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Updated January 12, 2024·
For general use and if budget is a primary concern, the Acer Aspire 3 14 would suffice as it is significantly less expensive and offers basic functionality for everyday tasks. However, for users who require high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, or engineering applications, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is the better option despite its higher cost, as it comes with more powerful components and a higher resolution display. The MSI also has the advantage of a more robust graphics card, which significantly improves performance in graphic-intensive tasks. However, be aware that this may come at the expense of battery life and portability due to its additional power consumption and slightly heavier build. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use, though the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 may not perform as well as the MSI Stealth 14 Studio due to its lower-powered CPU and graphics, which could lead to slower response times and less graphical detail. However, the Acer has a longer battery life which is great for on-the-go use, while the higher-quality screen, more powerful CPU, and additional RAM in the MSI make it better suited for demanding tasks but at the expense of portability due to shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.9
7.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is better for gaming and 3D due to its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, which outperforms the AMD Radeon 610M GPU in the Acer Aspire 3 14, and its higher screen refresh rate of 165 supports smoother visuals compared to the 60 refresh rate of the Acer. While both laptops have IPS screens, the improved graphical processing and quicker screen response on the MSI make it more suitable for gaming and tasks that require high graphical performance.
Engineering and Design
6.1
8.5
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is favored for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and a significantly more powerful GPU compared to the Acer Aspire 3 14, making it better equipped for demanding tasks and software commonly used in these fields. While both have high-quality IPS displays, the Stealth offers higher screen resolution and brightness, contributing to sharper and more vibrant visuals which is beneficial for design work, although it is heavier and has a higher operating noise than the Acer, which might affect portability and the working environment.
Content Creation
7.2
7.9
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.1
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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 offers adequate resolution and brightness for tasks like web browsing and document editing, making it suitable for general use. For engineering and design work where precise color representation matters, the screen falls short due to limited color gamut coverage, affecting the accuracy of the visuals. In the realm of gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the laptop's lower refresh rate hinders the performance, leading to less fluid graphics during rapid movements.
Battery
9.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 5 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
7.6
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 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
$1,432
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,432.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.1
7.4
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 3 14 to have very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 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 MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $1,432 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the MSI Stealth 14 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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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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