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Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA Notebook Review

Full HD Home Office. This new 15.6-inch model from Acer is equipped with a matte FHD screen - a rare occurrence in the low-price segment. The laptop has a lot of storage space and creates low emissions: a simple home office notebook.

For the original German review, see here.

Acer is represented by a number of models in the low-price segment. The 15.6-inch Aspire ES1-533 now joins their ranks with an Intel Apollo Lake platform. This platform should offer 30% more performance compared to the predecessor (Braswell). We will check this assertion in our review. The competition includes names, such as the HP 250 G5, the Lenovo G51-35, the Asus F540SA and the Lenovo B50-10.

Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA (Aspire ES1 Series)
Processor
Intel Pentium N4200 4 x 1.1 - 2.5 GHz, Apollo Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 505, Core: 750 MHz, Single-Channel, 21.20.16.4475
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-1600, Single-Channel, one slot (occupied)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, BOE NT156FHM-N41, TN LED, glossy: no
Storage
Toshiba MQ01ABD100, 1000 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 900 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC235 @ Intel Apollo Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: SD, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Optical drive
Slimtype DVD A DA8AESH
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 24.6 x 381.8 x 258 ( = 0.97 x 15.03 x 10.16 in)
Battery
36 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Cyberlink PowerDVD 12, McAfee LiveSafe (trial), MS Office 365 (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.4 kg ( = 84.66 oz / 5.29 pounds), Power Supply: 268 g ( = 9.45 oz / 0.59 pounds)
Price
399 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Connectivity

The test model is very similar to the predecessors (ES1-512 and ES1-521), as there are few visual differences. The case of the ES1-533 is made of matte, black synthetic material. The wrist-rest area and the display cover are adorned with textures. We like the workmanship and sturdiness of this laptop. Sadly, the base unit proves to be an exception, as it is a little weak. The battery is integrated into the laptop. We appreciate that the manufacturer has provided a maintenance flap, as this provides access to the RAM and the storage device.

The number and type of ports have stayed the same. The positioning has changed slightly: the ports have been pushed to the back and the right sides of the laptop. The memory card reader is decent: it can copy large data blocks at a maximum transfer speed of 36.7 MB/s. The transfer of 250 jpg files (each roughly 5 MB) is completed at a speed of 17.8 MB/s. We tested the memory card reader with our reference card (the Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

The WLAN module is an Intel chip (3168). We tested the module under ideal conditions (no other WLAN devices nearby, close to the router). The results were encouraging as the WLAN module offered good speeds. Furthermore, the WLAN module supports the fast ac standard.

Size Comparison

384 mm / 15.1 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.2 kg4.94 lbs384.3 mm / 15.1 inch 254.5 mm / 10 inch 24.3 mm / 0.957 inch 2 kg4.32 lbs381.6 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 26.1 mm / 1.028 inch 2.2 kg4.87 lbs384 mm / 15.1 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2.3 kg4.98 lbs381.4 mm / 15 inch 251.5 mm / 9.9 inch 25.4 mm / 1 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs381.8 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 24.6 mm / 0.969 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 24.7 mm / 0.972 inch 2.3 kg5.11 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Back: power outlet, HDMI, USB 2.0 (Type A), USB 3.0 (Type A), Gigabit Ethernet
Back: power outlet, HDMI, USB 2.0 (Type A), USB 3.0 (Type A), Gigabit Ethernet
Left side: cabel lock slot
Left side: cabel lock slot
Right side: memory card reader (SD), audio combo jack, USB 2.0 (Type A), DVD burner
Right side: memory card reader (SD), audio combo jack, USB 2.0 (Type A), DVD burner
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
 
61.4 MB/s +245%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
 
45.4 MB/s +155%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
 
43.6 MB/s +145%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
 
33 MB/s +85%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
 
26.1 MB/s +47%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
 
22.7 MB/s +28%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
 
17.8 MB/s
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
 
17 MB/s -4%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
 
89.3 MB/s +143%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
 
87.3 MB/s +138%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
 
76.8 MB/s +109%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
 
36.7 MB/s
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
 
34.36 MB/s -6%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
 
33.62 MB/s -8%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
 
26.6 MB/s -28%
Networking
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Atheros Communications AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter
71.7 MBit/s
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC
41.3 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
186 MBit/s
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
312 MBit/s

Input Devices

The laptop has an unlit chiclet keyboard with a numeric keypad. The slightly roughened keys have short stroke distances and clear pressure points. They offer a comfortable resistance. While typing, the keyboard bends slightly, but this did not annoy us. Overall, Acer has built a decent keyboard for home use. The multi-touch ClickPad occupies a surface measuring 10.6 x 7.8 cm (~4.2 x 3.1 in). The device offers sufficient space for gestures and the smooth surface enables fingers to slide easily. The pad has a short stroke distance and a clear pressure point.

