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Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G (i5-8265U, MX150, SSD, FHD) Laptop Review

A well-made allrounder. Acer's 15.6-inch allrounder is a lot more compact, slim and light than its competition. But there is no need to worry about having to trade these features with performance. The device also offers a matte IPS Full HD display, a GeForce MX150 GPU and a quad-core processor of the Whiskey Lake generation.

Acer has launched a new series of 15.6-inch multimedia notebooks with the Aspire 5 A515-52G. This replaces the Aspire 5 A515-51G series, of which we have tested two configurations: the Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A and the Aspire 5 A515-51G-51R.  

There are a few differences between these two series. Acer has given the A515-52G a new case and has also made some changes to its insides: The A515-52G has two memory banks while its predecessor had only one (with 4 GB of soldered-on RAM). On top of this, our current test unit is equipped with a brand-new Whiskey Lake processor. The two models share their graphics solution: a GeForce MX150. 

Among the Aspire's competition are the Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB, the HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng, the Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T and the Dell G3 15 3579.

Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU (Aspire 5 A515 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8265U 4 x 1.6 - 3.9 GHz, Whiskey Lake-U
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1532 MHz, Memory: 1502 MHz, GDDR5, 64-Bit interface, ForceWare 398.72, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400, Dual-Channel, two memory banks (both occupied)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, BOE CQ NV156FHM-N48, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, 256 GB 
, 205 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Cannon Point-LP PCH - cAVS (Audio, Video, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined audio, Card Reader: SDXC, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.95 x 363.4 x 243.5 ( = 0.71 x 14.31 x 9.59 in)
Battery
48 Wh, 3220 mAh Lithium-Ion, 15.2 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Norton Security (trial version), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.8 kg ( = 63.49 oz / 3.97 pounds), Power Supply: 320 g ( = 11.29 oz / 0.71 pounds)
Price
899 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - The case of the A515 is more compact and lightweight

Acer has gotten rid of the predecessor's case and given the A515-52G a newly designed case. There has been no change to the color: The new case remains black. The same goes for the material - Acer continues to use a plastic case with a metal detail: The display cover is made of brushed metal. This is different to the predecessor, A515-51G. Here, the top of the base unit was made of metal. The new case of the Aspire is a lot more compact, slim and lightweight than that of its predecessor. Consequently, the notebook has slim bezels that make the entire device appear smarter. Unfortunately, Acer has also changed the maintenance options by removing the A515-51G's maintenance hatch. Now, users have to remove the entire bottom plate to access the device's insides. But more on that later. The battery cannot be removed.  

The workmanship of our test unit now shows weaknesses. The gap dimensions are good and there are no rough edges. Stability could be better, however, as the base unit gives way slightly on both sides of the keyboard and can also be significantly warped quite easily. The lid is solid and pressure on the back does not cause any changes on the display. The hinges keep the display firm in position and have a maximum opening angle of 180°. It is possible to open the device with one hand with a little effort.

The Aspire is more compact and light than many of its competitors. Of all our comparison devices, only the Pavilion 15 has similar dimensions.

Size Comparison

381.6 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 21.6 mm / 0.85 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 251 mm / 9.88 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 22.7 mm / 0.894 inch 2.5 kg5.58 lbs381 mm / 15 inch 263 mm / 10.4 inch 21.6 mm / 0.85 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs362.5 mm / 14.3 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs363.4 mm / 14.3 inch 243.5 mm / 9.59 inch 17.95 mm / 0.707 inch 1.8 kg3.97 lbs361.6 mm / 14.2 inch 245.6 mm / 9.67 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.9 kg4.08 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Acer offers the usual

The port selection has not changed compared to the A515-51G; only the distribution is slightly different. Users can connect an external screen via the HDMI port. There are three USB Type-A ports, two of which support the 2.0 standard while the third supports 3.1 Gen 1. In addition, there is a Type-C 3.1 Gen 1 port. However, this does not support DisplayPort functionality nor can you use it to charge the device - we checked. The USB Type-C charging option in particular should by now be a standard for slim and light devices such as the Aspire.

