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Updated January 12, 2024·
When considering the Acer Aspire 1 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", the Aspire 1 usually costs less, but it comes with lower storage and less RAM. It uses a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, suitable for basic tasks like web browsing and document editing. The display, while being full HD, is based on TN panel technology, which can result in narrower viewing angles. The IdeaPad 3, although slightly more expensive, offers a more powerful Intel i3 processor, double the storage, and more RAM, which means it can handle more demanding tasks and multitasking. Its tradeoff is a lower resolution screen that might not be as crisp for video and images. Both laptops are portable with battery life suited for on-the-go use, but the Aspire 1 is slightly heavier. The IdeaPad has an upper hand in terms of connectivity and will likely offer a better experience for most users beyond basic tasks. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 1.
Key differences
Screen Quality
5.2
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 1 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 may have screens that are not very crisp or bright, due to lower resolution and inadequate brightness levels, making everyday tasks less enjoyable. For engineering and design work, both models' displays might lack the wider color gamuts necessary for accurate color reproduction, which is vital for precise visual work. When it comes to gaming and 3D, their screens could have lower refresh rates, reducing fluidity and responsiveness, while their possibly lower resolution and panel quality could affect image clarity and viewing angles.
Build Quality
5.5
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has only fair 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
$360
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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Key similarities
General Use
5.8
6.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" to be only fair for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is considered poor for general use because it has a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, half the RAM, a lower-quality TN screen, and a shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which sports a more capable Intel i3 processor and better screen quality for general tasks despite having a lower resolution. Additionally, the IdeaPad offers double the storage capacity and better quality in other somewhat important factors like keyboard and speaker quality, along with better portability due to its lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
5.6
5.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Acer Aspire 1 are both poor for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 1 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" fall short in gaming and 3D because they both have integrated graphics solutions—Intel Celeron N4500 UHD Graphics and Intel UHD Xe G4 respectively—which can't handle the demands of modern games and 3D applications. Additionally, their screens, with standard refresh rates and quality, lack the responsiveness and clarity needed for high-level gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
5.5
5.8
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Acer Aspire 1 are both poor for engineering and design.
The Acer Aspire 1, with an Intel Celeron CPU, basic integrated graphics, and a lower-tier TN panel despite a full HD resolution, lacks the necessary processing power, RAM, and screen quality for demanding engineering and design software. Similarly, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, while slightly better with an Intel i3 CPU and more RAM, also falls short with modest graphics capabilities and a lower resolution TN screen, making it unsuitable for detailed design work where screen clarity and color accuracy are crucial.
Content Creation
5.9
6.3
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" to be only fair 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
6.3
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Acer Aspire 1 are both only fair for software development.
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.
Battery
6.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Acer Aspire 1 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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