Acer Aspire C24 review: a competent all-in-one for general use, but too limited for its price
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Acer Aspire C24: One-minute review
The Aspire C24 is a minimalist AIO with a spec made for handling everyday workloads competently.
Assembling the stand is a quick and easy process. Once built, the central pole provides some adjustments, although the maximum height it achieves is too short. There’s no tilt functionality, either — something the best all-in-one computer feature.
There aren’t too many ports on the Aspire C24, although I welcomed the inclusion of five USB ports, one of which is Type-C. An HDMI output, a network port, and a combo audio jack also feature, but it’s a shame there’s no SD card reader. The placement of the Aspire C24’s ports is a little inconvenient, too, requiring you to reach all the way behind the unit to make your connections.
The general performance of the Aspire C24 is quite good, handling light productivity tasks and 4K streaming well. The 1080p display is a little underwhelming for a screen this size, but at least there’s plenty of brightness, so you shouldn’t struggle in environments with suboptimal lighting.
However, owing to the absence of a dedicated GPU, gaming and creative performance is poor — even alongside machines with similar integrated graphics. You’ll also notice some humming during such workloads — and even during those of moderate intensity — but thankfully this isn’t distractingly loud.
The included mouse and keyboard are functional affairs. The latter is full-size, which means you get a number pad and other productivity-focused keys. It also has plenty of useful shortcuts on the F row. In contrast, the mouse is miniature and lacks side buttons, which makes it less useful for navigation. But while it can’t compete with the best mouse options, it still performs well enough for casual use.
These peripherals connect via a USB dongle, not Bluetooth. They also run on disposable batteries, so there’s no plug and play option (neither has any USB ports).
The Aspire C24 is hardly a budget machine, which means it doesn’t exactly have affordability on its side when compared to other AIOs. Given its performance limitations, it fails to match the value offered by the best in the sector.
Acer Aspire C24 review: Price & availability
- Starts from £999.99 (about $1,350 / AU$1,900)
- Available in the UK only
- Expensive compared to what alternatives offer
The Acer Aspire C24 starts from £999.99 (about $1,350 / AU$1,900) and is available now in the UK. Two models exist: both get the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, but one gets 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, while the other gets 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.
For about the same price, you could have the excellent Lenovo Yoga AIO 27, a PC with a considerably larger and sharper display than the Aspire C24’s. Other performance-related specs are similar, as models get a range of Intel Core Ultra chips, but we were more impressed with its overall performance.
And if you already have a monitor and peripherals to hand, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better budget PC than the Apple Mac Mini (M4). This has oodles of power, and, if you don’t need the Windows environment, macOS is much slicker and easier to live with on the whole. All this makes it one of the best mini PCs around.
Acer Aspire C24 review: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Review configuration |
Max configuration |
|
Price: |
£999.99 (about $1,350 / AU$1,900) |
£1,149.99 (about $1,550 / AU$2,195) |
|
CPU: |
Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (1.7GHz, 12 cores) |
Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (1.7GHz, 12 cores) |
|
Graphics: |
Integrated Intel Graphics |
Integrated Intel Graphics |
|
RAM: |
16GB DDR5 |
32GB DDR5 |
|
Storage: |
1TB NVMe PCIe 4 M.2 SSD |
2TB NVMe PCIe 4 M.2 SSD |
|
Display: |
23.8-inch Full HD (1080p) IPS, 16:9, 120Hz |
23.8-inch Full HD (1080p) IPS, 16:9, 120Hz |
|
Ports: |
4x USB-A (3x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 2.0), 1x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI out 1.4b,1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x RJ45 |
4x USB-A (3x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 2.0), 1x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI out 1.4b,1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x RJ45 |
|
Wireless: |
WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.2 |
WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.2 |
|
Camera: |
5MP w/ privacy shutter |
5MP w/ privacy shutter |
|
Weight: |
12.5kg |
12.5kg |
|
Dimensions (H x W x D): |
21.3 x 15.9 x 1.5 inches (540 x 405 x 37mm |
21.3 x 15.9 x 1.5 inches (540 x 405 x 37mm |
Acer Aspire C24 review: design
- iMac-esque looks
- Light and compact
- Ports can be hard to access
All-in-one machines promise a full desktop machine in a neat package, and the Aspire C24 is no exception. The brilliant white finish echoes Apple’s iMac designs of yore, but it still looks crisp and modern in today’s market.
What’s more, the whole unit is pleasingly thin and light, even with the stand in place. However, the plastic materials of both the PC and stand don’t feel particularly expensive or solid; I wouldn’t be confident the Aspire C24 would remain intact after a light fall or a heavy knock.
I found it quite easy to assemble and affix the stand. There are just two screws for the pole-to-base attachment, and four for attaching the pole to the PC. All require a Phillips screwdriver (not included) and nothing more. The Aspire C24 is also compatible with VESA mounts, should you wish to use one of the best monitor stands instead.
