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Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ Notebook Review

Fade to white. Acer's entry-level E-series caters to users with more basic needs. The 15.6-inch notebook is a solid everyday performer held back by a less-than-stellar display panel and subpar battery life.

The Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ is one of the many models in Acer's enduring E5-series of more basic, entry to mid-level notebooks. Instead of providing a configurator - allowing the user to pick and choose components at the time of purchase - Acer simply sells a plethora of versions on their own website as well as through various other retailers. A quick check of the manufacturer's e-store at the time of writing revealed 50 E5 notebooks, with the 15-inch version making up the majority and only a handful of 17-inch notebooks available for purchase. Acer obviously considers the 15-inch notebooks to be their bread-and-butter offering. Although Acer offers many models with Core i-processors, there are versions with AMD A, E, and FX-series CPUs as well as Pentium and Celeron processors. Speaking of the hardware: hard drives sizes range from 500 GB platter-based drives to 256 GB SSDs and RAM from 4 to 16 GB. Some versions are also equipped with dedicated GPUs (denoted by a "G" at the end of the 3-digit code following the model series). Prices range from $300 for the E5-521 AMD E2 model to up to $800 for the E5-573G with i7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM and dedicated Nvidia GeForce 940M.

We've reviewed various E5 models over the last couple years - our last test candidate was the E5-552G with AMD FX processor and Radeon crossfire dual graphics. The model on our test bench this time comes equipped with Core i5-6267U processor, 8 GB of RAM and a standard, platter-based 1 TB hard drive. As of now, this model does not seem to be available through Acer or any retail channels - at least a search on the web turned up nothing. Given the general affordability of E5-series notebooks, we don't expect this particular configuration to break the bank, either. 

Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ (Aspire E5 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-6267U 2 x 2.9 - 3.3 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel Iris Graphics 550 - 64 MB VRAM, Core: 1050 MHz, Memory: 800 MHz, 20.19.15.4364
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3L SDRAM
Display
15.60 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, no, AU Optronics AUO38ED / AUO B156HTN03.8, TN
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba MQ02ABD100H, 1000 GB 
, 5400 rpm
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo-jack, Card Reader: SD/SDHC/SDXC, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros AR9565 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
SlimtypeDVD A DA8A6SH
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 29.2 x 382 x 256 ( = 1.15 x 15.04 x 10.08 in)
Battery
37 Wh, 2520 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1.3 MP
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.24 kg ( = 79.01 oz / 4.94 pounds), Power Supply: 246 g ( = 8.68 oz / 0.54 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Even gaps and transitions
Even gaps and transitions

Given the price range and the low-to-midrange status of the series, we'll have to forget any notions of upscale design elements or high-end materials: the Aspire E5-574 is made entirely from plastic. Our particular example is completely white - well, more of a cream color than a pure white, actually - but depending on the model and hardware chosen, the E5 can be black, silver blue, yellow, or red - all with a black lid. The lid and the bottom of the base unit feature what Acer calls a "textured metallic finish". In our opinion - color choice aside - the texture on our sample looks a lot more like good old-fashioned linen than any type of metal. The keyboard tray and palm rests on the other hand feature a crosshatch pattern. Either surface texture provides ample grip even for very sweaty hands and is completely impervious to finger prints. In case of the white review sample, only time will tell if the surface can stand up to long-term use or if discoloration of the plastic might be an issue down the line.

As far as the size is concerned, the E5-574 doesn't break new grounds: it's a little over one inch thick, 15 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. The build quality is actually pretty decent with even gaps with no protruding plastic elements or sharp corners. While the base unit is torsionally quite rigid, the display lid wobbles and flexes even when even very light twisting forces are applied and the picture distorts when pushing on the back of the lid. Even so, the flexibility seems to have no detrimental effects, as there are absolutely no creaking sounds and no permanent deformations. The hinges hold the display - which opens to a pretty generous 145 degrees - quite securely with minimal bouncing. It helps of course that this is not a touchscreen device. 

