The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) is a budget-friendly laptop that offers a decent balance of performance, features, and affordability. It's designed for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and casual gaming, and it excels at providing a solid experience without breaking the bank. In this review, we'll dive deep into the Aspire E 15's strengths and weaknesses, exploring its performance, design, display, keyboard, and more.
Design and Build Quality
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) features a sleek and modern design that doesn't scream "budget laptop." Its silver lid has a brushed aluminum finish that adds a touch of sophistication, and the overall aesthetic is quite appealing. However, the chassis is primarily made of plastic, which is evident in the build quality. While it's not flimsy, it lacks the rigidity and premium feel of more expensive laptops.
The Aspire E 15 is a relatively large laptop, with dimensions of 14.9 x 10.1 x 0.9 inches. This makes it a bit bulkier than some of its competitors in the 15.6-inch category, and it's not the most portable option. That said, it's still manageable for carrying around on a daily basis, especially for students or those who need a reliable workhorse for everyday tasks.
The laptop's hinges are sturdy and keep the display stable, even when jostled or moved. The overall design, while not groundbreaking, is functional and practical for everyday use. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, with a decent amount of key travel. While the touchpad is smooth and responsive, it does lack the precision and responsiveness found on more premium devices.
Display
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) boasts a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080) display with a TN panel. While this resolution provides a clear and sharp image for everyday use, the TN panel is known for its limited viewing angles and color accuracy. Colors appear washed out when viewed from angles, and blacks aren't as deep as they could be. This is a common trade-off in budget laptops, and it's something to consider if you're a graphic designer or someone who values vibrant and accurate colors.
Despite these limitations, the display is bright enough for indoor use, with a decent viewing angle for typical use. The matte finish helps reduce glare, making it suitable for working in various lighting conditions. However, if you plan on using the laptop for creative work or media consumption, you might want to consider a model with an IPS panel for better color accuracy and wider viewing angles.
Performance
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) is powered by an Intel Core i3-7100U processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB hard drive. This configuration is sufficient for everyday tasks, such as browsing the web, checking emails, and light document editing. You can easily multitask with several applications open, and the system remains responsive even when running resource-intensive programs like Microsoft Office.
However, the Aspire E 15 isn't designed for demanding tasks like video editing or high-end gaming. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics chip is adequate for casual gaming, but it struggles to run modern titles at high settings. If you're looking for a laptop for gaming, you'll need to invest in a model with dedicated graphics.
The 1TB hard drive provides ample storage space for your files, applications, and media. However, the hard drive's read and write speeds are significantly slower than those of solid-state drives (SSDs). This can result in longer boot times and application loading times. For a significant performance boost, consider upgrading to an SSD, which can significantly improve responsiveness.
Connectivity and Ports
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) offers a decent selection of ports for connecting your peripherals. The laptop features:
- Two USB 3.0 ports: These provide fast data transfer speeds for external hard drives, flash drives, and other devices.
- One USB 2.0 port: This port is useful for older devices or when you don't need high-speed data transfer.
- HDMI port: This allows you to connect the laptop to an external monitor or TV.
- Ethernet port: This port provides a reliable wired connection for situations where Wi-Fi is not available.
- SD card reader: This slot allows you to easily transfer files from your camera or other SD card-equipped devices.
- Headphone/microphone combo jack: This allows you to connect headphones or a microphone to the laptop.
Battery Life
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) boasts a 4-cell lithium-ion battery that provides up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge. This is a decent battery life for a budget laptop, and it should be enough for a full day of use. However, battery life will vary depending on the tasks you perform.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) features a standard chiclet keyboard with a comfortable layout and a decent amount of key travel. Typing on the keyboard is a pleasant experience, and the keys offer a satisfying tactile feedback. While the keyboard isn't backlit, this is a common feature omitted in budget laptops.
The touchpad is smooth and responsive, and it supports multi-touch gestures like scrolling and zooming. While the touchpad feels decent, it lacks the precision and responsiveness of higher-end touchpads, and some users might find it difficult to perform precise tasks with it.
Audio
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) features dual stereo speakers located on the bottom of the laptop. The speakers are surprisingly loud for a budget laptop, and they deliver decent sound quality for everyday tasks like watching videos or listening to music. However, the sound lacks depth and clarity, and the bass is almost nonexistent. For a better audio experience, it's recommended to use external speakers or headphones.
Software and Operating System
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home Edition. Windows 10 is a well-known and user-friendly operating system that offers a wide range of features and apps.
Acer does include a few of its own pre-installed applications, such as Acer Care Center and Acer Quick Access. These applications provide access to system information, troubleshooting tools, and other useful features. While the pre-installed software isn't intrusive, it's always a good idea to go through the installed applications and remove any that you don't need.
Conclusion
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) is an excellent budget-friendly laptop that offers a good balance of performance, features, and affordability. It's a great option for students, professionals, and casual users who need a reliable laptop for everyday tasks. While it has its share of compromises, such as the limited color accuracy and slower hard drive, its price makes it a compelling option for those on a tight budget.
If you're looking for a laptop that can handle demanding tasks like video editing or gaming, you'll need to look elsewhere. However, for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and watching videos, the Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) is a solid choice.
FAQs
Q1: Is the Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) good for gaming?
A: While the laptop can handle casual gaming, it's not ideal for high-end gaming. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics chip is only capable of running older or less demanding games at low to medium settings.
Q2: Can I upgrade the RAM on the Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM)?
A: Yes, the Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) is equipped with a single RAM slot, which can be upgraded to 8GB for improved performance.
Q3: Does the Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) have a backlit keyboard?
A: No, this model does not have a backlit keyboard.
Q4: Can I upgrade the hard drive to an SSD?
A: Yes, the hard drive can be upgraded to an SSD. This will significantly improve the laptop's responsiveness and boot times.
Q5: How long does the battery last?
A: Acer claims a battery life of up to 7 hours, but actual battery life may vary depending on usage and other factors.
In Conclusion:
The Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-575-33BM) is a solid choice for those seeking a reliable and affordable laptop for everyday tasks. While it's not perfect, its value proposition makes it a compelling option for those on a budget. If you can live with the limitations of a budget laptop, the Acer Aspire E 15 offers a lot of value for the money.