Left: slot for cable lock, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (1x Type-A, 1x Type-C), SD card reader (SDXC)
Left: slot for cable lock, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (1x Type-A, 1x Type-C), SD card reader (SDXC)
Right: combined audio jack, 2x USB 2.0 (Type-A), power supply
Right: combined audio jack, 2x USB 2.0 (Type-A), power supply

SD card reader

The A515 is equipped with an SDXC card reader. Inserted SD cards stand out by about 17 mm (~0.7 in). Large blocks of data can be copied at a maximum speed of 83 MB/s. The reader can transfer 250 JPG files (each about 5 MB large) at 70.4 MB/s. This means that the card reader in this device is quite fast while those of many competitors only offer lower transfer rates. We tested the SD card reader with our reference card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 226, n=67, last 2 years)
83.2 MB/s ∼100% +18%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
80.1 MB/s ∼96% +14%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M510 microSD)
76 MB/s ∼91% +8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
70.4 MB/s ∼85%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
64 MB/s ∼77% -9%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
39 MB/s ∼47% -45%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
34.3 MB/s ∼41% -51%
Dell G3 15 3579
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25 MB/s ∼30% -64%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=62, last 2 years)
96.7 MB/s ∼100% +17%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
88.1 MB/s ∼91% +6%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M510 microSD)
85.6 MB/s ∼89% +3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
84.7 MB/s ∼88% +2%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
83 MB/s ∼86%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
36 MB/s ∼37% -57%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
31.1 MB/s ∼32% -63%
Dell G3 15 3579
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.02 MB/s ∼25% -71%

Communication

The Aspire is equipped with a Wi-Fi module with an Intel chip (Wireless-AC 9560). This supports the Wi-Fi standards 802.11 a/b/g/n as well as the faster ac standard. The transfer rates, which we measured in ideal conditions (no other Wi-Fi devices in the vicinity, at close range to the server PC), are very good. The module also includes Bluetooth 5. The Gigabit Ethernet chip of the Realtek RTL8168/8111 series takes care of network connections via cable and is very efficient. 

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (277 - 1446, n=37, last 2 years)
994 MBit/s ∼100% +54%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
647 (534min - 664max) MBit/s ∼65%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
340 MBit/s ∼34% -47%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Wireless AC 9462
339 MBit/s ∼34% -48%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
332 MBit/s ∼33% -49%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
325 MBit/s ∼33% -50%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
269 MBit/s ∼27% -58%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
48 MBit/s ∼5% -93%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (137 - 1684, n=37, last 2 years)
1099 MBit/s ∼100% +78%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
618 (446min - 680max) MBit/s ∼56%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
331 MBit/s ∼30% -46%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Wireless AC 9462
329 MBit/s ∼30% -47%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
297 MBit/s ∼27% -52%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
290 MBit/s ∼26% -53%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
280 MBit/s ∼25% -55%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
174 MBit/s ∼16% -72%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø617 (446-680)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø647 (534-664)

Webcam

Acer has equipped the Aspire with a 0.9-MP camera that takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The results are rather washed-out and weak.

Accessories

The device comes with no accessories apart from a QuickStart guide and warranty information.

Maintenance

While the A515-51G had two maintenance hatches, Acer has decided against them for the A515-52G. In order to get to the insides, users will have to remove the entire bottom plate of the base unit. This is quite easy to do, however. After removing all the screws, the cover can be lifted off with the help of a spatula or similar tool. After that, you have access to the RAM modules, the SSD, the fan, the battery, the BIOS battery and the Wi-Fi module.

