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MagyarAcer Liquid E3 E380 Smartphone Review
For the original German review, see here.
Acer continues its E-series with the Liquid E3. We have already tested the previous models E1 and E2. Could the disadvantages of the predecessors be removed and did the Taiwanese refine the product? The manufacturer already described the E1 and E2 as middle class cell phones with the Android operating system. Special features are the two SIM card slots, which are still rather rare among Android smartphones.
Next to the standard variant of only 1 GB RAM and 4 GB ROM, the tested Plus Version has twice the RAM (2 GB) as well as four times the ROM (16 GB). The test device is compared to the LG G Pro Lite Dual D686, which also has a Dual-SIM function, and the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, which is in the same price range.
Case
http://www.notebookcheck.com/Wie-wir-testen.1948.0.html#c45059
The front of the E3 is for all variants black. The rather simple look, which is typical for Acer, is improved through long, narrow indentations, which offer space for the red speakers. The back is offered in both black and titanium-gray.
For the casing, the manufacturer relies on a simple polymer surface. That choice does not contribute to a high quality appearance, on the other hand the device is well manufactured and with a weight of 135g (~0.3 pounds) acceptably light. No weak points could be identified for the casing and overall, the device lies comfortably in the hand. The smartphone has a depth of only 9 mm (~0.35 inches), but it is a closed design, which does not offer the possibility to disassemble the device and thus to change the battery.
An additional feature is the Acer Rapid Button in the middle of the back. Apps that can be activated by holding that button can be configured via the settings. In addition, the switch serves as a shutter release.
Connectivity
The tested device has a lower clocked quad-core processor, namely the Mediatek MT6589. It is clocked at 1.2 GHz. The device is also equipped with a PowerVR SGX544 GPU. In the tested Plus Version, RAM is 2 GB and internal memory is 16 GB.
There is no HDMI. However, a MicroSD slot on the bottom left next to the micro USB port is integrated. Both SIM card slots are on the right side. A plus: the slots are covered by lids, which fit directly into the casing. Headphones or headsets can be connected via a 3.5 mm jack on the top.
Software
Up to the testing date, the Android operating system is only available in the 4.2.2 version. The manufacturer already announced a KitKat-Update to the 4.4 version. Besides, Acer has installed a highly suitable interface and various apps for daily life; there is however no particular innovation.
Communications & GPS
The device does not allow for LTE. Except for that, the usual frequency bands, quad-band GSM (850/900/1,800/1,900) and dual-band UMTS (900/2,100) can be received. Thus, maximum transfer rate within the mobile wireless network via HSDPA+ is 21.6 Mbit/s. In addition, the other two standard Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi b/g/n are implemented. During reception, no negative aspects could be identified.
The AGPS module does not deliver a convincing accuracy. Even in an open field, the receiver needs several minutes to find a satellite. The App GPS confirms the low reception quality. In comparison to the precise Garmin Edge 500, the position indicated by the E3 deviates sometimes from the actual position.
Calling Functions and Speech Quality
The telephone app has a simple design and is typical for an Acer. When being called, a cool feature pops up: a widget named Float Caller is opened, which offers the most important options for call handling (e.g. pick up, reject, silent and maximize).
Both voice recording and play while calling are nicely done. Unlike other devices, the clear audio response can score. The volume is also at a reasonable level; it is neither too quiet nor too loud.
Cameras & Multimedia
The integrated camera on the back has a 13-megapixel resolution. The front camera, however, has as usual a lower resolution, namely only 2 megapixel. It is worth noticing that both cameras have a separate LED flash. Apparently, Acer wanted to appeal to young people who frequently take "selfies" with their front camera. Filming can be done in full HD resolution. The Acer camera app is not characterized by special features. The Acer Rapid Button can be used as a shutter release.
In comparison to the iPhone 5 and the Nokia 1020, one can notice a slight paleness of the shots. For a smartphone within this price range, the camera of the E3 Duo can compete with satisfactory shots.
Accessories
The packaging come with modest accessories. They consist of a stereo headset, a USB-adapter and a USB-cable. The manufacturer offers a Flip Case with active Touch window, which can be purchased separately.
Input Devices & Handling
The device uses the familiar and free Swype keyboard. Located below the display are three touch-sensitive keys for "back", "home" and "open Apps", which respond reliably.
Common multi-touch gestures such as zooming are captured precisely. All intended touches are easily recognized by the device due to the relatively large screen. Automatic turning of the keyboard is fast and smooth as well. All in all, the smartphone works smoothly in almost all situations.
Display
The integrated IPS display has a diagonal of 4.7 inches with an HD resolution of 720x1280 pixels and thus 320 dpi. Independent of the display size, the alternative G Pro Lite and S4 mini have a resolution of 940x560 pixels only. In terms of brightness, the display is outstanding in its price range: a maximum brightness of 483 cd/m² is a very good result.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 483 cd/m²
Contrast: 767:1 (Black: 0.63 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.32 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.95
ΔE Greyscale 6.39 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.26
There are disadvantages though. The black level has a value of 0.63 cd/m² and also a gamma value of 2.26 shows that there is still room for improvements. DeltaE values of 4.32 and 6.39 for color and gray range, respectively, are also not close enough to optimal. Despite the blue cast and the measurement results, the display is more than suitable for daily life.