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

The matte 15.6-inch display offers the FHD resolution (1920x1080 pixels). This is rare in the low-price segment. Sadly, the brightness (202 cd/m²) and the contrast (300:1) are far too low. At least the screen does not suffer from PWM flickering.

204
cd/m²
212
cd/m²
210
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
201
cd/m²
201
cd/m²
197
cd/m²
198
cd/m²
196
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE NT156FHM-N41 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 212 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 202 cd/m² Minimum: 19 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 201 cd/m²
Contrast: 300:1 (Black: 0.67 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 10.36 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.06 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
57% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.04% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.56
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Asus F540SA-XX087T
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
ChiMei CMN15C6 N156BGE-EB2, 1366x768, 15.60
Display
5%
6%
-7%
6%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
38.04
39.83
5%
40.21
6%
35.43
-7%
40.17
6%
37.59
-1%
sRGB Coverage
57.2
59.5
4%
60.1
5%
53.3
-7%
60
5%
56.3
-2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.3
41.19
5%
41.56
6%
36.6
-7%
41.54
6%
38.85
-1%
Response Times
-11%
24%
-12%
33%
-6%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
43 ?(21, 22, Plateau)
47 ?(23, 24)
-9%
28 ?(13, 15)
35%
42.4 ?(14.8, 27.6)
1%
20 ?(10, 10)
53%
43.6 ?(23.2, 20.4)
-1%
Response Time Black / White *
23 ?(7, 16, Plateau)
26 ?(9, 17)
-13%
20 ?(10, 10)
13%
28.8 ?(10.8, 18)
-25%
20 ?(12, 8)
13%
25.6 ?(19.6, 6)
-11%
PWM Frequency
1000 ?(90)
200 ?(90)
200 ?(90)
200 ?(90)
Screen
18%
21%
-10%
30%
19%
Brightness middle
201
245
22%
245
22%
199.8
-1%
215
7%
206
2%
Brightness
202
238
18%
230
14%
199
-1%
200
-1%
195
-3%
Brightness Distribution
92
88
-4%
84
-9%
85
-8%
87
-5%
88
-4%
Black Level *
0.67
0.42
37%
0.46
31%
0.712
-6%
0.26
61%
0.35
48%
Contrast
300
583
94%
533
78%
281
-6%
827
176%
589
96%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
10.36
10.49
-1%
8.34
19%
13.24
-28%
13.07
-26%
8.96
14%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.88
16.84
11%
12.31
35%
21.52
-14%
16.06
15%
14.26
24%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.06
11.47
-4%
9.48
14%
13.33
-21%
4.34
61%
9.27
16%
Gamma
2.56 86%
2.52 87%
2.38 92%
1.69 130%
2.48 89%
2.38 92%
CCT
11368 57%
13286 49%
10624 61%
15879 41%
7212 90%
11213 58%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36
38
6%
38
6%
33.8
-6%
38
6%
35.89
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
57
60
5%
57
0%
53.4
-6%
60
5%
56.26
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
4% / 12%
17% / 18%
-10% / -9%
23% / 25%
4% / 12%

* ... 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 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.

The display has poor color accuracy. When we turned it on for the first time, the display had a DeltaE-2000 color deviation of 10.36. This is far from the ideal range of 3 or less. Sadly, the display has a blue tinge.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Grey Levels
CalMAN - Grey Levels
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation

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
23 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 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. » 45 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
43 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 22 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 67 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Acer has installed a TN panel with weak viewing angles. This prevents the screen from being legible from all angles. The notebook can only be used outdoors if the sun is not shining.

Outdoors
Outdoors

Performance

The Acer Aspire ES1-533 is a simple 15.6-inch office notebook. This laptop is primarily designed for office and Internet use. Our test model is available for around 400 Euros ($421). Other configurations are also available with prices starting at 280 Euros (~$295).

