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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is a budget-friendly option with less storage and performance power, suitable for basic tasks. If you need a laptop for general use with a good balance between cost and functionality, it can be a reasonable choice. On the other hand, the Acer Swift Edge 16 is more expensive, but it has a larger, higher-resolution OLED screen, significantly more storage, and a more powerful processor, making it better for tasks like video editing, complex engineering work, and possibly some lighter gaming. The Swift Edge is also notably lighter and thinner, offering better portability and a higher-quality display. It does, however, have a shorter battery life compared to the Aspire 3, which might be a consideration if you require long hours of use without access to power. 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 15
- The Acer Aspire 3 15 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Edge 16.
Advantages of the Acer Swift Edge 16
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
383.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is considered fair for general use due to its average main processor, moderate RAM and storage, standard IPS screen with moderate brightness and color coverage, and sufficient but not standout battery life and portability. Conversely, the Acer Swift Edge 16 is rated good for general use as it offers a more powerful processor, double the RAM, a high-resolution OLED screen with excellent color coverage and brightness, a larger battery capacity, and enhanced portability thanks to its lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.7
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 provides a better gaming and 3D experience primarily because it has a more capable GPU (AMD Radeon 780M) which outperforms the GPU within the Acer Aspire 3 15 (AMD Radeon 610M), coupled with a higher screen refresh rate that makes for smoother visuals. The Swift Edge's screen quality is also superior with an OLED display that offers higher resolution, better contrast, and a wider range of colors compared to the Aspire 3's IPS panel, which enhances overall visual fidelity in games and 3D content.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.1
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is better for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU, double the amount of RAM, and a superior GPU compared to the Acer Aspire 3 15, which means it handles complex tasks more efficiently. Furthermore, the Swift Edge 16 has a higher-resolution OLED screen with better color coverage and contrast, delivering a sharper and more vivid visual experience crucial for design work, while the Aspire 3 15's screen is less advanced.
Content Creation
7.0
8.1
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is good.
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
7.0
7.9
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
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
6.2
8.8
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
383.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a screen that provides an adequate balance of resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, but it lacks the advanced color accuracy and wider color gamuts required for professional engineering and design work. On the other hand, the Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a high-resolution display with superior brightness and expansive color gamuts, catering to the precise needs of engineers and designers who require accurate color representation for their work. However, both laptops' screens fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they do not offer the higher refresh rates needed for smooth, fast-paced visuals.
Battery
9.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.2
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$330
$820
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Acer Swift Edge 16 costs $820.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Acer Swift Edge 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Acer Swift Edge 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $820 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 2.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 383 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 15
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Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | March 2023
"The Acer Aspire 3 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and it's easy to carry around. The display looks decently sharp and provides plenty of space for multitasking, but it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare. Its Intel Core i3-N305 CPU and integrated graphics can only handle simple tasks, like text processing, web browsing, and video playback, so it isn't ideal for students in more technical fields like 3D graphics. Unfortunately, the battery lasts only around six to seven hours of light use."
Acer Swift Edge 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | October 2023
"The Acer Swift Edge 16 is a solid super thin-and-light that pairs a large, gorgeous 16-inch display with portable design that rivals the weight of LG’s superlight Gram 16. Remarkably, Acer achieves this at a lower price point without sacrificing performance. Boring design and disappointing battery life hold the laptop back from stardom, but its rivals frequently suffer in these areas, too. That makes the Swift Edge 16 an alluring value pick."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Acer Swift Edge 16
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.
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