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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Aspire 1 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider the Acer if you're looking for an affordable, basic laptop for everyday tasks such as browsing, word processing, and streaming media. However, if your needs include high-end gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software, then the MSI Stealth, while more expensive, offers significantly more powerful hardware to handle these demanding applications, along with a higher quality display, but it will be heavier and may have shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very 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
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has less powerful CPU and RAM, which might make multitasking or running demanding apps frustrating, and its inferior screen quality could strain your eyes over time, whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers robust CPU and abundant RAM for smooth performance, a high-quality display for clear visuals, and better battery life, making it more suitable for intensive tasks on the go. Despite its higher power and portability, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is typically heavier and more expensive than the Acer Aspire 1, which may be a simpler, more budget-friendly option for those with basic computing needs.
Gaming and AI
5.6
8.9
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful GPU and high screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and detailed visuals, whereas the Acer Aspire 1 falls short in these areas because it has a less capable GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, leading to less impressive performance in graphic-intensive tasks. Moreover, the MSI's superior CPU and screen quality further distinguish its performance from the Acer, which has modest specifications in these regards, making it less suitable for demanding software.
Engineering and Design
5.5
9.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has less powerful CPU and GPU, along with less RAM, which makes it less capable of handling the demanding software used in engineering and design, and its screen quality is not ideal for such detailed work. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-performance CPU, substantial RAM, and advanced GPU, complemented by a superior screen, making it well-suited for intensive tasks despite being less portable and potentially noisier under load.
Content Creation
5.9
8.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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's lower resolution and dim display affect its ability to provide crisp and bright images, making it less ideal for tasks where clarity is key. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its high resolution and brightness, excels in general use and is suitable for engineering and design due to its superior color accuracy, covering wider color gamuts essential for these fields. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate doesn't offer the smooth visuals that such tasks usually benefit from, where fast-paced action demands quick image changes without blur or tearing.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI 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
$243
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $243 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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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 Stealth 18 AI Studio 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 1 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$243 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 32 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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
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 | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI 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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