Acer Black Review

The Acer Aspire C24 all-in-one PC is a space-saving desktop with a nice 120Hz screen, but it's built for very light use only. Its Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM are too weak for anything beyond basic tasks. It's a decent option if you prioritize a clean desk over performance.

If you're looking for a simple, clean desktop setup without the clutter of a tower and cables, all-in-one PCs like the Acer Aspire C24 are a popular choice. This one packs a 23.8-inch Full HD screen, an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD into a single unit for around $500. It's a straightforward machine designed for basic tasks like web browsing, office work, and video calls, and it comes with Windows 11 Home ready to go. The big selling point here is the space-saving design and the surprisingly high 120Hz refresh rate on the display, which is a feature you don't often see on budget all-in-ones.

Performance-wise, this is a basic machine. The Intel Core i3-1305U processor and integrated Intel UHD Graphics are fine for everyday tasks. You can run Microsoft Office, browse the web with multiple tabs, and stream video without much trouble. But our benchmark data puts its CPU performance in the 12th percentile and its GPU in the 25th percentile. That means it's significantly slower than most modern desktops. The 120Hz screen is nice for making scrolling look smoother, but the graphics hardware can't really take advantage of it for gaming. The 8GB of RAM is also on the low end, landing in the 9th percentile, so you might feel constrained if you try to do too much at once.

At $500, the Aspire C24 sits in a tricky spot. It's cheaper than many all-in-ones, but its performance is also much lower. You're paying primarily for the convenience of the form factor and the nice screen. If raw performance is your goal, a traditional desktop tower at this price would give you a much more powerful CPU and the option to add more RAM or a better graphics card later. But if your priority is a minimalist, cable-free desk for light use, this could be a reasonable value.

The competitors listed in our database, like the HP Omen or Dell Alienware desktops, are completely different beasts—they're gaming towers with powerful dedicated GPUs. They're not direct competitors. For a more direct all-in-one comparison, you might look at something like the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3 or HP Pavilion All-in-One. Those often come with slightly better processors (like an i5) and sometimes more RAM for a similar price. The trade-off is they usually have standard 60Hz screens. So, the Acer's main advantage is that smoother 120Hz display, but you sacrifice processing power for it.

Anyone who needs performance should skip this. Students needing to run multiple apps for projects, small business owners doing data analysis, or anyone who enjoys even casual gaming should look elsewhere. Also, if you think you might want to upgrade your computer in a few years, skip this—it's not upgradeable. For those users, a budget desktop tower or a mini PC with better specs would be a smarter buy.

Should you buy this? Only if your needs are very specific and very light. This is a good pick for someone who wants a simple, tidy computer for basic home office tasks, email, and video calls, and who values a clean desk over performance. It's also fine for a secondary computer in a guest room or kitchen. But if you need to do any real work, multitask heavily, or even think about light gaming, you should skip it. The performance limitations are too severe. For most people, a budget mini PC or a traditional desktop offers more flexibility and power for the same money.