High-tech market participants seek to maximally cover existing niches, sometimes generating rather unusual offers. And yet there are a number of empty segments in which it is rarely possible to achieve good results. These include the class of budget gaming laptops. The thing is that the concept of the gaming machine itself implies high performance - it is obvious that increasing power and graphic potential inevitably leads to an increase in the price tag. One way or another, the market in this part has always been very tempting for the users themselves, and, of course, for manufacturers.
One of the most successful developments in this direction was the Acer V3-551G laptop from the Aspire series. This is not to say that the model breaks performance records even in a budget class, but the combination of decent speed, autonomy and an attractive price tag makes this option very interesting not only for gamers.
Model Overview
The model was installed on the AMD Trinity platform, which is already quite in demand in the segment of budget models. The result is a full-sized laptop in the most popular solution - with a 15-inch screen. The device does not have a discrete graphics card and is equipped with integrated video. But the advantage of this particular configuration is precisely in the fact that the creators used the most powerful integrated video system.
If we complement Acer V3-551G with CrossFire technology, we get a very good engine for demanding applications and at least games that are average in terms of requirements. By the way, the manufacturer already used the Trinity platform in the 571 model in the same Aspire line. The development turned out to be successful precisely in the implementation of the graphic part, but the price tag of 30 thousand rubles, of course, does not allow considering this option as a budget one. The device under the 551 index has similar inclinations, but there is no need to talk about a full-fledged comparison.
Notebook Specifications
The creators sought to give the laptop high performance for its class, but at the same time retained a good foundation for functionality. As a result, the Acer Aspire V3-551G, the characteristics of which are presented below, received the most common type of screen and the necessary set of tools for communication:
- The screen is with a 15.6 "glossy finish.
- Display Resolution - 1366x768.
- The processor specifications are quad-core at 2.3 GHz.
- Memory - 4 GB and 1333 MHz DDR3.
- The video card is a model Radeon HD 7670.
- Chipset - AMD A70M brand.
- The volume of the hard drive is 750 GB.
- Interfaces - three USB ports, an RJ-45 connector, two typical mini-jacks for headphones and a microphone, a slot for a card reader, HDMI and D-SUB connectors .
- Drive - DVD ± RW.
- Webcam - 0.3 megapixel module.
- Dimensions - 382 mm in width, 253 mm in depth and 33.2 mm in thickness.
- The mass of the laptop is 2.65 kg.
If we discard the platform and good graphics capabilities, then the model can really be considered as an unattractive budget version. By the way, its cost is 24 thousand rubles, and if it were not for a clear hint of speed, then the development could remain in the gray mass of inexpensive, but functional competitors.
Case and design
The first impression will not fool those who make an unambiguous conclusion about the designers' intentions to maximize the use of gloss in the surface finish of the device. Acquaintance begins with a black shiny surface of the lid and continues with the same tint when moving inside the Acer V3-551G. The matrix of the screen is also represented by a liquid crystal base with gloss. The silver keyboard panel, which, however, is made of the same plastic, diversifies the perception. As for the overall color scheme, it reminds many of the style of Packard Bell.
The build quality is not bad - there are practically no backlashes and gaps. The closure points of the lid flaps are tight and reliable. By the way, you can open the laptop to all 90 degrees. Otherwise, there are no surprises. The connectors are on the sides, and the camera is in the usual upper position above the screen. By and large, the performance is successful - the model is far from a premium gloss, but also devoid of the negligence of cheap models.
Keyboard and touchpad
The buttons have an informative and clear press, as well as a short stroke. At high print speeds, typing may seem too noisy. A digital block with keys is also provided, which, however, will not please those who care about centering the alphabetical field. A key feature of the keyboard is the add-in of the Enter button above the input of the slash. There is little practical benefit from such a configuration, and the risk of getting past the right key increases - in this case, a design accent is implemented, but to the detriment of ergonomics. The cursor buttons are too small, so the Acer V3-551G keyboard can cause some difficulties during the game. The touchpad is neat and thoughtful in terms of external perception and tactile sensations. But when working with text, its activity can interfere, so you have to disable this function. There are problems in the sensitivity of the touchpad. For example, the arrow moves horizontally more actively than vertically.
Performance
The developers used the already tested and well-optimized Piledriver architecture, which is a further development of the Bulldozer configuration. In terms of the ability to cope with high loads of CPU processing units, the system shows generally decent results. In terms of gaming capabilities, even with high settings, you can get a reasonable frame rate. Still, the Acer V3-551G motherboard from AMD received a good graphics base in conjunction with CrossFire technology.
In everyday use of the laptop, there is no hint of slowness. Only a hard drive with frankly weak performance can upset you. Therefore, for those who need a high download speed to the hard drive, you should initially look at the version with a disk whose rotation speed is 7,200 rpm. Also, as a solution to the problem, consider the SSD drive.
Screen specifications
The matrix has a standard performance for today, which can satisfy both the requirements in working with texts and requests in games. The display is convenient and versatile, although devoid of technological innovations. It provides LED-backlighting, but there is little benefit from it - an excess of bright colors is unlikely to be visible on the Acer V3-551G screen, whose characteristics are expressed in the optimal resolution of 1366 × 768 and a dimension of 15.6 inches.
Color reproduction does not cause complaints, although there is a slight roll towards cold shades. Vertical visibility can cause the same problems as most TN + Film matrices. But in this case, it saves the possibility of a wide adjustment of the angle of the lid, which allows you to adjust the visibility with the best image display.
Positive feedback about the model
In the first place among the advantages of the model, users expectedly put forward good performance, which was made possible thanks to RAM, an optimized processor and a powerful graphics system. The rest of the pluses are not so clear. Some users are pleased with Wi-Fi at speeds up to 10 Mbps, other owners praise the image characteristics of the Acer V3-551G, and the third is the autonomy. By the way, in normal mode, the device can be used without charging up to 4-5 hours. There are also positive reviews about communication tools in the form of USB 3.0 and the Bluetooth module.
Negative reviews
We can say that the developers successfully coped with the main task of giving the device high performance for its class, but otherwise the concept of a convenient modern laptop in the vision of a Taiwanese company did not work. As users note, the Acer V3-551G sins a lot of flaws in terms of ergonomics. This refers to the inconvenient location of the interfaces, noisy operation, the touchpad that is difficult to handle and other design nuances. Also, many users have doubts about the effectiveness of the cooling system, which can not cope with overheating of the equipment.
Conclusion
The manufacturer decided to introduce a powerful processor in an inexpensive laptop, and this provided a good result. Do not forget about the good graphics of the Acer V3-551G, but in other indicators the technical stuffing of the model corresponds to the average level of consumer devices. Functionality and low ergonomics of using interfaces can be attributed to the weak points of the laptop. This is the case when minor flaws, but in large numbers, spoil the overall good impression of the device.
The model can hardly be called practical and universal, but in certain tasks it confidently surpasses competitors. It's not just about performance - the version is also attractive with its design, mobility and build quality.