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日本Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) review – Affordable Power with a Few Catches
The modern-day user is comfortably spoiled by a large variety of new devices that offer OLED displays, great upgradability, per-key RGB keyboards, top-of-the-line hardware, and much more. What about if you don’t need all these things and just want to get a normal machine for light daily tasks? The Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) is an affordable big-screen laptop that could be the right choice for many users seeking something on a budget (if you pick it with the right hardware for your needs). Yes, some of the notebooks are configured with a 6W 4-core CPU, 4GB of RAM, eMMC storage, and a pity old-school 900p TN panel – avoid these devices like the plague since their performance isn’t up to modern standards at all.
On the other hand, we bought a maxed-out version of the A317-55P with a 1080p IPS display, 16GB of LPDDR5 memory (which unfortunately works in a single channel mode), a 15W 8-core Intel Core i3-N305, and an SSD with TLC memory. The rest of the specs are just fine for the price class – a full-sized keyboard, Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.1 for connectivity, and a decent port selection. The bottom plate can be easily popped for servicing.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-aspire-3-a317-55p/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 1000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x 2280 PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 or eMMC See photo
- RAM
- up to 16GB
- OS
- Linux, Windows 11 Home
- Battery
- 40Wh, 3-cell
- Body material
- Plastic / Polycarbonate
- Dimensions
- 402.1 x 256.5 x 19.9 mm (15.83" x 10.10" x 0.78")
- Weight
- 2.10 kg (4.6 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 2x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- 1x USB Type-C
- Power Delivery (PD)
- HDMI
- Card reader
- Ethernet LAN
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ax
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- optional
- Web camera
- HD with Temporal Noise Reduction
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- 2x Microphones with Acer Purified Voice
- Speakers
- Stereo Speakers
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
- Kensington Lock
All Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/product-support/Aspire_A317-55P/downloads?suggest=A317-55P;1
What’s in the box?
The box contains the laptop itself, a couple of manuals, and a 45W barrel plug charger.
Design and construction
The Aspire 3 (A317-55P) boasts the typical Acer design for its entry-level machines. For example, the Aspire 5 (A517-58M) is almost a carbon copy of the A317-55P. The build is fully plastic. You can flex the lid a bit more than expected but it’s not extremely spongy. The base can be bent in the top zone between the two hinges and above the touchpad. Nothing too serious, this only happens when you press down these spots harder than usual.
The hinge mechanism is extra stiff and that’s why you’ll need both hands to open the lid. While doing so, you’ll feel a fair amount of resistance. The dimensions are pretty good for a 17-incher – 2.1 kg and 19.9 mm profile thickness.
The bezels around the screen aren’t thin but they aren’t thick either and that’s why the look of the laptop isn’t dated (or at least that’s our humble opinion). The dual-mic 720p@30FPS Web camera with Temporal Noise Reduction is placed above the panel.
We are happy to see the implementation of the lid with a lever design here. When the angle of the opening is wider than 90 degrees, the bottom of the lid with its pair of rubber feet raises the back of the chassis. This position allows more fresh air to reach the cooling and when the back is lifted, that also enhances the ergonomics while using the keyboard with an optional backlight.
The board has a NumPad. The key travel and the feedback are average but that’s completely fine. Overall, there are better keyboards on the market but the one in front of us is good enough for typing. The main issue here is the half-sized “Up” and “Down” Arrow keys which are uncomfortable to press.
The moisture-resistant touchpad looks a bit smaller. Its clicks are kind of loud but the pad is adequate for work because of the moderate accuracy and smoothness. Some devices have a fingerprint reader that is positioned in the top left corner of the trackpad.
The bottom panel looks standard with its 3-row ventilation grill, four small rubber feet, speaker cutouts, and a battery reset pinhole. The hot air is pushed through a vent on the back that aims at the lower bezel of the screen. That’s why a bit of hot air makes its way to the panel during long CPU loads.
