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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is much less expensive, suited for basic tasks with its moderate storage and lower performance components, and runs Windows 11S for enhanced security; it is more budget-friendly and has adequate battery life for daily use. However, the MSI Raider GE78 is far more expensive but comes with powerful hardware for intensive gaming, engineering tasks, or 3D/machine learning applications, superior graphics, ample storage and memory, plus a high-resolution, high refresh rate display to match. Choose the Aspire 1 for value and everyday use or the Raider GE78 if you need top-tier performance and specialize in demanding software, keeping in mind it's heavier and less portable. 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 MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is limited by its lesser CPU, smaller RAM, and lower quality TN screen, which make it less suitable for demanding tasks and less enjoyable for media consumption, while the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a high-end CPU, substantial RAM, and a superior IPS display for enhanced performance and visual experience. However, the Aspire 1 is lighter and potentially offers better portability and battery life compared to the bulkier and more power-intensive Raider GE78, which may be less convenient to carry around.
Gaming and AI
5.6
9.5
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class 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.
Engineering and Design
5.5
9.4
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is less suitable for engineering and design due to its basic CPU, low RAM, and integrated graphics, paired with a low-quality TN screen, while the MSI Raider GE78 excels with its high-end CPU, substantial RAM, powerful dedicated graphics, and premium IPS screen. Moreover, the MSI provides better performance for demanding tasks at the cost of lower portability and more noticeable operating noise, features that are secondary but still relevant for such use cases.
Content Creation
5.9
8.8
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very 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
8.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 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 has a screen with lower resolution and brightness, making its display appear less sharp and vibrant for everyday tasks, and this also impacts detailed work in engineering and design where color accuracy and clarity are key. The MSI Raider GE78 boasts a higher resolution and brighter screen, making it excellent for general use and professional design work due to better color reproduction and sharpness. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI Raider GE78's lower refresh rate hampers its ability to deliver smooth visuals, which is crucial for a seamless and immersive experience.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Raider GE78
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the MSI Raider GE78
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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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