The Acer Aspire 5 is what you get when you order a 14-inch laptop from Jo-Anne Fabrics. They unroll it, cut it, roll it back up, and hand it to you in a tall paper bag. When you get home, it’s up to you to iron out the wrinkles. Any glamour this laptop lacks can be excused by its solid and sturdy feel. I’ll even admit that this laptop has something in common with the suitors in “The Bachelorette”: it’s generic, yes, but certainly handsome. The silver and black trim is businesslike, and the black keycap looks attractive. There is one point of concern, however. The display lid is slightly more bronzed than the rest of the laptop. This is obvious in the photos, but it is not so noticeable in actual use. However, the basics are solid and should be able to handle some bumps and shocks when placed in a backpack or bag while traveling. Although not an ultrabook, the Aspire 5 weighs only 1.7 kg and is 18 mm thick, making it perfectly portable when needed. The keyboard feels solid and easy to type on, and the trackpad has a fingerprint sensor for security. The only weakness is the thin, L-shaped power connector protruding from the side of the laptop, which makes it look a bit vulnerable. The 1080p IPS screen is a bit lackluster in an era when higher-resolution and even 4K displays are offered on many laptops, but they are not common in this price range, and at least Full HD beats the 1,366 x 768 of some ultra-cheap laptops. 15.6 inch size is adequate for everyday tasks such as schoolwork, Web browsing, and streaming videos and movies, but don’t expect blinding brightness or better-than-bright colors in this segment. Touchscreens are also scarce in this price range.
