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Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4 Notebook Review

Affordable endurance machine. The hunt for a low-priced and, at the same time, long-lasting office machine has come to an end. The Extensa 2510 not only has long battery runtimes to offer but also brings along a good keyboard and matte screen. The bundle is available for just over 400 Euros (~$525).

For the original German review, see here.

There is no lack of affordable, 15.6-inch laptops nowadays. Virtually every manufacturer has a wide selection of models in its range. Acer enriches the offer with a new model dubbed Extensa 2510. Our report reveals whether the Extensa can stick out from the masses of 15.6-inch models.

All laptops within the below-500-Euros (~$656) price range are rivals of the Extensa - for example, the HP ProBook 455, Fujitsu Lifebook A544 or Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545.

Case & Connectivity

The Extensa is shipped in a matte-black plastic casing. A very subtle brushed metal look is simulated on both the lid's back and wrist rest. The Extensa cannot belie its relationship with the models from Acer's Aspire E1-5x2 line (Acer Aspire E1-532, Acer Aspire E1-572). However, differences are visible; for example, unlike the Aspire models, the Extensa does not have a maintenance cover. But, the Extensa can boast with a considerably higher-capacity battery (56 Wh vs. 37 Wh). The build and stability are absolutely satisfactory and reflect the price range. Only the common weaknesses that we find in many notebooks are discovered. The casing yields slightly beside the keyboard, and the base unit can be warped a bit too strongly for our taste. 

The type and placement of interfaces clearly show the relationship between the Extensa and Aspire once more. The Extensa supplies a variety of now common ports. It cannot stick out from the masses here.

The Extensa is shipped with Windows 8.1 (64-bit) preloaded. There is no Windows DVD included. Acer only supports Windows 8.1. Users who want to install Windows 7 would have to obtain the drivers on their own.

Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
It's quite obvious: The lid's back is very susceptible to fingerprints.
It's quite obvious: The lid's back is very susceptible to fingerprints.
There is no maintenance cover.
There is no maintenance cover.
Left: Kensington lock slot, VGA-out, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, USB 3.0, combo audio.
Left: Kensington lock slot, VGA-out, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, USB 3.0, combo audio.
Right: 2x USB 2.0, DVD burner, power socket.
Right: 2x USB 2.0, DVD burner, power socket.
The memory card reader is found on the front.
The memory card reader is found on the front.

Input Devices

Extensa 2510 input devices
Extensa 2510 input devices

The Extensa has an unlit chiclet keyboard. The level, slightly roughened keys feature a medium drop and a clear pressure point. The keys' resistance is also agreeable. The keyboard yields marginally when typing on it, but that did not prove distracting. Overall, the keyboard left us with the impression of a good typing feel and will also be suitable for prolific typists. The multi-touch capable ClickPad has a surface area of 10.6 x 7.8 cm, and thus multi-touch gestures are no problem. The pad's sleek surface allows the fingers to glide smoothly. The mouse keys feature a short drop and a clearly audible and palpable pressure point.

Display

The matte, 15.6-inch screen in the Extensa operates with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Unfortunately, Acer installs a dark model. A brightness of 183 cd/m² is absolutely obsolete. The same is true for the contrast of 271:1 and black level of 0.7 cd/m². The screen does not convince subjectively either. It produces a pale image and lacks brilliance.

177
cd/m²
171
cd/m²
173
cd/m²
188
cd/m²
190
cd/m²
181
cd/m²
193
cd/m²
181
cd/m²
193
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B156XW004.7 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 193 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 183 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 190 cd/m²
Contrast: 271:1 (Black: 0.7 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 10.18 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 10.62 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.02% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.31

The color reproduction corresponds to what we expect from a laptop of this price range. The screen delivers a DeltaE 2000 shift of 10.18 in state of delivery. A rate less than three would be ideal. The screen also has a visible bluish cast.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
The Extensa outdoors
The Extensa outdoors

A simple TN screen has found its way into the Extensa. Consequently, the laptop can only provide limited viewing angles. Outdoor use is quite possible, but overly bright surroundings should be avoided due to the screen's low brightness.

Performance

With the Extensa, Acer offers a basic 15.6-inch office laptop. It provides enough computing power for everyday tasks. Owing to the fairly high-capacity battery, it achieves better runtimes than we know from this price range. Our review sample is available for around 410 Euros (~$538). The price is about 330 Euros (~$433) without a Windows operating system.

