The Acer Aspire 3 14 is typically less expensive and offers a more portable design with its smaller screen size at 14 inches and lighter weight, which may appeal to those frequently on the move. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a larger 17.3-inch display, which is better for users looking for a spacious screen for productivity or entertainment but comes with a tradeoff of increased weight and size, reducing portability. Although both laptops have similar main processors and RAM, the larger screen and slightly better build of the Lenovo might justify the higher price for those valuing visual space and comfort over the ease of transport. 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
Very good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 3 14.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.1/10
6.7/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Aspire 3 14's screen might lack the desired clarity and sharpness due to lower resolution which is more noticeable during gaming and 3D applications where details and textures are crucial, but its screen is adequate for browsing and document editing. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a larger and brighter display providing a more immersive experience for general tasks and engineering work, but its modest refresh rate and possibly average color gamut coverage would be less than ideal for the high frame rates and color precision needed in advanced gaming and 3D rendering. For both laptops, the trade-off is getting a satisfactory screen for casual use and professional tasks at the expense of gaming and 3D performance, where more specialized displays are typically necessary.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$434
$784
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is rated better for general use than the Acer Aspire 3 14" primarily due to its superior screen quality that provides brighter and more vivid colors, and slightly better battery life despite having a larger screen size. However, the Acer offers better portability due to its smaller size and lower weight, as well as silent operation which may be appealing for use in quiet environments.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
6.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both fair for gaming and 3D tasks primarily because they use integrated GPUs, the AMD Radeon 610M and Vega 7, respectively, which provide reasonable but not top-tier graphics performance. Both have a standard screen refresh rate of 60 Hz and IPS displays for good screen quality, but they don't offer the high refresh rates preferred for competitive gaming, nor do they have the highest-end GPUs for the most demanding 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
6.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both only fair for engineering and design.
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
7.2/10
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.1/10
7.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
9.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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
6.2/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and Acer Aspire 3 14 both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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