From a footprint perspective, the E5-574 is generally within a few mm of competing 15.6-inch notebooks. At 29.2 mm, the notebook is slightly thicker than the Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE or the HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng at 23.5 mm and 25.2 mm, respectively. Only the Thinkpad E560 comes close at 27.1 mm. Even so, the E5-574-53YZ looks slimmer than it is thanks to the beveled front edge. Our graphic below shows the review notebook compared to other 15.6-inch competitors. Weight is mid-pack at 2.24 kg (4.94 lbs), but with weights ranging from 2.11 kg for the HP ProBook 450 G3 to 2.35 kg for the Lenovo ThinkPad E560, the gap between the lightest and the heaviest is actually quite small. That said, we also need to consider that the E5 comes with an optical drive as well.

382 mm / 15 inch 256 mm / 10.1 inch 29.2 mm / 1.15 inch 2.2 kg4.94 lbs384.5 mm / 15.1 inch 261.1 mm / 10.3 inch 25.2 mm / 0.992 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 24.7 mm / 0.972 inch 2.3 kg5.11 lbs377 mm / 14.8 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 27.1 mm / 1.067 inch 2.4 kg5.18 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 259.9 mm / 10.2 inch 23.5 mm / 0.925 inch 2.2 kg4.81 lbs378 mm / 14.9 inch 264.3 mm / 10.4 inch 24.8 mm / 0.976 inch 2.1 kg4.65 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Aside from the aforementioned DVD burner - a rarity these days - the E5-574 is modestly equipped as far as the selection of physical ports is concerned. USB 3.1 Type-C can't be expected of course at this price point, but the USB 2.0 port on the right side seems antiquated. VGA also seems outdated, but some users might still have the need to hook up an old monitor or projector. The port distribution is less than ideal with the majority of ports on the left side towards the front of the unit. Left handers are going to have some issues using a mouse when a stiffer HDMI cable is plugged into the corresponding port. 

Left side: Kensington, VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, 3.5 audio combo-jack
Left side: Kensington, VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, 3.5 audio combo-jack
Right side: USB 2.0, DVD drive, power jack
Right side: USB 2.0, DVD drive, power jack
Front: SD Card Reader
Front: SD Card Reader
Rear: no connectivity
Rear: no connectivity

SD Card Reader

At 26.6 MB/s during the transfer test, the card reader is decidedly sluggish - so slow, that we suspect it tops out at USB 2.0 speeds. The Dell XPS 13 2016 9350, for example, achieves about 135 MB/s when running the same test. Of course, given the most likely usage scenarios for this type of notebook, high transfer speeds are not going to be a top priority for potential purchasers. As always, we conduct our test with the Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP ProBook 450 G3
 
69.2 MB/s +160%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
 
57.8 MB/s +117%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
 
47.4 MB/s +78%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
 
45.4 MB/s +71%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
 
26.6 MB/s
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
 
22.4 MB/s -16%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
 
89.2 MB/s +218%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
 
87.3 MB/s +211%
HP ProBook 450 G3
 
84 MB/s +199%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
 
28.07 MB/s
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
 
27.3 MB/s -3%

Communication

The Aspire E5-574-53YZ comes equipped with both cable-bound Ethernet (Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit LAN) as well as WiFi, courtesy of an Atheros AR9565 (b/g/n) module. The later is restricted to 2.4 GHz and the maximum throughput is limited. Real-world transfer speeds top out at about 40 mbps one meter away from our Linksys EA8500 802.11ac test router according to the Jperf tests (see screenshots below).

Jperf (Client)
Jperf (Client)
Jperf (Server)
Jperf (Server)
Networking
WiFi Speed Client 1m
WiFi Speed Server 1m

Accessories

Our review notebook shipped without the box, so we only received the notebook and the power adapter. The latter supplies 45 watts and is - at 246 g - also quite light.

Maintenance

The E5 doesn't have any dedicated maintenance flaps, so getting access to the hardware requires the removal of the bottom tray. Even after removing a total of 18 screws, we weren't successful in our attempts to move the bottom, so we didn't proceed to avoid damaging the unit.

