Review Acer Aspire V3-771G Notebook

Acer has gone in for a plain glossy finish to the laptop. The Piano paint finish is a throwback to the past which shows scratches and fingerprints very easily. This is a major drawback of the V3. The display lid, screen bezel and the wrist rest gleam at the user – at least, for a while just after taking it out of  its packaging. It only takes a few hours of use until fingerprints and dust particles begin to gather. The surface has a  sticky feel to it. In the last few months it almost seemed that this kind of surface paint job was finally going out of fashion. Acer has not done enough to disguise the cheap plastic that is used to build the chassis before putting it on sale.

At least the laptop looks nice out of the box. The silver keyboard bezel perks up the otherwise completely black device. If it weren't for the lid's and wrist rest's glossy surfaces, the term "conservative design" could apply to the device.

The plastic case's stability remains beyond reproach. No creaking noises or wobbly components are noticed when handling the device. The big 17 inch screen could be a bit more rigid. However that can be ignored in view of the restricted portability of the form factor.

A look at the street prices explains the choice of the case. The Aspire V3 starts at an incredible EUR 595(~$750). However, this version is still equipped with a Sandy Bridge CPU and GT 640M graphics. Nevertheless, there isn't much room for a higher quality case in view of this competitive pricing.

You get a lot of preinstalled software when you buy the notebook where most of it is actually unwanted. This software is called bloat. In many cases, the bloatware affects the performance of the laptops. Some manufacturers please the buyer with an agreeably clean system, while others go overboard, installing too much junk. Acer belongs to the latter category even if it does not cause the Aspire V3-771G any performance issues. The solid state drive ensures that the system feels snappy and responsive from the first boot. The desktop comes up in just 10 – 15 seconds after powering on the laptop.

However, you should consider that the system's SSD only has a capacity of 120 GB. The user is restricted to around 100GB after format and about 70GB after the installation of the OS and essential system software. Therefore it is advisable to use the SSD primarily for frequently used software. Other data, such as music, videos and games, should be stored on the 1000 GB mechanical hard disk.

Maintenance

The user can access both hard disk slots, all four RAM slots, the wifi module and a free mSATA slot via a fairly large cover on the device's bottom. However, the CPU and GPU as well as the entire cooling system are not accessible. You risk voiding the warranty if you open up the device beyond that.

Warranty

The warranty specifications found in various shops cause confusion. Upon inquiry, Acer states a warranty period of 2 years (24 months) for all V3-771G configurations including pick-up & return service. You also get a one year International Travelers Warranty.

A big-spender should expect higher quality components than what is offered on this laptop. It isn’t just about the power of the CPU and the GPU but the other components of the laptop need to be taken into account when it comes to a good user experience. The screen plays a very important role here as higher productivity can be achieved with larger screen resolutions which allow more tasks to be displayed on screen. It is no surprise that the color spectrum covered by this screen doesn’t match up to the sRGB spectrum. Professionals would likely stay away from this laptop. The glossy screen and the moderate brightness of the screen prevent any usage outdoors. The V3 is a desktop replacement and performs adequately as one.

The horizontal viewing angle stability is good. However, disturbing reflections quickly form if viewed from the sides. Vertical viewing angles are poor and images are prone to fade or undergo color inversion.

A brief look at both graphics chip in detail: Intel's HD Graphics 4000 is the successor of the HD 3000 solution integrated in Sandy Bridge CPUs. Unlike the earlier revisions of the IGP, the HD 4000 now offers the performance capacities of a dedicated midrange graphics solution. It can handle most routine tasks and some games easily. You can find an in-depth performance check of the HD Graphics 4000 in our special article.

So why an additional dedicated graphics card? This question is justified depending on the intended use. The system will first enable the installed Nvidia GeForce GT 650M for complex calculations or elaborate 3D graphics. A very significant field is computer games and Acer definitely wants to address these fans with its Acer Aspire V3 range.

Like the CPU, the GT 650M is a brand new chip. The GT 650M is based on the Kepler architecture and is manufactured using the 28nm process. The video memory is either the DDR3 or the faster GDDR5 version depending on the configuration. In case of the present V3, the less expensive DDR3 memory is used (2 GB, VRAM) and thus the GT 650M's potential gaming prowess is not observed in this case. We will therefore also examine One's M73-2O that integrates the GT 650M with the faster GDDR5 for comparison.

The Aspire V3 scores well in the first 3DMark benchmarks. A score of 12845 in 3DMark 2006 is at the level of premium gaming machines such as the MSI's GT 663R and the Asus' G53JW, both of which are equipped with the GTX 460M.

3DMark 2011 virtually shows the same. Here, the Aspire V3 finishes with a score of 1628. The GTX 560M in Toshiba's Qosmio X770 with 1724 seems to be within reach.

Comparing it to the  GT 650M version with GDDR5 in the One's M73-2O (with a 3720QM CPU) which achieved a solid 1802 points in the same benchmark tests. That is a performance increase of approximately 11%. When only looking at the GPU sub-score, which excludes the slightly better CPU in the comparison device, the advantage is considerably lower at only 4%.

