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Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 laptop review: Kaby Lake G lightweight struggles with cost cutting

White featherweight. Acer leaves known paths with its ConceptD 5 CN515-51 to differentiate itself from the competition, with especially lightweight materials, Kaby Lake G with an integrated AMD GPU and a 4K UHD screen that covers a wider color gamut. At the same time, the Acer ConceptD CN515-51 is also cheaper than other multimedia laptops with a 15.6 inch screen. Unfortunately, the necessary cost cuts are showing up quite fast in this comprehensive review.

Acer once managed to become the second biggest PC manufacturer with a budget-laptop-strategy. This is already 10 years ago now. From the peak with 13.9% market share in 2010, it has been a steady decline. In 2019, roughly 6% of all PC sold had the Acer logo on them. The strategy "quantity over quality" has been binned a long time ago. Instead, Acer tries to tackle the profitable mobile workstation and multimedia market with its new brand "ConceptD".

The Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51, which we review today, definitely falls more into the multimedia and not in the workstation category. It contains no dedicated GPU. Instead, Acer bets on the Intel Core i7-8705G, which includes the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL. In addition to this main processing pair, the ConceptD contains 16 GB RAM, a 512 GB SSD and a 15.6 inch 4K UHD screen. This configuration of the Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 costs €1,600 (~$1729). 

As the competitors for our comparison, we use the recent Dell XPS 15 7590, the Apple Macbook Pro 16 as well as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2. These three 15.6 inch laptops are among the top devices of this class and can be seen as a benchmark.

Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7 (ConceptD 5 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8705G 4 x 3.1 - 4.1 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 - 4096 (shared) MB VRAM, Core: 1011 MHz, Memory: 700 MHz, Crimson 18.50.06
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666, soldered
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, B156ZAN03.1, LTPS IPS LED, glossy: no
Storage
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, 512 GB 
, M.2 2280, PCIe NVMe, 423 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Skylake PCH-H High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD card reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17 x 360 x 242 ( = 0.67 x 14.17 x 9.53 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: 6 row Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Acer Care Center, Acer Collection 5, Acer Jumpstart, App Explorer, Acer ConceptID Palette, Acer Quick Access, eBay, Norton Security Ultra, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.479 kg ( = 52.17 oz / 3.26 pounds), Power Supply: 432 g ( = 15.24 oz / 0.95 pounds)
Price
1599 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
82.7 %
02/2020
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
i7-8705G, Vega M GL / 870
1.5 kg17 mm15.60"3840x2160
87.8 %
08/2019
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2 kg17 mm15.60"3840x2160
89.7 %
12/2019
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M
2 kg16.2 mm16.00"3072x1920
87.1 %
02/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
1.7 kg18.7 mm15.60"3840x2160

Lightweight chassis: Acer laptop prioritizes low weight

Acer ConceptD CN515-51
Acer ConceptD CN515-51

The Acer ConceptD CN515-51 looks different from many other recent multimedia laptops. The color alone is unusual, as the Acer laptop is completely white. That certainly sets it apart from the bulk of silver-gray and black laptops. If this coloring is good or bad depends entirely on taste.

Acer also goes its own way when it comes to the construction of the Acer ConceptD notebook. Aluminum is nowhere to be found. Instead, the Acer laptop is partly made out of plastic, partly out of Magnesium (a mix of Magnesium-Aluminum as well as Magnesium-Lithium). The plastic has a smooth surface and it is being used on the display-cover, display-bezels and the bottom cover. The palmrest is made out of white-painted Magnesium, which feels a lot like plastic.

In terms of quality, this solution is only partly good. Workmanship is good, but the stability of the display lid is not great. It is easy to twist it and pressure on the back of the display lid is directly visible on the LCD panel. For a laptop of this class and price, this is not appropriate. At least the Magnesium palmrest is completely stable.

The hinges are smooth-running and allow users to open the lid with one hand. They also permit an opening angle of 180 degrees. Unfortunately, the hinges are not stiff enough to prevent the screen from wobbling in situations like train-rides.

The lightweight construction pays off when it comes to weight, as the Acer ConceptD laptop is clearly lighter than the competitors. Only the more expensive ThinkPad X1 Extreme, which partly uses Carbon-Fiber as a material, is close in terms of weight. But even in this case, there is still a 200 g (~7 oz) difference. In terms of size, the Acer Notebook has no advantage. The Dell XPS 15 7590 is the benchmark in this category.

