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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 is generally less expensive and offers sufficient performance for general tasks with good battery life and a lighter build, making it portable. However, for those into intensive gaming, 3D work or engineering applications, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is more fitting. It possesses a more powerful processor, superior graphics card, and a higher refresh rate screen which is important for fast-paced games. This performance comes with tradeoffs including a higher price, increased weight, and slightly lower battery life compared to the Acer. Choose the Acer for everyday use and affordability or the Lenovo for higher performance in specialized 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 outperforms the Acer Aspire 3 15 in general use due to its stronger CPU and GPU, which result in better overall performance, and a higher quality screen that boosts visual experience. While the Acer is lighter and thus more portable, the Lenovo boasts a considerably longer battery life and better heat management, which make it more suitable for extended use.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.5
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a decent GPU and adequate screen refresh rate for gaming and 3D applications but may not offer the optimal experience for more graphics-intensive games or 3D modeling. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 provides a stronger GPU and higher screen refresh rate, leading to smoother visuals, though its CPU and screen quality are also factors to consider for the overall performance and display clarity.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.2
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15's AMD Ryzen 3 CPU and Radeon 610M GPU are less capable than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3's Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU, making it fair for engineering and design as opposed to the latter's good classification due to better performance in computational and graphical tasks. While both laptops have comparable quality IPS screens, the IdeaPad's higher refresh rate and better color coverage give it an advantage for design work, but it's slightly less portable and has more operating noise, which may affect where and how comfortably you can use the device.
Screen Quality
6.2
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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 15's screen suffices for general use due to its adequate resolution and brightness but may disappoint gamers and 3D users due to its lower refresh rate. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 provides a pleasant visual experience for both everyday tasks and engineering due to its good brightness and color accuracy, but its lower refresh rate might not satisfy 3D enthusiasts or competitive gamers. For engineering and design professionals, both laptops may fall short of providing the color precision required for specialized work, as they lack extensive color gamut coverage.
Battery
9.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the Acer Aspire 3 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.2
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
$549
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.0
7.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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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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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