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Acer Aspire 3 A315-51 (i3-8130U, SSD, FHD) Laptop Review

Core i3 – now with Turbo. The Aspire 3 A315-51 scores well for its powerful processor, fast SSD, and reasonable price. There is no Windows OS installed though, and the display and battery life are unimpressive.
Kaby Lake Laptop Windows

The Acer Aspire 3 A315-51 is a simple 15.6-inch office notebook. We have already reviewed three aesthetically identical Aspire 3 devices: the A315-51-36YU, the A315-51-55E4, and the A315-21-651Y. Our current review unit is powered by a Kaby Lake Core i3 processor, the first of which to support Turbo Boost. We will be comparing the Aspire 3 A315-51 against similar devices, such as the HP 250 G6, the Lenovo V110-15IKB, the Acer Extensa 2540-580K, and the Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C.

We will not be covering the case, I/O, input devices or the speakers in this review as we have already covered them in our previous Aspire 3 reviews. Please see our review of the Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4 for our opinion on these areas.

Please note: Our review unit came with a Linux distribution installed called Endless OS. We deleted this and installed Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) for the purposes of our tests.

Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA (Aspire 3 A315 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-8130U 2 x 2.2 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Core: 1000 MHz, Single-Channel, 23.20.16.4932
Memory
4.1 GB 
, DDR4-2400, Single Channel, one RAM slot (unoccupied), 4 GB RAM soldered
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, Chi Mei N156HGA-EAB, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1, 128 GB 
Soundcard
Realtek High Definition Audio
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Headphone and Microphone combo port, Card Reader: SD, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 22 x 382 x 259 ( = 0.87 x 15.04 x 10.2 in)
Battery
37 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Endless OS 3
Camera
Webcam: VGA
Primary Camera: 0.3 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.1 kg ( = 74.08 oz / 4.63 pounds), Power Supply: 270 g ( = 9.52 oz / 0.6 pounds)
Price
429 Euro
Links
Acer homepage
Acer notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

❌
384 mm / 15.1 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs381.6 mm / 15 inch 256 mm / 10.1 inch 24.9 mm / 0.98 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs382 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs379 mm / 14.9 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 23.95 mm / 0.943 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 22.9 mm / 0.902 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Size Comparison

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
77 MB/s -11%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=53, last 2 years)
55.1 MB/s -37%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.4 MB/s -70%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26 MB/s -70%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.2 MB/s -72%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.7 MB/s -74%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (26.1 - 173.2, n=49, last 2 years)
64.2 MB/s
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
29.9 MB/s
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.6 MB/s
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.5 MB/s
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.6 MB/s
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
350 MBit/s +1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
347 MBit/s
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
345 MBit/s -1%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
342 MBit/s -1%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
341 MBit/s -2%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Realtek 8821AE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
335 MBit/s -3%
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
345 MBit/s
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
311 MBit/s -10%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
310 MBit/s -10%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
300 MBit/s -13%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
299 MBit/s -13%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Realtek 8821AE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
287 MBit/s -17%

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The Aspire 3 has a matte 15.6-inch display with a 1920x1080 native resolution. In our opinion, the contrast ratio and maximum brightness are too low at 500:1 and 165.9 cd/m², respectively. We would expect that a notebook in this price range would at least have a brighter display.

What’s more, the Aspire 3 uses PWM to adjust display brightness. We measured PWM flicker of 25,000 Hz at 20% brightness and below. Fortunately, the high frequency should spare even those who are sensitive to PWM from eye problems or headaches.

