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Acer Aspire E5-722 662J Notebook Review

Virtuous office worker. Acer presents a sturdy 17-inch laptop in the form of the Aspire E5-722. As a low-cost office device, it does many things right. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a system based entirely on AMD components?

For the original German review, see here.

The Aspire E series represents Acer's bread and butter products. Ranging from compact to gigantic, with minimum hardware or mid-range configuration - they are affordable in all cases: The relatively diverse series can probably be described this way. We have previously examined some representatives of the series, starting with the compact ES1-331-C5KL, the 15-inch E15 Start ES1 and moving up to the large ES1-731. We will use the latter for comparison with the current Aspire E5-722-662J in the course of this test. Both devices are based on the same 17-inch chassis, come with minimum configuration and are quite similar in price. The question of whether 80 Euros (~$89) more (i.e. 500 Euros/~$558) is justified for our review sample also needs to be answered.

To put the laptop's qualities and weaknesses in perspective to other manufacturers, we use 17-inch devices from the low-cost office and multimedia sector. Lenovo's G70-80 comes quite close to the E5-722 and ES1-731 in terms of price (approx. 450 Euros/~$502) and hardware. HP's Pavilion 17-g054ng (approx. 600 Euros/~$670) and Lenovo's B70-80 (approx. 700 Euros/~$782) are two 17-inch laptops that promise a decent plus of hardware performance for a reasonable surcharge.

Acer Aspire E5-722-662J (Aspire E5 Series)
Processor
AMD A6-7310 4 x 2 - 2.4 GHz, Carrizo-L, AMD Carrizo
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), Core: 850 MHz, Memory: 1600 MHz, DDR3 (shared memory), 9.14.10.01128
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3-1600, single-channel, one slot (filled)
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixel, Chi Mei N173FGE-E23, TN LED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
AMD KernCZ
Storage
WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0, 1024 GB 
, 5400 rpm
Soundcard
AMD Kabini - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo line-out/mic, Card Reader: SD/SDXC
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Optical drive
HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUC0N
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 31.7 x 423 x 282 ( = 1.25 x 16.65 x 11.1 in)
Battery
37 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p/30fps
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, CyberLink PowerDVD 12, Microsoft Office (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.678 kg ( = 94.46 oz / 5.9 pounds), Power Supply: 255 g ( = 8.99 oz / 0.56 pounds)
Price
500 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

The casing of the Aspire E5-722 is familiar from other 17-inch members of the series. It is made entirely of matte black plastic that is subtly textured in some places (display lid and wrist rest). It does not look or feel cheap. The chassis does not dent excessively anywhere under pressure; the build quality is impeccable.

The maintenance options are very limited. 20 screws fix the base plate. After releasing them, the hard drive can be replaced, the fan can be cleaned, and the battery can be removed (with some effort). Nothing more is possible.

In terms of connectivity, the Aspire does not have many special features. Two of the four USB ports support the USB 3.0 standard. In addition to the now compulsory HDMI-out, an analog VGA-out is on the casing's left. Unfortunately, all ports are placed in the immediate front, which could impair using peripherals under certain circumstances. Windows 10 64-bit Home Edition operating system is preloaded. A recovery CD has to be created when one is needed. At least that would be an opportunity for giving the internal DVD multi-burner a higher purpose.

Left: Kensington Lock slot, vent, VGA-out, GBit-LAN, HDMI-out, 2x USB 3.0,  combo mic-/line-out
Left: Kensington Lock slot, vent, VGA-out, GBit-LAN, HDMI-out, 2x USB 3.0, combo mic-/line-out
Right: 2x USB 2.0, DVD multi-burner, power socket
Right: 2x USB 2.0, DVD multi-burner, power socket
Front: SD card reader
Front: SD card reader

Finally, a positive note about the memory card reader. With 85.5 MB/s, it is definitely not one of the slowest of its kind. We are used to much worse in several low-cost systems, including other devices of the Aspire series. Copying JPG image files from our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card was performed at decent 44 MB/s.

Input Devices

Nothing has been modified here compared with the large-sized members of the series such as the Aspire ES1-731 - and this is quite positive. The standard keyboard for the low-cost 17-inch devices is a well-designed chiclet model with a clear pressure point and pleasant key drop. The keyboard hardly yields under pressure, and thus allows fast, comfortable typing even over extended periods.

