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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 comes at a budget price with lower performance, making it more suitable for general use, including browsing and office applications. It has a larger screen size, which might be helpful if easy viewing is a priority over portability. The Dell XPS 13 costs more, but offers higher performance which is beneficial for more demanding tasks such as engineering software or intensive multitasking. It is also more portable and has a smaller screen with a higher resolution, making it better for carrying around and offering a sharper image. Both have ample battery life, but neither is ideal for intensive gaming or 3D/machine learning tasks. 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 XPS 13.
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Dell XPS 13 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 offers superior performance with its higher-tier Intel processor and double the RAM, which translates to smoother operation for demanding tasks, while also providing a sharper, brighter screen for better visual experience. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 3 15 has lower performance components and a less vibrant screen but compensates with a larger screen size and a quiet fanless design, boasting better heat management, although its larger size and weight reduce portability compared to the more compact and lightweight Dell XPS 13.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.2
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is less suitable for engineering and design tasks as it has a lower-performance CPU and GPU, less RAM, and lower screen quality compared to the Dell XPS 13, which offers a higher-end CPU, better integrated graphics, more memory, and a superior display both in resolution and color accuracy. Moreover, the Dell XPS 13 is more portable and has a higher build quality, contributing to a better overall experience for demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.0
7.7
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for content creation, though the Dell XPS 13 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.
Software Development
7.0
7.5
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development, though the Dell XPS 13 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
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 3 has a passable screen that is sufficient for everyday tasks, but the Dell XPS 13 offers a higher resolution and brightness, providing a clearer and more vibrant visual experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the Dell XPS 13 again stands out with better coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, essential for accurate color representation, while the Acer Aspire's screen may not depict colors as precisely. However, for gaming and 3D work, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, but the Acer Aspire's lower resolution and panel quality may result in less detailed and less smooth visuals compared to the Dell.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 has very 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
$850
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $850.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.2
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
8.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 with an AMD Radeon GPU and a 60 Hz screen refresh rate is fair for gaming and 3D applications, just like the Dell XPS 13, which despite having a higher-quality screen and an Iris Xe graphics handle similar tasks on the same level due to a similar screen refresh limitation.
Battery
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 has 10 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Dell XPS 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $850 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 2.59 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i7-1250U | |
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 | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.4" | |
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 | 442 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
Dell XPS 13
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The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Dell XPS 13
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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