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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is more expensive but offers better performance with more storage, higher RAM, and a newer and more powerful processor which makes it more suitable for general use and entry-level engineering tasks. It has a larger screen with a higher resolution, providing a better viewing experience, but it's heavier and less portable. The Gateway 11.6" is less expensive, lighter, and more portable with a smaller screen and lower resolution, directed more towards basic tasks due to its older processor and less RAM. Choose the Acer for better overall performance and the Gateway for affordability 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
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
6.6
5.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 offers fair general use with a more capable AMD Ryzen processor and double the RAM of the Gateway 11.6", which has a less powerful Intel Celeron CPU and only half the RAM, making it less suitable for multitasking and heavier applications. Furthermore, the Acer has a larger, higher resolution screen, which enhances visual experience and productivity, whereas the Gateway's smaller, lower resolution display may detract from detailed work and entertainment, though it contributes to its excellent portability due to smaller size and lighter weight.
Engineering and Design
5.9
5.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and Gateway 11.6" are both poor for engineering and design, though the Acer Aspire 3 15 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is better equipped for engineering and design tasks due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, higher RAM capacity, and a dedicated AMD Radeon GPU which outperforms the Gateway 11.6"s basic Intel Celeron processor and integrated Intel graphics. Additionally, the Acer's larger and higher resolution screen supports more precise work, while the Gateway offers increased portability due to its smaller size and lower weight.
Content Creation
7.0
5.7
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
15.6in
SIZE
11.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Aspire 3's screen may not be the highest resolution, but it is bright enough and the panel type provides decent color for day-to-day tasks, making it adequate for general use. For engineering and design, the lack of wide color gamuts means it won't display the broad range of colors professionals need. When it comes to 3D work, the Acer's screen has a lower refresh rate, which results in less fluid movement, but it's the better option between the two since the Gateway's smaller size and poor resolution make its screen quality less suitable across all the mentioned scenarios.
Battery
9.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
11.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" 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
5.1
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$330
$89
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
5.4
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and Gateway 11.6" are both poor for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 offers fair performance for gaming and 3D tasks due to its more capable AMD Radeon 610M GPU and larger, higher-resolution screen, which can provide a more immersive experience. Conversely, the Gateway 11.6" is hampered by its less powerful Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a smaller, lower-resolution screen, which contribute to its poor performance in gaming and 3D applications.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Gateway 11.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Gateway 11.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $89 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 7.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 11.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 200 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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