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Acer Aspire 3 (i3-6006U, HD520) Laptop Review

Third round. The current model has an Intel Core i3-6006U processor and differs only marginally in terms of the price, when compared to the previously reviewed sibling models. We examine in this review whether this particular laptop is worth buying.

At this time, our tally of various hardware configurations available on Acer’s website stands at 53. Previously, we reviewed a model with an Intel CPU and a device with an AMD CPU. Our current review device sits exactly in-between those two with an Intel Core i3-6006U processor, Intel’s HD Graphics 520 and 4 GB of RAM. A 128 GB SSD serves as the system drive and a 1 TB HDD is used for data storage. At the time of this review, buyers can get the Aspire 3 with this hardware configuration for approximately 550 Euros ($677).

Because the price difference between this Aspire 3 and the devices we reviewed previously is very small, we decided to include these devices in our review for comparison purposes. Moreover, we also included other devices with a similar price tag in our review. These devices include the Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V, Lenovo’s V110-15IKB and the HP 255 G6. We expect to see good day-to-day performance from our review device. This expectation is substantiated by good benchmark results.

Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU (Aspire 3 A315 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-6006U 2 x 2 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR4
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 100 PPI, AU Optronics AUO38ED, TN-LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Hynix HFS128G39TND, 128 GB 
, + 1TB Seagate ST1000LM035-1RK172, 1085 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: microphone/headphone combo audio jack, Card Reader: SD
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 (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
4810 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 2 cells, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 6 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.3 MP, 640x480
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: chiclet-style, 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
548 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity - Simple but stable ultrabook

Acer did not make any changes to the black plastic case of the Aspire 3. The top side and the chassis are decorated with a pattern that resembles brushed metal. You can find more information about the case and the maintenance options in our review of the Aspire 3 with Intel’s Core i5-7200U.

There were no changes made in terms of the ports as well. Users have only one USB 3.0 port at their disposal. The device does not feature a USB Type-C or Thunderbolt port.

The SD card reader of our review device delivers a slightly above-average result. With our reference-grade SD card, Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II, the Aspire 3 achieves write and read speeds of about 75 MB/s. However, SD cards protrude from the SD card slot by about a centimeter. This is why, the SD cards are not lodged very securely in the slot.

The wireless data transfer rates also live up to our expectations. The Wi-Fi adapter in the Aspire 3 supports the fast Wireless AC standard in the 5 GHz spectral band and can transfer data with a speed of 335 MBit/s.

The Aspire 3 also features a Webcam. It has a below-average 0.3 MP sensor and captures images at a resolution of 640x480.

Size Comparison

382 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 254 mm / 10 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 2.1 kg4.52 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

Ports

Left side: Kensington Security Slot, Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI-out, USB 3.0 port, SD card reader
Left side: Kensington Security Slot, Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI-out, USB 3.0 port, SD card reader
Right side: microphone/headphone combo jack, two USB 2.0 ports, DC power socket
Right side: microphone/headphone combo jack, two USB 2.0 ports, DC power socket
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
77 MB/s +3%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
74.5 MB/s
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
59.3 MB/s -20%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -25%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.4 MB/s -65%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.7 MB/s -70%
HP 255 G6
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
18.4 MB/s -75%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86 MB/s +12%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
77.8 MB/s +1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76.7 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -15%
HP 255 G6
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
29.5 MB/s -62%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.6 MB/s -64%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.6 MB/s -65%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
345 MBit/s +3%
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 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
335 MBit/s
HP 255 G6
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
261 MBit/s -22%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
202 MBit/s -40%
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
313 MBit/s +1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
311 MBit/s 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
311 MBit/s
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
310 MBit/s 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Realtek 8821AE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
287 MBit/s -8%
HP 255 G6
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
186 MBit/s -40%

Input Devices of the Aspire 3 - Not for thick fingers

The keys of the Aspire 3 are relatively small and have a weak actuation point. Typing is interrupted time and time again by the keys that are located too close to each other. This is why misstrokes are a common occurrence. That said, buyers of the Aspire 3 do get a high-value numeric pad.  

The ClickPad of our review device sits very loosely in its cutout. When moving the mouse pointer, it rocks back and forth. Moreover, when applying pressure to it, it sinks down and does not register the mouse click. Only when some more pressure is applied and the actuation point is reached, does it register the click.

