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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you need a laptop that is more affordable and suitable for everyday tasks with decent battery life, the Acer Aspire 3 15 would be a practical choice. It's also lighter, making it more portable. However, for demanding engineering work, gaming, or tasks that require higher graphics performance and processing power, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is superior. It also provides more storage space, a higher resolution screen with better color accuracy, and a more comfortable keyboard. The ThinkPad P16 is more expensive and heavier, so it's less convenient to carry around but is a better fit for intensive use cases. 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 portability
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 surpasses the Acer Aspire 3 15 due to its superior processing power with a more advanced CPU, double the RAM for better multitasking, and a higher-resolution, more vivid display which enhances the visual experience greatly; however, its increased weight and size make it less portable, and although it has a much longer battery life, this comes at the cost of additional weight. The Acer Aspire 3 15, while more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, compromises on performance with a less capable CPU and lower RAM, and its screen, although adequate, doesn't offer the same clarity or color quality as the ThinkPad P16.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.9
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers better 3D and gaming performance than the Acer Aspire 3 15 due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX A1000 graphics card compared to the Acer's AMD Radeon 610M, which greatly affects gaming capabilities. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, but the ThinkPad features a more powerful CPU and higher screen quality which are also important for such tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.3
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is better suited for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, a higher-end GPU, and superior screen quality compared to the Acer Aspire 3 15, which has modest hardware specifications and a standard full HD screen.
Content Creation
7.0
8.2
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is good.
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
8.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is good.
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
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 3's screen offers satisfactory clarity and brightness, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 provides a sharper, more vivid display due to its higher resolution and superior panel technology. In engineering and design, the ThinkPad P16's screen surpasses the Aspire 3 as it covers a broader range of colors, rendering it more accurate for professional color work. For gaming and 3D, neither laptop is ideal because both have screens with lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very 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
$1,449
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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 ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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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