Ports
On the left side, you get a power connector, a 10 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port with DisplayPort and charging capabilities (45W DC-in), an HDMI 2.1, and a 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port. On the right side, there is a Kensington lock slot, another 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, and an Audio combo jack.
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) is equipped with a Full HD IPS panel, model number BOE NV173FHM-N49 (BOE084E). It comes with a 60Hz refresh rate. Its diagonal is 17.3″ (43.9 cm), and the resolution – 1920 x 1080p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:9, the pixel density – 127 ppi, and their pitch – 0.2 x 0.2 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 69 cm (this is based on the pixel density and the typical viewing distance at which individual pixels cannot be distinguished by the human eye).
Viewing angles are good. We offer images at different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
The maximum measured brightness is 317 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 286 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 15%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6980K.
In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective. The illustration below shows how matters are for operational brightness levels (approximately 180 nits) – in this particular case at 60% Brightness (White level = 185 cd/m2, Black level = 0.16 cd/m2).
Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The contrast ratio is very good – 1140:1.
To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.
Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.
Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.
The yellow dotted line shows Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P)’s color gamut coverage.
Its display covers 52% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976 and 41% of DCI-P3.
Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature at 180 cd/m2 luminance (Illuminant white point – D65), sRGB encoding curve.
We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc. You can check out the results at factory condition and also, with the “Design and Gaming” profile.
Below you can compare the scores of the Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right).
The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light.
The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is enhanced with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.
Response time (Gaming capabilities)
We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa (these terms refer to the time it takes for pixels to change from one color to another (black to white and back to black in this case), a shorter time reduces picture blur with fast moving images).
We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 13.6 ms.
After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the backlight is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P)’s display doesn’t flicker at any brightness level. This makes the screen pretty comfortable for long periods of use.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile reduces harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays can be inconvenient in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the screen reflection level for each laptop when the display is turned off and the measurement angle is set at 60°.
The reflectance of the Aspire’s screen is 49.8 GU.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Sound
Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P)’s speakers produce a sound of relatively good quality. However, the low, mid, and high tones all have some slight deviations from clarity.
Buy our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) configurations with 17.3″ BOE NV173FHM-N49 (BOE084E) (1920 x 1080) IPS.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Office Work
Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.
Design and Gaming
This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.
Health-Guard
Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.
Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Best performance” preset applied in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu.
CPU options
This laptop can be found with Intel Processor N100, Intel Processor N200, or Core i3-N305.
The machine that we picked has an N305 CPU.
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
GPU options
All devices of this Acer series rely on the iGPU inside the CPU.
In our case, that’s the Intel UHD Graphics Xe 750 (32EU).
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests
| CS:GO | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, MAX (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 104 fps | 59 fps | 34 fps |
| DOTA 2 | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Normal (Check settings) | HD 1080p, High (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 71 fps | 43 fps | 30 fps |
Storage performance
Our laptop is equipped with a 512GB Micron 2450 MTFDKBA512TFK which has TLC memory.
The lack of a dedicated thermal pad for the NVMe drive doesn’t have a negative impact on its performance since it reaches around 68°C during benchmarking (that’s fine).
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
You can make your laptop Faster. LaptopMedia has tested thousands of models in the last 15 years, and we have yet to see a notebook that couldn't be made more powerful through modifications.
That's why we decided to bundle everything we know about how to achieve this in an Easy-to-Follow, Step-by-Step, and Laboratory-Tested, all in one project.
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[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
🛠️ GPU Modifications: vBIOS, Overclocking, Undervolting
⚙️ Building Fast/Reliable RAID configuration
💻 Hardware upgrade tips for best results
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💾 OS Optimization for best performance
Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power
| Intel Core i3-N305 (15W TDP) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) | 2.97 GHz @ 70°C @ 32W | 1.95 GHz @ 62°C @ 15W | 1.92 GHz @ 51°C @ 15W |
The Core i3-N305 boosts to ~3.00 GHz in short loads which leads to snappy performance in light tasks. In medium and long stress, the frequencies are decreased to ~ 1.90 GHz and that’s okay since the base clock of this chip is 1.80 GHz. The temperatures are always in check.