Input devices
Input devices

Display - PWM-free Acer Aspire 3 with good contrast

Pixel arrangment
Pixel arrangment

Acer utilizes, in our review device, a TN LED panel with a resolution of 1366x768. With 210 cd/m², the screen is sufficiently bright, which means that the notebook can occasionally be used outdoors. Our review device has a slightly better display than the devices we picked for comparison purposes.


One positive point is that we did not observe PWM flickering. This is why people who are susceptible to PWM flickering should get this display. Alternatively, Acer also offers the Aspire 3 with a Full HD display with a resolution of 1920x1080.

213
cd/m²
219
cd/m²
212
cd/m²
214
cd/m²
222
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
208
cd/m²
198
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO38ED tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 222 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 210.1 cd/m² Minimum: 14.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 219 cd/m²
Contrast: 653:1 (Black: 0.34 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 12.63 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
54% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
34% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37.06% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
54% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
35.87% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.13
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
AU Optronics AUO38ED, , 1366x768, 15.60
HP 255 G6
Chi Mei CMN15E3, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Toshiba, , 1366x768, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Chi Mei N156BGA-EA2, , 1366x768, 15.60
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Chi Mei N156BGA-EA2, , 1366x768, 15.60
Display
10%
13%
10%
8%
Display P3 Coverage
35.87
39.38
10%
40.6
13%
39.48
10%
38.91
8%
sRGB Coverage
54
59.1
9%
61.2
13%
59.2
10%
58.6
9%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
37.06
40.69
10%
41.95
13%
40.81
10%
40.2
8%
Response Times
-18%
-81%
-43%
-21%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
47 ?(25, 22)
48 ?(26, 22)
-2%
68 ?(32, 36)
-45%
48 ?(26, 22)
-2%
39 ?(21, 18)
17%
Response Time Black / White *
12 ?(8, 4)
16 ?(11, 5)
-33%
26 ?(20, 6)
-117%
22 ?(18, 4)
-83%
19 ?(14, 5)
-58%
PWM Frequency
26320 ?(80)
217 ?(90)
25000 ?(20)
10000 ?(20)
Screen
-6%
-3%
-2%
-3%
Brightness middle
222
226
2%
226
2%
223
0%
243
9%
Brightness
210
203
-3%
217
3%
220
5%
233
11%
Brightness Distribution
89
77
-13%
91
2%
88
-1%
75
-16%
Black Level *
0.34
0.47
-38%
0.58
-71%
0.47
-38%
0.45
-32%
Contrast
653
481
-26%
390
-40%
474
-27%
540
-17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.6
11.78
-2%
9.84
15%
10.72
8%
11.69
-1%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
19.63
20.05
-2%
16.77
15%
17.7
10%
20.08
-2%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
12.63
12.18
4%
11.1
12%
11.81
6%
13.12
-4%
Gamma
2.13 103%
2.13 103%
2.35 94%
2.32 95%
2.24 98%
CCT
13294 49%
13366 49%
11979 54%
13530 48%
16905 38%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
34
38
12%
39
15%
38
12%
37
9%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
54
59
9%
61
13%
59
9%
59
9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-5% / -4%
-24% / -10%
-12% / -5%
-5% / -3%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

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
12 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 26 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
47 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25 ms rise
↘ 22 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. » 78 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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 not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

54% of sRGB
54% of sRGB
34% of AdobeRGB
34% of AdobeRGB

Because of the poor color space coverage, the colors on the Aspire 3’s screen look somewhat washed-out. However, due to a good contrast ratio and a relatively low black value, the colors are well differentiated from one another and seem clear. Nevertheless, dark hues are not deep. They appear comparatively dim and less grayish than in the competing devices. 

When looking from the side, the screen content remains readable. When looking from above or below, the image becomes significantly distorted. Outdoors, the screen brightness is high enough for work in shaded places.

CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding
Outdoor use
Outdoor use

Performance - Modest ultrabook for day-to-day use

LatencyMon
LatencyMon
Maintenance options
Maintenance options

Our review device is equipped with Intel’s Core i3-6006U and HD Graphics 520. 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD create a very responsive system. These hardware components offer enough performance for such activities as Internet-browsing, office work and simple image editing.

