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Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ Notebook Review

Not without flaws. With the Aspire R14, Acer has a slim 14-inch convertible with a 360-degree rotatable display in its lineup. However, it is not a bargain at a demanded price of a good 1100 Euros (~$1195). The laptop has some shortcomings despite its high price.

For the original German review, see here.

We tested the Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E from Acer's convertible lineup only a few months ago. The devices look very similar at first glance. A second reveals many differences. The new model is slimmer and does not sport a dedicated graphics core. The installed processor comes from Intel's latest Skylake generation.

The Aspire finds direct competition in convertibles like Lenovo's Yoga 700-14 and HP's Spectre x360 13. However, slim laptops like Apple's MacBook Air 13 and the members of the Zenbook-UX303 and Zenbook-UX305 lineup by Asus are also rivals.

Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ (Aspire R14 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-6500U 2 x 2.5 - 3.1 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 520, Core: 1050 MHz, dual-channel, 20.19.15.4300
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-1600, dual-channel, soldered memory
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, capacitive, AU Optronics B140HAT02.0, IPS, 360 degree rotatable display, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
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 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD, Sensors: ambient light 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): 18.5 x 343.8 x 245 ( = 0.73 x 13.54 x 9.65 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, Foxit PhantomPDF, McAfee LiveSafe - Internet Security (trial), MS Office (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.9 kg ( = 67.02 oz / 4.19 pounds), Power Supply: 309 g ( = 10.9 oz / 0.68 pounds)
Price
1099 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

Acer uses a mix of plastic and metal materials for its Aspire. The base unit's upper side and lid's back are made of brushed aluminum. The base tray is composed of rubberized plastic. The entire casing is black. The device's build is satisfactory. The laptop displays the usual behavior in stability: The base unit yields slightly on both sides of the keyboard and below the touchpad. The stiffness is compelling. The base unit can only be warped marginally. The battery is non-removable, and a maintenance hatch is not present.

The bottom tray has to be removed to access the innards - which is quite easy. The bottom tray can be taken off after releasing all screws on the underside. A flat spatula or a putty knife could help here. Removing proves to be easiest at the rear above the vents, and the user should begin here.

The Aspire provides today's standard interfaces. Two of three Type A USB ports support USB 3.0 standard. Beyond that, one USB 3.1 Type C is installed. The operating system is Windows 10 Home (64-bit). A recovery DVD is not included.

Left: cable lock slot, USB 3.1, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, combo audio jack
Left: cable lock slot, USB 3.1, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, combo audio jack
Right: memory-card reader, volume control, USB 2.0, power button, power socket
Right: memory-card reader, volume control, USB 2.0, power button, power socket

Input Devices

The Aspire is furnished with a backlit chiclet keyboard. The two-level backlight is controlled via two function keys. The flat, sleek keys feature a short drop and clear pressure point. The keyboard does not yield when typing on it. The Aspire's ClickPad has a surface area of 10.5 x 6.5 cm. Thus, there is plenty of room for gesture control. Its sleek surface makes it easy for fingers to glide over it. The pad has a short drop.

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

The Aspire is shipped with a glare-type, 14-inch panel that has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The screen's contrast of 860:1 is decent, but that is not true for the brightness (202.3 cd/m²). We expect 300 cd/m² at the very least. Both the laptop's price and use options call for that. Positive: The screen never displayed PWM flickering.

214
cd/m²
184
cd/m²
201
cd/m²
208
cd/m²
215
cd/m²
198
cd/m²
196
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
197
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B140HAT02.0 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 217 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 203.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 217 cd/m²
Contrast: 860:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.04 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
55% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
35% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.15% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
55.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
36.92% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35

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 screen presents an acceptable DeltaE 2000 color shift of 5.04 in delivery state. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. The screen does not exhibit a bluish tint.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

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
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 ms rise
↘ 31 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 77 % 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
80 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24 ms rise
↘ 56 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. » 99 % 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 furnishes the Aspire with a viewing-angle stable IPS panel. Thus, the screen is legible from every position. Outdoor use proved difficult due to the screen's glare-type surface and low brightness. Using it in shadowy environments and under cloudy skies is possible.

The Aspire outdoors (taken in overcast conditions)
The Aspire outdoors (taken in overcast conditions)

Performance

With the Aspire R14 R5-471T, Acer has a 14-inch convertible with enough computing power for routine use in its lineup. Our review sample carries a price tag of approximately 1100 Euros (~$1195). Acer also has a 1000-Euro (~$1086) model with a Core i5-6200U processor.

