At a look
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Great worth
- Solid show
- Generous RAM and storage for the worth
- Reasonable webcam and mic
Cons
- Slow Intel N-series CPU
- No fingerprint reader or facial recognition
- Middling battery life
- No keyboard backlight
Our Verdict
The Acer Aspire Go 15 could also be top-of-the-line funds laptops you should purchase for beneath $500, but it surely makes some compromises to get there. This machine shines with mild desktop use, but it surely isn’t constructed for demanding duties.
Price When Reviewed
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Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
$499
Best Prices Today: Acer Aspire Go 15 (2025)
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a 15.6-inch funds laptop computer that delivers nice worth on your greenback. With affordable desktop efficiency, a pleasant 1080p show, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage, there’s lots to love right here.
But the Aspire Go 15 gained’t cross for a premium laptop computer any time quickly. Acer’s alternative of budget-tier N-series Intel CPU and a small battery are compromises that have been seemingly essential to hit this worth level. You’ll discover this compromise in day-to-day use.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Specs
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
The Acer Aspire Go 15 pairs an Intel Core i3-N355 CPU with 16 GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512 GB SSD — that’s an excellent quantity of RAM and storage for a $499 laptop computer.
It’s accessible from each Best Buy and Target. While I used to be wrapping up the evaluate, Target had it on sale for $429, which is a stable worth.
Compared to last year’s $299 Acer Aspire Go 15, this 12 months’s mannequin delivers 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage (up from 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.) There’s been some inflation of laptop computer costs, however these spec bumps make the capsule simpler to swallow. This is an effective amount of RAM and storage you’d need in a laptop computer. Anything much less can turn out to be arduous to dwell with. You might in all probability get by with 256 GB of storage, Acer is being beneficiant!
The large factor holding this laptop computer again is its Intel CPU and graphics. Intel N-series chips are designed for funds machines. It’s quick sufficient for fundamental desktop and productiveness software use, however this can be a funds CPU expertise. Additionally, the Intel graphics {hardware} right here could be very sluggish. This machine isn’t an excellent match when you plan on enjoying PC video games or utilizing different 3D apps.
Acer chooses to ship this laptop computer in S Mode, which is an odd resolution in 2025. You can’t set up software program from outdoors the Store except you take it out of S Mode, however that simply takes a number of clicks and is free. Our evaluate mannequin got here preconfigured by Acer already out of S Mode.
- Model quantity: Aspire Go 15 (AG15-32P-30YE)
- CPU: Intel Core i3-N355
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 RAM
- Graphics/GPU: Intel graphics
- NPU: None
- Display: 15.6-inch 1920×1080 IPS show
- Storage: 512 GB PCIe Gen4 SSD
- Webcam: 720p webcam
- Connectivity: 2x USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB Type-A (USB 3.2 Gen1), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio jack, 1x Kensington Lock slot
- Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
- Biometrics: None
- Battery capability: 53 Watt-hours
- Dimensions: 14.29 x 9.44 x 0.92 inches
- Weight: 3.74 kilos
- MSRP: $499 as examined
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a good choose when you’re in search of a funds Windows laptop computer beneath $500, particularly when you can catch it on sale. The display is stable, the construct high quality is cheap, and the desktop efficiency is nice sufficient for day-to-day software utilization.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Design and construct high quality
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a 15.6-inch laptop computer fabricated from plastic. It’s a mix of silver — a shade Acer calls “Pure Silver” — and black. It’s a basic design.
While this can be a plastic chassis, it feels stable, there’s no regarding creaking. With a weight of 3.74 kilos, it’s doable to choose the laptop computer up by one hand on one facet and maintain it, if essential. At 0.92 inches thick on the thickest level, it’s just a little chunky in comparison with the typical thin-and-light machine, but it surely’s a high-quality expertise. The keyboard deck has a little bit of flex to it, however I wasn’t apprehensive about it. It feels high-quality for the worth.
