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Acer Aspire V3-574G Notebook Review

Tight is not always right. Acer's new all-rounder catches the attention with its good connectivity, fast SSD, and an IPS screen. The battery life, however, is only average because Acer has slimmed down the battery significantly compared with that of the preceding laptop.

For the original German review, see here.

With the Aspire V3-574G Acer has a 15.6-inch mid-range all-rounder in its lineup. As the naming policy suggests, it is the descendant of the Aspire V3-572PG that we have previously tested. The CPU and GPU installed in the V3-574G are the successors of those in the V3-572PG. The laptops do not share much in common. Our report reveals whether the new device is compelling.

Rivals of the Aspire include laptops like HP's Envy 15Toshiba's Satellite S50-B, and Lenovo's Z50-75.

Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA (Aspire V3 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-5200U 2 x 2.2 - 2.7 GHz, Broadwell
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce 940M - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1176 MHz, RAM: 960 MHz, DDR3, 64 bit interface, ForceWare 353.30 (10.18.13.5330), Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3, dual-channel, two memory banks (both filled)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, LG Philips LP156WF4-SPL1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Broadwell-U PCH-LP (Premium)
Storage
Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD, 256 GB 
, 200 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Broadwell PCH-LP High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD, Sensors: brightness sensor
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Qualcomm QCA6174 (a/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
SlimtypeDVD A DA8A6SH
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23.9 x 381.6 x 259 ( = 0.94 x 15.02 x 10.2 in)
Battery
37 Wh Lithium-Ion, 14.8 V, 2500 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Cyberlink PhotoDirector 5, Cyberlink PowerDirector 12, Cyberlink PowerDVD 12, McAfee LiveSafe-Internet Security (trial), MS Office (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.4 kg ( = 84.66 oz / 5.29 pounds), Power Supply: 338 g ( = 11.92 oz / 0.75 pounds)
Price
899 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Acer has combined metal and plastic materials for its Aspire. The base unit's upper side and the display's back insert are made of metal. The display's black-colored back is also textured. Acer calls it "Patterned Aluminum Cover". The base unit's upper side is brushed aluminum and the color of choice is silver. The rest of the casing is made of black plastic. The Aspire does not have a maintenance hatch. Moreover, the battery has been installed inside the casing, and thus the casing would have to be opened to access the battery or the hardware.

The casing's build is essentially satisfactory. There are no major flaws, but the gaps are not always even. Consequently, the base unit's upper side is not inserted completely flush. A little more care would have been appropriate here. After all, Acer is asking around 900 Euros (~$975) for the laptop. The stability does not give reason for complaint. The casing can be dented slightly on both sides of the keyboard and below the touchpad - but this behavior is seen in most laptops. Nevertheless, the base unit is sufficiently solid. The lid could be a little rigid, but it does not display image distortions even when pressing against its back. The hinges keep the lid firmly in position. It is possible to open the lid with one hand.

Connectivity

The connectivity of the Aspire is not surprising and  includes all the ports that we find in most laptops. The positioning of the interfaces is not ideal; they are on the same level as the wrist rest. Consequently, there will always be cables beside the wrist rest. Most of interfaces are found on the left, and only a USB 2.0 port is on the right.

Left: Kensington Lock slot, VGA-out, Gigabit-Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, combo audio
Left: Kensington Lock slot, VGA-out, Gigabit-Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, combo audio
Right: USB 2.0, DVD burner, power socket
Right: USB 2.0, DVD burner, power socket
Memory card reader on the front
Memory card reader on the front

Communication

The installed Wi-Fi module is a chip from Qualcomm (QCA6174). In addition to the 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi standards, it supports the high-speed ac standard. The module also features a Bluetooth 4.1 chip. We did not experience any connection issues. The connection between router and laptop was always stable - both in the direct vicinity of the router and two stories below it. A Gigabit Ethernet chip is also available for cabled network connections. It is a model from Realtek's RTL8168/8111 family, which is found in many laptops.