Processor

The slim casing of the Aspire houses a Core i7-6500U (Skylake) dual-core processor - a mid-range model. The CPU is a member of the frugal ULV processors (TDP: 15 watts). It clocks at a base speed of 2.5 GHz, which can be boosted to 3 GHz (two cores) and 3.1 GHz (one core) via Turbo. The Turbo is utilized in both AC and battery modes.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
9184
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
11082
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4900
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
34.41 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.55 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.48 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.9 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
41.12 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
320 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
128 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
320 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
239 Points -25%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
287 Points -10%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
254 Points -21%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
284 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
306 Points -4%
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
287 Points -10%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
280 Points -12%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
278 Points -13%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
296 Points -7%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
296 Points -7%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
128 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
89 Points -30%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
99 Points -23%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
108 Points -16%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
113 Points -12%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
122 Points -5%
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
118 Points -8%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
105 Points -18%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
129 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
121 Points -5%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
112 Points -12%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
3.55 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
2.5 Points -30%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
3.19 Points -10%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
2.86 Points -19%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2.7 Points -24%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
3.4 Points -4%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
3.13 Points -12%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3.14 Points -12%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
3.26 Points -8%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
3.14 Points -12%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1.48 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
1.18 Points -20%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1.08 Points -27%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
1.25 Points -16%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1.3 Points -12%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
1.4 Points -5%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1.26 Points -15%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1.47 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1.41 Points -5%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
1.47 Points -1%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
11082 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
6763 Points -39%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
9260 Points -16%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
8702 Points -21%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
9770 Points -12%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
10558 Points -5%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
9625 Points -13%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
9869 Points -11%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
9767 Points -12%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
10008 Points -10%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
4900 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
3849 Points -21%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
4380 Points -11%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
4191 Points -14%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4356 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
4656 Points -5%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4275 Points -13%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
4874 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
4600 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
4980 Points +2%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
3082 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2842 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
3085 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3036 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2846 Points -8%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
3053 Points -1%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
6637 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5932 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
6419 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
6582 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
6039 Points -9%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
6406 Points -3%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
83.1 ms *
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
111.1 ms * -34%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
96 ms * -16%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
104.5 ms * -26%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
127.6 ms * -54%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
80.2 ms * +3%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
95.3 ms * -15%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
213.7 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
214.5 Points 0%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1136 ms *
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
2588 ms * -128%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1456 ms * -28%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
1178 ms * -4%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1332 ms * -17%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1118 ms * +2%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2292 ms * -102%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
31973 Points
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
12322 Points -61%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
27649 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
29991 Points -6%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
25269 Points -21%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
32020 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
14493 Points -55%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
2923 Points
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
2022 Points -31%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
2998 Points +3%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2635 Points -10%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
2951 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2659 Points -9%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

A strong processor and a solid state drive provide a fast-running system; we did not encounter problems. The very good PCMark benchmark scores are not surprising. Comparable devices that additionally have dedicated graphics cores are on par in the PCMark Home 8 partial benchmark. A powerful GPU does not bring advantages in routine use. The Aspire's system performance cannot be increased; Acer has gone to the limits here.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3392 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4092 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4307 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
3392 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
2544 Points -25%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
3057 Points -10%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
3041 Points -10%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
2770 Points -18%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2883 Points -15%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3320 Points -2%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
3167 Points -7%

Storage Device

A solid state drive by Kingston serves as the system drive. This M.2 model has a total capacity of 256 GB. 200 GB is available to the user. The Windows installation and recovery partition share the remaining capacity. The SSD's read rates are good, but the write rates lag behind today's possibilities.

Sequential Read: 503 MB/s
Sequential Write: 161.6 MB/s
512K Read: 319.7 MB/s
512K Write: 161.5 MB/s
4K Read: 26.04 MB/s
4K Write: 81.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 278.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 161.6 MB/s

Graphics Card

Intel's HD Graphics 520 graphics core is inside the Aspire. It supports DirectX 12 and clocks at speeds of up to 1050 MHz. The Aspire's working memory operates in dual-channel mode. That allows better GPU utilization and leads to 3DMark benchmark scores that come close to results achieved by dedicated lower mid-range graphics cores. The new Skylake GPU very clearly outperforms its predecessor - the HD Graphics 5500 graphics core. 

An innovation of the GPUs from the Skylake generation is the H.265 decoder. The H.265 format follows the H.264 format and enables smaller video files at the same image quality. The decoder unloads the CPU while rendering corresponding videos. The CPU capacity was below 10% when we played our test video (4k, 60 FPS, H.265). The media player has to support this hardware accelerated playback. A corresponding application is preloaded in Windows 10 with the Movie & TV app.

3DMark 11 Performance
1584 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
57986 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6255 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
841 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1584 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
1396 Points -12%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1313 Points -17%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
2282 Points +44%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1448 Points -9%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1448 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
1565 Points -1%
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
1179 Points -26%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1447 Points -9%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
2488 Points +57%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1198 Points -24%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
57986 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
49810 Points -14%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
37935 Points -35%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
37830 Points -35%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
51751 Points -11%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
51751 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
51010 Points -12%
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
42513 Points -27%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
54790 Points -6%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
48845 Points -16%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
51649 Points -11%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
6255 Points
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
4537 Points -27%
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
4708 Points -25%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
5819 Points -7%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5674 Points -9%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5674 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
5853 Points -6%
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
4770 Points -24%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5710 Points -9%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
6223 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
5461 Points -13%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
3679 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
5291 Points +44%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2788 Points -24%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
841 Points
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
621 Points -26%
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
1357 Points +61%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
793 Points -6%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
793 Points -6%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
844 Points 0%
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
618 Points -27%
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
793 Points -6%
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1428 Points +70%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
757 Points -10%