Processor

On the inside, the Aspire boasts of an Intel Pentium N4200 quad-core processor of the new Apollo Lake generation. The ULV CPU (TDP: 6 W) runs at a base clock speed of 1.1 GHz. Turbo boosts the processor up to 2.5 GHz. The Goldmont architecture of the processor provides significantly higher per-MHz performance than the predecessor (Silvermont). Intel claims this increase is around 30%. The benchmark results confirm this assertion. The N4200 performs better in the CPU tests than its predecessors (N3700/N3710), which have similar speeds. In our tests, the CPU ran at 2.0 to 2.1 GHz (Multithread) and 2.4 GHz (single thread). This performance stays the same while running on battery.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1675
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
5149
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
3223
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
53 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
165 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
16.46 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.7 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
74 Points +40%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
53 Points
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
AMD A8-7410
52 Points -2%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
49 Points -8%
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel Pentium N3540
42 Points -21%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
40 Points -25%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Intel Celeron N3060
37 Points -30%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
Intel Pentium N3700
36 Points -32%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
33 Points -38%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
187 Points +13%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
AMD A8-7410
174 Points +5%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
165 Points
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel Pentium N3540
157 Points -5%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
156 Points -5%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
151 Points -8%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
Intel Pentium N3700
132 Points -20%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Intel Celeron N3060
68 Points -59%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
61 Points -63%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
6309 Points +23%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
5659 Points +10%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
5149 Points
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel Pentium N3540
4750 Points -8%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
4454 Points -13%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
AMD A8-7410
4428 Points -14%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
Intel Pentium N3700
3148 Points -39%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Intel Celeron N3060
2256 Points -56%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
1978 Points -62%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
2777 Points +66%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
1883 Points +12%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
1675 Points
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
AMD A8-7410
1642 Points -2%
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel Pentium N3540
1379 Points -18%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
1340 Points -20%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Intel Celeron N3060
1216 Points -27%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
Intel Pentium N3700
1114 Points -33%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
1019 Points -39%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
1788 Points +28%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
1395 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
1270 Points -9%
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel Pentium N3540
988 Points -29%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
977 Points -30%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
865 Points -38%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
4563 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
3756 Points -18%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
3755 Points -18%
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel Pentium N3540
3267 Points -28%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
3190 Points -30%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
1583 Points -65%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
1581 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
4364 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
123.2 Points +37%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel Pentium N4200
90.1 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD A8-6410
75.7 Points -16%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
AMD A8-7410
71.2 Points -21%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
65 Points -28%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Intel Celeron N3060
58.5 Points -35%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel Celeron N3050
51.1 Points -43%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
Intel Pentium N3700
36.14 Points -60%

System Performance

The hardware for the Aspire is good for office and Internet tasks. The integrated decoder of the GPU allows the playback of popular formats. Compared to the Core-i processors, the Pentium line-up offers less performance, which is noticeable when loading websites with lots of ads. The PC Mark benchmark results meet our expectations. To increase the system performance, the user can swap out the HDD for an SSD. The system will be faster thanks to the shorter loading times.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1993 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
2683 Points +35%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
1993 Points
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-7410, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1960 Points -2%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1872 Points -6%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
GeForce 920M, N3700, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
1740 Points -13%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), N3060, Samsung CM871 MZNLF128HCHP
1661 Points -17%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1598 Points -20%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1413 Points -29%

Storage Device

The system drive of the laptop is a 2.5-inch drive from Toshiba. The drive operates at 5400 RPM and features a capacity of 1 TB. The transfer speeds are normal. It is easy to replace the HDD with an SSD, thanks to the maintenance flap.

Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Transfer Rate Minimum: 50.7 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 115.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 87.1 MB/s
Access Time: 18.1 ms
Burst Rate: 91.4 MB/s
CPU Usage: 5.3 %
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Samsung CM871 MZNLF128HCHP
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
9%
-0%
2813%
-12%
18%
Read Seq
107.6
105.1
-2%
103.5
-4%
484.4
350%
98.3
-9%
100
-7%
Write Seq
96.6
102.8
6%
91.1
-6%
139.2
44%
89.8
-7%
99.8
3%
Read 512
22.5
31.56
40%
33.74
50%
338.1
1403%
20.79
-8%
35.48
58%
Write 512
24.23
45.47
88%
38.77
60%
134.7
456%
34.84
44%
46.19
91%
Read 4k
0.474
0.35
-26%
0.374
-21%
17.21
3531%
0.335
-29%
0.424
-11%
Write 4k
1.089
0.94
-14%
0.649
-40%
31.52
2794%
0.619
-43%
0.966
-11%
Read 4k QD32
0.861
0.72
-16%
0.818
-5%
94.6
10887%
0.789
-8%
1.031
20%
Write 4k QD32
0.991
0.94
-5%
0.648
-35%
31.08
3036%
0.641
-35%
1
1%

