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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is more affordable and suitable for basic tasks like browsing, light office work, and streaming videos, offering decent battery life and portability for everyday use. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX is significantly more expensive but excels in high-demand activities like gaming, 3D design, machine learning, and engineering software, featuring powerful components and a robust build, although it is less portable and has shorter battery life due to its high-performance hardware. Consider the MSI if you need a desktop replacement with top-tier power, and the Acer for casual use with easier mobility and lower cost. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has lesser processing power and less memory, which can lead to sluggish performance for everyday tasks, while its lower screen quality and shorter battery life might be limiting for prolonged use; on the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX offers a more powerful CPU and more RAM, ensuring smooth operation, with a superior screen and longer battery life enhancing the overall experience, despite being less portable and potentially noisier with more heat generation during intense operations.
Gaming and AI
5.6
9.4
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a basic GPU and lower screen refresh rate, making it unsuitable for gaming and 3D applications that require fast and smooth graphics processing. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX boasts a high-end GPU and a superior screen refresh rate, delivering the power and fluidity needed for demanding games and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.5
9.9
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has less powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, and a lower screen quality, making it less suited for demanding tasks like engineering and design. The MSI Titan 18 HX, with its high-end CPU, abundant RAM, superior GPU, and crisp screen resolution, excels in performance for intensive software used in engineering and design, although it is heavier and not as easy to carry around.
Content Creation
5.9
9.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
4.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you value a vivid display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its high resolution and brightness, offers a superior visual experience compared to the Acer Aspire 1, which has lower quality in these areas. For engineering and design work, accurate color reproduction is key; the MSI Titan 18 HX excels with its wide color gamuts, making it a better choice for professionals in these fields than the Acer Aspire 1, which is less capable in displaying accurate colors. On the other hand, if you're focused on gaming and 3D applications, a high refresh rate matters most, and despite the MSI Titan 18 HX's excellent screen quality in other aspects, it falls short for gaming due to a lower refresh rate, unlike specialized gaming laptops that prioritize this feature.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $4,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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
See more
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 Titan 18 HX
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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