Warranty

The Aspire E5 notebooks are covered against manufacturer's defects by a one-year limited warranty. Extended warranties should be available, but since our SNID didn't register on Acer's website, we can't provide any details as far as the coverage or cost are concerned.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The chiclet-style keyboard is a decent enough performer for a budget machine. The main keys, which measure 15 mm, are slightly concave and rough to the touch, so the fingertips don't tend to slide around at all no matter the typing speed. The dedicated number pad on the right side has keys which are slightly more narrow at 12 mm; the size of the function row keys is reduced even further. The up and down arrow keys are half the size of the left and right arrow keys, which makes navigating more cumbersome. Even though the flex in the middle of the keyboard is not that extensive, the overall feel is somewhat mushy - we would have liked a tad more feedback. The keys also rattle a bit at higher typing speeds, so noise-sensitive users might have to look elsewhere. A backlit keyboard is not offered on this particular model, although some models in the series (interestingly enough, those equipped with AMD A12 CPUs) do. Still, we are nitpicky: for an inexpensive machine, the overall typing experience is acceptable.

Touchpad

At 10.6 cm x 7.8 cm, the clickpad is large enough for comfortable cursor movement. Because of the dedicated number pad, the touchpad is moved over to the left, which might take some time getting used to. The surface is completely smooth and allows the fingers to glide easily. Unfortunately, there is no dedicated clickpad software, so the user has to make do with the Windows mouse & touchpad settings. The click response is decent, although the touchpad rattles quite loudly when double-tapping - enough so that we found it to be annoying.

The keyboard with dedicated number pad
The keyboard with dedicated number pad
The up and down arrow keys are quite small with no gap between them
The up and down arrow keys are quite small with no gap between them
The touchpad is large and works reasonably well, but rattles
The touchpad is large and works reasonably well, but rattles

Display

The matte 15.6-inch display panel from AUO uses TN technology is identical to the one used in the Aspire E5-552G, so the performance is very similar, given the normal amount of panel variation. The average brightness of 209 nits is less than stellar, but not out of the ordinary - other, more expensive notebooks aren't any brighter. At least the panel features Full-HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels); many competitors with TN panels are still stuck at a - at least for this screen size - pedestrian resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The contrast ratio of about 600:1 is pretty decent and better than what we usually find in this price range.

208.6
cd/m²
225.1
cd/m²
215.1
cd/m²
196.3
cd/m²
213.4
cd/m²
205.6
cd/m²
192.8
cd/m²
200.2
cd/m²
220.7
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO38ED / AUO B156HTN03.8 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 225.1 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 208.6 cd/m² Minimum: 18.31 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 213.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 608:1 (Black: 0.351 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 13.35 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 13.59 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
56.01% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.44% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.44% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
56% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
37.21% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.7
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
AU Optronics AUO38ED / AUO B156HTN03.8, TN, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP ProBook 450 G3
AU Optronics, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Lenovo N156B6-L07, TN LED, 15.60, 1366x768
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
BOE, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Chi Mei N156BGE-EA2, TN LED, 15.60, 1366x768
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
156AT37-T01 (SDC4141), TN, 15.60, 1366x768
Display
2%
1%
19%
8%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
37.21
38.1
2%
37.63
1%
44.11
19%
40.21
8%
36.7
-1%
sRGB Coverage
56
57.3
2%
56.7
1%
66.4
19%
60.1
7%
55.3
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
38.44
39.37
2%
38.88
1%
45.57
19%
41.56
8%
37.92
-1%
Response Times
-3%
-4%
28%
35%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
42.4 ?(21.2, 21.2)
41.2 ?(22.4, 18.8)
3%
50 ?(20, 30)
-18%
28 ?(13, 15)
34%
22 ?(12, 10)
48%
Response Time Black / White *
25.6 ?(8.4, 17.2)
28 ?(10, 18)
-9%
23 ?(7, 16)
10%
20 ?(10, 10)
22%
20 ?(8, 12)
22%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90)
200 ?(90)
Screen
2%
-2%
-8%
9%
-6%
Brightness middle
213.4
211
-1%
241
13%
223
4%
245
15%
251
18%
Brightness
209
214
2%
226
8%
215
3%
230
10%
236
13%
Brightness Distribution
86
91
6%
89
3%
83
-3%
84
-2%
85
-1%
Black Level *
0.351
0.43
-23%
0.48
-37%
0.76
-117%
0.46
-31%
0.44
-25%
Contrast
608
491
-19%
502
-17%
293
-52%
533
-12%
570
-6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
13.35
9.25
31%
12.43
7%
8.5
36%
8.34
38%
14.58
-9%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
21.79
21.03
3%
12.31
44%
24.59
-13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
13.59
9.83
28%
13.24
3%
9.35
31%
9.48
30%
16.8
-24%
Gamma
2.7 81%
2.82 78%
2.61 84%
2.46 89%
2.38 92%
2.33 94%
CCT
18870 34%
10890 60%
15733 41%
10402 62%
10624 61%
27039 24%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.44
36.4
-5%
36
-6%
42
9%
38
-1%
35
-9%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
56.01
57.3
2%
57
2%
66
18%
57
2%
56
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
0% / 2%
-2% / -2%
6% / -1%
15% / 11%
9% / 1%