The touchpad is also pleasant to use. Apart from the fact that it looks like a single large mouse key, thanks to its pressure sensitivity into the upper corners (which is rather irritating subjectively), multi-touch gestures are identified reliably. The sleek surface allows accurate cursor movements.

Nothing to complain about: Keyboard...
Nothing to complain about: Keyboard...
...and touchpad in Acer's Aspire E5-722.
...and touchpad in Acer's Aspire E5-722.

Display

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

Our Aspire has a glossy screen with 1600x900 pixels and a size of 17.3 inches. The installed panel by Chi Mei seems to be a good choice for a low-cost office laptop that will be mainly used indoors. The screen's relatively low maximum brightness is only a minor drawback here. On the other hand, a rich black level of 0.17 in conjunction with the very high contrast of 1271:1 is an advantage. Deep black fonts on a large-scale screen equates to less strain for the eyes when reading.

213
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
176
cd/m²
210
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
173
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
182
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N173FGE-E23 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 216 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 199.1 cd/m² Minimum: 14 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 80 %
Center on Battery: 216 cd/m²
Contrast: 1271:1 (Black: 0.17 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 12.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 13.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
76% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
52% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
56.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
81.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
54.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.15
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
TN LED, 1600x900
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
TN LED, 1600x900
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
TN LED, 1600x900
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
TN-Panel, 1920x1080
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
TN, 1600x900
Display
1%
2%
20%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
54.5
55.4
2%
56
3%
66.1
21%
54
-1%
sRGB Coverage
81.8
80.1
-2%
81.8
0%
96.1
17%
81
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
56.1
57.3
2%
57.9
3%
68.1
21%
55.5
-1%
Response Times
-28%
-22%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48 ?(25, 23)
41 ?(22, 19)
15%
41 ?(21, 20)
15%
Response Time Black / White *
24 ?(8, 16)
28 ?(9, 19)
-17%
24 ?(7, 17)
-0%
PWM Frequency
1042 ?(90)
199 ?(10)
-81%
198 ?(60)
-81%
Screen
-2%
-9%
17%
-24%
Brightness middle
216
219
1%
274
27%
294
36%
252
17%
Brightness
199
224
13%
269
35%
270
36%
236
19%
Brightness Distribution
80
91
14%
86
8%
86
8%
90
13%
Black Level *
0.17
0.31
-82%
0.43
-153%
0.31
-82%
0.51
-200%
Contrast
1271
706
-44%
637
-50%
948
-25%
494
-61%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
12.2
9.31
24%
10.96
10%
3.72
70%
12.66
-4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
20.4
13.74
33%
16.46
19%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
13.3
10.87
18%
12.82
4%
5.23
61%
13.37
-1%
Gamma
2.15 102%
2.9 76%
2.89 76%
2.4 92%
1.93 114%
CCT
15963 41%
11513 56%
15824 41%
7270 89%
6491 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
52
52
0%
53
2%
61.9
19%
52
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
76
80
5%
81
7%
95.9
26%
76
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-10% / -6%
-10% / -9%
19% / 17%
-13% / -18%

* ... 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
24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8 ms rise
↘ 16 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. » 48 % 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
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25 ms rise
↘ 23 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. » 80 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).
CalMAN - Colorspace
CalMAN - Colorspace
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

The screen's rather prominent bluish tint and moderate color accuracy ex-factory can thus be forgiven. It clearly lags behind the competition with a DeltaE deviation of 12.2 (determined with ColorChecker). Color differences between the displayed picture and an "ideal" reference image would be invisible to an untrained eye at a rate less than 3.

Although pulse width modulation is used for controlling brightness, it is at a relatively high frequency of 1042 Hz. That should not fatigue the eyes since it is too far above the human detection threshold. On the whole, the screen in our review sample is quite suitable for its main purpose. As the screenshots below illustrate, outdoor use is not one of them.

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 1042 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 1042 Hz (worst case, e.g., 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 1042 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

Buyers of the Aspire E5-722-662J get a total package with enough power for most common office tasks for a price of around 500 Euros (~$558). The AMD APU alongside the integrated graphics unit, 4 gigabytes of working memory and a conventional hard drive with a capacity of one terabyte ensure a relatively smooth workflow and fast program starts.

