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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, while also desiring a high-quality display and build, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is the superior option, albeit at a higher price. It boasts a powerful processor, a dedicated graphics card, and more RAM, which are critical for intensive tasks, but also makes it less portable than the Acer Aspire 1. The Acer, on the other hand, is much more affordable and offers a simpler setup with enough capabilities for basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, along with a longer battery life and quieter operation due to its fanless design. However, its performance and screen quality are not suited for demanding applications. Choose the Acer if you're looking for an economical, basic laptop for everyday use, or opt for the Dell if you need a laptop for high-performance tasks and are okay with the extra cost and weight. 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 Dell Alienware x14 R1.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1's lesser storage and RAM, coupled with an entry-level CPU and lower-quality TN screen, make it poor for general use when compared to the Dell Alienware x14 R1's ample storage, higher RAM, more powerful CPU, and higher-quality IPS screen. Additionally, the Alienware's better battery life, and more robust portability and build quality enhance its suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.6
7.6
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 isn't suitable for gaming and 3D because it uses an integrated Intel UHD graphics chip which can't handle intensive graphics tasks, and it only supports a screen refresh rate of 60Hz which can limit smooth gameplay. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 dedicated GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz which provides a more fluid visual experience.
Engineering and Design
5.5
8.2
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
5.9
7.9
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.7
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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 brightness which makes its screen less appealing for everyday tasks, while its limited color gamut can hinder the accuracy needed for engineering and design work. The Dell Alienware x14 R1, with a higher quality display, provides sharp and bright visuals for general use and better color representation for professional design applications, but its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops could lead to less fluid visuals in fast-paced 3D environments. Both laptops show trade-offs between screen attributes and their effectiveness across different applications, from regular browsing to specialized work and gaming.
Battery
6.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 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
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
8.5
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very 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
$1,201
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 costs $1,201.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Dell Alienware x14 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $1,201 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 10.34" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 411 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Dell Alienware x14 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Dell Alienware x14 R1
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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