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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is a budget-friendly option suitable for basic tasks, with longer battery life making it more portable. It has a larger screen but lower resolution and display quality compared to the MacBook Air. The MacBook Air 15 (2023), although more expensive, offers a higher-performance processor and better overall build quality. It's thinner, lighter, and has a superior screen with higher resolution, which is especially beneficial for design and media consumption. It also boasts a much better keyboard and speaker quality. For intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or engineering software, the MacBook Air will perform significantly better. If you prioritize performance and quality over cost, and you need your laptop for demanding applications, the MacBook Air is the superior choice. If you're looking for a more affordable option for everyday use such as browsing, office applications, or streaming, and prefer a larger screen, the Acer could suit your needs. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 1
- The Acer Aspire 1 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 may leave users wanting more due to its lower RAM and a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, along with a basic TN screen which might not be as vibrant or sharp; it has fair portability but short battery life, limiting its effectiveness for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
5.6
6.5
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.5
7.6
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is equipped with limited processing power and memory, and a basic screen, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks. Conversely, the Apple MacBook Air is powered by a more capable processor, has double the memory, and features a high-resolution screen with superior color accuracy, which makes it well-suited for such specialized work.
Content Creation
5.9
8.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.1
8.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
5.2
7.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1's screen likely falls short in terms of resolution and brightness, making it less ideal for any activities where visual clarity and detail are key. The Apple MacBook Air excels in displaying vibrant colors and fine details due to its superior resolution and brightness, as well as its coverage of professional color gamuts, which is crucial for engineering and design work. However, for 3D tasks, which demand high refresh rates to render smooth motion, neither the Acer's nor the MacBook's display is optimized, with the MacBook also suffering in this aspect despite its overall high-quality screen attributes.
Battery
6.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 1 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$244
$1,299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) costs $1,299.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $1,299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 13.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 66.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1864 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 501 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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