Accessories

Only the usual documents such as a quick start poster and safety information is included with the laptop.

Operating System

Windows 8.1 (64-bit) is preloaded on the Aspire ex-factory. A recovery DVD is not included in the laptop's box.

Maintenance

The Aspire does not have a maintenance hatch. The casing has to be opened for accessing the innards. After removing the optical drive, all screws on the laptop's underside have to be released. These include the three screws that are in the drive bay. The laptop is then turned right way up again, and the base tray can be removed. A putty knife can be used for this. Note: A cable connects the base tray with the motherboard. Therefore, it is essential to remove the base tray carefully. The laptop is equipped with two memory banks, which are both filled with a 4 GB module. The installed 2.5-inch SSD can also be exchanged easily and it would be possible to replace the battery.

Warranty

The Aspire is shipped with a two-year warranty, including pick-up service. The warranty period can be extended. A three-year warranty, for example, costs around 60 to 70 Euros (~$65 to ~$78).

Input Devices

Keyboard

The laptop features a backlit chiclet keyboard. The illumination can only be turned on and off. The flat, lightly roughened keys offer a short drop and clear pressure point. Their resistance is very pleasant, although it could be slightly firmer for our taste. The right side of the keyboard yields imperceptibly, while typing on it. However, this does not affect the typing. Overall, Acer delivers a good keyboard that can even be used for prolonged writing sessions.

Touchpad

The mouse replacement is a multitouch ClickPad with a surface area of approximately 10.6 x 7.8 cm (~4.2 x 3.1 in),  providing enough room for gesture control. The pad's smooth surface does not prevent the fingers from gliding. The pad has a short drop and clear pressure point.

Aspire V3-574G input devices
Aspire V3-574G input devices

Display

The Aspire has been equipped with a matte 15.6-inch screen with a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Both its brightness (246.6 cd/m²) and contrast (571:1) can only be called average. We would have expected more in a price range of 900 Euros (~$975).

265
cd/m²
233
cd/m²
224
cd/m²
259
cd/m²
257
cd/m²
233
cd/m²
245
cd/m²
266
cd/m²
237
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP156WF4-SPL1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 266 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 246.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 148 cd/m²
Contrast: 571:1 (Black: 0.45 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.36 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.93
ΔE Greyscale 7.82 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
59.2% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.21% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.83% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.4
Aspire vs. sRGB
Aspire vs. sRGB
Aspire vs. AdobeRGB
Aspire vs. AdobeRGB

The Aspire's screen cannot reproduce either the sRGB or the AdobeRGB color spaces. The coverage rates are 59.2% (sRGB) and 38% (AdobeRGB). The screen has a DeltaE 2000 deviation of 7.36 in delivery state. A rate less than 3 would be ideal. The screen also exhibits a very light bluish tint.

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

Acer has equipped the Aspire with a viewing angle stable IPS screen. Thus, the screen remains legible from every position. The laptop can be used outdoors. However, excessively bright sunlight should be avoided because the screen's brightness is dimmed noticeably in battery mode.

