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MagyarReview Acer Aspire V5-561G Notebook
For the original German review, see here.
Regular readers of Notebookcheck's website will immediately recognize the Aspire V5-561G. It exactly resembles the current 15.6-inch laptop from Acer's Aspire E1 product line; differences are only found in the casing's material. While the E1 models are completely made of plastic, aluminum components are additionally used in the V5-561G. A look at the specs reveal that the Aspire V5-561G's configuration is identical with the recently tested Aspire E1-572G-54204G50Mnkk - excepting for both the working memory and hard-drive capacity. The E1-572G managed to reap in a "Good" (80%). Our report uncovers whether the V5-561G can match that.
We used the Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 (Core i5-4200M, GeForce GT 740M) and HP Pavilion 15-n213eg (Core i5-4200U, GeForce GT 740M) to classify the laptop.
Since the Aspire V5-561G features the same build as the Aspire E1 models (E1-572G, E1-572, E1-532, E1-522), we will not go in-depth about casing, connectivity, input devices or speakers - except for possible differences. Further information can be found in the corresponding reviews.
Case
Display
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Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 202 cd/m²
Contrast: 236:1 (Black: 1.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 10.93 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 12.96 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
45.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
49.65% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
69.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
48.35% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.39
While the Aspire's screen provides a good brightness rate, the contrast of 236:1 and black level of 1.27 cd/m² are the exact opposite. These rates are no longer acceptable - particularly not in a 700 Euros (~$970) laptop. The IdeaPad (327:1; 0.97 cd/m²) only offers marginally better rates, and the Pavilion (696:1; 0.28 cd/m²) delivers good values. A glance at the color space coverage screenshots shows that the screen in the Aspire cannot reproduce either the sRGB or AdobeRGB color spaces. The coverage rates are 62.7% (sRGB) and 45.3% (AdobeRGB).
The screen is not exactly color accurate either. We ascertained an average DeltaE shift of 10.9 in state of delivery. It is on par with most screens that we have tested. Only yellow achieves the target range of DeltaE less than 3. The screen also exhibits a visible bluish cast. However, we discovered that calibrating eliminates it.
The screen's matte surface and sufficient brightness allow using the Aspire outdoors.
An IPS screen should be realistic considering the purchase price of approximately 700 Euros (~$970). A corresponding model is, for example, used in the Aspire V5-573G. Acer shelves this in the V5-516G and installs a conventional TN screen. The viewing angles are correspondingly limited. The image quickly distorts when the vertical viewing angle is altered. The angle is more generous horizontally, and several viewers can look at the screen simultaneously.
Performance
Acer offers a 15.6-inch all-round laptop with its Aspire V5-561G. The laptop has enough computing power to cope with routine tasks. Computer games are no problem for the laptop either. Approximately 700 Euros (~$970) has to be handed over for the device. The laptop is also available with a black display back (model: NX.MK9EV.001). If an aluminum-reinforced casing is not essential, the identically built Aspire E1-572G would be an alternative. The device is available in various configurations. The currently lowest-priced model costs about 450 Euros (~$623, without a Windows operating system).
Processor
The Aspire is powered by a Core i5-4200U dual-core processor. It is a model from the Haswell processor generation that clocks with a base speed of 1.6 GHz. The speed can be boosted to 2.3 GHz (both cores) and 2.6 GHz (one core only) via Turbo. It belongs to the energy-efficient models with a TDP of 15 watts.
The CPU processes the CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmarks at full speed. It does not matter whether the laptop is powered via AC or battery. The Pavilion's rates are on par; both devices sport the same CPU. The IdeaPad manages better rates because the processor clocks with higher speeds.
| Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Acer Aspire V5-561G | |
| Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk | |
| Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G50Mnkk | |
| Asus X550LD-XX023H | |
| HP Pavilion 15-n213eg | |
| Acer Aspire V5-573G-54208G50aii | |
| Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571) | |
| Asus X750LN-TY012H | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 | |
| Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Acer Aspire V5-561G | |
| Acer Aspire V5-573G-54208G50aii | |
| Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G50Mnkk | |
| Asus X550LD-XX023H | |
| HP Pavilion 15-n213eg | |
| Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk | |
| Asus X750LN-TY012H | |
| Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 | |
System Performance
The system ran smoothly. The CPU and GPU ensured good results in the PCMark benchmarks. The Pavilion only scores marginally worse than the Aspire, and the IdeaPad delivers the best overall results. It benefits from its stronger processor and hybrid hard drive (hard drive with incorporated SSD cache).
