Pros – The Acer Aspire E 15 E5-573-57DV offers the best value for money. I got it at a throw away price of only $339 dollars at a sale. To start with, the system boasts of an Intel Core i5 5200 dual core processor clocked at 2.20 GHz. That’s quite a lot for the price point. Another spec that is worth a mention is the keyboard design. It features full-size keys, spaced out well so that you can type faster, accurately and comfortably. There are a lot of other specs such as the 10/100/1000 Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi featuring MU-MIMO technology, Bluetooth 4.0 and the ability to add a second hard-drive that make it worth every penny.
Cons: Now for the Cons. The one thing we’ve noted about Acer is that upgrading is probably the last thought when designing laptops. If you want to upgrade the hard drive and the RAM, you will have to take the system apart. The OS wasn’t upgraded. You are not given a back-up media, but you can always create it. From my experience with the system, you should create the backup media as soon as you boot it.
To upgrade the hard drive, remove the screws at the bottom. Gently lift the top panel with the keyboard. There are 3 cables that you must unplug to detach it completely. The hard drive is located in the bottom right corner, left of the touch pad. It is affixed with two screws that you must remove. The hard drive upgrade should not take you more than 10 minutes.
To upgrade the RAM, you will have to dismantle the laptop completely. After the top cover is removed, you will see the motherboard. It is fixed with 3 screws and place holders. Remove the Wi-Fi card and disconnect the 3 cables on the board. Unfasten the screws and detach the heat sink. Slide the board up from the right. The memory slots are situated under the touch pad, placed facing downwards. Slide the new memory chips in and reassemble the system. The RAM has been upgraded.
I put in an extra 4GB RAM expanding the memory capacity to 8GB. I had purchased it for a previous upgrade but never got to using it. I also added a Samsung 250GB 850 EVO SSD. The 505MB read/450MB write speed of the SSD gave the laptop a real speed up boost. The two upgrades resolve the major complaints on this laptop. Overall, the laptop is a neat package. I have also placed an order for a Hard Drive Caddy. Plan to insert it into the empty DVD slot to accommodate a second hard drive.
Final Thoughts
The Acer E5 -573-57DV offers premium performance and stunning visuals to work with. Given the lack of easy upgradation features, it is a better choice for people who are not very proficient in technology; it is okay if you are looking for a basic computer system.
[Reviews by our reader: Linda, thanks]