Acer Aspire 5 15 NX.KJ7AA.001 ultra-slim laptop | 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Hexa-Core Processor | AMD Radeon graphics card 8GB LPDDR4X | 512 GB 4th Generation SSD | WiFi 6E | Backlit keyboard | A515-48M-R3DF, grey
This is going to be a long and detailed review! I did a lot of research before buying this laptop to see how important reviews are because they helped me make my final decision. To help out the reviewers, I'll state up front that I'm not a gamer. I'm a proofreader/editor and spend a lot of time on my computer researching the internet, including working on YouTube. At any given time I have about 7-10 windows open and my computer is the main source/hub for my work. . I have purchased this Acer since mid-August. I waited 2 months to write my review to see how well it worked, as some of the first reviews I read did the same thing and found them very helpful.
My 12 year old SONY Vaio phone "died" this summer and I needed a new laptop but also had to be very careful about my budget due to work restrictions due to covid. I've read over 131 Amazon reviews of this Acer, read two other independent consumer review sites (PC Magazine and Tech World), and asked some tech geeks around me what they thought of this machine. In terms of price-quality, this laptop falls into the top three. When I put it in my cart it was $359. I waited another day, which was too long, and the next day the laptop was no longer available on Amazon and could only be purchased from independent sellers in the marketplace. I've contacted Amazon but they can't tell me when/if Acer will be back in stock. The next day I read that Amazon would not be restocking the Acer. So instead of waiting, I bought it off the market for $460. Ah...but! ! ! I was so excited and happy when I received it. Note that this Acer device is back on Amazon and you can get it for less money. What a story.
Several reviewers' suggestions worked perfectly with my setup. I actually took notes and in the end the setup was easy and painless and the performance was great. I really have no complaints.
Based on the reviews, I purchased an additional USB dongle for 4G. ($20) Did you know? I haven't installed it yet! ! I always forget. Doesn't make any difference. For this reason, based on the reviews, I decided to purchase an additional hard drive, but I was unsuccessful. Honestly, I probably wouldn't buy it at all since I have an external hard drive and cloud storage. I'm happy to know that I have the option to purchase more storage if needed. So, I have no experience removing the back of a laptop to fit more RAM or a hard drive. If you need to do this, there are plenty of videos on YouTube to walk you through the process and I'll install the extra storage. Maybe after writing this article.
Almost no one wants an "S" mode. There are protocols that can be disabled in "S" mode. Here's what I do: I plug in my laptop and start configuring. Set up very quickly. It will automatically be in “S” mode: 1. Open “Settings”. 2. Go to “Update & Security”. 3. In the “Go to” section for Win Home or Win Pro, select “Go to Store”. If you see the "Update your version of Windows" section, don't click the "Go to Store" button there. 4. Once you enter the store, you should see “S Mode Exiting” or a similar message. Select Recover. You should receive a confirmation message that your account has been closed. The procedure is simple and fast. I read that some people had problems with this, but this surprised me.
List of what I generally did:
1. Take it out of the box and connect it to the power supply. Preparations have already begun.
2. Exit "S" mode.
3. Removes many bloatwares.
4. The Google Chrome browser will be downloaded.
5. Download Avast Premium Security
6. Download Office 365
7. Download iTunes
However, this computer is fast and as mentioned above, I haven't added any extra memory.
Turning on and off takes only a few seconds. second.
Navigation is very fast.
The computer itself feels solid and I didn't encounter any instances where the touchpad felt sluggish or weak, as some reviewers have pointed out. . I know what some reviews mean when the bottom corners of the touchpad seem "loose". The problem is that there are no left or right mouse "buttons" on the touchpad, and the bottom corners "float" a bit since they have to be pressed independently. I don't use the touchpad very often, I prefer a desktop mouse, so I don't really care.
The keyboard backlighting is great, I checked with Acer, and there is no way to expand it. It takes about 30 seconds. Not a problem for me because it works long enough for me to put myself down to the keyboard when it gets dark and I get going. If you type regularly, your keyboard will continue to work regularly. Note: one of my cats climbed on my keyboard and turned off the backlight. I have found that pressing and holding "FN+F8" for 10 seconds causes the backlight to turn back on.
I love the keyboard. The keyboard is solid and smooth. As a typist, the 'feel' of keyboard and typing is very important to me. My fingers are flying on the keyboard! The letters that appear during writing seem to flow as words are formed.
The little digital sign on the right is great. Yes, the buttons are a bit small so big fingers might not mind, but it's great for a lot of digital work. I also like the larger backspace key, unlike some keyboards I own that have the same size as the letter keys.
Oddly enough, there's no light to indicate Caps Lock – something other reviewers have noted. There's also no "Num Lock" light, but that didn't really affect my work. If you accidentally triggered Caps Lock, it only takes a few minutes to figure out what's going on.
It is not difficult to press the power button as usual. It's a "key" and it's interesting.
Audio is a big topic in the comments. I found the volume a bit low, but that's fine for a YouTube video. I also like to use headphones, which isn't a problem. I checked the audio settings and turned up the volume as the reviewer recommended. One reviewer talked about switching from Music mode to Game mode to increase the overall volume, but I couldn't even find the right setting for that. It's okay, it suits me.
Pictures/screens are great. Clear and loud!
USB port - enough for me. I will be buying a DVD player/writer because this laptop doesn't have one, which makes it lighter and thinner. In my research on DVD players, I found well-reviewed ones for about $20. Very reasonable.
I haven't tested the battery life yet. I usually keep my laptop in one place and leave it plugged in. Also, my SONY Vaio battery died after 2 years of use and I never replaced it, so I wasn't even in the habit of moving my laptop around and using the battery. The only time I took this laptop into another room, the battery lasted at least four hours with the laptop on.
Overall I would highly recommend this laptop. I downloaded and used it a few months ago without installing any extra storage and it hasn't given me any moment of regret, "okay" or worry. It looks great, is fast, light and meets your PC needs. Don't worry about "S" mode, it's easy to leave. I have no doubt that this laptop will last for years and meet my needs perfectly. If I run into any other issues while continuing to use it, I'll be sure to update my review! Even if you're paying more than Amazon currently sells for, it's still a good deal. I really have no complaints. I recommend signing up and keeping Acer's toll-free number in case you need help.
good luck and have fun! It's a great buy!
Update: I've owned this Acer laptop for about a year and still love it. It didn't make me feel bored or regretful for a second. After posting the review, I finished installing my additional storage but did not purchase an additional hard drive. I download a lot of software and apps, and they are always quick, clear and easy. One of the best purchases ever!