Users can easily replace the RAM and storage devices via the maintenance hatches on the bottom of the device. The Aspire 3 is available in many different hardware configurations and can accommodate nearly any budget.

Processor

Our review device utilizes Intel’s Core i3-6006U. This CPU is a dual-core chip that can process four threads at the same time, thanks to Hyperthreading. The clock rate amounts to 2 GHz. The i3-6006U does not support Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology or anything else like that. In the Cinebench R15 benchmark, the Aspire 3 does not live up to our expectations one hundred percent. In other words, the Intel Core i3-6006U in the Aspire 3 fails to reach its full potential.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

In our stress test it becomes obvious that the Aspire 3 can maintain its performance over an extended period of time. That being said, other competing devices do not have any problems in this department as well. 

You can find out what kind of performance other devices with an Intel Core i3-6006U can offer on our CPU Benchmarks page.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +212%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Core i5-7200U
108 Points +57%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
95 Points +38%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
84 Points +22%
Average Intel Core i3-6006U
  (69 - 84, n=5)
78 Points +13%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
69 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Core i3-6006U
69 Points
HP 255 G6
AMD A6-9220
68 Points -1%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +580%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Core i5-7200U
318 Points +57%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
241 Points +19%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel Core i3-6006U
216 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i3-6006U
  (203 - 218, n=5)
212 Points +4%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel Core i3-6006U
203 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD A6-9220
114 Points -44%
HP 255 G6
AMD A6-9220
109 Points -46%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
69 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
203 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
27.59 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

The Aspire 3 is still a good performer, even in this hardware configuration. Folders and programs open fast. However, other systems with a Core i3-6006U respond even faster. The PCMark 8 benchmark shows that our review device comes very close to reaching the full potential of its hardware.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +48%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3295 Points +15%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U, Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
3230 Points +12%
Average Intel Core i3-6006U, Intel HD Graphics 520
  (2801 - 3269, n=5)
2945 Points +3%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
2937 Points +2%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
HD Graphics 520, 6006U, Hynix HFS128G39TND
2872 Points
HP 255 G6
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2520 Points -12%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
2337 Points -19%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2872 points
Help

Storage Devices

The SSD of the Aspire 3 creates a very responsive system. The access rates are not on a high level. However, they are still much better than those of the conventional HDDs. Thanks to an additional HDD, buyers can enjoy the advantages of both mass storage technologies. 

To find out how well the storage device in the Aspire 3 does against other hard drives and SSDs, visit our HHD/SSD Benchmarks page.

Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Hynix HFS128G39TND
HP 255 G6
Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Ramxel S121 RTNRB256RFM4KWDL
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Average Hynix HFS128G39TND
 
Average of class Office
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-81%
-87%
42%
80%
10%
405%
Read Seq
455.9
109.2
-76%
96.5
-79%
477.4
5%
485.8
7%
488 ?(456 - 510, n=4)
7%
1895 ?(508 - 3536, n=3, last 2 years)
316%
Write Seq
132.3
102.8
-22%
77.9
-41%
284.2
115%
456.1
245%
134.4 ?(131.5 - 137.6, n=4)
2%
2113 ?(459 - 3702, n=3, last 2 years)
1497%
Read 512
324.1
36.65
-89%
20.82
-94%
356.3
10%
328
1%
338 ?(324 - 362, n=4)
4%
878 ?(392 - 1221, n=3, last 2 years)
171%
Write 512
132
44.97
-66%
19.83
-85%
282.3
114%
446.8
238%
134.2 ?(130.6 - 137.2, n=4)
2%
1297 ?(389 - 2096, n=3, last 2 years)
883%
Read 4k
29.07
0.429
-99%
0.342
-99%
24.15
-17%
26.95
-7%
31.2 ?(29.1 - 35.2, n=4)
7%
43.3 ?(19.7 - 68.2, n=3, last 2 years)
49%
Write 4k
62.2
0.984
-98%
0.836
-99%
71.9
16%
86.7
39%
82.2 ?(62.2 - 104.8, n=4)
32%
132.5 ?(45.9 - 214, n=3, last 2 years)
113%
Read 4k QD32
281.5
0.881
-100%
0.595
-100%
283.7
1%
245.9
-13%
338 ?(282 - 376, n=4)
20%
433 ?(186.4 - 761, n=3, last 2 years)
54%
Write 4k QD32
132.1
0.952
-99%
0.706
-99%
257.3
95%
300.2
127%
134.6 ?(131.6 - 138.1, n=4)
2%
341 ?(222 - 526, n=3, last 2 years)
158%
Hynix HFS128G39TND
Sequential Read: 455.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 132.3 MB/s
512K Read: 324.1 MB/s
512K Write: 132 MB/s
4K Read: 29.07 MB/s
4K Write: 62.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 281.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 132.1 MB/s