* ... smaller is better

Like other budget displays, the panel in the Acer uses doesn't come even close to offer full sRGB coverage, let alone coverage of the larger AdobeRGB color space. According to our measurements, sRGB coverage is only 56 %, so we can't really recommend the E5 for frequent photo or video editing.

E5 vs. sRGB
E5 vs. sRGB
E5 vs. AdobeRGB
E5 vs. AdobeRGB
E5 vs. Thinkpad E560
E5 vs. Thinkpad E560

Our measurements with the X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal very underwhelming color and grayscale as shipped with average DeltaE-deviations of above 13 for both. The display is very cold at close to 19000K. Calibration markedly improves the results with the DeltaE deviations now at about 3.6 and 2, respectively and the CCT average dropping to a much more comfortable 6690K. Colors also stay reasonably accurate at all but the highest saturation level.

ColorChecker, pre-calibration
ColorChecker, pre-calibration
ColorChecker, post calibration
ColorChecker, post calibration
Grayscale, pre-calibration
Grayscale, pre-calibration
Grayscale, post calibration
Grayscale, post calibration
Saturation, pre-calibration
Saturation, pre-calibration
Saturation, post calibration
Saturation, post 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
25.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8.4 ms rise
↘ 17.2 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. » 56 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
42.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 21.2 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. » 65 % 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.

Outdoor usability is rather poor because of the very low display brightness. At least the TN panel is non-glare, which makes working in the shade possible. Under a cloudy sky we struggled to read the display content since the display washes out easily when light hits it and direct sunlight is absolutely out of the question. Most IPS panels are significantly brighter and are a much better choice for users who need to venture outside a lot.

Outdoors - cloud cover; light not hitting the screen directly
Outdoors - cloud cover; light not hitting the screen directly

Given that this is a TN panel, viewing stability is naturally poor. While changes in the horizontal plane don't impact the picture quality quite as much, changes in the vertical plane are followed either by darkening and eventual inversion when the display is tilted downward or a significant color shift towards yellow/green when the display is viewed from below. Watching a movie requires careful screen adjustments and might not be that enjoyable when sharing the screen.

Performance

The Aspire E5-574-53YZ comes equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i5-6267U, integrated Iris GPU, and 8 GB of RAM. The RAM chip occupies one of the two available slots and thus runs in single-channel mode. As we mentioned in our introduction, the E5 is available with entry-level processors such as the AMD A and E series processors as well as Intel Celeron and Pentium chips, so the i5 is certainly one of the more powerful options. One of the 15.6-inch models is also available with i7-6500 processor and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics card.

Processor

The dual-core Intel Core i5-6267U is part of Intel's Skylake architecture and is clocked at 2.9 - 3.3 GHz (two cores @ 3.1 GHz) according to Intel's spec sheet. Interestingly enough, we never observed a single core exceeding a clock speed of 3.2 GHz or both cores exceeding 3.0 GHz. The maximum TDP is 28 watts, so the CPU offers better performance than its Ultrabook-siblings with a TDP of 15 watts. The downside is of course additional power consumption and thus heat dissipation. According to the Cinebench R15 benchmark test, the performance of the i5-6267U slightly surpasses the Core i7-6500U, which is a CPU restricted to a TDP of 15 watts. The only other notebook in our database with the i5-6267U is not easily compared to the review candidate: for their Aspire V3-372-57CW, Acer allows a TDP of 35 watts, which of course increases the performance, although not significantly (+ 5 % for both single and multi-core tests).