Viewing angles: Aspire
Viewing angles: Aspire
The Aspire outdoors
The Aspire outdoors
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
IPS, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
TN LED, 1366x768
HP Envy 15-k010ng
TN LED, 1920x1080
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
TN, 1366x768
Gigabyte P15F v2
TN LED, 1920x1080
Asus N551JK-CN166H
IPS, 1920x1080
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
TN LED, 1920x1080
Display
3%
23%
0%
1%
67%
-9%
Display P3 Coverage
39.83
41.2
3%
49.35
24%
39.83
0%
40.12
1%
67.3
69%
36.2
-9%
sRGB Coverage
59.5
61.7
4%
71.8
21%
59.9
1%
60.2
1%
96.7
63%
53.8
-10%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.21
42.61
3%
51.1
24%
41.15
0%
41.48
1%
69.4
68%
37.48
-9%
Screen
-14%
-9%
-14%
-30%
27%
-14%
Brightness middle
257
231
-10%
343
33%
203
-21%
219
-15%
323
26%
202
-21%
Brightness
247
219
-11%
330
34%
208
-16%
206
-17%
312
26%
192
-22%
Brightness Distribution
84
89
6%
84
0%
88
5%
85
1%
83
-1%
78
-7%
Black Level *
0.45
0.49
-9%
0.75
-67%
0.41
9%
0.75
-67%
0.38
16%
0.37
18%
Contrast
571
471
-18%
457
-20%
495
-13%
292
-49%
850
49%
546
-4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.36
10.14
-38%
9.72
-32%
9.93
-35%
10.72
-46%
7.4
-1%
10.23
-39%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.82
10.76
-38%
11.24
-44%
10.84
-39%
11.59
-48%
6.24
20%
10.04
-28%
Gamma
2.4 92%
2.32 95%
2.3 96%
2.24 98%
2.64 83%
2.98 74%
2.2 100%
CCT
6939 94%
12928 50%
11010 59%
11605 56%
14959 43%
8098 80%
10347 63%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
39
3%
46
21%
38
0%
38
0%
69
82%
35
-8%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59.2
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-6% / -10%
7% / -1%
-7% / -10%
-15% / -22%
47% / 38%
-12% / -13%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

The Aspire V3-574G is an all-round laptop in the middle price range. It has enough computing power for routine use and can render computer games. Our review sample is available for around 900 Euros (~$975). We could only find two other versions, which differed in terms of working memory configuration and hard drive model, at the time of testing. Currently, the cheapest model (4 GB of RAM, 500 GB HDD) is sold for approximately 700 Euros (~$758).

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

Processor

Acer relies on ULV processors from the Broadwell generation (TDP: 15 watts) for its Aspire V3-574G series. Our present review sample is equipped with the mid-range Core i5-5200U dual-core processor. The processor clocks at a base speed of 2.2 GHz, which can be boosted to 2.5 GHz (both cores) and 2.7 GHz (one core only) via Turbo. The processor's full performance is available in both AC and battery mode. Our tests were always performed at full speed. Since the Aspire's precursor was equipped with the previous-generation processor (Core i5-4200U), a comparison would make sense. The Core i5-5200U processor achieves roughly 10% better scores than its precursor. This is due to its marginally higher work speeds and the improved Broadwell architecture.

The processor is soldered
The processor is soldered
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5833
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
8699
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4131
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.26 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
39.22 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.78 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
258 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
108 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
52.4 fps
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
258 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
228 Points -12%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
240 Points -7%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
289 Points +12%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
619 Points +140%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
323 Points +25%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
272 Points +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
126 Points -51%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
137 Points -47%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
108 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
96 Points -11%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
101 Points -6%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
120 Points +11%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
137 Points +27%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
130 Points +20%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
119 Points +10%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
40 Points -63%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
54 Points -50%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
2.78 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2.48 Points -11%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
2.53 Points -9%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
6.68 Points +140%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3.5 Points +26%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
2.92 Points +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2.89 Points +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1.97 Points -29%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
1.54 Points -45%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
1.26 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1.13 Points -10%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
1.12 Points -11%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
1.55 Points +23%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
1.46 Points +16%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
1.35 Points +7%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.37 Points +9%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
0.54 Points -57%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
0.61 Points -52%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
8699 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
7614 Points -12%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
9773 Points +12%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
18555 Points +113%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
10668 Points +23%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
9148 Points +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
4165 Points -52%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
5595 Points -36%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
4131 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
3712 Points -10%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
4672 Points +13%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
5125 Points +24%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
4773 Points +16%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
4527 Points +10%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1471 Points -64%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
2177 Points -47%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
2654 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2351 Points -11%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2884 Points +9%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
2992 Points +13%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
2646 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1487 Points -44%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
1778 Points -33%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
5268 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
4533 Points -14%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
5982 Points +14%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
10955 Points +108%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
5301 Points +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
3319 Points -37%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
4147 Points -21%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
119.8 ms *
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
126 ms * -5%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
101.7 ms * +15%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
93.3 ms * +22%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
88.3 ms * +26%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
113.7 ms * +5%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
2609 ms *
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2278 ms * +13%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
2013 ms * +23%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2168 ms * +17%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
2321 ms * +11%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
12452 Points
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
14294 Points +15%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
15924 Points +28%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
15140 Points +22%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
13750 Points +10%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
2335 Points
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2749 Points +18%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
2991 Points +28%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
2698 Points +16%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The Aspire features a strong processor and a fast solid-state drive. Consequently, the system runs smoothly, and Windows boots up quickly. The PCMark benchmark scores are very good. As our comparison chart shows, a considerably stronger quad-core processor does not bring any major advantages over a ULV processor in routine use. A solid-state drive boosts the total performance compared to a conventional hard drive. A quad-core processor could only utilize its higher performance in CPU-driven applications. The Aspire's system performance cannot be increased any further; Acer has pulled out all the stops.

