If price is a major factor for you and your tasks are not demanding, the Acer Aspire 1 with its basic processor and modest storage might suffice, especially for general everyday use like browsing and office applications. The ASUS Zenbook 14X, while more expensive, offers a significant jump in performance, making it better suited for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, engineering applications, and even some light gaming. Its superior display, with higher resolution and OLED technology, is ideal for creative work or enjoying media, but this also means it's less economical when it comes to battery life compared to the Acer. If portability is important, consider that the ASUS is lighter and has a smaller footprint than the Acer, which could make it more travel-friendly. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14X
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8/10
7.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 falls short in general use mainly due to its less powerful Intel Celeron processor, lower RAM capacity, and basic TN screen, compared to the ASUS Zenbook 14X which boasts a high-end Intel i7 processor, more RAM for multitasking, and a superior OLED display for vivid colors and sharpness. Furthermore, the Zenbook's larger battery capacity supports longer usage away from power outlets, its more compact and lighter design improves portability, and its overall higher build quality enhances user experience.
Gaming and AI
5.6/10
6.5/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
5.5/10
7.7/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1, with its Intel Celeron N4500 processor and entry-level graphics, along with a standard TN display at 1920 x 1080 resolution, falls short for engineering and design applications which require stronger performance and better screen quality.
Content Creation
5.9/10
7.6/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is 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
6.1/10
7.4/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is 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
5.2/10
8.3/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1 likely has a lower resolution and dimmer display, which impacts its screen quality across all use cases. The ASUS Zenbook 14X probably boasts a high-resolution, bright panel with accurate color reproduction, making it ideal for general use and professional engineering and design tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite its resolution and panel quality, the Zenbook 14X's screen may fall short due to a lower refresh rate which is crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
7.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has good 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
$777
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the ASUS Zenbook 14X costs $777.
"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."
"With the Zenbook 14X, Asus has a 14-incher in its range that is - mostly - a joy to use. First, there is the colorful OLED panel with 3K resolution that displays the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. The Zenbook is also at the forefront in terms of workmanship, input devices and connections with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports and a generous keyboard layout. A pleasure to use, the Zenbook 14X is a solid, very well-built subnotebook that sits well on the table. A runtime of five hours, however, is below average for a high-end subnotebook nowadays. The OLED screensaver causes increased power consumption when in idle mode."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the ASUS Zenbook 14X
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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