The pole is small and slender, and features a small clip at the bottom for cable management purposes. While I appreciated this touch, you’ll struggle to fit more than a couple of leads inside. The base is a large square, but it’s pleasingly flat, so it isn’t too much of an imposition on your desk space.
Adjusting the height of the Aspire C24 easy; the smooth movement means only a small amount of force is required to slide the unit up and down. However, the maximum height falls short of expectations, potentially posing an ergonomic problem for those with a loftier head position. The display can rotate from side to side, but it can’t tilt in any direction, which is a small shame.
Packaged with the Aspire C24 are a keyboard and mouse. The former is a full size affair, which I always like to see when using a machine built for general use and productivity in mind. Much like the computer itself, it’s light but not exactly premium-feeling.
The same can be said for the mouse. However, unlike the keyboard, it’s miniature in size. It also lacks side buttons, which is a disappointing omission, especially given how usable and practical the keyboard is. Both peripherals connect via a single USB dongle; neither support Bluetooth. Both run on disposable batteries, too, and neither feature a USB port.
There aren’t many ports on the Aspire C24, although most users will likely find the selection on offer sufficient. I’m sure they’d welcome the five USB-A ports, although it’s a mild shame there’s only one Type-C. You also get an HDMI out and a network port — both of which are increasingly rare sights on modern computers. A combo audio jack completes the set.
I was slightly disappointed by the lack of an SD card reader, but my biggest gripe is that, save for the underside USB-A port, all ports are hard to access. They’re at the back of the unit, near the center, which means you won’t be able to connect devices while seated. The previous generation of the Aspire C24 had its ports located on the side, which is more convenient — and it featured an SD card reader.
Acer Aspire C24 review: Performance
- Reasonable general performance
- Bright but unrefined display
- Terrible graphical performance
GeekBench 6.4 (single-core) 2889; (multi-core): 15,500
3DMark Fire Strike: 8,072; Time Spy: 4,396; Night Raid: 34,260
CrossMark Overall: 1,865; Productivity: 1,756; Responsiveness: 1,430; Creativity: 2,164
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, High): 56 fps; (1440p, High) 47 fps
The general performance of the Aspire C24 is quite good, handling light productivity and 4K video streaming quite well. It can, however, get a little flummoxed by multiple browser tabs and other multitasking scenarios, responding with momentary freezes. Fortunately, these aren’t frequent enough to disrupt the overall experience, but given my review unit was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and 16GB of RAM, I was expecting more composure.
Given the lack of a dedicated GPU, it’s no surprise that the Aspire C24 can’t handle gaming very well. However, even on the lowest graphical preset, Cyberpunk 2077 was beset by rough visuals and an appalling frame rate. This surprised me, as I’ve tested other devices with similar CPUs and integrated graphics to the Aspire C24, and they’ve managed to run this title in a playable — if not pretty — state.
During these sessions, the Aspire C24 emitted a distinctive hum that wasn’t particularly shrill or loud, but was certainly noticeable. It was also a little disappointing that this humming occurred even when conducting workloads of moderate intensity.
The display is a mixed affair. It’s very bright, which means content is visible no matter the viewing angle or particular lighting conditions of your environment. However, the 1080p resolution is lackluster, rendering noticeably jagged lines in parts of the UI, which isn’t something you’d expect from a modern monitor.
The bundled keyboard is great for productivity purposes, given the full-size layout and plethora of useful shortcuts on the F row. Typing is comfortable thanks to the light and well-spaced keys, although as expected, there’s a distinct lack of dampening compared to the best keyboards around.
Less practical is the mouse, owing to its small size and lack of buttons, which hamper usability somewhat. Thankfully, it’s responsive and it tracks well, while the clicks are perfectly sufficient.
Should you buy the Acer Aspire C24?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
There are better value machines on the market, especially if you’re willing to consider other form factors besides AIOs. |
3 / 5 |
|
Design |
The light and compact form is appealing and practical, although the materials used are hardly premium. The same is true of the mouse and keyboard. |
4 / 5 |
|
Performance |
Adequate for light workloads, but nothing more. There’s a slight hum even during moderately intense tasks, and the display isn’t particularly sharp. |
3 / 5 |
|
Total score |
The Aspire C24 is a stylish and compact AIO that’s good for light workloads, but not much else besides. Considering its price, there are better value options out there. |
3.5 / 5 |
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Acer Aspire C24: Also consider
If the Acer Aspire C24 doesn’t sound like it’s enough for your purposes, consider these alternatives instead:
How I tested the Acer Aspire C24
- Tested for a couple of days
- Used for multiple tasks and ran benchmarks
- PC reviewing experience
I tested the Aspire C24 for a few days, during which time I used it for a variety of tasks, from light productivity and general browsing to streaming video and gaming. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess all the different aspects of PC performance.
I’ve reviewed many PCs and other computing devices, from laptops and tablets to desktop PCs.
- First reviewed March 2026