173
cd/m²		177
cd/m²		168
cd/m²
179
cd/m²		185
cd/m²		167
cd/m²
141
cd/m²		160
cd/m²		143
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N156HGA-EAB tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 185 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 165.9 cd/m² Minimum: 13.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 76 %
Center on Battery: 185 cd/m²
Contrast: 500:1 (Black: 0.37 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.26 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 11.56 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.23% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.1
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60		HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60		Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60		Acer Extensa 2540-580K
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60		Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60		Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-3%
-3%
-7%
1%
-11%
Display P3 Coverage
40.23
39.11
-3%
38.91
-3%
37.59
-7%
40.6
1%
35.97
-11%
sRGB Coverage
60
58.8
-2%
58.6
-2%
56.5
-6%
61.2
2%
54.1
-10%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.6
40.41
-3%
40.2
-3%
38.84
-7%
41.95
1%
37.17
-11%
Response Times
-16%
-11%
6%
-58%
21%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40 ?(22, 18)
42 ?(23, 19)
-5%
39 ?(21, 18)
2%
41 ?(21, 20)
-3%
68 ?(32, 36)
-70%
44 ?(22, 22)
-10%
Response Time Black / White *
25 ?(20, 5)
13 ?(8, 5)
48%
19 ?(14, 5)
24%
22 ?(18, 4)
12%
26 ?(20, 6)
-4%
12 ?(8, 4)
52%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(20)
2500 ?(90)
-90%
10000 ?(20)
-60%
27000 ?(90)
8%
217 ?(90)
-99%
Screen
-1%
3%
-2%
3%
26%
Brightness middle
185
184
-1%
243
31%
215
16%
226
22%
241
30%
Brightness
166
178
7%
233
40%
217
31%
217
31%
229
38%
Brightness Distribution
76
80
5%
75
-1%
92
21%
91
20%
87
14%
Black Level *
0.37
0.38
-3%
0.45
-22%
0.68
-84%
0.58
-57%
0.46
-24%
Contrast
500
484
-3%
540
8%
316
-37%
390
-22%
524
5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.26
11.29
-0%
11.69
-4%
9.14
19%
9.84
13%
3.4
70%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.65
19.48
-4%
20.08
-8%
15.46
17%
16.77
10%
7.61
59%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.56
12.43
-8%
13.12
-13%
10.08
13%
11.1
4%
1.7
85%
Gamma
2.1 105%
2.34 94%
2.24 98%
2.07 106%
2.35 94%
2.36 93%
CCT
11788 55%
13823 47%
16905 38%
10158 64%
11979 54%
6750 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
37
-3%
37
-3%
36
-5%
39
3%
34
-11%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60
59
-2%
59
-2%
56
-7%
61
2%
54
-10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-7% / -4%
-4% / -1%
-1% / -1%
-18% / -9%
12% / 18%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 25000 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25000 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 25000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18683 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Out of the box, the display had Delta E 2000 color values of 11.26. Ideally, this value should be less than 3. Unfortunately, the display has a strong blue tint to it too.

CalMAN – ColorChecker
CalMAN – ColorChecker
CalMAN – Grayscale
CalMAN – Grayscale
CalMAN – Saturation
CalMAN – Saturation

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
25 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 5 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 52 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.8 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (34.3 ms).

Acer has equipped the Aspire 3 with a TN panel that has poor viewing angles and is unreadable when looking at the device off-centre. The Aspire 3 can be used outdoors but the display is not bright enough to be used on sunny days.

Using the Aspire 3 outside on an overcast day.
Using the Aspire 3 outside on an overcast day.

Performance

The Aspire 3 is a simple 15.6-inch office notebook that is powerful enough for typical office applications and Internet browsing. Our review unit is available for around 430 Euros (~$510), with prices starting at 333 Euros (~$395) for the cheapest configuration, of which there many options. The A315-51 is joined by its siblings from the Aspire 3 A315-21 series, the cheapest configuration of which is currently available for 250 Euros (~$296).

HWInfo
HWInfo
Intel XTU
Intel XTU

Processor

The Aspire 3 is powered by an Intel Core i3-8130U Kaby Lake Refresh processor; it is the first Core i3 processor with Turbo Boost. The Core i3-8130U is a dual-core chip with four simultaneous threads thanks to Intel Hyper-Threading. The CPU has a base clock of 2.2 GHz that can Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz when required. Our CPU tests demonstrate that the Core i3-8130U runs at a maximum of between 3.1 and 3.2 GHz during multithread tasks and at 3.4 GHz for single-thread tasks. This is the case when using the Aspire 3 either on battery or when charging. Thanks to Turbo Boost support, the Core i3-8130U is on par with last generation Core i5 processors.

