Acer’s Aspire Go 15 (AG15-32P-39R2) is impressively affordable, as Windows 11 laptops come, and it looks good on a desk. But slightly pricier rivals generate significantly better performance.
The Acer Aspire Go 15 lineup of budget laptops spans many hardware configurations, and the models can have some significant differences. For instance, our review of the AG15-51P highlighted a well-balanced machine, pairing a modern 16:10 display with an Intel Core i5 processor. Now we turn to the lowest-priced entry in the series: the AG15-32P-39R2 ($299.99 as tested). Its 1080p IPS display is a welcome feature, but the rest of its specs tip into bargain Chromebook territory. Given its slim price, it’s tempting to be lenient, but we ultimately cannot recommend the Aspire Go 15 AG15-32P-39R2 to any but the most frugal shoppers. Another $100 or so buys a far more capable laptop, so we still point to options like Acer’s Aspire 3 (A315-24P) and Aspire Go 15 (AG15-51P) as the best budget laptops for most buyers.Configurations: Stretching the Dollar, Shrinking the Specs
The Aspire Go 15 AG15-32P-39R2 under review runs on the new-for-2025 Intel Core 3 N355 CPU, a light-hitting “Twin Lake” chip with eight Efficient cores, no Performance cores, and a modest 3.9GHz turbo clock. It provides just enough performance for daily use, but no more. Another cost-cutting feature: the skimpy 128GB of Universal Flash Storage (UFS), a type of memory more commonly found in smartphones. Considering that you can get a 256GB SSD for around $25, the parts-bin nature of this laptop is explicit.
Adding to the compromises, Windows 11 comes in S Mode, which restricts app installations to the Microsoft Store. Most users will likely initiate the one-way switch out of S Mode into full Windows 11 early on.
Most other Aspire Go 15 configurations, including the mentioned Acer Aspire Go 15 (AG15-51P), provide more robust processors and real SSD storage. Acer even equips some models with desktop-replacement CPUs at a significantly higher price. Case in point: Model AG15-71P-794K was $749.99 on the Acer Store with a Core i7-13620H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.Design: Low-Priced Frills, But No Thrills
Acer’s Aspire is more upscale than its price suggests. Despite some flex in the chassis, it still feels sturdy, and the lid opens with a smooth, confident motion. Visually, the Aspire Go 15 blends in with the sea of budget laptops lining wholesale-club tables, but that’s not a bad thing: Its neutral lines and minimal branding won’t turn heads, for better or worse. And the design avoids the telltale signs of a bargain-bin buy, apart from the thick lower bezel framing its conventional 16:9 display. In short, it’s perfectly adequate.
At 0.78 by 14.3 by 9.4 inches (HWD) and 3.8 pounds, the Aspire shares a similar footprint with other budget-friendly laptops, such as the Asus Vivobook Go 15 (0.7 by 14.2 by 9.2 inches and 3.6 pounds) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (0.7 by 14.2 by 9.4 inches, 3.6 pounds). It’s not quite an ultraportable, but it’s far from cumbersome.
Acer’s practical port selection includes two USB Type-C and two USB Type-A connections, an audio jack, and an HDMI 2.1 monitor output. The included power adapter plugs into either USB-C port. The laptop has a MediaTek Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 card for wireless networking.
The AG15-32P-39R2 comes with a fair amount of bloatware, including many game trials and other ads.
