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Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T Convertible Review

Now with Thunderbolt 3. The Aspire R13's main distinguishing factor is the quad-hinge design, which allows for several different display positions and hence operating modes. Even sans those hinges, the Aspire would still appeal, as it does well in almost all categories. Along with an update to the Skylake-generation of processors, the new model now also contains a Thunderbolt 3 port.

For the original German review, see here.

The Aspire R13 R7-372T is Acer's third rendition of the 13.3-inch convertible. While the previous versions contained Haswell and Broadwell processors, the new model comes with Skylake CPUs. Aside from the processors, nothing much has changed, although there's a new physical port as well. The goal of our review is to find out if the new Aspire can match or exceed its predecessor. Competing models are convertibles like the HP Spectre x360 13 and the Lenovo Yoga 900 as well as "standard" 13.3-inch notebooks like the Asus Zenbook UX303.

Since the Aspire is identical to the predecessor from a physical standpoint, we won't spend any time evaluating the chassis, communication, input devices, or the speakers. Please take a look at our review of the Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K for more details.

Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T (Aspire R13 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-6200U 2 x 2.3 - 2.8 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 520, Core: 950 MHz, dual-channel, 20.19.15.4300
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3L-1333, dual-channel, soldered
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, capacitive, AU Optronics B133HAT02.5, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0), 256 GB 
, 218 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Skylake PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: audio combo-jack, Card Reader: SD, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: brightness sensor, TPM 2.0
Networking
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18 x 344 x 231 ( = 0.71 x 13.54 x 9.09 in)
Battery
50 Wh, 3270 mAh Lithium-Ion, 15.2 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Avast SecureLine (trial), Foxit PhantomPDF, McAfee LiveSafe-Internet Security (trial), MS Office (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.5 kg ( = 52.91 oz / 3.31 pounds), Power Supply: 306 g ( = 10.79 oz / 0.67 pounds)
Price
1099 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Connectivity

The Aspire is nearly identical to the predecessors, save for one physical difference: a Thunderbolt 3 port now resides between the HDMI and the USB ports. The Thunderbolt 3 port is universal, which means that many different devices - like monitors, external hard drives, or universal docking stations - can be connected to it. In addition, the interface also functions as a USB 3.1 port.

The card reader is pretty slow: when we copied large data blocks, the maximum transfer rate only reached 24.9 MB/s. The transfer of 250 jpg files (about 5 MB each) topped out at 13.6 MB/s. For our tests, we use a reference SD card - the Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II. 

Note:previous models of the Aspire shipped with a stylus; our review convertible didn't contain one, even though many online shops state that a stylus is included.

left side: lock slot, HDMI, Thunderbolt 3, 2x USB 3.0, audio-combo port
left side: lock slot, HDMI, Thunderbolt 3, 2x USB 3.0, audio-combo port
right side: card reader, volume toggle-switch, USB 2.0, power button, power jack
right side: card reader, volume toggle-switch, USB 2.0, power button, power jack

Display

subpixel array
subpixel array

The Aspire comes equipped with a 13.3-inch touchscreen with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. We like both the brightness (331.4 cd/m²) and especially the contrast (1541:1) of the display - both values exceed those of the Aspire equipped with Broadwell CPU. Positive is the fact that we didn't observe any kind of PWM flickering. Alternatively, the R13 can also be purchased with a higher-resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) display.

318
cd/m²
326
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
313
cd/m²
339
cd/m²
339
cd/m²
313
cd/m²
343
cd/m²
347
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B133HAT02.5 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 347 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 331.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 339 cd/m²
Contrast: 1541:1 (Black: 0.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.72 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.74 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
64.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.18

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.