We ran a Cinebench R15 multithread benchmark on a 30-minute continuous loop to test for how long the CPU can use Turbo Boost. The Aspire 3 performed equally well during the benchmark loop with no loss of performance. The CPU maintained a Turbo Boost speed of between 3.1 and 3.2 GHz throughout.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
8143
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
12142
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5476
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
34.21 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.77 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.63 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
33.67 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
338 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
140 Points
Help
Cinebench R15 | Cinebench R10 | Geekbench 3 | Geekbench 4.0 | Geekbench 4.4 | JetStream 1.1
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=129, last 2 years)
211 Points +51%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
140 Points
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (138 - 140, n=3)
139 Points -1%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
130 Points -7%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
111 Points -21%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Core i5-7200U
108 Points -23%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
95 Points -32%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
84 Points -40%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
83 Points -41%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
69 Points -51%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Core i3-6006U
69 Points -51%
HP 255 G6
AMD A6-9220
68 Points -51%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
53 Points -62%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2492, n=132, last 2 years)
1275 Points +277%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
338 Points
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (320 - 342, n=3)
333 Points -1%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
332 Points -2%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Core i5-7200U
318 Points -6%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
284 Points -16%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
241 Points -29%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
216 Points -36%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
213 Points -37%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Core i3-6006U
203 Points -40%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
114 Points -66%
HP 255 G6
AMD A6-9220
109 Points -68%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
91 Points -73%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Office
  (3465 - 9351, n=13, last 2 years)
6319 Points +15%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
5476 Points
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (5419 - 5476, n=2)
5448 Points -1%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
5007 Points -9%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
4338 Points -21%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
3587 Points -34%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
3227 Points -41%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
3203 Points -42%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
2432 Points -56%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
1871 Points -66%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Office
  (6611 - 40266, n=13, last 2 years)
25152 Points +107%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (12142 - 12172, n=2)
12157 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
12142 Points
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
11330 Points -7%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
9828 Points -19%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
8169 Points -33%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
7388 Points -39%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
7293 Points -40%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
3941 Points -68%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
3268 Points -73%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (last 2 years)
16771 Points +142%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (6935 - 7402, n=2)
7169 Points +3%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
6935 Points
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
6932 Points 0%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
6047 Points -13%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
5270 Points -24%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
4384 Points -37%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
4265 Points -39%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
2921 Points -58%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
2348 Points -66%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (last 2 years)
4096 Points +32%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (3107 - 3469, n=2)
3288 Points +6%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
3191 Points +3%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
3107 Points
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
2829 Points -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
2510 Points -19%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
2018 Points -35%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
1943 Points -37%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
1798 Points -42%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
1415 Points -54%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (7123 - 9140, n=2)
8132 Points +14%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
7439 Points +4%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
7123 Points
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
6782 Points -5%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
5455 Points -23%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
4805 Points -33%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
4723 Points -34%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
2805 Points -61%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
2307 Points -68%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (3796 - 4513, n=2)
4155 Points +9%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
3808 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
3796 Points
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
3473 Points -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
2816 Points -26%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
2516 Points -34%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
2468 Points -35%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
1885 Points -50%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
1512 Points -60%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (4762 - 35532, n=21, last 2 years)
18301 Points +145%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (7470 - 8311, n=2)
7891 Points +6%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
7744 Points +4%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
7470 Points
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
6792 Points -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
5630 Points -25%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
4975 Points -33%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
2857 Points -62%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
2402 Points -68%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (2776 - 7072, n=21, last 2 years)
5174 Points +32%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (3919 - 4082, n=2)
4001 Points +2%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
3958 Points +1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
3919 Points
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U
3497 Points -11%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
2943 Points -25%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U
2575 Points -34%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
1960 Points -50%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010
1610 Points -59%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (117.1 - 544, n=23, last 2 years)
353 Points +69%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 41)
221.7 Points +6%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U (Edge 41)
208.9 Points
Average Intel Core i3-8130U
  (160.9 - 209, n=3)
189.6 Points -9%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel Core i3-7130U (Edge 41)
158.1 Points -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U (Edge 40)
157.1 Points -25%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U (Edge 38)
142.6 Points -32%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel Core i3-6006U (Edge 41)
120.5 Points -42%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220 (Edge 41)
118.2 Points -43%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Core i3-6006U
98.9 Points -53%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD E2-9010 (Edge 41)
84.4 Points -60%
HP 255 G6
AMD A6-9220
80.5 Points -61%

System Performance

The system performed smoothly and without issue. The Aspire 3 is powerful enough for typical office applications and Internet browsing, which the results from the PCMark benchmarks confirm. It is worth bearing in mind that performance could be improved by adding an extra RAM module in the unoccupied socket. This would not only make the system feel snappier but would also enable dual-channel memory mode, which would improve GPU performance too.