Processor

AMD's A6-7310 quad-core APU from the current Carrizo L series beats inside our Aspire. Built in the 28nm process, it has a variable TDP, ranging from 12 to 25 watts and a maximum clock of 2.4 GHz. However, although this Boost rate was retrieved in quick intervals, it was only for fractions of a second in our stress test. The standard clock is 2.0 GHz.

Based on the Cinebench scores, the A6 can be roughly placed between Intel's low-cost Braswell CPU in the Aspire ES1-731 and the Pentium 3825U in Lenovo's G70-80 - apart from the single-core performance, the 3825U calculates a good 50% faster. It even outperforms AMD's A10-8700P in HP's Pavilion in this partial test. Intel's i5-ULV CPU in Lenovo's B70-80 is in a completely different league.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
45 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
39 Points -13%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
77 Points +71%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
69 Points +53%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
107 Points +138%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
159 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
142 Points -11%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
190 Points +19%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
194 Points +22%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
254 Points +60%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
0.57 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
0.47 Points -18%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
0.9 Points +58%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
0.86 Points +51%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
1.24 Points +118%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
1.9 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
1.71 Points -10%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
2.13 Points +12%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
2.36 Points +24%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
2.83 Points +49%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
1840 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
1267 Points -31%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
2951 Points +60%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
2343 Points +27%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
3449 Points +87%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
5776 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
4411 Points -24%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
6537 Points +13%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
6443 Points +12%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
7139 Points +24%
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1840
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
5776
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2779
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
14.51 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
1.9 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.57 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
45 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
159 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
16.08 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help

System Performance

That CPU power is not everything, and even low-cost components can make a good overall impression is  seen particularly in routine work with our Aspire. The results of the (practical) PCMark test seemingly reflect the subjectively good performance - the partly massive performance advantages of Intel CPUs, as they still presented themselves in the Cinebench tests - are considerably less obvious in the scores here.

PCMark 8
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
A6-7310, Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
2753 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
N3700, HD Graphics (Braswell)
1357 Points -51%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
3825U, HD Graphics (Broadwell)
3272 Points +19%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
3506 Points +27%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
5200U, GeForce 920M
3680 Points +34%
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
A6-7310, Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
1855 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
N3700, HD Graphics (Braswell)
1714 Points -8%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
3825U, HD Graphics (Broadwell)
2437 Points +31%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
2656 Points +43%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
5200U, GeForce 920M
2790 Points +50%
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
A6-7310, Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
2047 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
N3700, HD Graphics (Braswell)
1953 Points -5%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
3825U, HD Graphics (Broadwell)
2496 Points +22%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
3152 Points +54%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
5200U, GeForce 920M
2986 Points +46%
PCMark 7 Score
1893 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1855 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2047 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
2753 points
Help

Storage Device

The storage device most probably also contributes to a part of the system's overall performance. The 1 TB hard drive by Western Digital achieves an average transfer rate of around 100 MB/s. Would a considerably faster, but also lower capacity SSD have been the better choice? This probably depends on personal preferences. Fortunately, the hard drive is one of the few components that can be replaced.

WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
Transfer Rate Minimum: 26.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 116.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 85.4 MB/s
Access Time: 16.8 ms
Burst Rate: 184.9 MB/s
CPU Usage: 5.8 %

Graphics Card

The GPU integrated in the Aspire is AMD's Radeon R4. It has a maximum clock rate of 800 MHz, over 128 Shader Units and is DirectX 12 compatible. Due to the lack of a dedicated VRAM, it has to share the 4 GB DDR3 working memory with the overall system.

The Radeon R4 is on par with Intel's HD Graphics, as found in Lenovo's G70-80, in our 3DMark tests. It falls far behind even the weakest dedicated GPUs, such as the GeForce 920M in Lenovo's B70-80.