As shipped, the display has a color DeltaE-deviation of 5.72, which is pretty close to the target value of 3. A bluish cast is absent. The display can't over the color spaces AdobeRGB and sRGB at 59 % and 92 %, respectively.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Graylevels
CalMAN - Graylevels
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation

The Aspire is equipped with an IPS display, which features a very good viewing angle stability. Consequently, the display content is visable from all angles. High brightness - sunlight, for example - should be avoided since the glossy display is prone to reflections.

outdoor use
outdoor use
outdoor use
outdoor use
viewing angles
viewing angles

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
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 21 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. » 57 % 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↗ 13 ms rise
↘ 35 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).
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
IPS, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
IPS, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
IPS, 2560x1440
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
IPS, 2560x1440
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
IPS, 3200x1800
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
IPS, 1920x1080
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
IPS, 1920x1080
Display
4%
-1%
4%
1%
Display P3 Coverage
63.2
66.8
6%
63.2
0%
66.9
6%
64.5
2%
sRGB Coverage
92.3
92.8
1%
88.7
-4%
92.3
0%
90.4
-2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
64.3
67.3
5%
64.9
1%
67.6
5%
65.5
2%
Response Times
39%
17%
-39%
14%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48 ?(13, 35)
24 ?(11, 36)
50%
38.8 ?(18.4, 20.4)
19%
68 ?(25, 43)
-42%
37.6 ?(17.2, 20.4)
22%
Response Time Black / White *
26 ?(5, 21)
19 ?(10, 28)
27%
22.4 ?(9.2, 13.2)
14%
35 ?(15, 20)
-35%
24.8 ?(6.8, 18)
5%
PWM Frequency
1316
178 ?(90)
201.6 ?(25, 78)
Screen
-4%
1%
-6%
-30%
-3%
-11%
Brightness middle
339
321
-5%
316
-7%
324
-4%
319.8
-6%
385
14%
324.3
-4%
Brightness
331
322
-3%
305
-8%
324
-2%
302
-9%
394
19%
314
-5%
Brightness Distribution
90
83
-8%
90
0%
90
0%
88
-2%
89
-1%
93
3%
Black Level *
0.22
0.32
-45%
0.23
-5%
0.34
-55%
0.835
-280%
0.41
-86%
0.289
-31%
Contrast
1541
1003
-35%
1374
-11%
953
-38%
383
-75%
939
-39%
1122
-27%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.72
4.79
16%
4.21
26%
4.36
24%
2.68
53%
3.84
33%
6.03
-5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.45
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.74
2.67
53%
5.16
10%
4.62
20%
2.35
59%
3.79
34%
7.89
-37%
Gamma
2.18 101%
2.52 87%
2.58 85%
2.18 101%
2.09 105%
2.23 99%
2.08 106%
CCT
7393 88%
6835 95%
6934 94%
6857 95%
6975 93%
6499 100%
6490 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59
60
2%
57
-3%
60
2%
65.46
11%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
93
1%
88
-4%
92
0%
90.36
-2%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-4% / -4%
1% / 1%
12% / 3%
-5% / -17%
-13% / -6%
1% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

The Aspire R13 combines both a notebook and a tablet into one unit. The processing power is more than adequate for various daily tasks and even sufficient for some games. Our review convertible retails for 1100 Euro (~$1200); the model with WQHD displays sells for about 1400 Euro (~$1530).

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

Processor

The Aspire R13 comes equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i5-6200U (Skylake) processor. This middle-class CPU should be sufficient for most users. The pretty frugal processor has a TDP of 15 watts and a clock speed of 2.3 GHz. The Turbo can overclock both cores to 2.7 GHz and a single core to 2.8 GHz even with the notebook running on battery power. The previous-generation Aspire-R13 contains the Broadwell-predecessor Core i5-5200U. Thanks to improvements in the architecture and the slightly higher clock speed, the Skylake CPU is able to outperform the predecessor by about 10-15 % in the various benchmarks. 