Processor

The Extensa is equipped with a Core i3-4030U. This dual-core processor (Haswell architecture) operates with a speed of 1.9 GHz. It does not feature a Turbo. The processor supports Hyper-Threading (two threads per core can be processed). Intel specifies a TDP of 15 watt for the CPU. Comparably priced laptops with standard processors (no ULV) usually calculate faster because their CPUs operate with higher speeds. For example, this is true for the Lenovo G510 with a Core i5-4200M processor. The full performance of the Extensa's CPU is available in both AC and battery modes. The processor always performed the CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmarks with 1.9 GHz.

Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.79 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.01 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
15.07 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
70 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
187 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
19.36 fps
Help
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.79 Points
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.62 Points -22%
HP ProBook 455 G1 H6P57EA
Radeon HD 7420G, A4-4300M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
0.68 Points -14%
Acer Aspire E1-572-34014G50Dnkk
HD Graphics 4400, 4010U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.76 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545-20B2000PGE
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8570M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
0.84 Points +6%
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
0.97 Points +23%
Lenovo G510-59416358
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1.25 Points +58%
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2.01 Points
HP ProBook 455 G1 H6P57EA
Radeon HD 7420G, A4-4300M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1.03 Points -49%
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.2 Points -40%
Acer Aspire E1-572-34014G50Dnkk
HD Graphics 4400, 4010U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.87 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545-20B2000PGE
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8570M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2.19 Points +9%
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2.38 Points +18%
Lenovo G510-59416358
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
3.25 Points +62%

System Performance

The system did not reveal any surprises. It ran smoothly, and no problems occurred. The good PCMark benchmark scores complement that.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2092 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2097 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
2970 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2092 Points
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1492 Points -29%
Lenovo G510-59416358
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
2400 Points +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545-20B2000PGE
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8570M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2813 Points +34%

Storage Devices

The hard drive installed in the Extensa comes from Western Digital. It has a capacity of 500 GB and spins with 5400 revolutions per minute. Overall, the drive offers good transfer rates. The scores achieved in the 4k read/write tests were noted positively. We rarely encounter such rates in conventional hard drives.

Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
Sequential Read: 110.7 MB/s
Sequential Write: 103.2 MB/s
512K Read: 39.9 MB/s
512K Write: 56.3 MB/s
4K Read: 0.517 MB/s
4K Write: 1.392 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 1.304 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 1.379 MB/s

Graphics Card

Intel's HD Graphics 4400 core is responsible for video output. It supports DirectX 11.1 and operates with speeds ranging from 200 to 1000 MHz. The 3DMark benchmarks scores are within an absolutely acceptable field.

3DMark 11 Performance
784 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
33875 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3581 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
479 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
784 Points
HP ProBook 455 G1 H6P57EA
Radeon HD 7420G, A4-4300M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
501 Points -36%
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
544 Points -31%
Acer Aspire E1-572-34014G50Dnkk
HD Graphics 4400, 4010U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
782 Points 0%
Lenovo G510-59416358
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
854 Points +9%
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
1351 Points +72%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545-20B2000PGE
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8570M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1802 Points +130%

Gaming Performance

The CPU-GPU array in the Extensa manages to render a few games in a low resolution and a low quality level. Games like FIFA 14 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive only place low requirements on the hardware, and thus also run in higher resolutions and with higher quality settings. Buyers looking for an affordable, gaming-suitable laptop should look at Acer's Aspire E1-572G (Core i5-4200U, Radeon HD 8750M). The laptop costs approximately 470 Euros, ~$617 (400 Euros, ~$525, without a Windows operating system).

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 36.6 18.1 10.5

Emissions

System Noise

As appropriate for an office machine, the Extensa operates very quietly. The fan is often inactive in idle mode, and at most only the hard drive's noise is audible. The fan barely speeds up during load; we measured a noise level of 33.2 dB(A) in the stress test.

Noise Level

Idle
29.7 / 29.7 / 30.4 dB(A)
HDD
31.5 dB(A)
DVD
34.2 / dB(A)
Load
33.2 / 33.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

The Extensa in the stress test.
The Extensa in the stress test.

The Extensa not only operates quietly, it barely heats up as well. The surface temperatures ranged below 30 °C in idle mode. Only a moderate increase was observed during the stress test. The CPU and GPU performed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) and exhibited the same behavior in both AC and battery mode. The processor clocked with 1.2 to 1.3 GHz while the GPU operated with 850 - 900 MHz. The CPU and GPU only achieved their full speeds in the first minute of the stress test. The CPU's temperature settled to roughly 60 °C during the stress test.

