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Updated January 10, 2024·
When making a choice between the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16, consider their performance and features relative to their price points. The Acer Aspire offers ample performance for everyday tasks, such as browsing and video streaming, and comes at a budget-friendly price. However, it has a lower storage capacity, less RAM, and a less powerful GPU than the Lenovo Flex 5. This means that while the Acer is more cost-effective, it won't handle intensive engineering applications or complex multitasking as effectively as the Lenovo. The Lenovo, in contrast, is priced higher, but provides better performance due to more RAM, a more advanced processor, and a sharper, higher resolution display that's also a touchscreen, which can be advantageous for creative work or presentations. The Lenovo also has a longer battery life, making it suitable for users on the go or those needing to work away from power sources for extended periods. However, with increased performance comes a slight bump in weight, making the Lenovo marginally less portable than the Acer. Ultimately, if budget is a primary concern and your usage is limited to basic tasks, the Acer Aspire 3 may suffice. If you require a more capable and versatile laptop with touch capabilities and are willing to invest more, the Lenovo Flex 5 would be a considerable choice. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16.
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, with less powerful CPU and RAM as compared to the Lenovo Flex 5 16, offers just adequate performance and a lower quality display for general use, along with a fair portability due to its lighter weight and a moderate battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is equipped with a more robust CPU and double the RAM, a higher resolution and brighter screen for enhanced display quality, and better battery life, but it is slightly heavier, which can affect portability; it is also a 2-in-1 convertible, adding versatility for users who may value tablet functionality.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.2
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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a modest processor and graphics card, which makes it fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 comes with a more powerful CPU and GPU, alongside a higher resolution and quality screen, categorizing it as good for these tasks. Additionally, the Flex 5's larger RAM size aids in handling complex projects better, although both laptops compromise on portability due to their size and weight.
Content Creation
7.0
7.6
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 3's screen provides adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and office work, but its limited color range and moderate brightness might not deliver the vibrancy needed for detailed engineering and design work. The Lenovo Flex 5 offers a higher resolution and greater brightness, which brings more clarity and detail for both general use and creative tasks, alongside a wider color gamut to better serve engineering and design professionals seeking accuracy in color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which could result in less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes, even though their resolutions and panel types are suitable for moderate gaming and 3D use.
Battery
9.5 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
$779
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $779.
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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
2560 x 1600
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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has an AMD Radeon 610M GPU which is less powerful compared to the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics in the Lenovo Flex 5 16, leading to differing gaming and 3D performance between the two. Additionally, both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, but the Flex 5 16 offers a higher screen resolution and better quality display, impacting the visual experience during gaming and 3D tasks.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $779 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.99" | |
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 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | 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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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Why trust us
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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