Graphics Card

The graphics chip has improved since the previous generation. The Aspire uses the HD Graphics 505 GPU, which is based on the Intel Skylake architecture (predecessor: Broadwell). Although this makes the 505 more powerful, it is still relatively weak. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and works at up to 750 MHz. The memory controller supports dual-channel mode. This means that a second RAM module would have allowed the laptop to use dual-channel mode and thus boost performance. Sadly, the laptop only has a single RAM slot.

3DMark 11 Performance
686 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, Intel Pentium N3700
1581 Points +153%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
AMD Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), AMD A8-7410
782 Points +25%
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
AMD Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), AMD A8-6410
764 Points +22%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel HD Graphics 4400, Intel Core i3-4030U
718 Points +15%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Intel HD Graphics 505, Intel Pentium N4200
624 Points
Asus F540SA-XX087T
Intel HD Graphics (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3050
384 Points -38%
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3060
382 Points -39%
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Intel Pentium N3540
229 Points -63%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Intel Pentium N3540
200 Points -68%

Gaming Performance

The Aspire runs games smoothly on the screen, but only at low resolutions and settings. This covers all older or less-demanding games. The Windows store offers casual games which are ideal for this hardware.

low med. high ultra
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 35 31
BioShock Infinite (2013) 23.7 13.6 11.5
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 32 22

Emissions and Energy

Noise
Noise

System Noise

The Aspire model is relatively quiet, which is to be expected as the hardware is relatively weak. While idle, the fan is usually off and only the HDD is audible. The laptop would be entirely silent if the HDD was swapped out for an SSD. Under load, the fan barely turns up. During our stress test, we measure a noise emission of 34.2 dB(A).

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.931.428.931.733.92532.332.530.936.632.33132.533.83432.932.54030.730.729.63030.75029.730.230.732.429.76327.52828.727.827.58028.527.627.227.528.510027.427.827.825.527.412524.72625.425.924.716025.524.92423.725.52002424.723.123.5242502423.622.722.92431525.224.821.921.925.240024.423.620.420.224.450022.823.12020.322.863021.921.819.419.421.980022.122.219.718.622.1100024.62521.318.324.6125023.423.718.717.923.4160026.125.818.717.926.1200020.921.218.317.620.9250019.619.51817.919.6315020.420.418.717.920.4400018.919.218.417.918.9500018.618.618.618.118.6630018.518.618.618.318.5800018.418.318.518.318.41000018.518.418.318.218.51250018.919.518.518.118.91600018.819.418.618.218.8SPL343431.230.634N221.61.52median 22.1median 22.2median 18.7median 18.3median 22.1Delta3.12.81.62.13.1hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA

Noise Level

Idle
31.2 / 31.2 / 31.2 dB(A)
HDD
31.2 dB(A)
DVD
34.8 / dB(A)
Load
33.9 / 34.2 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: 30.5 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

In our stress test, we run Prime95 and FurMark together for at least an hour. The Aspire performs at the same level while plugged in and on battery. The processor runs at 1.3 to 1.4 GHz and the graphics chip runs at 200 MHz. It is not surprising that the laptop remains relatively cool: the test model was below the 40 degrees Celsius (~104 degrees Fahrenheit) mark at all measurement points during testing.

Max. Load
 26.6 °C
80 F
33.3 °C
92 F
28.3 °C
83 F
 
 29 °C
84 F
31.8 °C
89 F
26.8 °C
80 F
 
 25 °C
77 F
26 °C
79 F
25 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 33.3 °C = 92 F
Average: 28 °C = 82 F
27 °C
81 F
39.4 °C
103 F
32.9 °C
91 F
27.3 °C
81 F
36 °C
97 F
31.5 °C
89 F
24.5 °C
76 F
25.4 °C
78 F
25.1 °C
77 F
Maximum: 39.4 °C = 103 F
Average: 29.9 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  36.1 °C = 97 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28 °C / 82 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 33.3 °C / 92 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 39.4 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.1 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26 °C / 78.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+1.7 °C / 3.1 F).
Heatmap top (load)
Heatmap top (load)
Heatmap bottom (load)
Heatmap bottom (load)
Heatmap top (idle)
Heatmap top (idle)
Heatmap bottom (idle)
Heatmap bottom (idle)