| PCMark 7 Score | 2973 points | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3278 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3613 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 3935 points | |
Help | ||
| PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value) | |
| Acer Aspire V5-561G | |
| Asus X550LD-XX023H | |
| Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk | |
| HP Pavilion 15-n213eg | |
| Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G50Mnkk | |
| Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571) | |
| Acer Aspire V5-573G-54208G50aii | |
| Asus X750LN-TY012H | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 | |
Storage Devices
Owners of the Aspire will not want more storage capacity for a while. Acer installs a hard drive from Western Digital's Scorpio line with a capacity of 1 TB in our review sample. It spins with 5400 revolutions per minute. CrystalDiskMark recorded a read rate of 97.28 MB/s, and HD Tune delivered an average transfer speed of 77.2 MB/s. Though those are not bad rates, they are a bit lower than what we are used to from a 5400 rpm hard drive. However, the 4k read/write rates are above average.
Graphics Card
The Aspire sports both Intel's HD Graphics 4400 graphics core and AMD's Radeon R7 M265 GPU. They create an Enduro array, i.e. AMD's answer to Nvidia's Optimus technology. The Intel GPU is responsible for routine use and battery mode. The Radeon chip is enabled in performance-hungry applications, such as computer games. Which graphics chip is activated for which application is set via application profiles. The pre-settings can be changed in the driver menu at any time.
The Radeon GPU is a member of the mid-range. It supports DirectX 11 and clocks with a speed of 800 MHz. The speed can be increased to 825 MHz via Turbo. The R7 M265 core is basically a renamed Radeon HD 8750M graphics chip. Both processing cores are based on the same architecture and provide the same technical specs. Consequently, both deliver the same benchmark results.
The 3DMark benchmark scores of the three comparison laptops are very close to each other. The installed GPUs are roughly on the same performance level.
| 3DMark 06 Standard Score | 8876 points | |
| 3DMark Vantage P Result | 6613 points | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 2012 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 42858 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 5312 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 1222 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
The Aspire also looks good when it comes to computer games. Most up-to-date titles can be played smoothly in the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) using medium to high quality settings. A look at the Aspire V5-573G (Core i5-4200U, GeForce GT 750M) might be worthwhile should the Aspire not meet personal requirements on gaming performance. It achieves higher frame rates than the V5-561G, and is available for a price starting at 650 Euros (~$900, V5-573G-54208G50aii, Full HD screen, no Windows operating system).
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| World of Warcraft (2005) | 94 | 94 | 29.3 | |
| Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) | 52 | 23 | ||
| Alan Wake (2012) | 39.4 | 25.9 | 13.2 | |
| Hitman: Absolution (2012) | 26.8 | 24.4 | 18.1 | |
| Far Cry 3 (2012) | 46.5 | 35.8 | 20 | |
| Dead Space 3 (2013) | 126.6 | 57.1 | 45.9 | |
| Tomb Raider (2013) | 95.2 | 45.8 | 31.5 | 14.8 |
| SimCity (2013) | 141.5 | 34.3 | 22.3 | |
| StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) | 156.9 | 77.6 | 44.2 | 15 |
| BioShock Infinite (2013) | 71.8 | 40 | 33.2 | 11 |
| Metro: Last Light (2013) | 36.6 | 28.9 | 17.4 | |
| GRID 2 (2013) | 53.7 | 39.1 | 15.6 | |
| Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2013) | 43 | 34.7 | 17.5 | |
| Saints Row IV (2013) | 28 | 22.2 | 17.7 | |
| The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (2013) | 49.1 | 30.4 | 20.9 | |
| Total War: Rome II (2013) | 64.7 | 51.1 | 42.4 | 7.5 |
| Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) | 73 | 43 | 15 | |
| Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013) | 32.8 | 31.1 | 8.6 | |
| Need for Speed: Rivals (2013) | 30 | 26.7 | 23 | |
| X-Plane 10.25 (2013) | 56 | 27.4 | 12.4 | |
| Thief (2014) | 21 | 17.3 | 14.8 | |
| Titanfall (2014) | 35.2 | 28.8 | ||
| The Elder Scrolls Online (2014) | 64.2 | 43.5 | 28.1 |
| Acer Aspire V5-561G Radeon R7 M265, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0 | HP Pavilion 15-n213eg GeForce GT 740M, 4200U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100 | Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 GeForce GT 740M, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G50Mnkk Radeon R7 M265, 4200U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142 | Acer Aspire V5-573G-54208G50aii GeForce GT 750M, 4200U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomb Raider | -13% | -4% | -7% | 32% | |
| 1024x768 Low Preset | 95.2 | 86.2 -9% | 97 2% | 74 -22% | 120.4 26% |
| 1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x | 45.8 | 42.6 -7% | 47 3% | 45.6 0% | 65.4 43% |
| 1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x | 31.5 | 23.9 -24% | 25.9 -18% | 31.4 0% | 39.8 26% |
Emissions
System Noise
The Aspire did not produce an excessive amount of noise. The fan was often inactive in idle mode, and only the hard drive's noise was audible. The Aspire's fan, fortunately, was also quite restrained in both medium load via 3DMark06 and full load during the stress test (via Prime95 and Furmark). We measured noise levels of 35.8 and 37.3 dB. The IdeaPad is on par with the Aspire, and the Pavilion is considerably louder than its contenders during load.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 32 / 32.3 / 33.2 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 32.8 dB(A) |
| DVD |
| 36 / dB(A) |
| Load |
| 35.8 / 37.3 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) | ||
Temperature
The surface temperatures of all three laptops are within an acceptable range in idle mode. All three laptops exceed 40 °C in several measuring areas during the stress test. This is, however, legitimate because all three laptops have a decent amount of computing power.