PCMark 7 Score
4857 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3187 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3705 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4070 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
3187 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2674 Points -16%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
3130 Points -2%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
3223 Points +1%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
3097 Points -3%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3113 Points -2%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
3291 Points +3%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2909 Points -9%
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
4857 Points
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
2766 Points -43%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
4131 Points -15%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4023 Points -17%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1835 Points -62%

Storage Device

The Aspire is equipped with a solid-state drive. It is a 2.5-inch model that has a total capacity of 256 GB. The user has roughly 200 GB for personal use. The remaining storage capacity is reserved for the Windows installation and recovery partition. Overall, the transfer rates are good.

It is possible to replace the SSD
It is possible to replace the SSD
Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
Sequential Read: 511 MB/s
Sequential Write: 343.3 MB/s
512K Read: 344.1 MB/s
512K Write: 337 MB/s
4K Read: 29.4 MB/s
4K Write: 69.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 180.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 248.5 MB/s

Graphics Card

Like the former GeForce 840M GPU, the GeForce 940M graphics core installed in the Aspire is based on Nvidia's Maxwell architecture. Both GPUs are often found in all-round laptops from the mid-price range. Since their maximum speeds (1124 MHz vs. 1176 MHz) are very similar, their 3DMark benchmarks results are also quite similar.

In addition to the GeForce GPU, Intel's HD Graphics 5500 graphics core is also inside the laptop. Both GPUs form a graphics switching solution (Optimus). Nvidia's core is responsible for performance-demanding applications, such as computer games. Intel's GPU is enabled in routine use and battery mode. Switching between both cores is automatic and the user does not have to intervene.

4 GB of DDR3 memory support the GPU
4 GB of DDR3 memory support the GPU
3DMark 11 Performance
2450 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
47495 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6160 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1432 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
2450 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2354 Points -4%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
3961 Points +62%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
1922 Points -22%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
4675 Points +91%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
4255 Points +74%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
1905 Points -22%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2373 Points -3%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1857 Points -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
1424 Points -42%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
47495 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
51395 Points +8%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
50365 Points +6%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
45334 Points -5%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
61851 Points +30%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
61456 Points +29%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
30990 Points -35%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
26540 Points -44%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
32569 Points -31%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
6160 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
5530 Points -10%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
9461 Points +54%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
4366 Points -29%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
13808 Points +124%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
9818 Points +59%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
4307 Points -30%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
5934 Points -4%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
2663 Points -57%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
4014 Points -35%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
5360 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
5109 Points -5%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
8665 Points +62%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
10666 Points +99%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
3740 Points -30%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1722 Points -68%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
1432 Points
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1361 Points -5%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2579 Points +80%
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Radeon R7 M260, 4210U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
947 Points -34%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
2908 Points +103%
Asus N551JK-CN166H
GeForce GTX 850M, 4200H, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2675 Points +87%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
946 Points -34%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1312 Points -8%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
518 Points -64%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R7 (Kaveri), FX-7500
793 Points -45%