3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
2942 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
HD Graphics (Braswell)
2078 Points -29%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
HD Graphics (Broadwell)
3398 Points +15%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
Radeon R8 M365DX
5256 Points +79%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
GeForce 920M
5312 Points +81%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
31917 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
HD Graphics (Braswell)
23462 Points -26%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
HD Graphics (Broadwell)
39058 Points +22%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
Radeon R8 M365DX
34461 Points +8%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
GeForce 920M
47982 Points +50%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
480 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
HD Graphics (Braswell)
250 Points -48%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
HD Graphics (Broadwell)
428 Points -11%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
Radeon R8 M365DX
1501 Points +213%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
GeForce 920M
1059 Points +121%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
834 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
HD Graphics (Braswell)
494 Points -41%
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
HD Graphics (Broadwell)
729 Points -13%
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
Radeon R8 M365DX
1663 Points +99%
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
GeForce 920M
1822 Points +118%
3DMark 11 Performance
834 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
31917 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
2942 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
480 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Thus, the graphics unit in the Aspire E5-722-662J is very limited for gaming. It will certainly be enough for older tracks or casual games that are, for example, found in the Windows Store, in most cases. However, often sufficient frame rates will not be achieved in fairly up-to-date games even in minimum settings.

low med. high ultra
Dirt Rally (2015) 26.5 15.5

Emissions & Energy Management

Idle and load noise
Idle and load noise

System Noise

The Aspire E5-722 is throughout quiet if not silent. The fan permanently hums quietly on the same (moderate) average level in both idle mode and during load. Subjectively, the fan's absolutely homogeneous noise will hardly be perceived. Only the identically built Aspire ES1-731 and HP's Pavilion (only in idle mode) are quieter on the whole. The rivals with a dedicated GPU speed up audibly under load.

Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
A6-7310, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
N3700, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
3825U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
Noise
1%
-3%
-6%
-8%
off / environment *
31.3
Idle Minimum *
32.6
31.8
2%
33.6
-3%
30.8
6%
33
-1%
Idle Average *
32.6
31.8
2%
33.6
-3%
30.8
6%
33.5
-3%
Idle Maximum *
32.6
31.8
2%
32.9
-1%
31.2
4%
34.1
-5%
Load Average *
32.8
32.9
-0%
34
-4%
37.8
-15%
35.8
-9%
Load Maximum *
33.2
33
1%
34
-2%
43.4
-31%
40.7
-23%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
32.6 / 32.6 / 32.6 dB(A)
HDD
32.8 dB(A)
DVD
37.4 / dB(A)
Load
32.8 / 33.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1 Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 31.3 dB(A)

Temperature

In terms of temperature development, we can give the review sample a positive rating through and through. 30.5 degrees Celsius (~87 degrees Fahrenheit) is the maximum temperature that we measured in the course of our tests - this will hardly disturb anyone. The power supply gets hotter, but at just under 43 degrees Celsius (~109 degrees Fahrenheit) it will not burn anyone, either.

Compared with the rivals, the device looks good: It produces the lowest maximum load temperature in the comparison field. Only the two iGPU rivals remain cooler in idle mode. As expected, both systems based on dedicated graphics cards score significantly worse.

Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
A6-7310, Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L)
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
N3700, HD Graphics (Braswell)
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
3825U, HD Graphics (Broadwell)
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
5200U, GeForce 920M
Heat
-1%
2%
-14%
-22%
Maximum Upper Side *
28.4
28
1%
31.5
-11%
38.2
-35%
40.2
-42%
Maximum Bottom *
30.5
31
-2%
31.4
-3%
34.2
-12%
41.7
-37%
Idle Upper Side *
28.2
27.8
1%
25.8
9%
30.8
-9%
30.8
-9%
Idle Bottom *
30.5
31.6
-4%
26.6
13%
30.5
-0%
30.4
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Max. Load
 26.9 °C
80 F
26.6 °C
80 F
22.7 °C
73 F
 
 28.4 °C
83 F
27.7 °C
82 F
22.6 °C
73 F
 
 27.2 °C
81 F
27.5 °C
82 F
28.4 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 28.4 °C = 83 F
Average: 26.4 °C = 80 F
22.6 °C
73 F
24.2 °C
76 F
27.1 °C
81 F
22.8 °C
73 F
27.1 °C
81 F
30.5 °C
87 F
29.6 °C
85 F
29.8 °C
86 F
27.3 °C
81 F
Maximum: 30.5 °C = 87 F
Average: 26.8 °C = 80 F
Power Supply (max.)  43.2 °C = 110 F | Room Temperature 20.7 °C = 69 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 26.4 °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 28.4 °C / 83 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 30.5 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.4 °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 28.4 °C / 83.1 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 (-0.7 °C / -1.2 F).