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
8067
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
9853
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4385
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
28.06 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.21 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.31 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
37.58 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
286 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
115 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
286 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
255 Points -11%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
248 Points -13%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
284 Points -1%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
287 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
278 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
200 Points -30%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
115 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
109 Points -5%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
108 Points -6%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
113 Points -2%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
87 Points -24%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
129 Points +12%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
72 Points -37%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
3.21 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2.79 Points -13%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
2.72 Points -15%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2.7 Points -16%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
3.23 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3.14 Points -2%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1.79 Points -44%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
1.31 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
1.27 Points -3%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
1.3 Points -1%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1.3 Points -1%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
1.45 Points +11%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1.47 Points +12%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
0.81 Points -38%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
9853 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
8673 Points -12%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
9770 Points -1%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
9348 Points -5%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
9869 Points 0%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
4385 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
4175 Points -5%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4356 Points -1%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
4920 Points +12%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
4874 Points +11%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
2812 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2676 Points -5%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2842 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3036 Points +8%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
6002 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
5346 Points -11%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5932 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
6582 Points +10%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
109.8 ms *
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
121.4 ms * -11%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
97.3 ms * +11%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
96 ms * +13%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
80.2 ms * +27%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
124.5 ms * -13%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
192.1 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
214.5 Points +12%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
1310 ms *
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2576 ms * -97%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
2385 ms * -82%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1456 ms * -11%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1118 ms * +15%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
28408 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
12663 Points -55%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
14117 Points -50%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
27649 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
32020 Points +13%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
2665 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2038 Points -24%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
2951 Points +11%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

A powerful processor and a fast SSD make for a speedy system. We didn't encounter any problems during the review period and the results of the PC Mark benchmark tests are very respectable. The new version has an advantage compared to the predecessor because of the more powerful CPU/GPU combo. The SSD RAID 0 array doesn't have a lot of advantages during normal use, although load times are significantly reduced. The system performance can't be improved by the user - Acer exhausted all the options already.

PCMark 7 Score
5130 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3198 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3886 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4091 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
3198 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2805 Points -12%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
2419 Points -24%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
2837 Points -11%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3320 Points +4%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2833 Points -11%
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
5130 Points
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
5187 Points +1%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4939 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4939 Points -4%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
5478 Points +7%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
5162 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
4635 Points -10%

Storage Devices

The Aspire comes with two Solid State Disks from Hynix. Each of the two M.2 drives is part of a RAID 0 array and offers a capacity of 128 GB. Data is spread out between the two drives, which increases both read and write speeds noticeably. User interaction is not required. The system sees the drives as a single 256 GB SSD; the usable space is about 218 GB. The read speeds are very good and the write speeds are decent as well, although many single SSDs offer similar performance here. 

The two SSDs ...
The two SSDs ...
... form a RAID 0 array
... form a RAID 0 array
2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
Sequential Read: 1001 MB/s
Sequential Write: 375.7 MB/s
512K Read: 510 MB/s
512K Write: 383.4 MB/s
4K Read: 25.65 MB/s
4K Write: 56.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 268 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 252.6 MB/s

GPU Performance

The GPU of the Aspire is also courtesy of Intel in form of the HD Graphics 520. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and runs at up to 950 MHz. Because the RAM runs in dual-channel mode, the GPU offers higher performance than systems only equipped with single-channel memory. The 3D Mark results approach those of dedicated lower middle-class GPUs. The HD Graphics 5500 in the Broadwell Aspire doesn't even come close to these results.

One of the novelties of the Skylake GPU is the integrated H.265 decoder. H.265 is the successor to the H.264-format, which allows for smaller video files at the same quality. The decoder takes the load of the CPU during the playback of appropriately encoded videos. Our review convertible managed to play our test video (4k, 60 fps, H.265) at a CPU utilization of under 10 %.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
9062 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1512 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
53850 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
5792 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
810 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
1512 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
1130 Points -25%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
929 Points -39%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1448 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1448 Points -4%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
1535 Points +2%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
2488 Points +65%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1151 Points -24%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
53850 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
46421 Points -14%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
28889 Points -46%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
51751 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
51751 Points -4%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
44755 Points -17%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
48845 Points -9%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
37002 Points -31%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
5792 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
5059 Points -13%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
HD Graphics 4400, 4510U
4506 Points -22%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5674 Points -2%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5674 Points -2%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
5333 Points -8%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
6223 Points +7%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
3778 Points -35%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
3434 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2665 Points -22%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
5291 Points +54%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
810 Points
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
724 Points -11%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
793 Points -2%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
793 Points -2%
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HCJH
814 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1428 Points +76%
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
596 Points -26%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, 2x Hynix HFS128G39MND M.2 (RAID 0)
9062 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
8916 Points -2%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
11576 Points +28%