Gaming Performance

We can confirm the Aspire's gaming suitability. Many games can be rendered smoothly using the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) in medium, and sometimes high, quality settings. The resolution/quality level has to be reduced in smash hits like "The Witcher 3" in order to even achieve playable frame rates. "Batman: Arkham Knight" will never achieve the latter. The screen's native resolution (Full HD) can be used in only a few games.

The trend seen in the 3DMark benchmarks continues in gaming routine. The Aspire achieves only marginally higher frame rates than the comparable GeForce 840M laptops. Therefore, corresponding laptops would come into the equation as cheaper alternatives. However, users who want considerably more gaming power should opt for a laptop with a GeForce GTX 960M graphics core. We would name Acer's Aspire VN7-591G and Lenovo's Y50-70 as examples. Both laptops are sold for a starting price of approximately 1000 Euros (~$1083).

lowmed.highultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 130.7 64.8 35 17.3
Thief (2014) 38.2 24.4 19.8 9.4
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) 46.3 38.6 20.5
Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) 46.4 31.7 14.8 12.9
The Evil Within (2014) 40.9 29.9 18.6
Dirt Rally (2015) 146.1 46.4 23.5 12.5
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 21 18 15 8
Tomb Raider
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
64.8 fps
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
61.6 fps -5%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
112.1 fps +73%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
132.3 fps +104%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
36.2 fps -44%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
58.8 fps -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
39.7 fps -39%
Acer Aspire VN7-591G-727P
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NU
168.3 fps +160%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SC150S37256GD
35 fps
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
GeForce 840M, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
33.1 fps -5%
HP Envy 15-k203ng
GeForce GTX 850M, 5500U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
65 fps +86%
Gigabyte P15F v2
GeForce GTX 850M, 4710MQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
71.9 fps +105%
Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1TD
Radeon R7 M260, 4510U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
21.3 fps -39%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
28.7 fps -18%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
25.5 fps -27%
Acer Aspire VN7-591G-727P
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NU
109.6 fps +213%

Emissions

System Noise

The fan spins permanently at a low speed even in idle mode. It is only audible in quiet environments. The fan speeds up under load. We measured a noise level of 43.4 dB(A) during the stress test - a normal rate in this performance category. The fan does not produce annoying side noises like whistling, whining or humming.

The fan also spins in idle mode
The fan also spins in idle mode

Noise Level

Idle
32.8 / 32.8 / 32.8 dB(A)
DVD
36.3 / dB(A)
Load
42.7 / 43.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U, NVIDIA GeForce 840M
HP Envy 15-k010ng
Intel Core i7-4510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Intel Core i5-4210U, AMD Radeon R7 M260
Gigabyte P15F v2
Intel Core i7-4710MQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Asus N551JK-CN166H
Intel Core i5-4200H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
Intel Core i7-4510U, NVIDIA GeForce 840M
Noise
2%
4%
3%
-10%
-0%
10%
Idle Minimum *
32.8
32.6
1%
29.7
9%
31.7
3%
34
-4%
32.1
2%
30
9%
Idle Average *
32.8
32.6
1%
31
5%
32.5
1%
34.2
-4%
32.9
-0%
30.4
7%
Idle Maximum *
32.8
32.8
-0%
31
5%
33.1
-1%
34.2
-4%
33.7
-3%
31
5%
Load Average *
42.7
38
11%
41.8
2%
37.2
13%
48.3
-13%
42
2%
35
18%
Load Maximum *
43.4
44.1
-2%
43
1%
43.6
-0%
53.9
-24%
44.8
-3%
38.4
12%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

