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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 may be suitable if you're on a tight budget and need a laptop for basic tasks like browsing, email, and document editing; it's cheaper, lighter, and more portable but has limited storage, lower performance, and a basic screen. If you require high performance for tasks such as 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, and are willing to invest more, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers powerful processing, advanced graphics, a higher quality display, and better build quality; however, it is more expensive, might have a shorter battery life, and is slightly heavier. Consider what you'll primarily use the laptop for and whether the additional cost is justified for your needs. 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 MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio outperforms the Acer Aspire 1 in general use; it offers a much more powerful CPU, quadruple the RAM for smoother multitasking, a superior screen with higher brightness and color accuracy, as well as better speaker and keyboard quality. While the Acer Aspire 1 is lighter and quieter due to its fanless design, its lower-end processor, basic screen, and minimal RAM make it less capable for demanding tasks, despite having a longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.6
7.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good 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
8.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is less suited for engineering and design due to its basic Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and integrated graphics, which are inadequate for demanding applications that require substantial processing and rendering power.
Content Creation
5.9
7.9
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 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
7.4
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 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
7.6
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 14 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 disappoint due to lower resolution and dim brightness, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio's higher resolution and brighter screen offer a more comfortable viewing experience. In engineering and design, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio's wider color gamuts can accurately display colors, a critical feature, but the Acer Aspire 1's narrower color range limits its effectiveness for professional color work. Gamers may find the MSI Stealth 14 lacking for 3D games as it doesn't have a high refresh rate that provides smooth motion, despite its adequate resolution and acceptable panel type.
Build Quality
5.5
7.6
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
$1,432
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $243 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,432.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 14 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 MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$243 | $1,432 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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 Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the MSI Stealth 14 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 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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