Warranty

Acer has given the Aspire a two-year warranty. The scope and duration of this warranty can be extended. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices - the Aspire 5 includes a backlit keyboard

Keyboard

The Acer device includes a backlit chiclet keyboard with flat, smooth keys that have short travel and a clear pressure point. The keyboard gives way noticeably above the space bar - we think an additional screw that connects the keyboard with the base unit would have done the trick here. Still, this is not too bothersome. The backlighting can be controlled via a function key. There is only one brightness level. Overall, Acer has given the Aspire 5 a decent keyboard suitable for everyday use.

Touchpad

The multi-touch ClickPad is 10.6 x 7.8 cm (~4.2 x 3.1 in) large and is large enough for gesture control. The smooth surface of the pad enables fingers to glide over it easily. The touchpad responds to inputs even in the corners. The integrated mouse buttons have short travel and a clear pressure point.

Input devices
Input devices

Display - IPS included

The matte 15.6-inch screen of the Acer device has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. While the contrast ratio we measured (987:1) can be considered decent to good, the brightness (268.1 cd/m²) could be better for this price range. Nonetheless, the Aspire has the brightest display in our comparison field. We would generally consider values above 300 cd/m² and 1000:1 as good. 

The screen uses PWM with a frequency of 20000 Hz at brightness levels up to 90%. As this frequency is quite high, even sensitive users should not get headaches or eye problems from this. 

Pixel array
Pixel array
Backlight bleeding
Backlight bleeding
288
cd/m²
262
cd/m²
273
cd/m²
283
cd/m²
296
cd/m²
268
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
263
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE CQ NV156FHM-N48
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 296 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 268.1 cd/m² Minimum: 22.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 81 %
Center on Battery: 292 cd/m²
Contrast: 987:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.01 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2, calibrated: 4
ΔE Greyscale 0.98 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
58% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.17% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
58.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.85% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G3 15 3579
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-3%
-7%
-2%
-5%
-2%
Display P3 Coverage
39.85
38.3
-4%
36.7
-8%
38.62
-3%
37.47
-6%
38.48
-3%
sRGB Coverage
58.7
57.6
-2%
55
-6%
58.1
-1%
56.4
-4%
57.9
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.17
39.57
-4%
37.91
-8%
39.91
-3%
38.71
-6%
39.75
-3%
Response Times
32%
18%
19%
17%
-3%
31%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
45 ?(24, 21)
43.3 ?(22, 21.3)
4%
41 ?(18, 23)
9%
40 ?(18, 22)
11%
42 ?(22, 20)
7%
41 ?(22, 19)
9%
32.4 ?(14.8, 17.6)
28%
Response Time Black / White *
35 ?(19, 16)
13.8 ?(9.5, 4.3)
61%
26 ?(15, 11)
26%
26 ?(16, 10)
26%
26 ?(15, 11)
26%
19 ?(14, 5)
46%
23.2 ?(13.2, 10)
34%
PWM Frequency
20000 ?(90)
25970 ?(19)
30%
7000 ?(90)
-65%
Screen
-189%
-21%
-43%
-48%
-31%
-47%
Brightness middle
296
246
-17%
235
-21%
186
-37%
270
-9%
230
-22%
208.2
-30%
Brightness
268
225
-16%
236
-12%
180
-33%
250
-7%
221
-18%
203
-24%
Brightness Distribution
81
81
0%
80
-1%
88
9%
87
7%
91
12%
81
0%
Black Level *
0.3
0.51
-70%
0.17
43%
0.15
50%
0.25
17%
0.45
-50%
0.34
-13%
Contrast
987
482
-51%
1382
40%
1240
26%
1080
9%
511
-48%
612
-38%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.01
11
-174%
4.69
-17%
5.94
-48%
4.79
-19%
3.6
10%
4.65
-16%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.7
32.4
-272%
7.9
9%
10.81
-24%
8.83
-1%
5.59
36%
15.99
-84%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4
4.6
-15%
6.07
-52%
3.84
4%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
0.98
11.6
-1084%
3.34
-241%
4.44
-353%
5.66
-478%
3.13
-219%
4.1
-318%
Gamma
2.35 94%
1.91 115%
2.63 84%
2.81 78%
2.64 83%
2.45 90%
2.3 96%
CCT
6408 101%
11807 55%
6801 96%
6272 104%
7179 91%
7244 90%
7352 88%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
36
-5%
35
-8%
37
-3%
36
-5%
36.7
-3%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
58
57
-2%
55
-5%
59
2%
56
-3%
57.9
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-79% / -134%
-2% / -12%
-10% / -29%
-11% / -30%
-13% / -21%
-6% / -29%