 27.4 °C
81 F
25.8 °C
78 F
25 °C
77 F
 
 28 °C
82 F
27.8 °C
82 F
25.5 °C
78 F
 
 26.6 °C
80 F
27.7 °C
82 F
28 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 28 °C = 82 F
Average: 26.9 °C = 80 F
25.5 °C
78 F
26.1 °C
79 F
27.5 °C
82 F
25.8 °C
78 F
28.6 °C
83 F
29.3 °C
85 F
29.2 °C
85 F
27.5 °C
82 F
27.9 °C
82 F
Maximum: 29.3 °C = 85 F
Average: 27.5 °C = 82 F
Power Supply (max.)  30.4 °C = 87 F | Room Temperature 23.1 °C = 74 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.6 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.5 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.9 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34 °C / 93.2 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-6.3 °C / -11.3 F).

Speakers

The Extensa's stereo speakers are located on the casing's underside. They produce a rich sound that even allows agreeable listening for a longer time. We have had to listen to considerably worse speakers.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The installed ULV processor ensures a low power requirement over the entire load range. The power consumption consistently remained below 10 watts in idle mode. That's what we're used to from Haswell laptops.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.001 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 6.3 / 8.6 Watt
Load midlight 16.8 / 24.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

Websites are opened automatically every 40 seconds using a screen brightness of approx. 150 cd/m² in the practical Wi-Fi test. The Extensa achieves a runtime of 6:31 h here. Owing to its bigger battery, the Extensa lasts considerably longer than its sister models from the Aspire E1 line, for example, the Aspire E1-532 (4:30 h) or Aspire E1-572G (4:26 h).

Battery Runtime
WiFi Surfing
6h 31min
Battery Runtime - WiFi (sort by value)
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
391 min
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
185 min
Lenovo G510-59416358
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
251 min
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545-20B2000PGE
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8570M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
256 min
HP ProBook 455 G1 H6P57EA
Radeon HD 7420G, A4-4300M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
261 min
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
285 min

Verdict

We did not expect much considering the purchase price of around 410 to 430 Euros (~$538 to ~$564). However, Acer's Extensa is not disappointing. Acer provides an office machine for the tight budget with this device. The laptop operates quietly, barely heats up, and it offers long battery runtimes. Good input devices complement that. Unfortunately, Acer has axed the maintenance cover. The Extensa's price level is noticed in the laptop's screen. Acer installs a dark, low-contrast model that exhibits a bluish cast. Acer could have increased the already good impression of the Extensa even more with a better screen.

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In review: Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de.
In review: Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de.

Specifications

Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4 (Extensa 2510 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-4030U 2 x 1.9 GHz, Haswell
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 4400, Core: 1000 MHz, 10.18.10.3496
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3, single-channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, AU Optronics B156XW004.7, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Lynx Point-LP
Storage
Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 420 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Lynx Point-LP - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio jack, Card Reader: SD
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros Communications AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
Matshita DVD-RAM UJ8E2Q
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 30.3 x 381.6 x 256 ( = 1.19 x 15.02 x 10.08 in)
Battery
56 Wh Lithium-Ion, 11.1 V, 5000 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Acer Video Player, Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3, Cyberlink PowerDirector 10, Cyberlink PowerDVD 12, McAfee LiveSafe - Internet Security (trial), MS Office 365 (trial), Nero BackItUp 12 Essentials, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.5 kg ( = 88.19 oz / 5.51 pounds), Power Supply: 261 g ( = 9.21 oz / 0.58 pounds)
Price
439 Euro

 

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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Matte screen
+Good input devices
+Quiet operation
+Barely heats up
+Very good battery runtimes
 

Cons

-Dark, low-contrast screen w/ bluish cast
-No maintenance cover

Shortcut

What we like

The low emission rates and the good battery runtimes.

What we'd like to see

A better screen and a maintenance cover.

What surprises us

We rarely encounter long battery runtimes in the low-budget sector.

The competition

Asus P550CA-XO522G, HP ProBook 455, HP 255 G2, HP 250 G2, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E545-20B2000PGE, Fujitsu LifeBook A544, HP Compaq 15-a024sg, Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk, Lenovo G510.

Rating

Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4 - 08/26/2014 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
74 / 98 → 76%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
64 / 80 → 80%
Weight
60 / 20-67 → 85%
Battery
89%
Display
73%
Games Performance
61 / 68 → 90%
Application Performance
61 / 92 → 66%
Temperature
92%
Noise
94%
Audio
50%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
71%
78%
Office - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2014-08-29 (Update: 2018-05-15)