Size & weight comparison

361.8 mm / 14.2 inch 245.7 mm / 9.67 inch 18.7 mm / 0.736 inch 1.7 kg3.77 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.5 kg3.26 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 16.2 mm / 0.638 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity: Thunderbolt 3 is missing from the Acer ConceptD

Different from the Apple Macbook Pro 16, Acer still offers plenty of legacy ports like USB type A and HDMI with the ConceptD CN515-51. Also, there is a dedicated, proprietary charging port. Disappointing is the USB C port: It can be used to charge the Acer laptop, but it does not support Thunderbolt 3. This feature should not be missing from such an expensive multimedia laptop.

left: charging port, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0 type A, USB 3.1 Gen 1 type C, combo audio port
left: charging port, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0 type A, USB 3.1 Gen 1 type C, combo audio port
right: SD card-reader, USB 3.0 type A, Kensington lock port
right: SD card-reader, USB 3.0 type A, Kensington lock port

SD card-reader

The SD card-reader is exposed as an extremely slow model in our benchmarks with the Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference-card. Such a slow card-reader is only suitable for an extremely cheap laptop. With the target market of this laptop in mind, this cost-cutting measure is clearly misguided. For photographers, the card reader is much too slow; the models used in the ThinkPad X1 Extreme and XPS 15 are more than twice as fast.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
172.4 MB/s +694%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
164 MB/s +656%
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=63, last 2 years)
91.6 MB/s +322%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
21.7 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
198.6 MB/s +673%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
192.1 MB/s +647%
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=59, last 2 years)
120.2 MB/s +368%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25.7 MB/s

Communication

The chosen Wi-Fi card is surprising, as Acer still uses the year old Intel Wireless-AC 7265. Accordingly, users have to do without Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi AX. The performance of this old 2x2 module is not up to par anymore. Especially receiving data was slow. Also, the Wi-Fi card only supports Bluetooth 4.2.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1431 (566min - 1523max) MBit/s +174%
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s +51%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
644 MBit/s +23%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Broadcom 802.11ac
581 (533min - 616max) MBit/s +11%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Intel Wireless-AC 7265
523 (471min - 572max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1431 (1279min - 1644max) MBit/s +269%
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s +190%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Broadcom 802.11ac
817 (806min - 821max) MBit/s +111%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
674 MBit/s +74%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Intel Wireless-AC 7265
388 (364min - 411max) MBit/s
08517025534042551059568076585093510201105119012751360144515301615Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7 Intel Wireless-AC 7265; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø387 (364-411)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M Broadcom 802.11ac; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø816 (806-821)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1431 (1279-1644)
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7 Intel Wireless-AC 7265; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø524 (471-572)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M Broadcom 802.11ac; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø582 (533-616)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1411 (566-1523)

Accessories

Apart from the 90 W charger, there are no other accessories in the box.

Maintenance

Eleven Torx screws have to be removed and many clips have to be opened before the base-cover of the Acer ConceptD laptop can be removed. Under the cover, there is a lot to do: The battery is replaceable and the cooling system is cleanable. Upgrading the RAM is not possible, however, as it is soldered on. At least, the SSD can be upgraded. There is also another free M.2 2280 slot, allowing for easy and cheaper upgrades. The Wi-Fi module is not soldered either. It should be possible to put in a Wi-Fi AX module later.

view of the innards of the Acer ConceptD CN515-51
view of the innards of the Acer ConceptD CN515-51

Warranty

The Acer ConceptD comes with a two-year bring-in-warranty. In the case of damage, it is necessary to send in the laptop.

Acer notebook with passable input devices

Keyboard

Just like the rest of the Acer ConceptD CN515-51, the Chiclet keys are completely white with black lettering. They have an orange backlight, another unusual coloring choice.

In terms of quality, the keyboard is good enough for productive usage. The keys have enough travel and resistance, though its pressure-point is rather too soft. In no part of the chassis does the keyboard have any flex to it. The layout of the keys is OK too, thought the vertical arrow keys are somewhat too small. There is no numlock.

keyboard area Acer ConceptD CN515-51
keyboard area Acer ConceptD CN515-51

Touchpad

The touchpad measures 10.6 x 7.8 cm (~4.2 x 3.1 in). It has a smooth surface, which offers an ideal amount of slipperiness. Thanks to the Windows Precision drivers, the software support of the touchpad is nearly perfect. Only scrolling is sometimes a bit jittery, as it is sometimes miss-recognized as zooming.