* ... smaller is better

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 detected 20000 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 20000 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 20000 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 18889 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Aspire vs. sRGB
Aspire vs. sRGB
Aspire vs. AdobeRGB
Aspire vs. AdobeRGB

The screen has decent colors ex-works. We measured a DeltaE-2000 color deviation of 4.01, which is not too far from the ideal (DeltaE below 3). There is no blue cast and gray scales are displayed quite evenly. Our calibration did not make any significant improvements. The display does not cover the AdobeRGB and sRGB color spaces. We measured a color space coverage of 39% (AdobeRGB) and 58% (sRGB).

You can use the color profile above to change the color reproduction of the screen according to our calibration, although this does not make a big difference in the case of the Aspire as the screen is already well calibrated ex-works. Should you want to use our color profile anyway, make sure that you have the same display model (manufacturer + model number) as the one in our test unit. If this is not the case, using our color profile could make the colors appear worse rather than better. Manufacturers often use screens from various manufacturers within one notebook model.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - SaturationSweeps
CalMAN - SaturationSweeps
CalMAN - ColorChecker (after calibration)
CalMAN - ColorChecker (after calibration)
CalMAN - Grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN - Grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN - SaturationSweeps (after calibration)
CalMAN - SaturationSweeps (after calibration)

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
35 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 16 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 91 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
45 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24 ms rise
↘ 21 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 72 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.2 ms).

Acer has equipped the Aspire with an IPS panel with stable viewing angles. This means that the screen can be read from every position. The available brightness allows you to use the device indoors, but is not really suitable for outdoor use. It should just be possible to read screen content outdoors on an overcast day or in shade.

The Aspire outdoors (on an overcast day)
The Aspire outdoors (on an overcast day)
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - Whiskey Lake in the Aspire A515

The Aspire 5 A515-52G is a 15.6-inch multimedia allrounder. The device has sufficient power for all normal areas of use and can also display games. At the time of writing, there is no price information for this device as it is not yet available in the US. Other configurations are available for around $650.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 

Processor

The Aspire is powered by the quad-core Intel processor Core i5-8265U. This is a ULV model with a TDP of 15 watts that is based on Intel's Whiskey Lake architecture. The processor does well in all application areas. It clocks at a base rate of 1.6 GHz and can reach turbo rates of 3.7 GHz (all four cores), 3.8 GHz (two cores) and 3.9 GHz (one core).

Our multi-thread Cinebench benchmarks are executed at 2.9-3.4 GHz for the first few seconds. The clock rate then drops to 2.3-2.4 GHz. The clock rate is 3.7-3.9 GHz in the single-thread test. These are the results while connected to the power supply. On battery, the clock rates drop to between 2.2 and 2.6 GHz (multi-thread) and 2.4 to 3.8 GHz (single-thread). These changes appear more dramatic than they actually are. The Cinebench R15 benchmark results of 138 points (single-thread) and 493 points (multi-thread) are quite close to the results when connected to the power supply.

Multi-thread (on power supply)
Multi-thread (on power supply)
Single-thread (on power supply)
Single-thread (on power supply)
Multi-thread (on battery)
Multi-thread (on battery)
Single-thread (on battery)
Single-thread (on battery)

We test whether the turbo is under prolonged load by running the multi-thread Cinebench R15 test in a loop for 30 minutes. The results drop slightly between the first and second round, but then remain the same for the remainder of the test. The processor clocks at 2.3 to 2.4 GHz.

