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Overview
Gaming laptops are often associated with high price tags, making it difficult for budget-conscious gamers to find a suitable machine without compromising too much on performance. Enter the Acer ALG—a budget-friendly gaming laptop that promises to deliver robust performance without breaking the bank. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the details.
Design and Build Quality
The Acer ALG sports a no-frills design that some might find plain, but its understated aesthetic allows it to blend seamlessly into any environment. Despite being crafted primarily from plastic, the laptop feels sturdy and well-built. The metal lid with angular ridges adds a touch of elegance, although some users have reported a rattly trackpad, which could be a minor annoyance.
Rating: Design – 7.0/10
Display
The laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It impresses with its thin bezels and vivid colors, though it isn’t the most color-accurate display on the market. The 144Hz refresh rate is a highlight, especially for competitive games like Valorant and Apex Legends, ensuring minimal screen tearing.
Rating: Display – 7.5/10
Performance
Under the hood, the Acer ALG is powered by an Intel Core i5-12450H processor coupled with an RTX 3050 GPU with 75W TGP. It comes with 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, making it a capable performer for both gaming and productivity tasks. The laptop achieved 98 and 521 points in Cinebench’s R24 single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. It also scored 5,764 points in PCMark 10 and 6,874 points in PCMark 10 Extended tests.
In terms of real-world gaming, the ALG can run most AAA titles at medium-high settings at 1080p resolution. For instance, “Red Dead Redemption 2” runs at around 50FPS on medium settings, while “Cyberpunk 2077” averages 35-40FPS on high settings without upsampling.
Rating: Performance – 7.0/10
Battery Life
Battery life is a common weak point for gaming laptops, and the Acer ALG is no exception. In PCMark 10’s battery loop test, the laptop lasted just 1 hour and 54 minutes. However, it has effective cooling mechanisms, keeping CPU temperatures around 95 degrees during intense gaming sessions.
Rating: Battery – 5.5/10
Connectivity and Ports
The laptop offers a variety of ports including two USB Type-A ports, but disappointingly, one of them is a USB 2.0 connector. The Type-C port lacks power delivery, and there’s no full-sized SD card reader or biometric authentication options. On the plus side, it features an HDMI 2.0 port and an ethernet slot, which are useful for reducing ping in multiplayer games.
Rating: Connectivity – 7.0/10
Audio and Keyboard
The downward-firing speakers offer impressive audio quality, and the wedge-shaped frame ensures the sound isn’t muffled. The keyboard, featuring single-zone RGB lighting, is comfortable for long typing sessions, although users have noted the trackpad’s tendency to wobble.
Rating: Gaming – 6.0/10
Verdict
At a price of approximately Rs 62,990, the Acer ALG offers an excellent balance of performance and affordability. While there are some minor issues such as the rattly trackpad and limited port selection, these are small concessions for a gaming laptop that promises so much at this price point.
Editor’s Rating: 7.5 / 10
Pros:
- Capable performer
- Snappy 144Hz display
- Affordable
Cons:
- Trackpad rattles on touch
- Port selection could’ve been better
For gamers on a budget, the Acer ALG is a compelling choice, combining solid performance at a manageable price. It may not be perfect, but it certainly stands out as a value-for-money gaming laptop.