Gaming Performance

The increase in graphics performance compared to the Broadwell-predecessor is significant enough to make gaming possible. Quite a few games actually run without stutters - at least at a low resolution and low to medium settings. Part of the performance increase can be attributed to the dual-channel RAM. The performance is not sufficient for demanding games like Fallout 4 and CoD: Black Ops 3, as the frame rate drops below acceptable levels. Users who want better gaming performance need to choose a notebook with dedicated GPU. In the segment of 13.3-inch notebooks the Asus Zenbook UX303 comes to mind. This particular subnotebook comes equipped with a GeForce 940M GPU.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 72.2 38.3 23.7 10.8
Dirt Rally (2015) 113.2 25 15 12.5
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 29.9 16.1

Emissions

System Noise

During idle, the Aspire is completely silent since the fans aren't spinning at all. During the stress test we measured a maximum of 39.4 dB, which is a result of the CPU throttling. If the CPU would operate at the maximum possible speed, the fans would run at higher speeds and the noise level would increase as well. The test convertible did not emit any electronic whistling or high-pitched buzzing sounds.

dual fans
dual fans

Noise Level

Idle
31.5 / 31.5 / 31.7 dB(A)
Load
39.7 / 39.4 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)
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
5200U, HD Graphics 5500
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
4510U, HD Graphics 4400
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
6500U, HD Graphics 520
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
6500U, GeForce 940M
Noise
5%
3%
4%
7%
3%
Idle Minimum *
31.5
29.6
6%
30.9
2%
29.6
6%
29.7
6%
31.5
-0%
Idle Average *
31.5
31
2%
30.9
2%
29.6
6%
29.8
5%
31.5
-0%
Idle Maximum *
31.7
31.8
-0%
32
-1%
34.6
-9%
30
5%
31.5
1%
Load Average *
39.7
36.5
8%
37.6
5%
34.7
13%
32
19%
35.9
10%
Load Maximum *
39.4
36.7
7%
37.6
5%
37.9
4%
38.5
2%
38.2
3%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

the Aspire during the stress test
the Aspire during the stress test

During the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark in parallel for at least one hour) we were rewarded with the same results regardless if we had the convertible plugged in or not. The CPU maintains 2.7 GHz before throttling occurs and the frequency drops to 1.5 GHz for the remainder of the test. The GPU fluctuates between 900 and 950 MHz. The Aspire doesn't get overly hot either - only two areas exceed 40 degrees C. Overall, the new convertible gets a bit warmer than the predecessor.

Max. Load
 39.1 °C
102 F
45.2 °C
113 F
32 °C
90 F
 
 35.2 °C
95 F
38.2 °C
101 F
30.1 °C
86 F
 
 27.1 °C
81 F
27 °C
81 F
26.5 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 45.2 °C = 113 F
Average: 33.4 °C = 92 F
32.1 °C
90 F
39 °C
102 F
38 °C
100 F
31.5 °C
89 F
41 °C
106 F
37 °C
99 F
27.3 °C
81 F
28.9 °C
84 F
29.8 °C
86 F
Maximum: 41 °C = 106 F
Average: 33.8 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  55 °C = 131 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.4 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.2 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27.1 °C / 80.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+1 °C / 1.8 F).
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
5200U, HD Graphics 5500
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
4510U, HD Graphics 4400
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
6500U, HD Graphics 520
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
6500U, GeForce 940M
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
6Y30, HD Graphics 515
Heat
-2%
-12%
4%
9%
-9%
17%
Maximum Upper Side *
45.2
43.7
3%
46
-2%
39.6
12%
37.4
17%
56.6
-25%
34.6
23%
Maximum Bottom *
41
47.5
-16%
51.8
-26%
39.7
3%
36.4
11%
54.3
-32%
35.2
14%
Idle Upper Side *
26.9
23.8
12%
28.5
-6%
25
7%
26.6
1%
24
11%
22.6
16%
Idle Bottom *
27.6
29.2
-6%
31.1
-13%
29.8
-8%
25.6
7%
24.2
12%
23.4
15%