PCMark 7 Score
5196 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3302 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4053 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4534 points
PCMark 10 Score
3230 points
Help
PCMark 8 | PCMark 10
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=13, last 2 years)
4182 Points +27%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSC180DS37256GH
3752 Points +14%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i3-7130U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3378 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3198 - 3483, n=3)
3328 Points +1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
3302 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3295 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U, Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
3230 Points -2%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
2937 Points -11%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Hynix HFS128G39TND
2872 Points -13%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
2845 Points -14%
HP 255 G6
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2520 Points -24%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
2337 Points -29%
Lenovo V110-15AST
Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), E2-9010, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
1971 Points -40%
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=112, last 2 years)
5245 Points +62%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
3230 Points
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSC180DS37256GH
3228 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3153 - 3245, n=3)
3209 Points -1%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i3-7130U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2945 Points -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U, Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
2492 Points -23%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
2480 Points -23%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
1821 Points -44%
Lenovo V110-15AST
Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), E2-9010, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
1370 Points -58%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=112, last 2 years)
9761 Points +46%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSC180DS37256GH
6930 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6696 - 6982, n=3)
6860 Points +2%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
6696 Points
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
6593 Points -2%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i3-7130U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
6516 Points -3%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U, Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
5863 Points -12%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
3941 Points -41%
Lenovo V110-15AST
Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), E2-9010, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
3092 Points -54%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3053 - 10099, n=112, last 2 years)
7356 Points +21%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
6079 Points
Average Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5525 - 6079, n=3)
5751 Points -5%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSC180DS37256GH
5724 Points -6%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i3-7130U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5022 Points -17%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U, Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
4535 Points -25%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
3783 Points -38%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
3547 Points -42%
Lenovo V110-15AST
Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), E2-9010, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2636 Points -57%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 8987, n=112, last 2 years)
5585 Points +148%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSC180DS37256GH
2303 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2232 - 2351, n=3)
2277 Points +1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
2249 Points
Lenovo V330-15IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i3-7130U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2119 Points -6%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
1660 Points -26%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U, Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
1580 Points -30%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
1175 Points -48%
Lenovo V110-15AST
Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), E2-9010, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
857 Points -62%

Storage Devices

Our review unit comes with a 128 GB Kingston SSD. The M.2-2280 drive runs at SATA III speeds and has good transfer speeds for a device at this price point.

The Aspire 3 has a maintenance cover on its underside, behind which is a 2.5-inch drive bay. You will need to supply the mounting frame and SATA cable if you would like to take advantage of this extra storage as neither of these came with our review unit. We were able to find the necessary parts for just under 43 Euros (~$51) on a German-language Acer replacement parts partner website (https://www.sb-electronics.de). These parts may be available from other websites in other countries.

CrystalDiskMark 3.0
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
hddimg
Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
Sequential Read: 428.6 MB/s
Sequential Write: 281.8 MB/s
512K Read: 295.6 MB/s
512K Write: 142.8 MB/s
4K Read: 34.88 MB/s
4K Write: 73.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 211.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 114.7 MB/s
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1		HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ		Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL		Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Kingston RBUSC180DS37256GH		Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075		Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN		Average Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
 		Average of class Office
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
58%
32%
65%
-91%
59%
0%
300%
Read Seq
428.6
488
14%
477.4
11%
473.9
11%
96.5
-77%
485.8
13%
429
0%
1895 ?(508 - 3536, n=3, last 2 years)
342%
Write Seq
281.8
455
61%
284.2
1%
467.1
66%
77.9
-72%
456.1
62%
282
0%
2113 ?(459 - 3702, n=3, last 2 years)
650%
Read 512
295.6
426.4
44%
356.3
21%
318.3
8%
20.82
-93%
328
11%
296
0%
878 ?(392 - 1221, n=3, last 2 years)
197%
Write 512
142.8
390.7
174%
282.3
98%
441.3
209%
19.83
-86%
446.8
213%
142.8
0%
1297 ?(389 - 2096, n=3, last 2 years)
808%
Read 4k
34.88
37.68
8%
24.15
-31%
33.06
-5%
0.342
-99%
26.95
-23%
34.9
0%
43.3 ?(19.7 - 68.2, n=3, last 2 years)
24%
Write 4k
73.5
76.9
5%
71.9
-2%
77.7
6%
0.836
-99%
86.7
18%
73.5
0%
132.5 ?(45.9 - 214, n=3, last 2 years)
80%
Read 4k QD32
211.6
286.5
35%
283.7
34%
310.1
47%
0.595
-100%
245.9
16%
212
0%
433 ?(186.4 - 761, n=3, last 2 years)
105%
Write 4k QD32
114.7
253.1
121%
257.3
124%
317.1
176%
0.706
-99%
300.2
162%
114.7
0%
341 ?(222 - 526, n=3, last 2 years)
197%

Graphics Card

The Intel UHD Graphics 620 handles graphics. The onboard GPU supports DirectX 12 and runs at between 300 and 1,000 MHz. The Aspire 3 performed as expected in the 3DMark benchmarks for a device that uses this integrated GPU in single-channel mode. As previously mentioned, you could marginally improve graphics performance by adding a RAM module and enabling dual-channel mode.