04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765810Tooltip
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø487 (482.49-523.51)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø493 (481.04-518.17)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL Intel Core i5-7200U, Intel Core i5-7200U: Ø329 (327.16-330.25)
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø431 (417.88-605.96)
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB Intel Core i5-7200U, Intel Core i5-7200U: Ø331 (328.8-332.43)
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø691 (675.34-730.25)
Dell G3 15 3579 Intel Core i5-8300H, Intel Core i5-8300H: Ø805 (798.21-830.56)
The CPU keeps a steady clock rate during the Cinebench R15 loop
The CPU keeps a steady clock rate during the Cinebench R15 loop

There is no difference between the Whiskey Lake architecture used in the Core i5-8265U and the Kaby Lake architecture. This means that the performance per MHz is identical. However, the improved production process of Whiskey Lake allows for higher clock rates. Therefore, only these higher rates are responsible for the better results compared to its predecessor, the Core i5-8250U.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6444
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
16632
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6165
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
66.4 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
5.52 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.87 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
92.6 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
524 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
159 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (119 - 297, n=106, last 2 years)
228 Points ∼100% +43%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H
168 Points ∼74% +6%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
159 Points ∼70%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (111 - 164, n=35)
155 Points ∼68% -3%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points ∼64% -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points ∼64% -9%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points ∼57% -19%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points ∼57% -19%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
124 Points ∼54% -22%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (570 - 3023, n=118, last 2 years)
1804 Points ∼100% +244%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H
831 Points ∼46% +59%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
730 Points ∼40% +39%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
606 (417.88min - 605.96max) Points ∼34% +16%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (457 - 750, n=38)
592 Points ∼33% +13%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
524 Points ∼29%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
518 Points ∼29% -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
331 Points ∼18% -37%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
330 Points ∼18% -37%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (2.45 - 2.76, n=4, last 2 years)
2.64 Points ∼100% +41%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
1.87 Points ∼71%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (1.73 - 1.88, n=6)
1.793 Points ∼68% -4%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.65 Points ∼63% -12%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
1.48 Points ∼56% -21%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (13.3 - 21.3, n=4, last 2 years)
18.7 Points ∼100% +239%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (5.22 - 7.22, n=6)
5.98 Points ∼32% +8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
5.69 Points ∼30% +3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
5.52 Points ∼30%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
3.69 Points ∼20% -33%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (34412 - 52116, n=4, last 2 years)
39479 Points ∼100% +137%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
22097 Points ∼56% +33%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
20995 Points ∼53% +26%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (16318 - 22962, n=9)
18952 Points ∼48% +14%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
16632 Points ∼42%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
11247 Points ∼28% -32%
Shading 32Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (4955 - 13701, n=3, last 2 years)
10222 Points ∼100% +59%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (4095 - 8949, n=10)
6569 Points ∼64% +2%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
6444 Points ∼63%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
5179 Points ∼51% -20%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
4631 Points ∼45% -28%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
4015 Points ∼39% -38%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
13989 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (12198 - 14499, n=6)
13659 Points ∼98% -2%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
13147 Points ∼94% -6%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
6766 Points ∼48% -52%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
3842 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (3470 - 3842, n=6)
3669 Points ∼95% -5%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
3182 Points ∼83% -17%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
3094 Points ∼81% -19%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
14368 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (13168 - 14390, n=3)
13975 Points ∼97% -3%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
12305 Points ∼86% -14%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
7218 Points ∼50% -50%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
4605 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (4229 - 4605, n=3)
4422 Points ∼96% -4%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
3996 Points ∼87% -13%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
3727 Points ∼81% -19%
Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (18392 - 50218, n=9, last 2 years)
31649 Points ∼100% +110%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
15051 Points ∼48%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (7144 - 16249, n=19)
13600 Points ∼43% -10%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
12799 Points ∼40% -15%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
7544 Points ∼24% -50%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4736 - 7925, n=9, last 2 years)
6491 Points ∼100% +38%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U
4714 Points ∼73%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (2106 - 4830, n=19)
4387 Points ∼68% -7%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U
4091 Points ∼63% -13%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U
3809 Points ∼59% -19%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
1471 ms * ∼100% -23%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1421 ms * ∼97% -19%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
1252 ms * ∼85% -5%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 40)
1210 ms * ∼82% -1%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U (Edge 42)
1193 ms * ∼81%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H (Edge 42.17134.1.0)
1158 ms * ∼79% +3%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (851 - 1245, n=25)
1141 ms * ∼78% +4%
Average of class Multimedia
  (404 - 1124, n=106, last 2 years)
618 ms * ∼42% +48%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (50330 - 101357, n=40, last 2 years)
77638 Points ∼100% +128%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U (Edge 42)
34055 Points ∼44%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H (Edge 42.17134.1.0)
33272 Points ∼43% -2%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (12842 - 35563, n=23)
31246 Points ∼40% -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 40)
29549 Points ∼38% -13%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
27612 Points ∼36% -19%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (256 - 459, n=7, last 2 years)
383 Points ∼100% +57%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U (Edge 42)
243.9 Points ∼64%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H (Edge 42.17134.1.0)
243 Points ∼63% 0%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Intel Core i5-8250U (Edge 41)
230.1 Points ∼60% -6%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (193.7 - 244, n=19)
226 Points ∼59% -7%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
222.9 Points ∼58% -9%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 40)
213.8 Points ∼56% -12%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
189.2 Points ∼49% -22%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
184.6 Points ∼48% -24%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The combination of an SSD, a quad-core processor and a RAM running in dual-channel mode ensures a smooth and fast system. We did not encounter any issues. The notebook has more than enough processing power available for office and internet-related applications. The dedicated GPU also allows the playing of computer games. The results of the PCMark benchmarks are very good as well. It would be possible to improve the overall performance even more by exchanging the SATA III SSD with a faster NVMe model.

