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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize storage and memory for better multitasking, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with more of both, would handle intensive tasks more efficiently. However, this comes with a higher cost. The Acer Aspire 3 15 is less expensive and known for its budget-friendly price, making it suitable for general use. In regards to battery life, the Lenovo IdeaPad has slightly less, which may be a consideration if you need longer use on-the-go. Both have similar screen sizes and resolutions, though the IdeaPad has a slightly higher screen aspect ratio, potentially offering more vertical space for tasks like document editing or web browsing. When it comes to portability, both weigh almost the same, but make sure to consider the Acer's longer battery life which could be beneficial if you're frequently mobile. Lastly, if a high-quality keyboard is important, Lenovo is noted for having a better keyboard experience. 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 Slim 5i.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i typically provides a better experience for general use due to its higher-quality keyboard, longer battery life, and more vibrant screen, all crucial for everyday tasks. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 3 15 is more affordable, with a balance of essential features which include a fair amount of RAM and a processor suitable for routine tasks, plus it operates quietly making it just right for undemanding general use.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.0
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 IdeaPad Slim 5i is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i outperforms the Acer Aspire 3 15 in engineering and design use due to its more powerful processor, double the RAM, and superior integrated graphics, which are crucial for demanding software applications; additionally, it has a higher resolution screen with better color coverage and brightness. While the Acer Aspire 3 15 is lighter, making it more portable, these key performance features make the Lenovo a more suitable option for engineering and design tasks, despite the tradeoff in portability.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When assessing screen quality for general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offer sufficient resolution and brightness, providing a clear and comfortable viewing experience for everyday tasks. However, for engineering and design work, where precise color representation is crucial, their limited color gamut coverage means the displays fall short for professionals who require accurate color fidelity. In the context of gaming and 3D applications, the lack of high refresh rates on these laptops means that they won't provide the smoothest visuals necessary for fast-paced action, even though their resolutions and panel types are adequate for casual play and basic 3D work.
Battery
9.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
$828
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i costs $828.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.3
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are fair for gaming and 3D largely due to their integrated GPUs, which can handle games and 3D applications but are not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs, limiting their performance in more demanding tasks. Additionally, both laptops have screens with standard refresh rates, which means games will run smoothly up to certain frame rates, beyond which users won't see benefits from higher game frame rates, and the CPUs and screen quality are decent but not top-of-the-line, impacting the overall gaming and 3D experience.
Content Creation
7.0
7.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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 IdeaPad Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $828 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 4.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i5-1335U | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 56.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
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 | 315 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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 Slim 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
HT Tech
Robin Sinha | February 2021
"The device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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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