GPU-Z
GPU-Z
DXVAChecker
DXVAChecker
3DMark 06 Standard Score
7844 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1462 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
5845 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
761 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12195, n=125, last 2 years)
5572 Points +308%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +28%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1605 Points +17%
Lenovo V330-15IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-7130U
1542 Points +13%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
1366 Points
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6006U
1220 Points -11%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6006U
1090 Points -20%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6006U
1085 Points -21%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1067 Points -22%
HP 255 G6
AMD Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), AMD A6-9220
989 Points -28%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), AMD A6-9220
956 Points -30%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel HD Graphics 610, Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
880 Points -36%
Lenovo V110-15AST
AMD Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), AMD E2-9010
714 Points -48%

Gaming Performance

The CPU and GPU combination means that the Aspire 3 can play some games smoothly, but these are limited to those with moderate hardware requirements. Even then, you will have to drop the resolution and quality for a playable experience. It is worth bearing in mind that enabling dual-channel mode would allow for an increase in refresh rates. Power-hungry games like Far Cry 5 are unplayable regardless of the memory mode though.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 41.3 23.6 19.4 6.3

Emissions

Fan Noise

Typically, the fan is off when the device is idling. When the fan does spin up with the device at idle, it stays below 30 dB(A). This hardly increased during our stress tests, where we measured fan noise at 34.5 dB(A). We noticed that under moderate load fan noise can increase up to 36.7 dB(A). Overall, fan noise remains subdued regardless of system load.

Noise Level

Idle
30 / 30 / 30 dB(A)
Load
36.7 / 34.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
  
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.331.532.130.731.32530.433.832.833.830.43134.534.536.234.534.54031.131.932.229.831.15036.136.738.329.336.16329.328.227.426.329.38029.927.427.426.929.91002525.126.125.92512523.524.525.324.623.516023.924.823.224.123.920024.324.122.422.724.325023.22321.921.323.231525.324.821.620.525.340024.223.120.120.824.250022.621.819.219.322.663022.221.418.918.422.280024.223.118.11824.2100028.726.117.617.328.7125026.724.717.617.126.7160026.123.517.217.226.1200027.924.917.317.227.9250026.522.717.517.126.5315023.520.917.517.323.5400021.219.417.817.521.2500020.319.318.117.620.3630019.418.518.117.819.4800018.618.11817.818.61000018.1181817.718.1125001817.91817.6181600018.218.118.217.818.2SPL36.734.530.23036.7N2.31.91.21.22.3median 23.5median 23median 18.1median 17.8median 23.5Delta2.72.71.41.72.7hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA

Temperature

The Aspire 3 during a stress test.
The Aspire 3 during a stress test.

The Aspire 3 remains relatively cool to the touch under load. During our stress tests, we measured only one area above 40 °C, with most areas staying below 30 °C.

Our review unit performed equally well during hour-long Prime95 and FurMark stress tests regardless of being on battery or on mains power. The CPU initially runs at between 1.3 and 3.1 GHz in both tests, later dropping to between 1.3 and 2.5 GHz as the core temperature rises. The GPU worked at 1,000 MHz throughout either stress test.

Max. Load
 40 °C
104 F		33.2 °C
92 F		24.6 °C
76 F		 
 32.8 °C
91 F		31.4 °C
89 F		24.3 °C
76 F		 
 24.3 °C
76 F		24.1 °C
75 F		25.4 °C
78 F		 
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 28.9 °C = 84 F
23.7 °C
75 F		34.6 °C
94 F		34.1 °C
93 F
23.3 °C
74 F		25.9 °C
79 F		31.4 °C
89 F
23.2 °C
74 F		23.5 °C
74 F		24.6 °C
76 F
Maximum: 34.6 °C = 94 F
Average: 27.1 °C = 81 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.8 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 22.4 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28.9 °C / 84 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 40 °C / 104 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 34.6 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.1 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 25.4 °C / 77.7 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+2.3 °C / 4.2 F).
Top case surface temperatures under load
Top case surface temperatures under load
Bottom case surface temperatures under load
Bottom case surface temperatures under load
Top case surface temperatures at idle
Top case surface temperatures at idle
Bottom case surface temperatures at idle
Bottom case surface temperatures at idle