Two memory banks are available and the RAM runs in dual-channel mode.
Two memory banks are available and the RAM runs in dual-channel mode.
PCMark 7 Score
6028 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3725 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4506 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4924 points
PCMark 10 Score
3960 points
Help
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4078 - 5575, n=13, last 2 years)
4748 Points ∼100% +27%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4464 Points ∼94% +20%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
3930 Points ∼83% +6%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3903 Points ∼82% +5%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3725 Points ∼78%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
3725 Points ∼78% 0%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3695 Points ∼78% -1%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
3650 Points ∼77% -2%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3404 Points ∼72% -9%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (2996 - 5812, n=13, last 2 years)
4985 Points ∼100% +1%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4924 Points ∼99%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
4924 Points ∼99% 0%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
4922 Points ∼99% 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4882 Points ∼98% -1%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4779 Points ∼96% -3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4775 Points ∼96% -3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
4590 Points ∼92% -7%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
4467 Points ∼90% -9%
PCMark 10
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (2679 - 11777, n=89, last 2 years)
7396 Points ∼100% +108%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
3770 Points ∼51% +6%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3548 Points ∼48%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
3548 Points ∼48% 0%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
2808 Points ∼38% -21%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
2560 Points ∼35% -28%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
2298 Points ∼31% -35%
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=89, last 2 years)
8349 Points ∼100% +29%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
6469 Points ∼77%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
6469 Points ∼77% 0%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
5506 Points ∼66% -15%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
5499 Points ∼66% -15%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4474 Points ∼54% -31%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
4175 Points ∼50% -35%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (7715 - 12144, n=89, last 2 years)
9998 Points ∼100% +36%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
7589 Points ∼76% +3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
7348 Points ∼73%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
7348 Points ∼73% 0%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
7140 Points ∼71% -3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
6239 Points ∼62% -15%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
4892 Points ∼49% -33%
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (3580 - 8083, n=89, last 2 years)
6066 Points ∼100% +53%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3960 Points ∼65%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
3960 Points ∼65% 0%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3418 Points ∼56% -14%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3175 Points ∼52% -20%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
3075 Points ∼51% -22%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
3050 Points ∼50% -23%

