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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is more budget-friendly, offers solid general use performance, and has longer battery life, which is good for extended use without charging. However, it has less storage and memory, and its performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks is limited. Its larger screen size is preferable for visibility but makes it less portable. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, while more expensive, provides better performance, particularly for more intensive computing tasks like engineering and 3D work, due to its more powerful processor and greater memory. It also has a better screen with higher resolution and color accuracy, as well as more ports, including Thunderbolt, and a backlit keyboard. Its smaller screen and better portability score make it more suited for travel. Choose the Acer if you want to save money and need longer battery life for everyday tasks. Opt for the Dell if your work demands more power and you benefit from enhanced screen quality and portability. 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 Dell Inspiron 14 7420.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
- Good for general use
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 outperforms the Acer Aspire 3 15 in general use due to its superior CPU, double the RAM, and better screen quality that includes higher resolution and touch capability; additionally, its lighter weight and smaller size increase portability, and it offers better keyboard and speaker quality. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 3 15 has longer battery life, which could be a significant advantage for users who prioritize less frequent charging over performance and user experience enhancements.
Engineering and Design
5.9
6.9
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has less RAM and a lower-end AMD Ryzen CPU and AMD Radeon GPU, making it fair for engineering use where screen quality is satisfactory; meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420's more robust Intel i7 CPU and Iris Xe integrated graphics, along with more RAM, support better performance for such tasks, and a higher resolution screen enhances design work. Portability and keyboard quality are better in the Dell, which may be important for some users, but it typically comes at a higher cost.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 have screens that provide clear images and are bright enough for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, but their resolution may not be as high as premium models, affecting sharpness. In engineering and design, where precise colors are crucial, these laptops offer adequate color reproduction for basic tasks, but professionals may find the color range limited for high-end graphic work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the refresh rates on these laptops are lower, leading to less fluid visuals which might not satisfy gamers or those doing fast-paced 3D rendering.
Battery
9.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 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
14.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
7.4
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
$801
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.2
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 7420 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are fair for gaming and 3D because their graphics processing units (GPUs) and screen refresh rates are modest; the Acer has an AMD Radeon 610M and a 60Hz refresh rate. The Acer's larger screen offers a standard 1080p resolution, and while the Dell has a higher resolution with better potential for sharpness and detail, its CPU powers an integrated graphics unit, which doesn't match the performance of dedicated gaming GPUs.
Content Creation
7.0
7.3
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 Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Acer Aspire 3 15 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
7.0
7.3
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Dell Inspiron 14 7420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $801 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
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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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."
Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | June 2022
"Notable qualities of the Inspiron 7420 2-in-1 include the 16:10 aspect ratio, strong hinges, 12th gen Intel CPU with optional GeForce MX graphics, and easy serviceability. Such features would typically cost hundreds of dollars more on higher-end alternatives from competing manufacturers. The value proposition is therefore relatively high for users looking to maximize bang for the buck."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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