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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 offers better performance due to its more powerful processor, making it suitable for more intensive tasks like engineering, 3D work, or gaming. Despite being more expensive, it also has a significantly larger storage capacity, which is advantageous for storing extensive data or software. On the other hand, the Gateway 14.1" is less costly and should handle general use like browsing or office applications adequately; however, due to its less robust processor and limited storage, it may not perform well with demanding software. Moreover, the Acer Aspire 3 appears to offer a silent, fanless operation, but the Gateway's noise level isn't mentioned. Keep in mind that the Gateway might have lower build quality or performance due to the price difference. When making your choice, weigh the need for higher performance and storage against the willingness to invest more upfront. 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
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
Advantages of the Gateway 14.1"
- The Gateway 14.1" has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 3 14.
Key differences
General Use
7.0
5.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Aspire 3 14 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.9
5.4
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 3 14 and Gateway 14.1" are both poor for gaming and AI, though the Acer Aspire 3 14 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 3 14, with its AMD Radeon GPU, offers decent capabilities for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the Gateway 14.1" falls short due to the comparatively weak Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU which doesn't perform as well in these areas. Screen refresh rates and quality also weigh in on the overall gaming experience, but detailed specifics weren't provided.
Engineering and Design
6.1
5.5
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.2
5.8
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 3 14 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
7.1
5.8
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Aspire 3 14 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
6.1
6.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, software development, and content creation.
For general use, a laptop with fair screen quality like the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the Gateway 14.1" would offer adequate resolution and brightness, but may lack the superior clarity and color accuracy found in higher-end panels. In engineering and design, while these laptops provide a sufficient level of detail, their limited color gamuts may not deliver the exacting color fidelity required for professional-grade work. When it comes to gaming and 3D tasks, the lower refresh rates of these screens can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience, even if the resolution and panel type are serviceable.
Battery
9.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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.
Build Quality
6.2
5.1
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$434
$99
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.1in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 14 and Gateway 14.1" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.1" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the Gateway 14.1"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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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