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.730.736.72531.233.831.23130.534.530.54032.329.832.35034.529.334.56327.126.327.18026.726.926.710024.825.924.812526.824.626.816033.924.133.920034.922.734.925042.721.342.731550.320.550.340055.120.855.150054.219.354.263058.418.458.480070.11870.1100073.817.373.8125069.817.169.8160062.517.262.5200062.517.262.5250062.817.162.8315060.817.360.8400064.817.564.8500063.717.663.7630056.817.856.880005817.8581000059.717.759.7125006417.664160006317.863SPL77.93077.9N35.21.235.2median 59.7median 17.8median 59.7Delta8.71.78.735.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YAApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (73.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 74% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 73% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 26%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 26%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

The Aspire 3 is not especially power hungry. At idle, we measured a maximum power consumption of 8.4 W, which increased to 32.6 W during a Prime95 and FurMark combined stress test. Interestingly, our review unit draws up to 34.4 W during just a Prime95 stress test. Rated at 45 W, the power supply has enough capacity to charge the device even when it is working at full load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.15 / 0.84 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.4 / 8.2 / 8.4 Watt
Load midlight 32.2 / 32.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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 Life

The Aspire 3 has unimpressive battery life. Our review unit lasted for an unexceptional 4 h 41 m in our practical Wi-Fi test, which runs a script to simulate the load required to load and render websites. During this test we set the battery profile to Balanced with all energy-saving features switched off and display brightness at 150 cd/m².

This battery runtime puts our review unit behind its Intel-powered Aspire 3 siblings, the A315-51-55E4 and the A315-51-36YU, despite having the same battery capacity. Equally, our review unit has an approximately 30% shorter runtime than the average for a device in its class. While our device has a battery wear rate of around 5%, this does not account for the gulf between its runtime and that of its sibling models.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 41)
4h 41min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Average of class Office
  (272 - 1715, n=112, last 2 years)
586 min +109%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 48 Wh (Edge 41)
484 min +72%
HP 250 G6 2UB93ES
6006U, HD Graphics 520, 41.6 Wh (Edge 41)
409 min +46%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
6006U, HD Graphics 520,  Wh
368 min +31%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
6006U, HD Graphics 520, 44 Wh (Edge 38)
356 min +27%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 37 Wh
350 min +25%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620, 37 Wh (Edge 41)
281 min
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
A6-9220, Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), 37 Wh (Edge 41)
243 min -14%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Pentium 4415U, HD Graphics 610, 32 Wh (Edge 40)
233 min -17%

Pros

+ matte display
+ Full HD display
+ SSD
+ maintenance cover
+ AC Wi-Fi
+ fast memory card reader

Cons

- dark and low contrast display
- poor viewing angles
- average battery life
- no USB Type-C port

Verdict

The Acer 3 A315-51-30YA, courtesy of Cyberport.
The Acer 3 A315-51-30YA, courtesy of Cyberport.

Acer has delivered a simple 15.6-inch office notebook with the Aspire 3 A315-51. The built-in Core i3 processor offers more than enough performance for typical office and Internet applications. Thanks to Turbo Boost, the first Core i3 processor to support this, the CPU performs equally as well as last generation’s Core i5 processors. Despite this extra power that Turbo Boost affords, the Aspire 3 remains relatively quiet and cool under load.

The Acer Aspire 3 A315-51 offers a lot of computing power at a reasonable price.

The SATA III SSD ensures that the system runs smoothly. While the SSD could be replaced, it is inaccessible from either of the maintenance covers. This means that upgrading the SSD would require removing the entire bottom case. The keyboard is decent and is good enough for home use. However, the matte 15.6-inch display will not win any prizes, as it manages to be dark with low contrast and poor viewing angles.

It is worth bearing in mind that our review unit shipped with Endless OS, a Linux distribution that looks and feels much like a smartphone operating system. It is easy to switch to Windows 10 though, with the Acer website providing the necessary drivers to do so.

Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA - 05/03/2018 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
68 / 98 → 70%
Keyboard
69%
Pointing Device
75 / 20-67 → 100%
Connectivity
46%
Weight
62%
Battery
79 / 92 → 86%
Display
68%
Games Performance
55%
Application Performance
85%
Temperature
94%
Noise
93%
Audio
66%
Camera
40%
Average
69%
77%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Aspire 3 A315-51 (i3-8130U, SSD, FHD) Laptop Review
Sascha Mölck, 2018-05- 6 (Update: 2020-05-19)