Mass Storage

Slowly but surely, solid state drives are becoming affordable. Responsible for this is the falling prices for memory chips as well as new technologies which allow process shrinks that enable more memory to be placed on a single board. The mSATA standard has also allowed users to experience the speed of a standalone SSD without sacrificing the single HDD in many smaller laptops. This normally means the speed of an SSD in OS related tasks as well as some important applications placed on the mSATA drive and the added storage using the cheaper mechanical HDD.  SSDs are still expensive today as higher capacity ones normally cost an arm and a leg in comparison to conventional hard drives. 
Acer's Aspire V3 pursues this strategy in our premium configuration. However, it is possible to use a conventional SSD due to the two existing 2.5 inch drive bays.

The installed Intel Series 320 SSD (SSDSA2CW120G3) has a capacity of 120 GB and its standalone version is around EUR 150(~ $190) at many retailers. The drive manages a read and write speed of up to 230MB/sand 130 MB/s respectively in the CrystalDiskMark benchmark. This SSD is from the last generation and is limited to these speeds as it is using the SATA II controller that limits its performance. It has been replaced by the new Intel 330 line of SSDs that feature a heavily tweaked Sandforce controller. Although other SSDs easily surpass the installed Intel drive, the comparison with the Toshiba MK1059GSMP hard disk in the Aspire V3-771G is impressive: Access speed: 17.5 milliseconds vs. 0.18 / 0.12 for the Intel SSD.

This results in a fast system boot up of about 10 seconds. Applications and files installed on the SSD open in a flash giving the impression of instantaneous response to input which makes the user experience that much better.

Temperature

Without load, Acer's Aspire V3's case stays extremely cool. We measured a maximum of just below 28°C on the surface at a room temperature of 22.5°C. The surface temperatures increase after an hour of stress testing and reach approximately 44°C on both top and bottom surfaces of the case.

Measurements of the components during the stress test show a hot CPU. The core temperature quickly reaches 100°C according to HWInfo. Consequently, the CPU throttles to 1.2 GHz. When the temperatures drop, the chip increases its clock frequency again.

We performed 3DMark 2006 benchmark directly after the stress test to see if this had an impact during normal usage. The result does not differ much compared with the cold state. Thus, thermal throttling should not be an issue under normal usage and during gaming.

Speakers

We read "Dolby Home Theater" and "Professionally Tuned" above the perforated cover that undoubtedly hides the speakers. Those tags sound good even if installing a brand name stereo system was obviously too expensive.

Our verdict on sound ranges from satisfactory to not dynamic enough. The sound quality is acceptable for an inexpensive multimedia machine. However, in our opinion, bass is not full enough to give you a premium experience. In any case, you should make sure that the Dolby Equalizer software is enabled. It improves the sound noticeably.

You need to pay particular attention to the price when buying the Acer Aspire V3-771G. There are great differences between the inexpensive entry-level configuration and the ‘premium devices’ like our test sample. Looking at the current street prices, it ranges between EUR 595(~$750) to EUR 1299(~$1650). The differences are dependent on the installed CPU, GPU, mass storage, RAM and optical drive. However, the case is an invariable factor, and so the EUR 1299 high-end version is in the same plastic case with the same mainstream screen as the entry-level version.

That brings us straight to the Acer Aspire V3's qualities. The case is acceptable for the price of below EUR 1000. We have problems accepting the case's high-gloss parts for many reasons. But that is also partly a matter of taste. The connectivity is satisfactory, unlike the ports positioning at the far front side edges.

The chiclet keyboard is pleasing. The touchpad could do with a bit of driver tuning, but it basically works. We would have expected higher quality equipment in the more expensive configurations. That particularly applies to the screen. A HD+ resolution with an average brightness of approx. 200 cd/m² and a weak contrast of only 171:1 isn't very attractive in a price range of over EUR 1000. However, it is acceptable for the lower priced alternatives.

Acer's Aspire V3 premium model could show us its performance potential. And it was impressive. Intel's Ivy Bridge quad core CPU and Nvidia's GT 650M Kepler graphics card result in a first-rate multimedia experience and that is backed with impressive benchmark results in our tests. Not the least, the SSD installed in the premium configuration contributes a significant part to the package.

You should not have high expectations on mobility. The poor battery life of 2 – 3 hours and the reflective screen confine the device to the desk.

Choosing the right Aspire V3 model from the range depends on what you expect from the device. If you require high application performance, personal picture and video editing, we would recommend the premium model with the SSD. However, an aftermarket SSD would be a cheaper option depending on the configuration you are looking at.

Computer gamers should take the model equipped with the powerful dedicated GT 650M. If you are simply looking for an affordable multimedia machine for no specific application field, the cheapest models will likely be particularly interesting. However, either the "old" Sandy Bridge processors (and they still do a good job) which are available right now or the new Ivy Bridge dual core processors which won’t be released for a few more weeks.