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11 64-bit
CineBench R11 64-bit
CineBench R15 64-bit
CineBench R15 64-bit
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
11447 Points +5%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
10902 Points
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
9907 Points -9%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
Intel Core i7-5500U
9792 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
8437 Points -23%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Intel Core i3-5005U
6897 Points -37%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
4454 Points -59%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
5216 Points +5%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
4984 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
Intel Core i7-5500U
4651 Points -7%
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
4414 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
3710 Points -26%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Intel Core i3-5005U
3113 Points -38%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
1340 Points -73%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
1.58 Points +5%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
1.5 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
Intel Core i7-5500U
1.42 Points -5%
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
1.32 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
1.11 Points -26%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Intel Core i3-5005U
0.92 Points -39%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
3.71 Points +4%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
3.57 Points
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
3.21 Points -10%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
Intel Core i7-5500U
3.18 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
2.78 Points -22%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Intel Core i3-5005U
2.28 Points -36%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
138 Points +5%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
131 Points
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
116 Points -11%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
Intel Core i7-5500U
112 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
98 Points -25%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Intel Core i3-5005U
81 Points -38%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
40 Points -69%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
339 Points +6%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
321 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
Intel Core i7-5500U
289 Points -10%
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
288 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
251 Points -22%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Intel Core i3-5005U
206 Points -36%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
151 Points -53%
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Core i5-6267U
710 s *
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Core i5-6267U
588 s * +17%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
10902
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4984
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
10057
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.57 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
46.63 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.5 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
131 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
321 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
52.1 fps
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System Performance

The system performance according to PCMark 8 is generally a bit higher than what we've seen from similar systems with platter-based hard drives. Compared to the HP Pavilion or the Lenovo Thinkpad E560, the E5 scores up to 24 % higher, depending on the subtest. At the same time, it trails the Acer V3-372 with the same CPU, but higher TDP and SSD by up to 11 %.

Overall system response is still fairly fast, even though users coming from a system with SSD will certainly miss the snappier performance especially when loading applications. 

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
4079 Points +11%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
3665 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3069 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
2965 Points -19%
HP ProBook 450 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2910 Points -21%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2752 Points -25%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points -30%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1413 Points -61%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
4676 Points +6%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
4408 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
3926 Points -11%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3903 Points -11%
HP ProBook 450 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
3901 Points -12%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
3550 Points -19%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
3410 Points -23%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1426 Points -68%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
4792 Points +9%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
4403 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3464 Points -21%
HP ProBook 450 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
3460 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
3113 Points -29%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2969 Points -33%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1265 Points -71%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3665 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4403 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4408 points
Help

Storage Devices

The Aspire E5-574-53YZ comes equipped with a 5400 RPM, 1 TB conventional hard drive from Toshiba which offers plenty of storage. The performance is as expected with an average transfer rate of about 83 MB/s according to HDTune. Any SSD - even the most basic models - offer much higher 4K read and write speeds, which in tunr accelerates the Windows bootup and program starts. Although we were unable to remove the bottom tray, crafty users can likely figure out how to swap out the 2.5-inch platter-based drive for an SSD for much more responsive performance.

Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
HP ProBook 450 G3
Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
44%
74%
26%
24%
17%
20297%
Read Seq
100.8
122.8
22%
120.4
19%
93.4
-7%
103.5
3%
105.6
5%
515
411%
Write Seq
57.4
123.5
115%
123.1
114%
91.1
59%
91.1
59%
93.4
63%
338
489%
Read 512
31.19
33.14
6%
34.31
10%
31.42
1%
33.74
8%
31.7
2%
368.1
1080%
Write 512
38.67
56.5
46%
66.8
73%
34.81
-10%
38.77
0%
27.54
-29%
338.6
776%
Read 4k
0.509
0.341
-33%
0.373
-27%
0.384
-25%
0.374
-27%
0.374
-27%
28.88
5574%
Write 4k
0.615
0.721
17%
1.29
110%
0.85
38%
0.649
6%
0.72
17%
74.2
11965%
Read 4k QD32
0.351
0.897
156%
0.976
178%
0.729
108%
0.818
133%
0.694
98%
319.9
91040%
Write 4k QD32
0.605
0.727
20%
1.285
112%
0.871
44%
0.648
7%
0.646
7%
309.4
51040%
Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
Transfer Rate Minimum: 46.8 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 106.1 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 82.7 MB/s
Access Time: 17.5 ms
Burst Rate: 78 MB/s
CPU Usage: 7.5 %