Since there are no dedicated keys, the touchpad is depressable in the lower area. The integrated mechanism of the clickpad offers a crisp pressure-point, though this also results in comparably loud clicks.

4K UHD display: Strong color gamut meets worse than promised brightness

No doubt, the 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IPS screen of the Acer ConceptD CN515-51 is meant to be the heart of the laptop. The 15.6 inch screen has a matte surface and is supposed to reach a brightness value of 400 cd/m².

Unfortunately, our measurements tell us otherwise. The screen misses the mark quite clearly with just 328 cd/m². The panels of the competitors all manage more than 400 cd/m².

Another weakness of this LCD screen: Backlight bleeding. This phenomenon is especially irritating in darker software environments. Apart from that, the slow response times are also noteworthy in a negative way.

subpixel array Acer ConceptD CN515-51
subpixel array Acer ConceptD CN515-51
backlight bleeding of the Acer ConceptD CN515-51 (shown enhanced here)
backlight bleeding of the Acer ConceptD CN515-51 (shown enhanced here)
302
cd/m²
338
cd/m²
325
cd/m²
322
cd/m²
350
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
307
cd/m²
332
cd/m²
337
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B156ZAN03.1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 350 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 328.7 cd/m² Minimum: 17.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 347 cd/m²
Contrast: 1321:1 (Black: 0.265 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.08 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.38
ΔE Greyscale 3.62 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
88% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
99.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.27
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
B156ZAN03.1, LTPS IPS LED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Samsung 156WR04, SDCA029, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
APPA044, IPS, 3072x1920, 16.00
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NE156QUM-N66, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Display
-2%
-3%
Display P3 Coverage
86.1
88.1
2%
82
-5%
sRGB Coverage
100
99.6
0%
99.1
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
99.2
91.8
-7%
96.9
-2%
Response Times
95%
15%
25%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
63 ?(32, 31)
2.3 ?(1.1, 1.2)
96%
52.4 ?(23.9, 28.5)
17%
46.4 ?(22, 24.4)
26%
Response Time Black / White *
40 ?(24, 16)
2.4 ?(1.1, 1.3)
94%
34.9 ?(17.8, 17.1)
13%
30.4 ?(17.2, 13.2)
24%
PWM Frequency
59.5 ?(100)
131700
Screen
5%
28%
2%
Brightness middle
350
421.2
20%
519
48%
464
33%
Brightness
329
417
27%
477
45%
448
36%
Brightness Distribution
86
94
9%
86
0%
90
5%
Black Level *
0.265
0.39
-47%
0.36
-36%
Contrast
1321
1331
1%
1289
-2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.08
6.06
-19%
2.28
55%
4.2
17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.25
11.89
-16%
6.54
36%
11.4
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.38
0.86
80%
0.8
82%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.62
2.8
23%
0.9
75%
7.2
-99%
Gamma
2.27 97%
2.15 102%
2145 0%
2.17 101%
CCT
6389 102%
6235 104%
6572 99%
6345 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
88
81
-8%
78
-11%
85.2
-3%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
99.6
0%
99
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
33% / 17%
22% / 26%
8% / 4%

* ... smaller is better

colors
colors
saturation
saturation
gray-scale
gray-scale
colors (calibrated)
colors (calibrated)
saturation (calibrated)
saturation (calibrated)
gray-scale (calibrated)
gray-scale (calibrated)

Even ex-factory, there are little to no deviations in terms of color accuracy. The contrast of 1321:1, which is due to the low black-value of just 0.265 cd/m², is commendable. The quality in terms of the colors is excellent, which might be connected with the color gamut as well. The sRGB gamut is completely covered and AdobeRGB almost completely (88%). This wide gamut panel is definitely suitable for color-critical work.

sRGB: 100 %
sRGB: 100 %
AdobeRGB: 88 %
AdobeRGB: 88 %
Outdoor (cloudy)
Outdoor (cloudy)

Using the Acer ConceptD CN515-51 is definitely possible, thanks to the matte surface of the screen and the acceptable brightness. This is not true if the sunlight shines directly onto the screen, however.