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

The Aspire performed the stress test (Prime95 and FurMark run for at least one hour) in a similar manner in both AC and battery mode. The graphics core clocked at a constant 1163 MHz in AC mode. This speed was also reached in battery mode, but was abruptly throttled to 291 MHz repeatedly. The processor's speed fluctuated from 500 MHz to 2.5 GHz (AC mode) and 2.2 to 2.4 GHz (battery mode). Although the processor was recurrently throttled, the laptop heated up significantly in some places during the stress test. 60 degrees Celsius (~140 degrees Fahrenheit) were exceeded on one measuring point. The laptop remains considerably cooler during normal use. Our stress test is an extreme situation that will not normally occur in everyday use.

Max. Load
 44.2 °C
112 F
49.4 °C
121 F
31.8 °C
89 F
 
 44.5 °C
112 F
50 °C
122 F
30.4 °C
87 F
 
 30.4 °C
87 F
35 °C
95 F
28.6 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 50 °C = 122 F
Average: 38.3 °C = 101 F
29.1 °C
84 F
42.3 °C
108 F
62.7 °C
145 F
29.8 °C
86 F
38.8 °C
102 F
39.2 °C
103 F
27.7 °C
82 F
30.6 °C
87 F
31.7 °C
89 F
Maximum: 62.7 °C = 145 F
Average: 36.9 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  59.3 °C = 139 F | Room Temperature 24.5 °C = 76 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.3 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 31.3 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 50 °C / 122 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 62.7 °C / 145 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35 °C / 95 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-6.2 °C / -11.2 F).
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U, NVIDIA GeForce 840M
HP Envy 15-k010ng
Intel Core i7-4510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Intel Core i5-4210U, AMD Radeon R7 M260
Gigabyte P15F v2
Intel Core i7-4710MQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Asus N551JK-CN166H
Intel Core i5-4200H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
Intel Core i7-4510U, NVIDIA GeForce 840M
Heat
14%
17%
15%
1%
23%
11%
Maximum Upper Side *
50
42.5
15%
44.2
12%
40.3
19%
48.1
4%
39.4
21%
44.9
10%
Maximum Bottom *
62.7
51.3
18%
43
31%
57.1
9%
50.6
19%
37.6
40%
44.5
29%
Idle Upper Side *
34.6
27.4
21%
28.2
18%
26.8
23%
33.7
3%
28.7
17%
31.5
9%
Idle Bottom *
29.5
28.6
3%
27.3
7%
27
8%
36.1
-22%
26.1
12%
31.3
-6%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

The laptop's speakers have been installed on the underside. They produce a rich sound that, as so often, lacks bass. Overall, the sound is satisfactory and it is possible to listen to the speakers even for prolonged periods.

The speakers are on the underside
The speakers are on the underside

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The idle power consumption of Acer's laptop is under 10 watts. We are accustomed to this from ULV processors of the Haswell and Broadwell generation. The power consumption climbed to just under 60 watts during the stress test - a common rate for the installed hardware. This rate was not maintained consistently because the CPU was repeatedly throttled in the stress test. Rates of around 47.5 watts (+/- 5 watts) will be realistic for gaming routine. The power supply has a nominal output of 65 watts.

