Dell XPS, Lenovo Thinkpad, Surface Book and Macbook Pro: Notebooks like these are high-quality devices with good battery life and stylish cases. Many people cannot or do not want to afford the hardware, which is usually more than 1,000 euros expensive, and therefore tend to look in the completely opposite direction. How do inexpensive notebooks do?
Golem.de therefore looked at three notebooks from three manufacturers that are strongly represented in the lower price segment: Acer, Medion and Trekstor – represented by their own brand Peaq. The condition for us: The devices should come in 14-inch form factor or smaller and cost less than 400 euros. All three companies were able to provide a test sample. There will be: the Peaq Pnb S130 Slim for 250 euros, the Medion Akoya E3221 for 350 euros and the Acer Swift 1 SF114-32 for 370 euros.
We can say in advance that we were partly pleasantly surprised and amazed at how much notebook we get for less money.
• In the first part, the devices prove how they are processed and which target group they should address.
Stellenmarkt
• The second part deals with the connections, display, keyboard and trackpad of the devices.
• The third part deals with the performance and endurance of the three opponents.
• On page four we draw a conclusion and give a tabular overview of measurement results.
| Components | Acer Swift 1 SF114 | Medion Akoya E3221 | Trekstor Peaq SL130 Slim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 14 ” matt ( Full HD) | 13,3 ” spiegelnd (Full HD, Touchscreen) | 13,3 ” matt (Full HD) |
| CPU | Intel Pentium Silver N5000 (4C@1,1 GHz) | Intel Pentium Silver N5000 (4C@1,1 GHz) | Intel Celeron N3350 (2C@1,1 GHz) |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR4 (soldered) | 4 GB LPDDR4 (soldered) | 4 GB LPDDR4 (soldered) |
| Mass storage | 128 GB NVMe SSD (inserted) | 64 GB eMMC (free SATA M.2 slot) | 64 GB eMMC (free SATA-2230-M.2 slot) |
| connections | 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen1,1x USB-A 2.0,1x USB-C 3.2 Gen1,1x HDMI 2.0a,1x SD-Kartenleser,1x 3,5-mm-Klinke | 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen2, 1x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 1x Mini-HDMI, 1x Micro-SD-Kartenleser, 1x 3,5-mm-Klinke | 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 1x mini-HDMI, 1x micro SD card reader, 1x 3.5 mm jack |
| Dimensions | 323 x 228 x 14,95 mm | 315 x 215 x 15,7 mm | 316 x 209 x 16,8 mm |
| Weight | 1,32 kg | 1,41 kg | 1,22 kg |
| operating system | Windows 10 Home (S-Modus) | Windows 10 Home (S-Modus) | Windows 10 Home (S-Modus) |
| price | 370 Euro | 350 Euro | 260 Euro |
Inexpensive notebooks in comparison – data sheet
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At first glance, the three devices are quite similar in their features: All three notebooks have an Intel processor, 4 GB of RAM and flash memory preinstalled. However, the inexpensive Peaq notebook relies on slower, 64 GB eMMC memory and the somewhat weaker Celeron N3350 dual-core processor from the Apollo Lake series. It turns out later that this is quite a disadvantage. Medion’s notebook also uses 64 GB eMMC flash, but can access a faster four-core Pentium Silver N5000. The Acer Swift 1 is at the front here and uses the same processor together with a 128 GB NVMe SSD in the M.2 slot.
The Acer notebook uses a 14-inch panel with Full HD resolution, while Trekstors Peaq notebook and Medion’s Akoya notebook use a somewhat smaller 13.3-inch display with 1080p resolution. It should also be said that Medion’s notebook with touchscreen and 360-degree hinge is suitable as a convertible, and Acer and Peaq each offer clamshell notebooks here.
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Acer Swift 1 (SF114-32-P4QM) 14″ Full-HD IPS, Intel Pentium N5000, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD…
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The chassis – better than the price suggests
We are surprised that all three opponents at least largely rely on aluminum housings. The devices therefore do not feel as cheap as the purchase prices initially suggest. The covers and palm rests of the devices are stable.
Trekstor Peaq S130 Slim (Picture: Martin Wolf / Golem.de)
When we try it out, we find that the housing of the Peaq notebook can be pushed in with a little effort and the display hinge is a little too loose. When you lift it, the lid’s folding angle is always adjusted if we are not careful. The device is relatively large at 316 x 209 x 16.8 mm for a 13.3 inch device. It only weighs 1,220 grams. Both Medion and Acer do it a little better. Here we also get metal housings, but the material is somewhat thicker and therefore less bendable.
However, the hinge of the Medion notebook creaks when it is turned, since the screws in the lower flap can easily be loosened if used frequently. This can be remedied by screwing, but it’s not nice. Due to the relatively heavy touchscreen with glass pane, the device also weighs 1,410 grams. At 315 x 215 x 15.7 mm, it is roughly the same size as the Trekstor device, but with a larger display.
Trekstor Peaq S130 Slim (Picture: Martin Wolf / Golem.de)
Therefore, we see the Acer notebook in front here. Not only is it surprisingly solid for the price, it is also light enough at 1,320 grams for travel. At 323 x 228 x 14.95 mm, the chassis is somewhat larger than the competition, although still small enough for the backpack.
Winner: Acer Swift 1
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