The Acer Aspire 3 15, being significantly less expensive, offers basic performance with lower storage and RAM, suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing and office applications, but its lower-grade processor and GPU may struggle with engineering software or heavy multitasking. If you prioritize a less costly option for general use and are okay with less storage, the Acer could be a solid selection. The ASUS Vivobook 16, while more expensive, provides increased storage, better performance with a more powerful processor, and higher RAM, which is advantageous for engineering tasks, 3D modeling, or machine learning, while also having a slightly larger and higher resolution display for better multitasking and immersed viewing. Battery life is comparable, but the higher screen size and resolution may impact the ASUS's portability slightly due to its larger form factor and weight, making the Acer more travel-friendly. 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 ASUS Vivobook 16.
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 16
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Key differences
General Use
6.6/10
7.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 excels in general use over the Acer Aspire 3 15 due to its more powerful CPU and larger RAM, which enhance performance for everyday tasks and multitasking. Furthermore, the Vivobook's higher storage capacity, superior screen quality with better brightness and resolution, and more reliable heat management make it a better choice despite being slightly less portable and having a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
6.3/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and the ASUS Vivobook 16 are both fair choices for gaming and 3D tasks due to their graphics processing units (GPUs) and screen refresh rates, which are sufficient for casual gaming but not high-end. The Acer Aspire has an AMD Radeon 610M GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate, while the ASUS Vivobook offers an integrated AMD Vega 8 GPU also at a 60Hz refresh rate; the Vivobook's higher CPU performance and better screen quality, however, provide it with a slight edge for demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
7.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 outperforms the Acer Aspire 3 15 for engineering and design chiefly due to its superior main processor, double the memory, and a more capable integrated graphics unit, which together provide better computational and graphical performance. Additionally, the Vivobook's screen has a higher resolution and better color accuracy, contributing to a more precise and visually appealing work environment, although it's slightly heavier and less portable than the Acer.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.5/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for content creation, though the ASUS Vivobook 16 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
6.2/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 15 and ASUS Vivobook 16 provide adequate display quality with sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring comfortable everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design contexts, where precise colors matter, neither laptop offers the wide color gamuts necessary for the most accurate color work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates limit the smoothness of motion, and the moderate importance of resolution and panel type does not compensate for this, thereby affecting the visual experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
9.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16 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
6.2/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook 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
$629
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the ASUS Vivobook 16 costs $629.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Acer Aspire 3 15 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and ASUS Vivobook 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the ASUS Vivobook 16 compare to other laptops
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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the ASUS Vivobook 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.
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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