Graphics Card

Our review device relies on Intel’s integrated HD Graphics 520 for image rendering. The performance of this graphics card depends heavily on the type of RAM used. This graphics chip offers enough performance to run older games smoothly. In the 3DMark 11 benchmark, the HD Graphics 520 in our review device achieves a better score than most of the devices that we selected for comparison purposes. 

You can find out what kind of performance other devices with Intel’s HD Graphics 520 can achieve on our GPU Benchmarks page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +442%
Average Intel HD Graphics 520
  (1060 - 1520, n=130)
1296 Points +19%
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6006U
1090 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6006U
1085 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1067 Points -2%
HP 255 G6
AMD Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), AMD A6-9220
989 Points -9%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), AMD A6-9220
956 Points -12%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel HD Graphics 610, Intel Pentium Gold 4415U
880 Points -19%
3DMark 11 Performance
1160 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Our review device is not fit for high-powered gaming sessions, but it is suitable for causal gaming. For this, you will have to concentrate mostly on older titles, because the integrated graphics unit (Intel HD Graphics 520) in our review device can only run these types of games smoothly. During our gaming benchmark, the five-year-old “Bioshock Infinite” managed to achieve a playable frame rate of 32 FPS on the lowest settings.

To find out what kind of games you can run with the integrated graphics solution, visit our Gaming Benchmarks page.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 32.5 19.7 15.9 5.3

Emissions & Energy Management - Silent Acer laptop with poor sound quality

System Noise

Our review device is very quiet both when it is under load and when it is idle. The fan works nearly silently, and even during the taxing stress test, the laptop remains quiet. This is why the Aspire 3 is fit for use in very quiet environments.

Noise Level

Idle
30.4 / 30.4 / 31.2 dB(A)
HDD
31.2 dB(A)
Load
34.6 / 34.7 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: 30.4 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.639.135.334.633.62534.937.233.634.434.93139.438.94137.839.44036.23441.433.736.25039.53941.14139.56329.531.532.93029.58027.527.528.327.627.510026.727.427.727.426.712526.125.4252826.11602424.42424.4242002525.421.722.92525023.923.121.922.423.93152423.921.521.62440022.922.820.420.422.950021.621.619.219.721.663020.6211919.120.680023.123.320.517.723.1100026.626.419.817.726.6125024.124.218.617.824.116002424.618.317.724200024.524.818.41824.5250022.422.718.41822.43150212118.618.221400019.519.518.718.519.5500019.319.318.818.719.3630019.11918.718.719.1800019.119.118.918.919.11000018.918.918.918.918.91250018.918.918.918.918.91600019.119.119.11919.1SPL34.634.731.230.834.6N2.12.11.61.52.1median 22.9median 22.8median 19median 18.9median 22.9Delta2.52.71.422.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

The Aspire 3 remains cool in every situation. The surface temperatures rarely exceed the 40 °C (104 °F) mark, and during our stress test, the cooling solution of the Aspire 3 manages to keep the core temperatures at around 70 °C (158 °F).

During the stress test, the clock rate of the Core i3-6006U falls temporarily to 700 MHz. However, clock speeds stabilize after the fan starts spinning. This means that you will only have to deal with short drops in performance under extreme loads.