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
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24 ms rise
↘ 16 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. » 97 % 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
63 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 32 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 97 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

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 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

We can not complain about the viewing-angle-stability of this IPS panel.

viewing angle picture Acer ConceptD CN515-51
viewing angle picture Acer ConceptD CN515-51

Performance: Acer laptops not really on a workstation-level

Acer makes buying the ConceptD 5 CN515-51 easy for German customers, as there is only a single configuration available. It contains the Intel Core i7-8705G, the AMD Radeon Vega M GL as well as a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB DDR4-2400 RAM. The RAM is soldered and not upgradable, which is a huge drawback for an expensive multimedia laptop.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z Memory
HWiNFO
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
LatencyMon
LatencyMon
 

Processor

The Intel Core i7-8705G is a quad-core processor with a TDP of 65 W based on the Kaby Lake G series. The four cores have a base-clock of 3.1 GHz and a Turbo clock of 4.1 GHz. Comparisons with other processors are possible through our CPU comparison list.

The CPU on its own consumes a maximum of 42 W in the Cinebench multicore test. After a while, the consumption stabilizes at 32 W in the Cinebench loop. There is no throttling beneath the base clock. Still, the Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 can not compete with the other multimedia laptops. The six-core CPU of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 is roughly 21% faster. The eight-core chips of the Dell XPS 15 7590 and the Apple Macbook Pro 16 are 61 to 77% faster.

While using the device on battery, only half of the CPU performance is available.

0851702553404255105956807658509351020110511901275136014451530Tooltip
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7 Intel Core i7-8705G, Intel Core i7-8705G: Ø767 (760-794)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650 Intel Core i9-9980HK, Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1314 (1090.6-1600.38)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M Intel Core i9-9880H, Intel Core i9-9880H; macOS 10.15.1: Ø1407 (1386-1435)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M Intel Core i9-9880H, Intel Core i9-9880H; Win 10: Ø1296 (1268.87-1362.31)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø982 (967.16-1074.4)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=98, last 2 years)
248 Points +41%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
201 Points +14%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H
191 Points +9%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
184 Points +5%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
184 Points +5%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Intel Core i7-8705G
176 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8705G
  (165 - 176, n=3)
171.7 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=105, last 2 years)
2270 Points +180%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1600 (1090.6min, 1367.66P1 - 1369.3max) Points +98%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
1435 (1401min - 1435max) Points +77%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
1362 (1268.87min - 1362.31max) Points +68%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H
1074 (967.16min - 1074.4max) Points +33%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Intel Core i7-8705G
810 (760min - 810max) Points
Average Intel Core i7-8705G
  (733 - 810, n=3)
763 Points -6%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
98.6 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
810 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
176 Points
Help

System performance

There is nothing to complain about when it comes to the system performance, even though the Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 does trail behind the competition in the PCMark benchmarks.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=84, last 2 years)
6527 Points +42%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
5500 Points +20%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5469 Points +19%
Average Intel Core i7-8705G, AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (4583 - 5001, n=3)
4847 Points +6%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4583 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4535 Points -1%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=84, last 2 years)
10421 Points +31%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9701 Points +22%
Average Intel Core i7-8705G, AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (7936 - 9360, n=3)
8527 Points +7%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
7936 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7548 Points -5%
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=84, last 2 years)
8658 Points +27%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7494 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i7-8705G, AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (6786 - 7265, n=3)
6955 Points +2%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
6815 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6489 Points -5%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=84, last 2 years)
8494 Points +76%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6110 Points +26%
Average Intel Core i7-8705G, AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (4833 - 5493, n=3)
5224 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5171 Points +7%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4833 Points
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5583, n=10, last 2 years)
5126 Points +44%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
4900 Points +38%
Average Intel Core i7-8705G, AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (3551 - 4235, n=3)
3911 Points +10%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3799 Points +7%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
3551 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3417 Points -4%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=10, last 2 years)
5081 Points +17%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
4812 Points +10%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4762 Points +9%
Average Intel Core i7-8705G, AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (4329 - 4469, n=3)
4386 Points +1%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4359 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4241 Points -3%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3551 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4031 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4359 points
PCMark 10 Score
4583 points
Help

Mass storage

The single M.2 2280 SSD has a capacity of 512 GB and was made by Western Digital. Its performance in our benchmarks is good. This fast PCIe NVMe SSD only has to bow down before the even faster Samsung PM981.

Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Apple SSD AP1024 7171
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Average WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
1%
-7%
11%
-8%
Write 4K
120.6
104.3
-14%
55.5
-54%
148.1
23%
110 ?(37.4 - 194.3, n=9)
-9%
Read 4K
41.43
45.23
9%
16.21
-61%
47.31
14%
36.9 ?(25.2 - 51.2, n=9)
-11%
Write Seq
2402
1729
-28%
1959
-18%
1414
-41%
1976 ?(1010 - 2540, n=9)
-18%
Read Seq
1997
1861
-7%
1763
-12%
1320
-34%
1710 ?(1051 - 2512, n=9)
-14%
Write 4K Q32T1
335.2
509
52%
398.5
19%
493.6
47%
339 ?(119.1 - 536, n=9)
1%
Read 4K Q32T1
381.7
388.5
2%
648
70%
594
56%
417 ?(242 - 603, n=9)
9%
Write Seq Q32T1
2553
2813
10%
2727
7%
2970
16%
2218 ?(1078 - 2553, n=9)
-13%
Read Seq Q32T1
3356
2906
-13%
3242
-3%
3472
3%
2940 ?(1421 - 3489, n=9)
-12%
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Sequential Read: 2464 MB/s
Sequential Write: 2488 MB/s
512K Read: 2060 MB/s
512K Write: 1406 MB/s
4K Read: 44.06 MB/s
4K Write: 174.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 536 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 454.5 MB/s

GPU

The integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL serves as the main GPU. That a GPU of an Intel processor is made by AMD is still something relatively rare. It is what makes Kaby Lake G special. The GPU has 1,280 shader-units with a maximum clock-rate of 1011 MHz. Compared with integrated Intel GPUs, the AMD Vega chip is a lot faster, but it still lags behind dedicated Nvidia GPUs. The difference is not huge though. 

Just like with the processor, there is a performance limitation for the GPU as well. Instead of roughly 10,000 points, the Acer laptop only scores 5253 points in the 3DMark 11. 

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=88, last 2 years)
18158 Points +85%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
14725 Points +50%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
12388 Points +26%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
10885 Points +11%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (9632 - 10118, n=5)
9910 Points +1%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, Intel Core i7-8705G
9825 Points
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
65776 Points +69%
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=62, last 2 years)
57252 Points +48%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
45246 Points +17%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (37915 - 44796, n=5)
40459 Points +4%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, Intel Core i7-8705G
38812 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=89, last 2 years)
13382 Points +86%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
10399 Points +45%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
8532 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
7741 Points +8%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (7059 - 7355, n=5)
7254 Points +1%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, Intel Core i7-8705G
7181 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (622 - 17620, n=89, last 2 years)
5057 Points +149%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
3364 Points +66%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
3353 Points +65%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
2909 Points +43%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
  (2031 - 2108, n=3)
2070 Points +2%
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, Intel Core i7-8705G
2031 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
9104 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15911 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
5879 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
2121 points
Help

Gaming performance

Gaming is definitely possible with the Radeon RX Vega M GL. Even recent games are playable on medium to high settings in FHD (1,920 x 1,080). Gaming in 4K UHD however is not possible, despite the internal screen. For that, a lot more GPU power would be necessary.

low med. high ultra4K
BioShock Infinite (2013) 216.3 165.3 148 59.8
The Witcher 3 (2015) 116.6 75.9 41.3 24.3 14.4
F1 2019 (2019) 105 65 56 38 16

Emissions

Noise

The Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 contains two fans. They are completely disabled while the device is idling. Under load, they do run at a moderate loudness of 32.6 dB(A), though they also reach a loud 40.2 dB(A) at their peak. That is not a huge problem, since this only happens under peak load. More annoying is the constant coil whine, which is clearly audible.

Noise Level

Idle
30.3 / 30.3 / 30.3 dB(A)
Load
32.6 / 40.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.3 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.135.23334.335.12536.233.933.534.136.23137.537.837.63637.54030.731.332.233.830.75030.43230.432.230.46333.12929.33133.18031.429.428.628.231.410028.829.328.629.328.812530.328.828.929.330.316026.424.924.224.326.420026.524.122.822.426.525028.723.82222.428.731529.923.921.321.229.940028.422.42020.428.450028.222.219.519.528.263026.120.918.918.726.180027.320.618.918.327.3100032.723.118.217.732.7125030.722.117.817.730.7160030.220.317.617.130.2200030.420.317.717.430.425002920.517.617.429315027.41917.717.627.4400024.419.21817.724.450002318.718.11823630021.319.218.11821.3800020.918.718.218.320.91000020.318.718.118.120.31250018.918.618.118.218.91600018.918.618.118.218.9SPL40.232.630.530.440.2N3.41.81.41.43.4median 27.4median 20.6median 18.2median 18.2median 27.4Delta3.92.322.33.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7

Temperatures

stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)
stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)

The heat concentrates on the left side of the Acer laptop. At most, we measure 45.4 degrees Celsius (113.72 degrees Fahrenheit), which is completely OK for a comparably powerful and thin laptop.