Gaming comfort
The AcerSence and the Quick Access apps don’t contain any power presets and you have to use the standard Windows Power modes. When the CPU is stressed at max, the single fan is audible but it’s not noisy at all.
In this case, the temperatures on the top side of the base don’t surpass the 40°C mark, so yes, the comfort under load is very good.
Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Best Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. This laptop’s 53Wh battery lasts for around 8 hours of video playback. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Best Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and turn on the “Adaptive Sync Plus” option in the Intel Graphics Command Center.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To open this big laptop, you have to undo 11 Philips-head screws. Pop the top two corners with a thin plastic tool. Then, pry the back and work your way around the sides and the front.
Here’s how the bottom panel looks on the inside.
This notebook has the optional 53Wh battery. The base model is a 40Wh variant. To take it out, unplug the connector from the motherboard and undo the two Philips-head screws that secure the unit to the chassis. The capacity is enough for around 8 hours of video playback.
Expectedly, the memory is soldered but it also works in a single-channel mode. You get up to 16GB of LPDDR5-4800MHz RAM. The Wi-Fi card is on the left of the memory modules.
There is just one M.2 slot compatible with 2280 Gen 3 SSDs. Keep in mind that some devices come with 64GB or 128GB eMMC storage.
The thermal system seems basic. It has one fan, a single heat pipe, one decently sized top-mounted heat sink, and a heat spreader.
Verdict
The Acer Aspire 3 (A317-55P) is a regular workhorse. The Intel Core i3-N305 with its eight E cores ensures sufficient performance for light daily or office tasks. That’s possible because the CPU can maintain ~ 3.00 GHz clocks in short loads and around 1.90 GHz in longer stress. In addition, the cooling fan isn’t noisy and the chassis barely becomes warm on the outside even while benchmarking the processor with Cinebench 2024. The SSD (512GB Micron 2450 MTFDKBA512TFK) is also decently fast for the price and has TLC memory chips.
The 17.3″ 1080p IPS screen (BOE NV173FHM-N49 (BOE084E)) is good for its class. The unit is PWM-free, its viewing angles are good, and the max brightness reaches 317 nits. That’s enough for long hours of work without feeling headaches (if you take regular breaks from time to time). Still, the color coverage is just 52% but that’s something normal for this kind of laptop.
Both input devices are average but still okay for unpretentious daily usage. The 53Wh battery lasts for ~8 hours of videos on a single charge which is a fine result. All that we said applies to our configuration which is pretty decent. Read the specs carefully before buying since you could get a machine with a 4-core CPU and eMMC memory which sounds miserable for 2024.
The Aspire 3 (A317-55P) offers enough power for basic daily and office tasks. We also like the PWM-free IPS display, the good comfort under load, and the long battery life.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-aspire-3-a317-55p/
Pros
- Long battery life given the modest capacity of 53Wh – around 8 hours of videos
- Decent input devices
- Well-priced notebook
- Decent chassis rigidity
- Lid with a lever design
- Relatively light and thin for a 17.3-incher (2.1 kg / 19.9 mm)
- PWM-free (BOE084E)
- Wide viewing angles and + 317 nits of max brightness (BOE084E)
- Decent I/O for the price
- Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.1
- Optional fingerprint reader
- Good comfort under full loads
- The Core i3-N305 can sustain ~3.00 GHz clock in short loads
- SSD with TLC memory (Micron 2450 MTFDKBA512TFK)
Cons
- Some machines are configured with 4-core CPUs and eMMC storage
- Plastic build
- Low sRGB coverage (BOE084E)
- Soldered memory that works in a single-channel mode + just one M.2 slot
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I will definitely consider buying this laptop. The only concern is the plastic build, but a lot of modern laptops have plastic shells today. It sounds like it has a lot of computing power to be a practical buy. Also, the temperature check review is helpful, some of the best laptops work well but get hot too quickly.