Acer Aspire E1-572-6870 review: Simple Win 8 laptop for simple needs

The Acer Aspire E1-572-6870 puts a fourth-gen Intel Core i5 processor -- a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U, to be exact -- and Intel HD Graphics 4400 into a sub-$500 15.6-inch laptop.

6.5

Acer Aspire E1-572-6870

The Good

The <b>Acer Aspire E1-572-6870</b> is an inexpensive fourth-generation Core i5 laptop with a nice keyboard, decent weight for its size, and just enough performance to power you through average daily tasks. It has a removable battery, and the hard drive and RAM slots are easily accessible.

The Bad

The display is decidedly average, its touch-pad buttons are a bit of a pain, and despite having a spot for it, this model does not include an optical drive. Given its processor, battery life may be shorter than expected.

The Bottom Line

As budget-friendly laptops go, the Acer Aspire E1-572-6870 is a good value with sufficient power for basic tasks, and it doesn't look bad, either.

The CPU and integrated graphics combo has shown up in more than a few expensive ultrabooks we've tested, and has turned in very good performance and excellent battery life. This E1 is the least expensive laptop we've seen to feature them, though, which is what makes it a bit more attractive to those who have an aversion to older components.

The fact is, to use the newer processor, other corners have to be cut to keep the price low. In this case it seems the processor is surrounded by less power-efficient components and in a chassis that feels like a budget laptop.

On the upside, it doesn't necessarily look like a budget laptop. With just a simple silver Acer logo on top, the plain all-black body blends right in at the coffee shop, lecture hall, or conference room. It is all plastic, though, and there's noticeable flex on the lid and keyboard deck, so it's nothing you can be too rough with.

The plastic does keep it lightweight, though: it weighs just 4.5 pounds, and traveling with its power adapter brings that up to 5 pounds. Considering its size -- it measures 1 inch high by 15 inches wide by 10.1 inches deep -- that's very reasonable, and the rounded corners and edges make it easy to slide in and out of a bag.

If you're not planning to hook up to an external display at all, the 15.6-inch LCD gives you a fair amount of room to work and play. Its 1,366x768-pixel resolution is typical for its class, but it's not the brightest display. Coupled with its glossy face, you might have trouble seeing things in bright direct lighting. (Don't do that and you should be fine.)

Viewing off to sides is better than most; there's some color loss, but it really only inverts when viewed from below, so just make sure it's appropriately angled up. Also, it's not a touch screen, which isn't a surprise at this price, but makes using Windows 8 a little less enjoyable.