GPU Performance

According to Intel, the Core i5-6267U comes with the Iris Graphics 550 with a maximum clock speed of 1050 MHz. Various tools we used identified the GPU as an Intel Iris 540, however. According to AIDA64 Extreme, the GPU clock can range from 300 - 1050 MH. Alas: during our benchmarks, the GPU never exceeded 1000 MHz. Be it as it may, the graphics unit features 48 execution units and 64 MB of dedicated eDRAM cache and thus offers much improved performance compared to previous-generation integrated graphics cards and even some dedicated GPUs. Case in point: the Acer's score achieved during the 3DMark 11 benchmark surpasses that of the HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng with dedicated GeForce 940M by about 10 %. For more info on the Iris Graphics 550, please visit our dedicated page.

3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
2524 Points +4%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
2421 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940M, 5500U
2359 Points -3%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5005U
1666 Points -31%
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1165 Points -52%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6100U
1065 Points -56%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540
200 Points -92%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
2387 Points +11%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
2157 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940M, 5500U
1804 Points -16%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5005U
1422 Points -34%
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
945 Points -56%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6100U
909 Points -58%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540
239 Points -89%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
12812 Points +15%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
11093 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940M, 5500U
8760 Points -21%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5005U
7453 Points -33%
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
5800 Points -48%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6100U
5776 Points -48%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540
1290 Points -88%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940M, 5500U
1592 Points +43%
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
1520 Points +36%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5005U
1172 Points +5%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
1114 Points
HP ProBook 450 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
608 Points -45%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6100U
598 Points -46%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
82506 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
2567 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
46105 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6995 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1083 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Most older games run fluently even at higher settings and the native Full-HD resolution. Current titles are a different story, as the performance isn't sufficient for even moderately high resolutions and low settings. We should add here that we had issues with Rise of the Tomb Raider, as the game would crash during the benchmark in roughly the same spot every single time. Likely this is caused by the driver, so there's hope that future updates will alleviate the problems.

BioShock Infinite
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
11.4 fps +28%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
8.9 fps
1366x768 High Preset
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
43.3 fps +13%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
38.2 fps
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
29.89 fps -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
15.9 fps -58%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
4.8 fps -87%
1366x768 Medium Preset
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
50.9 fps +14%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
44.8 fps
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
35.31 fps -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
19.7 fps -56%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
5.6 fps -87%
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
91.2 fps +23%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
74.2 fps
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
62.4 fps -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
33.5 fps -55%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
12.2 fps -84%
low med. high ultra
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 35.5 26 21.8 13.6
BioShock Infinite (2013) 74.2 44.8 38.2 8.9
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) 41.2 26.4 14.6 11.6

Stress Test

To identify potential throttling or stability issues, we use the tools Prime95 and Furmark to stress the CPU and GPU. With Prime95 running, the CPU remained at 3 GHz and a temperature maximum of 75 degrees C. Maximum GPU load with Furmark resulted in the GPU rapidly fluctuating between 300 and 1 GHz with an average of only 490 MHz, so throttling clearly occurs, albeit only for brief moments. Annoying here is that the notebook will change the fan speed - from low to high and back - about every 15-20 seconds or so. Interestingly enough, the GPU runs at an higher average of 580 MHz when full CPU and GPU load is applied by running both Prime95 and FurMark at the same time. The CPU remained at a stable 1.7 GHz for the most part, although one or the other core would occasionally "take a break" and dip down to 400 MHz. The temperatures reached a maximum of 82 degrees at one point with an average of about 75 degrees during the run. Gaming loads are represented more accurately by running Unigine Valley. Here, both the CPU and the GPU see higher clockspeeds at 2.7 GHz and 835 MHz with the average temperature at 71 degrees.