* ... smaller is better

Energy Management

Power Consumption

During idle, the R13 consumes less than 10 watts, which is a good, but certainly not an outstanding result. During the stress test, the Aspire required up to 37 watts, which is just slightly higher than what we encountered during medium load levels. The reason: the CPU performance is subject to throttling during the stress test. Overall, the Aspire requires slightly more power than the Broadwell predecessor. The power adapter is rated at 45 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.43 / 0.54 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.1 / 7.2 / 9 Watt
Load midlight 34.2 / 37 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 R13 R7-372T
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
5200U, HD Graphics 5500
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
4510U, HD Graphics 4400
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
6500U, GeForce 940M
Power Consumption
27%
9%
12%
-9%
Idle Minimum *
5.1
3.5
31%
4.8
6%
3.9
24%
3.2
37%
Idle Average *
7.2
5.6
22%
8.2
-14%
7.4
-3%
7.6
-6%
Idle Maximum *
9
5.8
36%
8.3
8%
9.2
-2%
8
11%
Load Average *
34.2
26.2
23%
27
21%
28.1
18%
47
-37%
Load Maximum *
37
29.1
21%
28.3
24%
27.6
25%
55
-49%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The Aspire R13 has a lot of endurance: the system lasted for 6 hours and 41 minutes during our video playback-test - good enough for several movies or many consecutive episodes of a series. For this test we loop the short film Big Buck Bunny (H.264 codec, 1920 x 1080 pixels) with the wireless modules deactivated and the display set to a brightness of 150 cd/m². During the very relevant WLAN test the Aspire managed to eek out a run time of 7 hours and 21 minutes - quite comparable to the performance of the predecessor. Here we simulate websurfing via a script. We use the "balanced" profile and set the display brightness to about 150 cd/m². 

The battery has a capacity of 49.7 Wh.
The battery has a capacity of 49.7 Wh.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 20min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
7h 21min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 41min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 50min
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T
50 Wh
Acer Aspire R7-371T-52EL
48 Wh
Acer Aspire R13 R7-371T-779K
61 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
56 Wh
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
66 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
50 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX305CA-EHM1
45 Wh
Battery Runtime
-1%
13%
7%
10%
41%
Reader / Idle
740
520
-30%
844
14%
997
35%
1052
42%
H.264
401
372
-7%
413
3%
WiFi v1.3
441
500
13%
403
-9%
410
-7%
382
-13%
Load
110
148
35%
128
16%
118
7%
215
95%
WiFi
449
396

Pros

+ bright, high contrast IPS display
+ FHD resolution
+ RAID 0 support
+ good workmanship
+ good input devices
+ long runtimes
+ Thunderbolt 3

Cons

- no Recovery DVD

Verdict

In review: Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-53E0. Test model courtesy of Cyperport.de
In review: Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-53E0. Test model courtesy of Cyperport.de

Thanks to the new Skylake processor, the Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T outperforms its Broadwell predecessor. The CPU offers more than enough performance for various daily tasks. The integrated GPU and the RAM running in dual-channel mode make gaming possible, although restrictions still apply. The convertible doesn't get very hot and remains fairly quiet as well. The RAID 0 SSD array guarantees a very fast system and short application load times.

Although the new Aspire R13 is essentially just the product of regular model maintenance, Acer managed to execute this update very well indeed.

The Skylake model improves upon the already very good display the Broadwell Aspire came equipped with and offers increased brightness and a substantially higher contrast ratio. Both displays make use of IPS technology and feature very good viewing angle stability. The compelling package is further improved by the good input devices and the long battery life. The Thunderbolt 3 port offers new expansion capabilities.

Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T - 04/18/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
86 / 98 → 87%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
54 / 80 → 68%
Weight
69 / 35-78 → 79%
Battery
89%
Display
82%
Games Performance
59 / 68 → 86%
Application Performance
82 / 87 → 94%
Temperature
92%
Noise
88%
Audio
64 / 91 → 70%
Camera
42 / 85 → 49%
Average
75%
84%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T Convertible Review
Sascha Mölck, 2016-02- 3 (Update: 2018-05-15)