The insanely popular Acer Aspire 5 A515-55-56VK is a good option to consider for all who want the most value for money from a laptop that’s around $500. There’s a newer, slightly improved model called the Aspire 5 A515-56-50RS. It also costs more than this one.
If you don’t mind to buy a blend of last year’s processing technology with modern connectivity and interface options, I think the Acer Aspire 5 A515-55-56VK is a best buy in this segment of affordable everyday notebooks.
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In true Acer fashion, there’s a good deal of upgrading that can be done after purchase. System memory can be easily doubled by adding another compatible memory module (ideally you’d want a Kingston). Just make sure whether your model has an 8-gigabyte stick inside or whether 4 gigabytes are soldered to the main board. Also, you can slide in another 2.5″ SATA SSD should you feel available storage space isn’t satisfactory.
Here are the notebook’s tech specs:
Acer Aspire 5 A515-55-56VK tech specs
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1035G1 |
| CPU core count | 4 cores, 8 threads |
| CPU cache size | 6 megabytes |
| CPU frequency | 1.0 GHz up to 3.6 GHz |
| System memory | 8 gigabytes |
| Memory technology | DDR4 |
| Memory configuration | 1 x 8GB module |
| Maximum memory | 16 gigabytes |
| Storage capacity | 256 gigabytes |
| Storage drive type | PCie NVMe SSD |
| Additional storage slots | Yes, 1 x 2.5″ SATA SSD slot |
| Screen size | 15.6 inches |
| Touch enabled | No |
| Display technology | IPS, anti-glare |
| Display resolution | FHD (1920 x 1080) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| GPU type | On-board |
| GPU specs | up to 1.05 GHz max dynamic frequency |
| Interface options | 1 x Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 2 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 1 x Type-A USB 2.0 HDMI 3.5mm combo audio jack RJ-45 |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Gigabit Ethernet |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Backlit keyboard | Yes |
| Webcam | HD webcam |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery type | 3-Cell Lithium-Ion |
| Expected battery life | up to 8 hours |
| Weight | 3.97 lbs. |
| Dimensions | 14.31″ x 9.86″ x 0.71″ |
Acer Aspire 5 A515-55-56VK
