Acer Aspire AM3470-UC30P Pro Reviews

Opting for a bargain-priced PC is always going to involve some sacrifices, and the Acer Aspire M3470 is no exception. Its processor could be faster, its design and build quality aren’t overly impressive, and, as with most off-the-shelf Windows systems, it does come packed tight with a host of unnecessary pre-installed software. (When we first booted it up, the desktop background was a rotating gallery of Microsoft Bing-emblazoned images.) But adware and junk software is easy enough to disable or uninstall, and the selection here wasn’t quite as egregious as what we’ve seen on some other machines lately. And the build quality? While, of course, we’d like to see even budget PCs get their USB-port alignment right, it’s impossible to tell whether the issue with our top ports was a fluke, or a widespread problem. Either way, while it’s disconcerting, once we plugged in our flash drive and wiggled it a bit, the top ports stayed lined up with the holes in the case. Problem solved. One thing to bear in mind is that buying a bundle like this from a local store like Costco has its advantages. The Aspire M3470’s box states that Costco’s PCs (as well as its televisions) have a 90-day return policy, an additional second year of warranty coverage, and free technical support. You most likely won't get all that from an online outlet. And even if you do, sending a system back through the mail is a much bigger hassle than boxing it up and driving it to a local store for a replacement. If you’re looking for a competent family PC, complete with a large high-definition screen, the Acer Aspire M3470 is a good choice, especially if you’re happy to sacrifice some processing speed for surprisingly good entry-level gaming graphics. The generous return policy and the extra warranty offered up by Costco makes us feel a fair bit better about the somewhat lackluster build quality. You can certainly find better-performing monitors if you’re willing to pay extra and buy separately. But as an all-in-one-box solution for those replacing an aging PC and monitor, the Aspire M3470-UC30P is a mighty fine choice for the price.

The Acer AM3470-UC30P won't break any performance records, but it does offer some nice features at a very affordable price.