The Aspire's graphics core performed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) at its full speed of 800 to 825 MHz in both AC and battery mode. The CPU processed the stress test with 2.2 to 2.3 GHz in AC mode. It was throttled to 800 MHz in battery mode. The CPU's temperature settled to approximately 74 °C in the stress test (AC mode).
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.8 °C / 109 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 41.6 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.2 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.3 °C / 93.7 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-5.4 °C / -9.7 F).
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The power consumption is overall within a range that we expect from a gaming suitable, 15.6-inch laptop. The Pavilion is more energy-efficient, and the IdeaPad consumes more power than its contenders during load. This is not surprising, since the laptop sports a standard mobile processor (no ULV).
| Off / Standby | 0 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle | 5.7 / 9.7 / 11.9 Watt |
| Load |
42.6 / 51.7 Watt |
   
| |
Battery Runtime
The Aspire's battery lasted for 6:58 h in idle mode. The IdeaPad (6:56 h) is on par. We did not perform this test with the Pavilion. The idle mode is tested with Battery Eater's Reader's test. The screen is set to minimum brightness, the energy-saving profile is enabled, and the wireless modules are off. The Aspire shut down after 1:06 h of load. The IdeaPad (1:29 h) lasts longer. Again, we did not perform this test with the Pavilion. The load runtime is ascertained using Battery Eater's Classic test with maximum screen brightness, and enabled high-performance profile and wireless modules.
The Aspire finished the Wi-Fi test after 3:32 h. The IdeaPad achieves a similar rate (3:27 h). The Pavilion (4:48 h) shuts down later. Websites are automatically opened every 40 seconds, the energy-saving profile is enabled and the screen's brightness is set to approx. 150 cd/m² in this test. DVD playback stopped after only 2:10 h on the Aspire. The IdeaPad provides a better time (2:43 h). We did not perform this test with the Pavilion. The DVD test is performed using enabled energy-saving profile (or a higher profile should the DVD not run smoothly), maximum screen brightness, and disabled wireless modules.
Overall, the Aspire's battery runtimes surprised us a bit. They are clearly below those of the identically built Aspire E1-572G. Both laptops correspond in terms of hardware and battery. We could not find a reason for this distinct difference.
| Acer Aspire V5-561G Radeon R7 M265, 4200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0 | HP Pavilion 15-n213eg GeForce GT 740M, 4200U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100 | Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 GeForce GT 740M, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G50Mnkk Radeon R7 M265, 4200U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 36% | 11% | 16% | |
| Reader / Idle | 418 | 416 0% | 472 13% | |
| WiFi | 212 | 288 36% | 207 -2% | 241 14% |
| Load | 66 | 89 35% | 80 21% |
Verdict
Acer's Aspire V5-561G scores with a decent application and gaming suitability. It offers a high storage capacity and features very good input devices. The laptop also usually operates quietly. The battery runtimes are still acceptable but could be a touch better. The screen leaves us with mixed feelings. Though it features a Full HD resolution, a matte surface and good brightness, its contrast is very low, exhibits a bluish cast and it is viewing-angle dependent at the same time. Apart from the complaints regarding the screen, the Aspire does not really have any drawbacks. Acer presents a successful all-rounder here.
There is also potential for saving: Buyers who do not insist on aluminum components, are satisfied with less working memory and a lower hard drive capacity, can take the identically built Aspire E1-572G. The laptop is currently available for approximately 600 Euros (~$831).
Lenovo's IdeaPad Z510 would come into question when as much CPU performance as possible is wanted. The advantage of HP's Pavilion 15-n213eg is found in its low power requirement.