Max. Load
 34.6 °C
94 F
30.9 °C
88 F
23.4 °C
74 F
 
 28.2 °C
83 F
29.2 °C
85 F
23.5 °C
74 F
 
 23.4 °C
74 F
22.7 °C
73 F
26.2 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 34.6 °C = 94 F
Average: 26.9 °C = 80 F
23.3 °C
74 F
32 °C
90 F
33.4 °C
92 F
24.4 °C
76 F
28.5 °C
83 F
27 °C
81 F
23.3 °C
74 F
23.6 °C
74 F
23.2 °C
74 F
Maximum: 33.4 °C = 92 F
Average: 26.5 °C = 80 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.2 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 26.9 °C / 80 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 34.6 °C / 94 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 33.4 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.3 °C / 76 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 26.2 °C / 79.2 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 (+1.5 °C / 2.7 F).
Heat distribution when idle - topside
Heat distribution when idle - topside
Heat distribution when idle - bottom side
Heat distribution when idle - bottom side
Heat distribution under load - topside
Heat distribution under load - topside
Heat distribution under load - bottom side
Heat distribution under load - bottom side

Speakers

The Aspire 3 offers only limited usability when it comes to sound reproduction. The volume is comparatively low and deep tones are lost entirely. The mids and highs are clashing with each other and, therefore, produce an unpleasant sound. This is why you are strongly advised to use external speakers or headphones instead of the internal speakers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.334.635.32531.134.431.13139.837.839.84034.833.734.85040.74140.76331.83031.8802727.62710028.527.428.512530283016029.424.429.420030.722.930.725039.522.439.531545.721.645.740052.820.452.850050.419.750.463053.919.153.980062.617.762.6100069.717.769.7125069.917.869.9160066.817.766.8200064.51864.52500631863315064.118.264.1400065.418.565.4500063.618.763.6630060.618.760.6800061.818.961.81000056.118.956.11250053.618.953.61600055.51955.5SPL76.930.876.9N35.81.535.8median 56.1median 18.9median 56.1Delta10.1210.135.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YUApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 90% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 87% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, 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
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% 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 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked!)

Energy Consumption

The Aspire 3 draws a little less power than the comparable devices. With 9 watts when idle and 26 watts under load, the laptop is very energy efficient (like most other office notebooks are). The included 45-watt AC adapter has enough reserves to reliably supply the Aspire 3 with power under any conditions.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.16 / 0.33 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.1 / 7.3 / 8.7 Watt
Load midlight 25.4 / 26.6 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

Acer claims that the Aspire 3’s battery can last for about 6.5 hours and this claim proves to be realistic. In our Wi-Fi test, the laptop lasts for over 6 hours. With this result, the device manages to beat most other competitors and even the previously reviewed Aspire 3 models.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Average of class Office
  (272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
589 min +60%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU
6006U, HD Graphics 520,  Wh
368 min
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
6006U, HD Graphics 520, 44 Wh
356 min -3%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 37 Wh
350 min -5%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
A6-9220, Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), 37 Wh
243 min -34%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Pentium 4415U, HD Graphics 610, 32 Wh
233 min -37%
HP 255 G6
A6-9220, Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), 31 Wh
149 min -60%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
6h 08min

Pros

+ good maintenance options
+ good price-to-performance ratio
+ quiet operation
+ SSD and HDD

Cons

- outdated ports
- low-res panel

Verdict

Our review device was provided to us courtesy of: cyberport
Our review device was provided to us courtesy of: cyberport

In our review, the Aspire 3 with Intel’s Core i3-6006U proves to be more powerful than the AMD-based alternative and, in terms of battery life, it lasts longer than the Core i5-7200U-based variant. The system performance and the hardware components are good for the price of 550 Euros ($677). However, the laptop leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to the ports.

With the Aspire 3, Acer offers prospective buyers an easy-to-service laptop that is suitable for everyday use. The ports could have been more modern, though.

The Aspire 3 presents itself as a versatile notebook that is fit for many different purposes. It can be used for simple image editing, playing older video games and office work. However, it is not suited for running demanding 3D applications. Additionally, the great maintenance options allow users to replace or upgrade hardware components with ease.

Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-36YU - 03/02/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
70 / 98 → 71%
Keyboard
69%
Pointing Device
75%
Connectivity
48 / 80 → 60%
Weight
62 / 20-67 → 90%
Battery
88%
Display
76%
Games Performance
52 / 68 → 77%
Application Performance
68 / 92 → 74%
Temperature
95%
Noise
93%
Audio
56%
Camera
36 / 85 → 42%
Average
68%
77%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Aspire 3 (i3-6006U, HD520) Laptop Review
Mike Wobker, 2018-03-15 (Update: 2018-05-15)