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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the HP Pavilion 15, the Acer offers a more attractive price, which makes sense if budget is a key consideration. However, the HP Pavilion, although somewhat more expensive, comes with more storage and double the memory which may be crucial for multitasking and handling more complex tasks. The Acer is equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor and AMD graphics, which could be beneficial for certain tasks, while the HP uses an Intel processor and integrated graphics, potentially offering efficiency for everyday use. The Acer's display is full HD, contributing to clearer and more vibrant visuals compared to the HP's standard-definition display, which may affect your experience if you prioritize screen quality. In terms of portability, the HP is slightly lighter, which could be an important factor if you frequently carry your laptop around. Lastly, consider that the HP Pavilion model was released in 2020, while the Acer model is more recent from 2023, indicating potentially newer technology in the Acer laptop. 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 battery life
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
- Good for general use
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
5.3
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
When considering laptops for general use, the Acer Aspire 3's screen offers greater clarity and vividness due to its superior resolution and brightness, providing a more comfortable viewing experience for everyday tasks compared to the dimmer and less sharp HP Pavilion 15. For engineering and design work, the Acer Aspire 3's display covers more of the color gamuts, resulting in better color accuracy and range which is crucial for detailed graphical tasks, whereas the HP Pavilion 15 falls short in representing colors faithfully. Regarding gaming and 3D applications, the Acer Aspire 3 does not hold up well because of its lower refresh rate, which leads to less smooth visuals, but the HP Pavilion 15 also struggles with the same issue, making neither ideal for high-speed, immersive 3D environments.
Battery
9.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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.
Cost
$330
$589
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $589.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.6
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Pavilion 15 to be good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.0
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
8.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Pavilion 15 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and HP Pavilion 15 are considered fair for gaming and 3D due to having entry-level GPUs, the Radeon 610M and Intel UHD Xe G4 respectively, which can handle some gaming demands but may not perform well with more graphics-intensive games. Both have standard screen refresh rates, which is adequate for casual gaming, but serious gamers usually prefer higher refresh rates for smoother visuals.
Engineering and Design
5.9
6.2
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Pavilion 15 to be only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Radeon GPU, offers moderate capability for engineering and design, supported by its IPS screen with higher resolution, which is good for detailed work but has less RAM and storage compared to the HP Pavilion 15, which features an Intel CPU with integrated graphics and a TN panel with lower resolution, providing ample storage and more RAM for complex tasks but at the expense of display fidelity and color accuracy. While the HP Pavilion is slightly more portable, both have fair keyboard and speaker quality, with the Acer likely having quieter operating noise due to its fanless design, and neither being suited for intensive gaming or high-powered engineering applications.
Content Creation
7.0
7.1
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The HP Pavilion 15 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
6.6
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 3 15 to be good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
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
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Pavilion 15 and Acer Aspire 3 15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
6.2
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and HP Pavilion 15 both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $589 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
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."
HP Pavilion 15
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TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the HP Pavilion 15
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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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