In the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark, the CPU clock-rate is reduced to 800 - 1,000 Mhz, which means the CPU only consumes 8 W. At the same time, the GPU does not have to reduce its clock-rates in any way. The CPU temperatures rise to a maximum of 74 degrees Celsius (165.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the stress test. The TDP throttling should not affect everyday usage. In the 3DMark test, which we performed directly after the stress test, we managed to achieve a normal result.

Max. Load
 44.6 °C
112 F
44.6 °C
112 F
34.8 °C
95 F
 
 42.3 °C
108 F
42.8 °C
109 F
27.9 °C
82 F
 
 29.7 °C
85 F
27 °C
81 F
25.2 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 44.6 °C = 112 F
Average: 35.4 °C = 96 F
34 °C
93 F
45.4 °C
114 F
43.4 °C
110 F
24.1 °C
75 F
39 °C
102 F
38.6 °C
101 F
24.6 °C
76 F
27.7 °C
82 F
29.4 °C
85 F
Maximum: 45.4 °C = 114 F
Average: 34 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  47.5 °C = 118 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | FIRT 550-Pocket sie / Fluke t300 FC
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.4 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.6 °C / 112 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 45.4 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.4 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.7 °C / 85.5 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-0.9 °C / -1.7 F).
Oberseite (Idle)
Oberseite (Idle)
Unterseite (Idle)
Unterseite (Idle)
Oberseite (Last)
Oberseite (Last)
Unterseite (Last)
Unterseite (Last)

Speakers

The speakers deliver a mediocre performance. They are not loud enough, especially compared with the Dell XPS 15 7590. Instead, the combo audio port should be used. It puts out good quality sound.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.634.333.62532.334.132.33137.23637.24032.733.832.75031.332.231.36330.43130.48029.728.229.710029.129.329.112531.629.331.616033.624.333.620032.722.432.72504422.44431550.721.250.740055.520.455.550051.519.551.563057.218.757.280066.318.366.3100066.717.766.7125063.617.763.6160062.917.162.9200067.117.467.1250060.417.460.4315065.117.665.1400060.817.760.8500064.21864.2630065.61865.6800063.118.363.11000058.218.158.21250051.218.251.21600046.318.246.3SPL75.830.475.8N361.436median 58.2median 18.2median 58.2Delta102.31043.54338.839.440.338.137.337.736.538.136.638.536.334.835.335.634.443.134.249.432.846.432.359.531.568.63169.930.268.329.97529.879.229.575.429.173.929.279.528.775.428.477.428.477.928.377.928.370.92876.12874.62875.727.975.327.778.141.188.54.279.6median 29.2median 75.317.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 91% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 78% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 46% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy management: Acer notebook with a small battery

Power management

Wasting energy. These two words describe the power management of the Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 very well. The minimum (!) power consumption of 12 W is extremely high.

For the maximum consumption of 87 W, the 90 W charger is more than enough.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.28 / 0.45 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 12 / 17.8 / 19.7 Watt
Load midlight 59 / 87 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 ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
i7-8705G, Vega M GL / 870, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, LTPS IPS LED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M, Apple SSD AP1024 7171, IPS, 3072x1920, 16.00
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
Power Consumption
-9%
8%
-11%
2%
7%
Idle Minimum *
12
6.2
48%
3.7
69%
8.5
29%
9.97 ?(6.2 - 12, n=3)
17%
7.2 ?(2.2 - 34.6, n=95, last 2 years)
40%
Idle Average *
17.8
9.6
46%
12.1
32%
14.7
17%
15.8 ?(12.9 - 17.8, n=3)
11%
11.6 ?(4.6 - 43, n=95, last 2 years)
35%
Idle Maximum *
19.7
21.2
-8%
17
14%
19.4
2%
17.4 ?(13.6 - 19.7, n=3)
12%
14.4 ?(5.6 - 44.9, n=95, last 2 years)
27%
Load Average *
59
104.3
-77%
91.5
-55%
89.6
-52%
72.5 ?(59 - 82.3, n=3)
-23%
76.5 ?(14.3 - 147, n=94, last 2 years)
-30%
Load Maximum *
87
135.3
-56%
102.3
-18%
129.8
-49%
93.8 ?(87 - 99.4, n=3)
-8%
118.1 ?(44 - 247, n=94, last 2 years)
-36%
Witcher 3 ultra *
91.7
103
96.1

