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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize saving money, the Acer Aspire 1 comes at a budget-friendly price and is suitable for basic tasks, with a longer battery life for general use. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, while more expensive, offers significantly better performance for intensive tasks such as 3D work, machine learning, gaming, and engineering. It features a high-end processor, a superior graphics card, and a versatile display that can be used as a tablet, making it a better choice for professionals and creatives needing power and versatility. Note that the Surface Laptop Studio also has a more modern design and a higher resolution screen which may contribute to a shorter battery life compared to the Acer Aspire 1. 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 Studio.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a basic CPU, lower RAM, and a lower-quality TN screen, making it less suitable for multitasking and content viewing, affecting its performance for general use. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with a powerful CPU, more RAM, a higher-resolution IPS touchscreen, and better battery life, offers a more responsive and richer user experience, greatly enhancing general use.
Gaming and AI
5.6
6.6
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, making it less suitable for smooth gaming and 3D applications, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with a superior GPU and higher refresh rate, offers a better experience for these tasks, although its CPU and screen quality also play a role in overall performance.
Engineering and Design
5.5
7.3
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is limited in engineering and design capabilities due to its basic Intel Celeron processor, integrated graphics, and a lower-quality TN screen, hindering complex tasks and detailed visuals. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio excels with a powerful Intel i7 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, and a higher-resolution IPS touchscreen, suitable for intensive engineering software and high-fidelity designs.
Content Creation
5.9
7.4
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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 may not offer the clarity and vividness due to its lower resolution and brightness compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which boasts a high-resolution, bright display that enhances everyday activities like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Studio stands out with a screen that accurately represents colors across different spectrums, essential for precise visual work, but Acer's offering falls short on this aspect, making it less ideal for professionals who rely on color fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from smoother visuals provided by higher refresh rates, both the Acer Aspire 1 and the Surface Laptop Studio are not optimal, with the Studio's premium display not compensating for a refresh rate that is lower than that preferred by gaming enthusiasts.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Build Quality
5.5
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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