A subsequent run of 3DMark 11 showed identical performance, so heat buildup is clearly not an issue. With the Acer running on battery, the score dropped by about 8 %. A look at the sub-scores shows that a lower graphics score (2202 vs. 2421 points) is responsible for the decrease.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Unigine Valley stress
Unigine Valley stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.0 - 71 -
FurMark Stress - 490 - 69
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.7 580 75 75
Unigine Heaven Stress 2.7 835 71 71

Emissions

System Noise

(Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Valley, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
(Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Valley, Green: Prime95+FurMark)

The Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ is very quiet at idle with the whirring and clicking of the hard drive as the more audible component even when the fan is spinning. During load, the system reaches a maximum of 41 dB and is certainly quite audible at this point, although the fan frequency isn't that obtrusive. As mentioned earlier, depending on the type of load applied, it is possible that the fan fluctuates between two levels every 15-20 seconds, which we find to be much more annoying than steady-state.

Noise Level

Idle
31 / 31 / 31 dB(A)
Load
39.1 / 41 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 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.8 dB(A)
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
HP ProBook 450 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX)
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Noise
9%
-1%
-15%
0%
-2%
off / environment *
28.8
31.2
-8%
31.2
-8%
31.3
-9%
Idle Minimum *
31
29.7
4%
32.3
-4%
34.5
-11%
33.5
-8%
32.1
-4%
Idle Average *
31
29.7
4%
32.3
-4%
34.5
-11%
33.5
-8%
32.1
-4%
Idle Maximum *
31
29.7
4%
32.5
-5%
34.5
-11%
33.5
-8%
33.1
-7%
Load Average *
39.1
33.1
15%
36
8%
44.1
-13%
33.5
14%
37.8
3%
Load Maximum *
41
34.2
17%
38.8
5%
52.5
-28%
33.5
18%
37.7
8%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

High temperatures are never a concern. During idle, the system topped out at about 35 degrees C on the bottom left corner; the palm rests stayed a bit cooler at about 31 and 33 for the left and right side, respectively. Many systems - for example, the HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng - manage to stay under 30 degrees C though. Under load, the notebook reaches about 43 degrees in the middle of the unit towards the back while the bottom reaches a maximum of 42 degrees C - still low enough to work with the notebook on the lap. The Lenovo Thinkpad on the other hand only reaches a - much lower - maximum of 33 degrees C.

Max. Load
 40.6 °C
105 F
43.2 °C
110 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
 39.8 °C
104 F
38.1 °C
101 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
 34.8 °C
95 F
33.8 °C
93 F
32.4 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 43.2 °C = 110 F
Average: 35.6 °C = 96 F
30.6 °C
87 F
35 °C
95 F
42 °C
108 F
31.8 °C
89 F
36.8 °C
98 F
41.6 °C
107 F
35.8 °C
96 F
33.2 °C
92 F
38.2 °C
101 F
Maximum: 42 °C = 108 F
Average: 36.1 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  55.8 °C = 132 F | Room Temperature 24 °C = 75 F | Raytek Raynger ST
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.6 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.2 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.1 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.8 °C / 94.6 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-6 °C / -10.8 F).

