Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG Subnotebook Review Update

The Aspire V3-371-38ZG uses the same display panel as the Aspire V3-371-55GS. Our V3-371-38ZG test model, however, provided different display values when tested. This is to be expected, as two panels are never identical. The brightness and contrast of the V3-371-38ZG screen could be better: we expected at least 250 cd/m² (brightness) and 500:1 (contrast).

The Aspire-V3-371 series is Acer’s offering of 13.3-inch subnotebooks. The CPU of the test model offers enough juice for everyday use, and is accompanied by a fast SSD. The device we were provided is available for around 600 Euros, and is offered in many other configurations by Acer. The cheapest model of this series is the Acer Aspire V3-331-P982 (Pentium 3556U, HD Graphics (Haswell)), which costs 440 Euros. 

The test model was equipped with an Intel Core i3-4158U. This dual-core CPU (Haswell) has a TDP value of 28W, which is unusual as most Haswell ULV CPUs have a TDP value of 15W. The CPU runs at 2 GHz and offers no turbo. The CPU supports hyperthreading (two threads processed by each core simultaneously). The Core i3-4158U works a little faster than the Core i3-4030U thanks to its 100 MHz-higher clock speed. In everyday use, this difference is not noticeable. This level of performance suffices for office or internet use, but nothing more. The full power of the processor is always available: the Cinebench CPU benchmarks recorded the processor running at 2 GHz regardless of whether the laptop was plugged in or on battery.

The Aspire V3-371-38ZG performs at the level of the Aspire V3-371-55GS in the 3DMark benchmarks. However, in practical game tests, the test model lags far behind: our test model manages to run a few games at low resolutions and renders low to medium details fluidly. As previously mentioned, the dual-channel mode improves performance significantly. The Aspire delivers 30-40% higher frame rates after the upgrade, which exceeds the Aspire V3-371-55GS. The Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13 and the Asus Zenbook UX301LA also use the Iris 5100 IGP, but offer more performance than our test model (even after the dual-channel upgrade) as both competitors are equipped with stronger processors. The performance scores of our test model in single- and dual-channel mode are included in the comparison table.

If you are looking for a 13.3-inch gaming notebook, then perhaps consider the Asus Zenbook UX303LN instead — the GeForce 840M graphics card ensures that most games run well, and it is priced at 1,000 Euros.

System Noise

While idle, the fan is often still, and the Aspire is silent. If the laptop is processing heavily, the fan turns on. During the stress test, we measured a noise emissions of around 42.7 dB. This is not surprising as the CPU needs a lot of cooling: it has a TDP value of 28W.

While idle, the Aspire’s battery lasts 17:33 hrs. Its competition runs down faster: the Ideapad U330p lasts only 12:03 hrs, and the Asus Zenbook UX303LN 12:59 hrs. For the idle run time, we used the Battery Eater Readers Test with the brightness at the lowest level, Power Saver mode on, and wireless modules turned off. At load, the battery of the Aspire empties after 0:55 hrs. The Ideapad (1:57 hrs) and the Zenbook (1:57 hrs) last twice as long.  We used the Battery Eater Classic Test to measure the minimum run time. For this test, the brightness is set to maximum, with High Performance mode on, and all wireless modules turned on.

The Acer test model completed the WLAN test  in 7:08 hrs. This places it between the Zenbook (9:40 hrs) and the Ideapad (6:15 hrs). The WLAN test loads websites every 40 seconds with Power Saver mode on and brightness set to 150 cd/m². The video playback test  measured run time when playing a movie -- the short film, Big Buck Bunny (H.264 Coding, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels), run on repeat — with Power Saver mode on, all wireless modules turned off, and brightness set to 150 cd/m². The Aspire lasted 5:37 hrs,  falling short of the Zenbook (7:46 hrs).

All-in-all, the battery life of the Aspire V3-371-38ZG is very good. It is not surprising to see that the test model lags slightly behind the identical Aspire V3-371-55GS as the IGP of our test model requires more power than the 55GS.

The Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG offers enough performance for everyday use. The laptop does not heat up too much, and it works quietly most of the time. A fast solid state disk ensures that the system runs quickly and smoothly. The 2.5 SSD can be swapped out for another storage device of the same format with a larger capacity. As expected of a subnotebook, our test model offers very long battery life and a decent keyboard. The matte FHD panel is decent, but in the  brightness and contrast could be better.

The graphics performance of the Aspire is disappointing, as the Iris 5100 IGP is not optimally used. We recommend the purchase of an appropriate RAM module which will allow the user to significantly boost performance via the provision of dual-channel mode.

The Lenovo Ideapad U330p  scores a lot of extra points thanks to its aluminium case and its 580 Euros price with a  Core i5-4200U CPU. The Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H  also boasts an aluminium case, is capable of running games, and has good battery life. At 1,000 Euros, however, it is far more expensive than its competition. Even the entry-level Asus Zenbook UX303LA-R5094H costs 100 Euros more than our test model from Acer.