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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability is a priority and you engage in tasks that need high performance, like running multiple programs simultaneously or data-intensive work, the Dell XPS 13 is a better choice as it is lighter and has a stronger processor. However, the Acer Aspire 3 14 costs less, provides ample performance for everyday activities like browsing, document editing, and media consumption, and has a slightly larger screen. Both laptops are suitable for general use, but for more specialized work like 3D rendering or engineering software, the Dell, with its higher RAM and newer processor, outperforms the Acer despite its smaller display. 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 3 14
- The Acer Aspire 3 14 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13.
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use, though the Dell XPS 13 is somewhat better.
The Dell XPS 13 offers a more powerful Intel i7 processor and double the RAM capacity compared to the Acer Aspire 3 14's AMD Ryzen 5 and lower RAM, enabling better multitasking and performance for general use. Moreover, the XPS 13 has a higher quality display with superior brightness and colour coverage, along with being lighter and offering longer battery life, enhancing portability and viewing experience, which are key for daily productivity and entertainment.
Engineering and Design
6.1
7.2
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 is better suited for engineering and design because it has twice the RAM for handling complex tasks and its screen displays more colors and is brighter, enhancing visual work, whereas the Acer Aspire 3 14 has less RAM which may limit multitasking and a less vibrant display, though it is more affordable.
Screen Quality
6.1
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 3 14's screen performs adequately for everyday tasks because of its acceptable resolution and brightness, but for engineering and design, it lacks the wide color gamuts needed for precision work. The Dell XPS 13 offers a higher quality display with better brightness and resolution, along with sufficient color accuracy for professional design work, yet neither is ideal for 3D gaming due to their lower refresh rates which can result in less smooth visuals. While both laptops cater well to general use and are capable in professional scenarios, gamers or those engaged in 3D work should consider models specifically tailored to their needs, prioritizing screens with higher refresh rates.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$434
$850
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $850.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.2
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 comes with an AMD Radeon 610M graphics card and the Dell XPS 13 uses the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics; both are suitable for light gaming but not for high-end gaming or intensive 3D applications due to their lower performance compared to dedicated gaming GPUs. Additionally, both have a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate which is fine for casual gaming but won't provide the smoother visuals that high refresh rate displays offer in more demanding gaming scenarios.
Content Creation
7.2
7.7
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for content creation.
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
7.1
7.5
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 has 10 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 3 14 and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | Dell XPS 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $850 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 2.59 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Intel i7-1250U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 442 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 13
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the Dell XPS 13
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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