USB and RJ45 .

Acer Aspire V5 02

Operating system and applications

All teams presented within the V5 series run through the operating system Windows 8 . In this way, the user will be able to take full advantage of the tactile properties of some of its screens, within the 14 and 15-inch ranges . All computers will have the now classic Metro user interface , inspired by large icons or tiles that give access to the main menu functions. It is an interface very similar to that of smartphones with Windows Phone 8 , although in this case it is specially adapted to computers, their own functions and larger screens.

To this support must be added a wide range of third-party applications that can be downloaded from the Microsoft app store , although they will also be accessible, installed as standard in the operating system. In the first case, simply register with a user account on Windows Live to access the download, these applications can extend to other teams owner: tablets, smartphones , desktops , and so on .

Multimedia

Its high definition and FullHD touch screens are perfect allies to enjoy good multimedia performance. From these screens, the user can fully enjoy viewing their favorite content, as well as videos and movies. Acer offers the possibility to choose different graphics, depending on the model. In this sense, we will find available the NVIDIA GeForce GT40M with 2 GB of dedicated video memory for the 14-inch edition or the UMA / GT720M with 2 GB or NVIDIA GeForce GT750M with 4 GB of memory for the 15 . These two editions of the Acer Aspire V5they are also planted with four speakers prepared to offer a superior sound experience. However, you can always add a dedicated speaker system to your computer , with which you can still enjoy more, if possible.

Acer Aspire V5 04

Autonomy and availability

Except for the 11-inch model , which incorporates a 3-cell battery with a capacity of 2,640 milliamps , the 14 and 15-inch devices come with a four-cell battery and a single capacity of 3,560 milliamps . In tests carried out by Acer , the devices offer a range of 4.5 to 5 hours , although that will always depend on the use made by each user of the computer.

The Acer Aspire V5 will be on sale in Spain from this month of July 2013 from 400 euros , in multiple configurations and colors.

Feedback

The renewed Aspire V5 series is presented as a luxury alternative for those users who want to get a laptop equipped between 11 and 15 inches . They are powerful, with high-definition screens, more advanced graphics cards and solid-state hard drives that will serve us for our leisure moments , but also to manage any professional matter. We must also not forget that the computer has Windows 8 installed with the Metro interface , a much more agile and practical way of using a device, also through touch screens.

Acer Aspire V5 05

Data sheet

Acer Aspire V5 11 ″ Series11.6-inch high definition touch screen (1366 x 768 pixels)

AMD Dual / Quad Core CPU Processor

HDD: 500 GB

SD card slot

2,640 mAh 3-cell battery

Second battery: 3 cells 2,500 mAh

Measurements: 289 x 206.3 x 19.35 millimeters

Weight: 1.38 kilos / 1.55 kilos (with the second battery)

Accessory: Acer Converter Cable Gen 1 Type 1

Acer Aspire V5 14 ″ Series14-inch high definition touch screen (1,366 x 768 pixels)

14-inch HD and FullHD IPS non-touch screen (1,920 x 1,080 pixels)

3rd Generation Intel Processor - Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7

GPU UMA / NV GT740M 2GB DDR3

3,560 milliamp 4-cell battery

HDD: 1 TB

SSD: 256GB

SD card slot

4 speakers

ZoomPerfect TouchPad

Dimensions: 340 x 240 x 20.75 millimeters (non-touch) and 340 x 240 x 22.85 millimeters (touch)

Weight: 1.95 kilos (non-touch) and 2.1 kilos (touch)

Accessory: Acer Converter Cable Gen 1 Type 1

Acer Aspire V5 15 ″ Series15.6-inch high-definition touch screen (1,366 x 768 pixels)

15.6-inch HD and FullHD IPS non-touch screen (1,920 x 1,080 pixels)

3rd Generation Intel Processor - Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7

GPU UMA / GT720M 2 GB DDR3: MV GT750M 4 GB DDR3

3,560 milliamp 4-cell battery

HDD: 1 TB

SSD: 256GB

SD card slot

4 speakers

ZoomPerfect TouchPad

Dimensions: 381.6 x 255.95 x 20.75 millimeters (non-touch) and 381.6 x 255.95 x 22.85 millimeters (touch)

Weight: 2.1 kilos (non-touch) and 2.3 kilos (touch)

Accessory: Acer Converter Cable Gen 1 Type 1

PriceFrom 400 euros
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