If your priorities are affordability and basic tasks like web browsing or office work, the Acer Aspire 1 is a practical and economical choice. For more demanding use like gaming, graphic design, or video editing, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i's higher performance hardware justifies its higher price, but it comes at the cost of less portability and potentially shorter battery life. Keep in mind that the Lenovo's gaming-grade hardware will excel for intensive tasks, while the Acer will suffice for everyday computing needs at a much lower cost. 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 portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1, with its Intel Celeron processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a basic TN screen, delivers modest performance and lower screen quality suitable for simple tasks, but its lighter weight and "silent, fanless operation" promote better portability and less distraction.
Gaming and AI
5.6/10
8.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has an entry-level GPU with a basic screen refresh rate, making it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is equipped with a high-end gaming GPU and a much higher refresh rate which is ideal for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D experiences. Additionally, the CPU and screen quality of the Legion Slim 5i are superior, further enhancing its gaming and 3D capabilities.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
8.4/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is fitted with modest processing capabilities suited for basic tasks, featuring a lower-end Intel Celeron processor, integrated graphics, and a minimal amount of memory, which limit its performance for engineering and design tasks; its TN screen also falls short in quality compared to higher-end displays. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i boasts a significantly more powerful Intel i7 processor, dedicated Nvidia graphics, and ample memory to handle demanding software commonly used in engineering and design, while its IPS display with higher resolution and color coverage ensures finer visual detail and accuracy essential for such work.
Content Creation
5.9/10
8.0/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
6.1/10
7.8/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 1’s screen might disappoint due to its lower resolution and dim display, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a sharper, brighter image enhancing everyday activities like browsing and watching videos. When it comes to engineering and design work, the Legion Slim 5i's wider color gamut support ensures more accurate color representation which is crucial for detailed projects, unlike the Aspire 1 which falls short in color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications that rely heavily on smooth motion, the Legion Slim 5i’s lower refresh rate can make fast-paced visuals less fluid, a drawback that might be less noticeable on the Aspire 1.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
$243
$1,055
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $243 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i costs $1,055.
"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."
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
109,095
Recommendations made
23,638
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.