Only single-channel RAM - review of the Acer Extensa 15 EX215-51

With the Extensa 15 EX215-51, Acer has released a simple 15.6-inch office laptop. The system is powered by a Comet Lake processor. The relatively high price (650 to 700 Euros or ~$705 to ~$759) of our configuration stems from the operating system, Windows 10 Pro. Configurations with Windows 10 Home or without any Windows version can be significantly cheaper - the base configuration can be purchased for as low as 350 Euros (~$380).

Despite the relatively high price, the features are lacking. Part of the performance potential remains unused, since the RAM only runs in single-channel mode. Enabling dual-channel mode is not possible due to the availability of only one RAM slot and no preinstalled, soldered RAM.

The installed screen can only be described as outdated. The completely outdated display of the laptop is its biggest weakness. Acer has installed a dim TN model, which offers a poor contrast ratio and narrow viewing angles and does not at all reflect the price of the laptop. On top of that, the Extensa comes with a low-quality VGA webcam. There is neither a card reader nor a USB type-C port or keyboard backlight. Additionally, the wireless transfer speeds range from poor to mediocre, since Acer has opted for a Wi-Fi chip that only supports 1x1 MIMO.

More information and many measurements can be found in our review of the Acer Extensa 15 EX215-51-56UX.