Storage Devices

The storage device Acer has chosen for its Aspire 5 is a SATA III SSD from Micron. This M.2 2280 model has a total capacity of 256 GB, 205 of which are available ex-works. The remaining storage is taken up by the Windows operating system and the recovery partition. The transfer rates are good.

The M.2 2280 storage bay supports not only SATA III SSDs, but as we found out in our test, also NVMe models. Users can exchange the existing SSD for a significantly faster NVMe SSD if necessary. These reach higher transfer rates than SATA III models as they are connected via PCIe 3.0 x4.

The Aspire also has space for a 2.5-inch hard drive. However, our test unit was equipped with neither the necessary SATA connector nor a mounting bracket. Should users want to install a hard drive, they will first have to organize the necessary parts from Acer or one of their partners. Otherwise, you can also purchase an Aspire model that is already equipped with an HDD and SSD.

There is one SSD
There is one SSD
A 2.5-inch hard drive could be added in. However, you would need to purchase the necessary hardware for it first
A 2.5-inch hard drive could be added in. However, you would need to purchase the necessary hardware for it first
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Sequential Read: 452.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 414.2 MB/s
512K Read: 298.3 MB/s
512K Write: 312.3 MB/s
4K Read: 19.13 MB/s
4K Write: 84.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 247.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 290 MB/s
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Average Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
8%
-18%
19%
135%
7%
-0%
Read Seq
452.9
499.5
10%
407.5
-10%
1040
130%
1713
278%
468.5
3%
465 ?(413 - 490, n=22)
3%
Write Seq
414.2
265.8
-36%
283.5
-32%
179.9
-57%
1129
173%
378.4
-9%
379 ?(164.5 - 471, n=22)
-8%
Read 512
298.3
314.3
5%
282.4
-5%
641
115%
926
210%
342.5
15%
315 ?(249 - 360, n=22)
6%
Write 512
312.3
266.3
-15%
72.7
-77%
300.3
-4%
721
131%
368.7
18%
315 ?(157 - 447, n=22)
1%
Read 4k
19.13
29.24
53%
26.81
40%
19.99
4%
55.5
190%
26.93
41%
24.6 ?(14 - 29, n=22)
29%
Write 4k
84.8
78.4
-8%
73.7
-13%
72
-15%
124.5
47%
88.1
4%
80.8 ?(62.4 - 101.9, n=22)
-5%
Read 4k QD32
247.4
402.5
63%
294.8
19%
264.5
7%
374.2
51%
247.8
0%
227 ?(148.7 - 248, n=22)
-8%
Write 4k QD32
290
264.9
-9%
89.6
-69%
206.1
-29%
290.4
0%
246.5
-15%
233 ?(123 - 300, n=22)
-20%

Graphics

The Aspire is equipped with a dedicated GeForce MX150 graphics card. This is Nvidia's current mid-range model. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and reaches a clock rate of up to 1532 MHz. It has 2048 MB of GDDR5 storage available. The results of the 3DMark benchmarks are average for this GPU.

Apart from the GeForce GPU the computer can also use Intel's integrated UHD Graphics 620. Optimus enables the device to switch between these two GPUs. Intel's chip is used for everyday applications and when running on battery, while Nvidia's GPU is responsible for applications that require high graphics performance. Optimus switches between the GPUs automatically without the user having to do anything. 