The Aspire Go 15’s hinge feels good and stable, with a pleasant motion. I did have to carry it with two palms whereas I opened it. But, as soon as opened, the display stayed firmly in place and didn’t shake round as I typed. You can hold pushing the display again and the keyboard will tilt in the direction of you. I used to be in a position to open it to a 145-degree angle or so.
The Acer Aspire Go 15 can also be a basic expertise when it comes to bloatware, with icons like “Booking.com” and “Dropbox promotion” pinned proper to the taskbar out of the field. That’s to be anticipated at this worth vary, and you’ll take away it.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Keyboard and trackpad
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
The Acer Aspire Go 15 has a full-size keyboard full with a quantity pad on the proper. Unfortunately, there’s no keyboard backlighting. That’s a disgrace, because it’s the sort of nice-to-have characteristic that will make this laptop computer simpler to make use of.
This machine’s keyboard is sort of good to make use of. It feels prefer it has an excellent quantity of key journey, maybe 1.5mm or so. Thinner laptops usually skimp on the important thing journey to get even smaller, which makes the typing expertise much less satisfying.
The trackpad additionally feels nice – it’s an excellent dimension, the floor is clean sufficient, and it clicks down with a satisfying clunk somewhat than a loud click on. It’s good for the worth vary.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Display and audio system
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
The Acer Aspire Go 15 has a 15.6-inch IPS show with a 1920×1080 decision and as much as 300 nits of brightness. It’s not a touchscreen. It’s matte and never shiny, so will probably be higher outdoor and in difficult lighting situations than a shiny, reflective panel.
The show seems stable. It’s an excellent dimension. Budget laptops are typically 13 inches or smaller. A 15.6-inch 1080p show on a funds laptop computer is a good discover. It has good viewing angles, which isn’t assured on a funds laptop computer show. More costly usually ship larger decision shows, OLED panels, touchscreens, extra brightness, and higher shade accuracy, however this can be a good show for the worth.
The show’s brightness is an issue: I wished to crank it as much as 100% to make it readable in regular situations. And that impacts the battery life, as we’ll see.
This machine’s audio system are okay. They’re on the quiet facet, however there’s sufficient quantity to listen to them clearly in a quiet room. I check every laptop computer’s audio system I evaluate by enjoying Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. While the devices in Aja weren’t notably crisp, the excessive notes didn’t run collectively. Get Lucky sounded high-quality however there was much less bass than even the typical laptop computer audio system — not a shock for the worth right here.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
The Acer Aspire Go 15 has a 720p webcam. It’s high-quality, but it surely’s nothing particular, a 1080p webcam will look higher. It’s greater than ok for mild video conferences, which is what issues. However, there’s no bodily webcam shutter change.
Acer says this machine has “dual digital microphones” that “ensure voices are captured with precision.” This laptop computer’s microphones sound fairly good, truly. With a pair of headphones, this machine is properly outfitted for on-line conferences and video chats.
This machine doesn’t have any biometric {hardware} — no fingerprint reader or facial recognition for straightforward Windows Hello sign-ins. It would’ve been good to not less than see a fingerprint reader. Without one, you’ll seemingly be typing a PIN to register every time you employ your laptop computer.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Connectivity
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
The Acer Aspire Go 15 has a wide variety of ports. On the left facet, it’s received two USB Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a USB Type-A port. On the correct facet, you’ll discover a second USB Type-A port, a combo audio jack, and a Kensington lock slot.
This machine expenses by way of USB Type-C, which is handy, however the USB Type-C ports are solely on the left facet. It can be good to have a USB-C port on all sides for flexibility. Additionally, the USB-C ports are USB 3.2 Gen 2, whereas the USB Type-A ports are USB 3.2 Gen 1. You gained’t discover Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 right here, both. That’s not a shock given the worth and {hardware} class, and individuals who can be this machine in all probability gained’t want Thunderbolt 4 speeds anyway.
This machine doesn’t have a microSD card reader or Ethernet jack, so that you’ll want a dongle or one other laptop computer if these are priorities.