As can be seen in the picture, the Liquid E3 has no weak points in terms of outdoor use. The reason for that is a high brightness of 483 cd/m², which is obtained through automatic brightness control.
The IPS panel offers enormous viewing angle stability. Independent of the angle one has with respect to the display, the image remains almost unchanged.
Performance
Processing power of the Liquid E3 is generated by a Mediatek quad-core SoC, the MT6589, which is clocked at 1.2 GHz and based on the Cortex-A7 architecture. With that, it counts among the starter models of smartphone processors. The graphics unit is called PowerVR SGX544 and 2 GB RAM are provided.
In the benchmark comparison, strong and weak points of the Acer smartphone become obvious. The CPU can convince with its four cores in terms of performance. However, graphics are underpowered and score badly within its class. On the contrary, ROM is much faster than that of competitors. Overall, performance is sufficient for everyday use since all apps are working smoothly.
| AnTuTu v4 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Acer Liquid E3 / E380 | |
| LG L70 | |
| LG Optimus G Pro Lite Dual D686 | |
| Geekbench 3 | |
| 32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| Acer Liquid E3 / E380 | |
| LG L70 | |
| LG Optimus G Pro Lite Dual D686 | |
| 32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| Acer Liquid E3 / E380 | |
| LG L70 | |
| LG Optimus G Pro Lite Dual D686 | |
When it comes to the Browser benchmarks, the E3 cannot score high. Nevertheless, performance is easily capable of smooth Internet browsing.
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
| Acer Liquid E3 / E380 | |
| LG L70 | |
| LG Optimus G Pro Lite Dual D686 | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Acer Liquid E3 / E380 | |
| LG L70 | |
| LG Optimus G Pro Lite Dual D686 | |
| Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Acer Liquid E3 / E380 | |
| LG L70 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini GT-I9195 | |
| LG Optimus G Pro Lite Dual D686 | |
* ... smaller is better
Games
Field-testing the games Angry Birds Go! and Real Racing 3 confirms the graphics benchmark results. The games run smoothly with little detail. One should not expect special effects though, which is also shown by the EPIC Citadel benchmark. For modest games now and then, 3D performance is however sufficient. Commands via touchscreen, position and G-sensor are recognized without any problems.
Emisisons
Temperature
During ordinary use, the smartphone does not heat up and no significant temperature increase can be noted, which is confirmed by the measurement of 30 °C (86 °F) in Idle-mode. With increasing performance, which is for example the case for 3D-games, the device heats up and reaches a temperature of around 37 °C (98.6 °F).
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.9 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.4 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speakers
Even though Acer implements DTS front speakers, no outstanding sound could be noticed during the test. Overall volume is rather low, which implies that the integrated speakers are clearly audible only in quiet surroundings. Consequently, Acer could not solve this problem that is inherent to smaller speakers and there is no hope for robust bass. On the other hand, the clear sound should be emphasized: there is no whooshing while listening to music.
The same impression persists during calls; one can understand its caller very well. Additionally, there are DTS sound settings, which allow for further equalizing. Through the 3.5 mm jack, speakers or headsets can be easily plugged in.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
Overall, power usage is moderate. While idling, average consumption is 1.4 Watts and lies, therefore in between the Galaxy S4 mini (0.9) and the LG Pro Lite Dual (1.8).
Even during high performance, the power consumption of 3.3 Watts is acceptable. Again, this value lies in between the other two competitors. Due to its rather weak processors, the LG is most economical with a consumption of 2.8 Watts. Consumption of the Samsung is, with 3.4 Watts, slightly higher.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  0.6 / 1.4 / 1.7 Watt |
| Load |
3.3 / 3.8 Watt |
    
| |
Battery life
Acer implements a small non-removable battery with a capacity of just 7.4 Wh.
During our browsing test with adjusted brightness, Wi-Fi and cyclic accessing of websites, the E3 Duo lasts only 7:04 hours. In addition, minimum battery life with settings for maximum energy intake amounts to 3:17 hours only.
If you aim for a higher battery life, the G Pro Lite should be considered. It has a one-third higher capacity, and it lasts for 11:35 hours during browsing and 4:05 hours under full load.
Verdict
A key feature is definitively the Dual-SIM function. Unfortunately, there is no LTE. The large 4.7-inch HD screen can score in terms of resolution and brightness. On the other hand, system performance is rather decent, certainly sufficient for everyday use. With the camera, it is possible to shoot nice pictures. A problem might be the non-exchangeable 2000 mAh battery.
All in all, the current E-model of Acer is a good middle class device. If one can live with the mentioned disadvantages, the smartphone has a lot to offer and is worth the money.
When buying the device, one should go for the slightly more expensive Plus Version, since the relatively small extra costs are outweighed by 16 GB ROM instead of 4 GB. Also, going from one to two GB RAM can be considered beneficial. In comparison to its predecessor Liquid E2, the manufacturer could improve processing quality. Currently, the smartphone can be purchased from 220 Euros (~$299) upwards.