3DMark 06 Standard Score
22890 points
3DMark 11 Performance
4749 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
69823 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
12652 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3230 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
1620 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1166 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (1365 - 60250, n=96, last 2 years)
15197 Points ∼100% +233%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-7200U
8329 Points ∼55% +83%
Dell G3 15 3579
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-8300H
7658 Points ∼50% +68%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-7200U
4575 Points ∼30% 0%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8265U
4558 Points ∼30%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2796 - 4905, n=47)
4191 Points ∼28% -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2882 Points ∼19% -37%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2734 Points ∼18% -40%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2381 Points ∼16% -48%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (6498 - 150699, n=77, last 2 years)
48873 Points ∼100% +131%
Dell G3 15 3579
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-8300H
39385 Points ∼81% +86%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-7200U
36552 Points ∼75% +73%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8265U
21120 Points ∼43%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (16227 - 22183, n=43)
19512 Points ∼40% -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-7200U
19333 Points ∼40% -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
12654 Points ∼26% -40%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
12166 Points ∼25% -42%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
11226 Points ∼23% -47%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (920 - 46022, n=95, last 2 years)
11251 Points ∼100% +211%
Dell G3 15 3579
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-8300H
6183 Points ∼55% +71%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-7200U
5705 Points ∼51% +58%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8265U
3613 Points ∼32%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-7200U
3576 Points ∼32% -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2323 - 3739, n=44)
3310 Points ∼29% -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2310 Points ∼21% -36%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2291 Points ∼20% -37%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1715 Points ∼15% -53%

Gaming Performance

The CPU/GPU combination in our test unit can display almost all current games smoothly. Most titles reach sufficient frame rates in HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) and medium quality settings. Games that are not too demanding on the hardware can also be played at higher resolution and/or settings. “Fifa 19”, for example. Very demanding games such as “Call of Duty Black Ops 4” require the resolution and/or settings to be turned down even more.

We used the game “The Witcher 3” to test the frame rates over a longer period of time by letting the game run for about 60 minutes at low resolution (1024x768 pixels) and minimum settings. The character in the game was not moved during this entire period. The frame rates remained constant throughout and there was no loss in performance. 

0510152025303540455055606570Tooltip
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN: Ø59 (54-70)
The GPU works consistently at a high clock rate
The GPU works consistently at a high clock rate
low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 244.7 132.8 85.9 39.8
BioShock Infinite (2013) 183.9 105.9 89.8 33.7
The Witcher 3 (2015) 58.8 35.2 19.3 10.7
Fortnite (2018) 130.1 52.5 36.7 22.7
Far Cry 5 (2018) 45 18 16 15
The Crew 2 (2018) 56.8 24.2 21.4 18
Monster Hunter World (2018) 53.4 19.6 17.5 12.8
F1 2018 (2018) 65 35 26 15
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 45 18 15 10
FIFA 19 (2018) 141.5 114.3 108.2 97.2
Forza Horizon 4 (2018) 57 25 21 14
Assassin´s Creed Odyssey (2018) 41 17 12 6
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 (2018) 60.3 19.3 19.2 15.4
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 High Preset
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
163 fps ∼100% +82%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
129.6 fps ∼80% +44%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
89.8 fps ∼55%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (59.7 - 98, n=33)
83.5 fps ∼51% -7%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
82.2 fps ∼50% -8%
Average of class Multimedia
  (last 2 years)
66.8 fps ∼41% -26%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
60.6 fps ∼37% -33%
The Witcher 3 - 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Multimedia
  (27 - 428, n=78, last 2 years)
173.2 fps ∼100% +195%
Dell G3 15 3579
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
113.9 fps ∼66% +94%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
99.5 fps ∼57% +69%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
60.7 fps ∼35% +3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
GeForce MX150, i5-8265U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
58.8 fps ∼34%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (42.6 - 72, n=24)
58.2 fps ∼34% -1%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
41.6 fps &sim