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Aspire 3 15
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Inspiron 14 7420
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What we think

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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

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General Use

6.6
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

Engineering and Design

5.9
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

Screen Quality

6.2
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

Battery

9.5 Hours
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

Portability

Good
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
7.4
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 has only fair build quality.

Cost

$330
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
$801
Product image
Product image

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$200

$400

$600

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The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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Key similarities

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Gaming and AI

5.8
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

Content Creation

7.0
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

Software Development

7.0
Aspire 3 15
Inspiron 14 7420
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.

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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Acer Aspire 3 15Dell Inspiron 14 7420
Acer Aspire 3 15Dell Inspiron 14 7420

GENERAL

Price
$330
$801
Release Date
January 1, 2023May 1, 2022
Overall Dimensions
14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74''12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66''
Weight
3.97 lbs3.61 lbs
Width
14.29"12.36"
Depth
9.35"8.96"

INTERNAL

Processor
AMD Ryzen 3 7320UIntel i7-1255U
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
54
RAM Slots
02
Storage
128 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
9.5 Hours7.5 Hours
Battery Capacity
40 Wh54 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
15.6"14"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1920 x 10801920 x 1200
Refresh Rate
60Hz60Hz
Display Brightness
244 nits260 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
6.3/107.4/10
Portability Score
7.7/108.3/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoNo
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
10/107.5/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
6.3/108/10
Speaker Quality Score
6/106.8/10
Webcam
720p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
NoYes
Backlit Keyboard
NoYes
Number Pad
YesNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
21
USB-C ports
12
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
23
Thunderbolt Ports
00

Shopping

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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."

Dell Inspiron 14 7420

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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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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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