Speakers

Speakers' noise behavior
Speakers' noise behavior

The stereo speakers are the same as those in the Aspire ES1-731. They produce an overall decent sound from their position on both front corners of the casing's underside. They lack bass and the mids are slightly overemphasized. They will be enough for quiet background music during work. As usual, good headphones or external speakers will be needed for "real" music enjoyment.

Power Consumption

The idle consumption is a rather significant aspect for an "electronic typewriter" that has to deal with little computing-intensive tasks most of the time. An average idle consumption of almost 10 watts is a good rate for the Aspire, but it is not at all outstanding compared with the competition.

At a first glance, it also looks better during load. Considering the fact that, for example, Lenovo B70-80 can develop considerably higher maximum performance, the 50% lower average consumption of our review sample no longer looks as impressive as the absolute numbers suggest. The supplied power supply is sufficiently sized to cope with the maximum consumption of 26 watts.

Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
AMD A6-7310
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
Intel Pentium N3700
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
Intel Pentium 3825U
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
AMD A10-8700P
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
Intel Core i5-5200U
Power Consumption
-2%
3%
-57%
-14%
Idle Minimum *
6.2
7.2
-16%
4.6
26%
4.1
34%
4.4
29%
Idle Average *
10.2
11.2
-10%
8.9
13%
9.6
6%
7.7
25%
Idle Maximum *
10
12.6
-26%
9.5
5%
11
-10%
7.9
21%
Load Average *
22
18.3
17%
27
-23%
57.6
-162%
33.6
-53%
Load Maximum *
26
19
27%
28
-8%
65.7
-153%
49.8
-92%

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.2 / 10.2 / 10 Watt
Load midlight 22 / 26 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 Runtime

The runtime of 228 minutes (ascertained in our practical Wi-Fi test) of the Aspire E5-722  is average. This will probably not be a deal-breaker since 17-inch devices are not made for regular mobile use anyway. However, corresponding devices can be found should a large laptop with endurance be needed - both Lenovo rivals prove this with a runtime of over 5 hours.

Acer Aspire E5-722-662J
37 Wh
Acer Aspire ES1-731-P4A6
38 Wh
Lenovo G70-80 80FF00H0GE
41 Wh
HP Pavilion 17-g054ng
41 Wh
Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE
41 Wh
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
228
242
6%
318
39%
216
-5%
335
47%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
3h 48min

Pros

+ high-contrast screen
+ decent keyboard
+ low temperature development
+ quiet

Cons

- screen's low brightness
- limited upgrade options
- short battery life compared with similar devices

Verdict

In review: Acer Aspire E5-722-662J. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de
In review: Acer Aspire E5-722-662J. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de

Acer shows a sense of the essential requirements placed on an office laptop with the Aspire E5-722-662J.

A good keyboard and high-contrast screen allow fatigue-free working even over a prolonged period of time, making it a worthwhile investment for prolific writers. The performance of the low-cost hardware is sufficient for common office applications, and the system responds relatively fast in daily routine.

Users who need an affordable as well as solid "typewriter" for the home office will find an interesting candidate here. 80 Euros (~$89) more than for the quite similar Aspire ES1-731 seem justified in view of the screen, and somewhat better connectivity and system performance. Neither of the Aspire models is suitable for playful diversion or demanding multimedia entertainment. HP's Pavilion 17-g054ng, for example, would be an option here. It costs just 100 Euros (~$112) more, and offers a very good Full HD panel and high-performance hardware, among other things.

Acer Aspire E5-722-662J - 03/15/2016 v5(old)
Oliver Moebel

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
77%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
52 / 80 → 65%
Weight
59 / 20-67 → 83%
Battery
74%
Display
70%
Games Performance
52 / 68 → 77%
Application Performance
48 / 92 → 52%
Temperature
95%
Noise
90%
Audio
46%
Camera
46 / 85 → 54%
Average
67%
78%
Office - Weighted Average

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Oliver Moebel, 2016-03-26 (Update: 2016-03-26)