The power supply has a nominal output of 65 watts
The power supply has a nominal output of 65 watts
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.9 / 7.2 / 8.5 Watt
Load midlight 47.5 / 58.9 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
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 V3-574G-59MA
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U, NVIDIA GeForce 840M
HP Envy 15-k010ng
Intel Core i7-4510U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
Intel Core i5-4210U, AMD Radeon R7 M260
Gigabyte P15F v2
Intel Core i7-4710MQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Asus N551JK-CN166H
Intel Core i5-4200H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
Intel Core i7-4510U, NVIDIA GeForce 840M
Power Consumption
-5%
-27%
4%
-133%
-74%
2%
Idle Minimum *
3.9
5.6
-44%
5.3
-36%
4.5
-15%
13.7
-251%
8.6
-121%
3.6
8%
Idle Average *
7.2
7.5
-4%
9.8
-36%
6.7
7%
16.8
-133%
12
-67%
6.4
11%
Idle Maximum *
8.5
9.5
-12%
9.9
-16%
8.4
1%
17.3
-104%
13
-53%
10
-18%
Load Average *
47.5
37.4
21%
60.4
-27%
40.2
15%
79.5
-67%
72.2
-52%
38.8
18%
Load Maximum *
58.9
51.7
12%
72.1
-22%
52.1
12%
124.3
-111%
104
-77%
64.4
-9%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The Aspire achieved an idle runtime of 11:13 hours. Toshiba's Satellite S50-B rival (8:10 h) is depleted sooner. Idle mode is determined by Battery Eater's Reader's test using minimum screen brightness, enabled energy saving plan, and disabled radio modules. The Aspire shut down after 1:31 hours of load. The Satellite (1:56 h) lasts slightly longer. The load runtime is determined by Battery Eater's Classic test using maximum screen brightness, enabled high-performance profile, and enabled wireless modules.

Acer's laptop stopped our real-world Wi-Fi test after 4:41 hours. Once again, the Satellite (5:06 h) lasts slightly longer. This test simulates opening websites using the "Balanced" profile, and a screen brightness of approximately 150 cd/m². We checked the video playback time by running the short movie "Big Buck Bunny" (H.264 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) in a loop. The wireless modules are off, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The Aspire lasted 4:31 hours. We did not perform this test with the Satellite.

We cannot describe the runtimes in the real-world Wi-Fi and video tests as awe-inspiring. We have seen better times from 15.6-inch all-rounders in this price range. The former Aspire V3-572PG (8:02 h) lasted almost twice as long in the Wi-Fi test. The reason: Acer has reduced the battery capacity of the V3-574G (37 Wh vs. 56 Wh) significantly.

The battery has a capacity of 37 Wh
The battery has a capacity of 37 Wh
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
11h 13min
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
4h 41min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 31min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 31min
Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA
37 Wh
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
56 Wh
HP Envy 15-k010ng
41 Wh
Toshiba Satellite S50-B-12U
44 Wh
Gigabyte P15F v2
49 Wh
Asus N551JK-CN166H
56 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
41 Wh
Battery Runtime
-20%
0%
-2%
-26%
4%
Reader / Idle
673
507
-25%
490
-27%
436
-35%
672
0%
H.264
271
WiFi v1.3
281
275
-2%
Load
91
77
-15%
116
27%
76
-16%
97
7%
WiFi
482
249
306
271
281

Pros

+ Matte IPS screen
+ Decent application performance
+ Gaming suitable
+ Swift SSD
+ Good input devices

Cons

- No maintenance cover
- Middling battery life
- Reduced screen brightness in battery mode

Verdict

In Review: Acer Aspire V15 V3-574G-59MA. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de
In Review: Acer Aspire V15 V3-574G-59MA. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de

Acer's Aspire V3-574G has more than enough computing power for routine use, and renders computer games smoothly. The installed solid-state drive ensures a fast-running system. The laptop does not produce much noise during normal use and barely heats up. Good input devices supplement this. The matte Full HD IPS screen is compelling, but should have more to offer in terms of brightness and contrast. The laptop's battery life can at most be called average. The laptop also has to be criticized for its lack of a maintenance hatch.

Buyers who can live with the listed shortcomings will find a solid all-rounder in the Aspire V3-574G.

Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA - 07/13/2015 v4 (old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
77 / 98 → 79%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
66 / 81 → 81%
Weight
60 / 20-67 → 85%
Battery
85%
Display
83%
Games Performance
82 / 85 → 96%
Application Performance
80 / 92 → 87%
Temperature
81%
Noise
80 / 95 → 84%
Audio
60%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
74%
80%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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Sascha Mölck, 2015-07-18 (Update: 2015-07-19)