Under the hood, you’re getting Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 wi-fi {hardware}. That’s just a little dated, however continues to be affordable. Wi-Fi 6E isn’t crucial, and Wi-Fi 7 continues to be simply getting began.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Performance
The Acer Aspire Go 15 isn’t a velocity demon on paper. Any Intel CPU with an “N” in its identify is suspect, as this can be a slower funds line. But, with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD, this machine punches above its funds laptop computer weight. And, in mild utilization — apps like net browsers, Microsoft Office, and Spotify — the laptop computer delivered affordable day-to-day efficiency.
Intel’s N-series CPUs have turn out to be higher than I remembered them being for mild desktop utilization, however the CPU and GPU present their sluggish speeds once we put the machine by our standard benchmarks to see the way it performs.
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
First, we run PCMark 10 to get an concept of general system efficiency. With an general rating of 3,851, the Acer Aspire Go 15 and its Core i3-N355 CPU have been properly behind different machines with out Intel N-series CPUs.
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a closely multithreaded benchmark that focuses on general CPU efficiency. It’s a fast benchmark, so cooling beneath prolonged workloads isn’t an element. But, because it’s closely multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores have an enormous benefit.
With a multithreaded rating of 1,760, this machine’s eight-core CPU proved it isn’t superb for CPU-heavy workloads.
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
We additionally run an encode with Handbrake. This is one other closely multithreaded benchmark, but it surely runs over an prolonged interval. This calls for the laptop computer’s cooling kick in, and plenty of laptops will throttle and decelerate beneath load.
The Acer Aspire Go 15 took 2,663 seconds to finish the encode course of — that’s over 44 minutes. It’s an unusually sluggish rating.
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it surely’s nonetheless good to verify how the GPU performs. We run 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU efficiency.
With an general 3DMark Time Spy rating of 731, the Intel graphics on this machine have been unusually sluggish. If you wish to do any PC gaming or use any skilled apps that want GPU acceleration, this isn’t the correct laptop computer for you.
Overall, the benchmarks demonstrated that this laptop computer’s {hardware} isn’t notably quick. It delivers affordable day-to-day desktop efficiency with light-weight apps, but it surely isn’t superb for extra demanding workflows and also you’ll discover the velocity distinction on this machine in comparison with one with a higher-end CPU, even when utilizing fundamental desktop apps and net browsers.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Battery life
The Acer Aspire Go 15 has a 53 Watt-hour battery, which is on the small facet. In day-to-day use the battery life appeared beneath what Acer’s reviewer information promised and what I used to be led to anticipate in different opinions. The drawback? I used to be cranking this 15.6-inch show as much as 100 % brightness, and that was hurting battery life
Foundry / Chris Hoffman
To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled till the laptop computer suspends itself. We set the display to round 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is normally a best-case state of affairs for any laptop computer since native video playback is so environment friendly, and actual battery life in day-to-day use is at all times going to be lower than this.
The Acer Aspire Go 15 lasted a mean of 401 minutes earlier than suspending itself. That’s over six and a half hours, however not fairly seven hours. Acer says to anticipate about ten and a half hours on this check, and I don’t doubt I’d have seen these numbers if I lowered the brightness.
In real-world use, you could get much less battery life than you’d like from this machine except you’re ready to show the brightness down greater than you could like. Thankfully, this being a 15.6-inch laptop computer, you could be planning to make use of it as a desk and plug it in steadily sufficient.
Acer Aspire Go 15: Conclusion
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a good choose when you’re in search of a budget Windows laptop under $500, particularly when you can catch it on sale. The display is stable, the construct high quality is cheap, and the desktop efficiency is nice sufficient for day-to-day software utilization. Even the webcam and mic are first rate, you’d look and sound high-quality utilizing these in on-line conferences.
But the compromises are actual. This isn’t a premium expertise, the battery life is beneath what I’d prefer to see, and this machine isn’t prepared so that you can put critical calls for on its CPU or GPU.
But let’s be sincere: This machine will likely be greater than sufficient for many individuals’s wants. And I’m thrilled to see 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage in a funds laptop computer like this one.