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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is much less expensive and provides a budget-friendly option with adequate specifications for general use and portability. It has a larger screen and ample battery life, but limited storage and moderate performance. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) costs much more but offers superior performance, a high-resolution Mini LED display, longer battery life, more storage and memory, and a compact, lightweight design that's great for portability. It excels in tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, while also providing a top-quality build and speaker system. 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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers superior CPU performance, more RAM, and a higher-quality screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15, leading to its advantage for general use, along with a lighter build for improved portability and a significantly longer battery life; this is while considering the screen quality, which includes resolution, brightness, and color coverage that is notably better on the MacBook Pro. However, the MacBook Pro is usually more expensive, reflecting the difference in quality, so customers looking for a more affordable option with fair general use capability might lean towards the Acer Aspire 3 15 despite its lower specs in these areas.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.0
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a reasonable GPU and screen refresh rate for casual gaming, but the MacBook Pro 14's significantly better GPU performance and higher screen refresh rate make it more suitable for more demanding 3D tasks. However, the MacBook's operating system restricts compatibility, making many popular games unavailable, while the Aspire 3 has wider game compatibility with its Windows OS.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers superior CPU performance, double the RAM, and a much more powerful GPU compared to the Acer Aspire 3 15, which makes it very good for demanding engineering and design tasks where these elements are very important; moreover, the MacBook's higher screen quality ensures crisp and color-accurate visuals, beneficial for detailed design work. While the MacBook also stands out with its excellent portability, keyboard, and speaker quality, making it a more premium option overall, the Acer's fair performance in these areas still offers a solid choice for those with less intensive usage needs or budget constraints.
Content Creation
7.0
8.5
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) 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
8.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is good.
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
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 3's screen offers a resolution and brightness that's adequate for everyday tasks and office work, but its limited color range may not suit professional design applications where color accuracy is critical. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution, bright display with wide color gamuts, making it ideal for engineering and design professionals who require precise color representation. However, both laptops may not be optimal for 3D applications or gaming, as higher refresh rates, which contribute to smoother motion and less blur during fast action, are not their strength.
Battery
9.5 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) 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
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) costs $1,700.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Apple M2 Pro (10C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 489 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 10/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 15
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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