Speakers

The speakers, which are located on the bottom front corners and fire downwards, sound fairly decent for a budget system. They don't get very loud though - although the volume is sufficient for medium-sized rooms - and at maximum volume settings, there's a noticeable amount of distortion. Bass is almost completely lacking - slightly better than what most Ultrabooks have to offer, but not nearly as good as systems with larger speaker enclosures - but the mids are surprisingly well defined and balanced. Watching movies or videos certainly isn't a problem, but for extended listening sessions we do recommend headphones or external speakers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.539.22535.936.13133.234.14032.534.75033.832.56331.633.28031.23310029.932.81252930.616027.930.220027.536.325026.945.331525.853.640026.748.550025.548.363024.955.680024.759.3100025.362125026.160.7160027.161.4200024.562.6250023.768.1315023.268.4400022.772.8500022.766.7630022.764.3800022.768.41000022.870.41250022.767.81600022.767.2SPL36.678.8N2.739.9median 24.9median 61.4Delta2.210.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Aspire E5-574-53YZApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (62.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 95% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 86% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 11% 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 Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The power consumption is incredibly high during idle at an average of about 14 watts - some competitors only require half as much. The load average of about 52 watt is also very high and surpasses the Aspire V3-372-57CW (TDP of 35 watts) by about 15 %. The power adapter is only rated for 45 watts and reaches 56 degrees C - too much for comfort. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 2.2 / 2.29 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 11.84 / 14.16 / 14.46 Watt
Load midlight 51.69 / 46.56 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.
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
6267U, Iris Graphics 550, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H, TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ProBook 450 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
6100U, HD Graphics 520, Western Digital WD Black Mobile 500GB (WD5000LPLX), TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
5500U, GeForce 940M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
N3540, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142, TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
5005U, GeForce 920M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100, TN, 1366x768, 15.60
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
6267U, Iris Graphics 550, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Power Consumption
41%
49%
26%
56%
44%
37%
Idle Minimum *
11.84
4.9
59%
5.2
56%
4.8
59%
4.8
59%
4.2
65%
3.4
71%
Idle Average *
14.16
8.2
42%
7.25
49%
8.1
43%
7.5
47%
6.6
53%
6.5
54%
Idle Maximum *
14.46
9
38%
7.9
45%
8.3
43%
9.2
36%
7.5
48%
7
52%
Load Average *
51.69
30.1
42%
25.1
51%
42.5
18%
16
69%
36.3
30%
44.5
14%
Load Maximum *
46.56
36.1
22%
25.1
46%
61.1
-31%
15.4
67%
36.5
22%
49.5
-6%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

A smallish battery with 37 Wh and extremely high power consumption - that doesn't bode well for the battery life. And indeed: the Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ has by far the shortest battery life in our direct comparison. Even the HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng, which has the second shortest recorded run times, lasts nearly 50 % longer on a charge during the WiFi test with the display set to 150 nits and the balanced profile enabled. Users who need to stay away from outlets frequently are much better off with a different system. 

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 33min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 00min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 01min
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
6267U, Iris Graphics 550, 37 Wh
HP ProBook 450 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 44 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
6100U, HD Graphics 520, 48 Wh
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
5500U, GeForce 940M, 41 Wh
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
N3540, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 24 Wh
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
5005U, GeForce 920M, 44 Wh
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
6267U, Iris Graphics 550, 51 Wh
Battery Runtime
77%
198%
66%
15%
104%
215%
Reader / Idle
273
575
111%
885
224%
563
106%
1035
279%
WiFi v1.3
180
309
72%
566
214%
267
48%
207
15%
367
104%
412
129%
Load
61
90
48%
157
157%
88
44%
206
238%

Pros

+ E5 models are generally very affordable
+ decent build quality
+ Full-HD resolution
+ good performance
+ decent keyboard
+ light weight

Cons

- colors highly inaccurate out-of-the-box
- mediocre battery life
- viewing angles (TN display)
- display lid is not very rigid
- touchpad rattles
- slow SD card and WiFi performance

Verdict

Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ

The Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ is a well-performing system with good build quality - the somewhat unstable display lid notwithstanding - and overall decent ergonomics. It is held back by two major flaws: firstly, the display is very inaccurate unless calibrated and lacks sufficient brightness for outdoor use. Secondly, the battery life is downright mediocre. We aren't sure why exactly the power consumption is so high compared to others, but Acer needs to go back to the drawing board here and work on reducing it across the board. As a desktop replacement for word processing and web browsing as well as the occasional gaming session, the E5 is not necessarily a bad choice.

Users looking for an affordable system will likely be satisfied with the Aspire E5 - provided mobility isn't a top priority.

Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ - 09/15/2016 v5.1(old)
Bernhard Pechlaner

Chassis
71 / 98 → 73%
Keyboard
73%
Pointing Device
72%
Connectivity
38 / 81 → 46%
Weight
61 / 20-67 → 87%
Battery
69%
Display
76%
Games Performance
61 / 85 → 72%
Application Performance
78 / 92 → 85%
Temperature
89%
Noise
88 / 95 → 93%
Audio
60%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
68%
74%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Bernhard Pechlaner, 2016-09-19 (Update: 2020-06- 8)