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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 and is less expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, but it comes with less powerful hardware including a basic Intel Celeron processor and less RAM, which limits its performance for both general use and more intensive tasks like 3D rendering or engineering software. It's not suitable for gaming or intensive tasks. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a higher midrange price tag, but provides a better performance with an Intel i5 processor and more RAM, making it more suitable for a wider range of activities while maintaining decent portability and a higher quality touchscreen display. If your priority is to save money and you're using the laptop for simple tasks, consider the Acer Aspire 1; if you're looking for more power and better overall quality for a higher cost, the Surface Laptop Go 2 may be the better choice. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is deemed poor for general use because it has a basic CPU, lower RAM capacity, a lower-quality TN screen, and less battery life, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is assessed as fair due to its more advanced CPU, double the RAM, higher-quality IPS touchscreen, better portability, and longer battery usage per charge. Additionally, the build and speaker quality of the Surface Laptop Go 2 are better, complementing its overall user experience for general tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.5
6.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is not suited for engineering and design as it has a basic Intel Celeron processor and UHD graphics along with a lower-quality TN panel display. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offers better performance for such tasks with its more capable Intel i5 processor, Iris Xe graphics, and a higher-quality IPS touchscreen, although both laptops share limitations with respect to their RAM and storage capacities.
Content Creation
5.9
7.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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 may fall short in screen quality due to its lower resolution and dimmer display, making it less appealing for tasks requiring visual clarity and detail, which are necessary for both general use and specialized tasks like engineering or design. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with its higher resolution and brighter screen, offers a better visual experience suitable for detailed work and general activities, although it might not be equipped with the wide color gamuts required for precise color work in engineering and design. For gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is key, the lack of a high refresh rate on both laptops might be a limitation.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 1 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
$774
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.6
6.0
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to be 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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