Gaming Performance

It is throughout possible to play games on the Aspire to some extent. The installed hardware can render quite a number of games smoothly - in low resolutions and low to medium quality settings. The laptop also benefits from the working memory in dual-channel mode. It leads to higher frame rates than in devices with working memories that run in single-channel mode. The lower a game's hardware requirements the sooner it can be played on the Aspire. Consequently, the laptop is not suitable for blockbusters like CoD: Black Ops 3; its frame rates are too low.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 78.9 41.7 25.2 11.2
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 34.3 18.4
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 31.3 20.3 11.6 9.1

Emissions & Energy Management

System Noise

The Aspire belongs to the quiet laptop sector. Both fans are usually inactive in idle mode. When they do spin, they are barely audible in normal, ambient noise. They do not increase their speed much under load, either. The noise level only increases to 34.8 dB during the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) since both CPU and GPU are throttled. The noise level climbs to 37.5 dB when only Prime95 runs.

Noise Level

Idle
31.75 / 31.75 / 31.75 dB(A)
Load
34.8 / 34.8 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)

Temperature

The Aspire in the stress test
The Aspire in the stress test

The Aspire performs the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) in the same manner in both AC and battery modes. The processor runs at 1.4 GHz, and the graphics core at 850 to 900 MHz. Therefore, it is not surprising that the laptop does not heat up much. The temperatures remain below 40 °C on all measuring points in the stress test.

Max. Load
 32.4 °C
90 F
37 °C
99 F
30.7 °C
87 F
 
 28.3 °C
83 F
32.3 °C
90 F
24.2 °C
76 F
 
 23.4 °C
74 F
22.3 °C
72 F
23.3 °C
74 F
 
Maximum: 37 °C = 99 F
Average: 28.2 °C = 83 F
34.6 °C
94 F
38.8 °C
102 F
36.1 °C
97 F
24.2 °C
76 F
35.8 °C
96 F
32.4 °C
90 F
21.8 °C
71 F
23.1 °C
74 F
23.9 °C
75 F
Maximum: 38.8 °C = 102 F
Average: 30.1 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  42 °C = 108 F | Room Temperature 21.1 °C = 70 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28.2 °C / 83 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 37 °C / 99 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 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.7 °C / 73 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 23.4 °C / 74.1 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 (+4.7 °C / 8.5 F).

Speakers

The stereo speakers are situated on the Aspire's underside. They produce a decent sound that allows prolonged listening. Dolby Audio software is preloaded for enhancing the sound. Users who do not like the speakers' sound can connect headphones or external speakers.

Power Consumption

The Aspire does not present any irregularities over the entire load range in terms of power consumption. The idle power consumption remains below 10 watts, which is normal for ULV laptops. The requirement climbs to 32.2 watts in the stress test. That rate is just a bit higher than consumed in gaming routine (30.5 watts, +/- 5 watts) because both CPU and GPU are throttled. The power supply has a nominal output of 45 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.35 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4 / 6.6 / 8.6 Watt
Load midlight 30.5 / 32.2 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 Runtime

Our real-world Wi-Fi test simulates the load required for opening websites. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The Aspire achieves a runtime of 7:28 hours with a charged battery. That is a good two hours more than its predecessor.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
7h 28min
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ
HD Graphics 520, 6500U
448 min
Lenovo Yoga 700-14ISK 80QD
HD Graphics 520, 6200U
363 min
Lenovo Yoga 3 14-80JH0035GE
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZYTE256HMHP
381 min
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
500 min
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
427 min
HP Envy 13-d000ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
324 min
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
410 min
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
569 min
WiFi (sort by value)
Acer Aspire R14 R3-471TG-552E
GeForce 820M, 4210U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
326 min
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
394 min

Pros

+ IPS screen
+ high application performance
+ SSD
+ low operation noise
+ low temperatures

Cons

- dark screen

Verdict

In review: Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ. Test model courtesy of Acer Germany.
In review: Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ. Test model courtesy of Acer Germany.

The Aspire R14 is a convertible - to be more precise, it is a slim, 14-inch laptop that features a 360-degree rotatable display. The laptop provides plenty of computing power and can render games conditionally. A speedy SSD ensures a fast-running system. The SSD could be quite easily replaced with a higher-capacity model. Although a maintenance hatch is not present, the casing's base tray can be removed. Beyond that, the convertible always runs quietly and barely heats up. As appropriate for a device of this category, the battery life is good.

The Full HD IPS panel shines with stable viewing angles and good contrast. The much too low brightness is not acceptable. 1100-Euro (~$1195) laptops have to offer more here. After all, this mobile device will be used in the most different light conditions.

Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ - 12/25/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
81 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
78%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
60 / 80 → 75%
Weight
64 / 35-78 → 67%
Battery
90%
Display
81%
Games Performance
77 / 68 → 100%
Application Performance
92 / 87 → 100%
Temperature
94%
Noise
91%
Audio
59 / 91 → 65%
Camera
42 / 85 → 49%
Average
76%
81%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Aspire R14 R5-471T-79GQ Notebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2015-12-30 (Update: 2018-05-15)