Speakers

The stereo speakers have been placed on the bottom of the laptop. They produce a slightly dull, tinny sound, which lacks bass. We recommend the use of headphones or external speakers for a better sound experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.531.733.52532.436.632.43132.332.932.34029.73029.75029.332.429.36329.427.829.48027.527.527.51002725.52712526.625.926.616026.823.726.820027.123.527.125042.922.942.931549.921.949.940053.120.253.150049.720.349.76305219.45280056.418.656.4100055.918.355.9125057.217.957.2160061.717.961.720006317.663250067.317.967.3315070.217.970.240007317.973500070.218.170.2630062.218.362.2800060.218.360.21000054.118.254.11250057.318.157.31600060.118.260.1SPL78.530.678.5N35.61.535.6median 56.4median 18.3median 56.4Delta8.22.18.235.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Aspire ES1-533-P7WAApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 9.6% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (29.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 89% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 8% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 85% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 12% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram for comparison (checkboxes can be selected!)

Power Consumption

While idle, the test model runs up a maximum consumption of 9.7 W. This value should be a little lower as the laptop is using a weak SoC. During our stress test, the consumption rises up to 18.2 W. In this case, we noticed the low speeds of the CPU and GPU. If only the Prime95 tool is running, the power consumption is a little higher. The power adapter provides up to 45 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.15 / 0.35 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.3 / 8.8 / 9.7 Watt
Load midlight 18 / 18.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

In our practical WLAN test, we simulate the load of the laptop while surfing websites. The power profile is set to "Balanced" and the power saver functions are turned off. The brightness is reduced to around 150 cd/m². The Aspire can offer 5:21 hours, which is a modest runtime at best.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 38)
5h 21min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
HP 250 G5 Y1V08UT
N3060, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 41 Wh
376 min +17%
Acer Aspire E15 ES1-512-P1SM
N3540, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 37 Wh
349 min +9%
Asus F540SA-XX087T
N3050, HD Graphics (Braswell), 33 Wh
329 min +2%
Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA
Pentium N4200, HD Graphics 505, 36 Wh
321 min
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN
A8-6410, Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), 41 Wh
290 min -10%
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR
N3700, GeForce 920M, 31.7 Wh
251 min -22%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
4030U, HD Graphics 4400, 32 Wh
220 min -31%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
N3540, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 24 Wh
207 min -36%
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
A8-7410, Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), 31.7 Wh
205 min -36%

Pros

+ matte panel
+ FHD screen
+ lots of storage space
+ maintenance flap
+ two years warranty
+ AC-WLAN

Cons

- dark panel with weak contrast and viewing angles
- no Type-C USB

Verdict

In review: Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA. Test model provided by Notebooksbilliger.de
In review: Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA. Test model provided by Notebooksbilliger.de

The Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA is a simple 15.6-inch office notebook, which relies on the Intel Apollo Lake platform. The quad-core processor offers sufficient performance for office work and web surfing. The integrated decoder supports the typical video formats. The laptop works quietly and barely heats up. Storage space is provided in abundance on this test model, thanks to a 1 TB HDD. The HDD can be swapped out for an SSD via the maintenance flap. The keyboard may not be the best on the market, but it is convenient for home use. The laptop has an average battery life and the offer is rounded out with a 2-year warranty.

This Aspire is a simple laptop for writing and surfing.

What was supposed to be its most intriguing selling point is its biggest weakness: the FHD display. Acer has picked a dark panel with poor viewing angles. At least, the manufacturer has selected a matte display with no PWM flickering.

A tip: users, who would like to use an SSD instead of an HDD, should take a look at the Aspire ES1-533-P9CX. This model uses a 256 GB SSD instead of an HDD. The rest of the connectivity is the same as our current test model.

Acer Aspire ES1-533-P7WA - 12/30/2016 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
76 / 98 → 78%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
45 / 80 → 56%
Weight
60 / 20-67 → 86%
Battery
84%
Display
73%
Games Performance
48 / 68 → 70%
Application Performance
53 / 92 → 58%
Temperature
95%
Noise
92%
Audio
50%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
67%
76%
Office - Weighted Average

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Sascha Mölck, 2017-01- 7 (Update: 2018-05-15)