* ... smaller is better

Battery life

charging time: 115 minutes
charging time: 115 minutes

By a mile, the battery of the Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 is the smallest in the comparison of the 15.6 inch multimedia laptops. Only 48 Wh are available. That is a minuscule amount, especially for a laptop for a 4K UHD screen. The result of this small capacity: A weak battery life of just 4.5 hours. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 performs almost as bad, despite its bigger battery, but the competitors from Dell and Apple have a much better endurance.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 42min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
4h 35min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge)
3h 20min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 56min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 25min
Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7
i7-8705G, Vega M GL / 870, 48 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 97 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M, 99.8 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 80 Wh
Average of class Multimedia
 
Battery Runtime
100%
56%
-14%
72%
Reader / Idle
462
910
97%
933 ?(506 - 1571, n=25, last 2 years)
102%
H.264
416
580
39%
284
-32%
690 ?(319 - 1481, n=50, last 2 years)
66%
WiFi v1.3
275
467
70%
718
161%
285
4%
561 ?(262 - 1204, n=93, last 2 years)
104%
Load
85
199
134%
58
-32%
72
-15%
97.5 ?(39 - 215, n=75, last 2 years)
15%
Witcher 3 ultra
54
81.8 ?(57 - 104, n=5, last 2 years)

Pros

+ low weight for a 15.6 inch laptop
+ matte 4K UHD screen with high color gamut
+ second SSD easily upgradable
+ cheaper than competition

Cons

- weak screen lid
- no Thunderbolt 3
- extremely slow SD card reader
- soldered RAM
- screen: does not deliver promised brightness & has backlight bleeding
- worse than average speakers
- bad battery life
- performance limitation on battery

Verdict

in review: Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51, review sample supplied by
in review: Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51, review sample supplied by

Acer has created an unusual multimedia laptop with the ConceptD 5 CN515-51.

It looks different from other models of this class and has a strong focus on a low weight, thanks to its chassis materials. That is a good thing, but the weak screen lid seems to be a negative side effect of this focus on a low weight. As for the ports, Acer did not include Thunderbolt 3. Also, an extremely slow SD card-reader is used, which is completely misplaced in a multimedia laptop that expensive. The same is true for the outdated Wi-Fi module, which doesn't even support the newest Bluetooth standard. Both commendable and objectionable is the upgradability: While the RAM is completely soldered, the mass storage capacity can be upgraded quite easily, thanks to the free M.2 2280 slot.

The screen of the Acer notebook has a great color gamut coverage, its lower than promised brightness and relatively strong backlight bleeding do disappoint us though. In terms of performance, the ConceptD delivers roughly what we were expecting of Kaby Lake G. A good performance for a multimedia laptop, but many other laptops with newer Intel CPUs and dedicated Nvidia GPUs do deliver better performance. Unfortunately, this does not result in better battery life in return. Instead, the battery ruins the equation, since it is too small. Also, we have to negatively weigh in the coil whine, the performance limitation when the device runs on battery power and the worse than average speakers (for a multimedia laptop).

Not without compromises: Acer unfortunately decided to cut costs at crucial components. It can not compete with the more expensive competitors.

For us, it is unclear to whom Acer wants to market the ConceptD 5 CN515-51. The most prominent positive feature is the low weight and then the colorful screen. With these two strengths, it seems to be destined to be a photographers dream. This group however will probably be extremely annoyed by the slow SD card reader. Also, the low battery life is a problem on the go. The ConceptD can be used to play games, but it is not really made for that either.

Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51-73Z7 - 02/17/2020 v7
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
80 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
53 / 80 → 67%
Weight
69 / 20-72 → 95%
Battery
65 / 95 → 69%
Display
87%
Games Performance
76 / 90 → 85%
Application Performance
86 / 90 → 95%
Temperature
91%
Noise
90 / 95 → 95%
Audio
48%
Camera
28 / 85 → 33%
Average
73%
83%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer ConceptD 5 CN515-51 laptop review: Kaby Lake G lightweight struggles with cost cutting
Benjamin Herzig, 2020-02-19 (Update: 2020-02-19)