When considering the Acer Aspire 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, your decision should reflect your priorities. The Aspire 3 is typically more affordable, making it suitable for basic tasks like web browsing, word processing, and light media consumption. On the other hand, the ThinkPad X13, with a higher price tag, usually offers enhanced performance, sturdier build quality, and often better security features, suited for business professionals and users who need a reliable machine for more demanding applications. Additionally, the X13 is generally more portable, with a design favored for travel, while the Aspire 3 may have a longer battery life, beneficial for extended use without charging. 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 ThinkPad X13.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 offers basic performance suitable for everyday tasks with adequate CPU and RAM, but falls short with a lower quality screen and lesser battery life, making it less ideal for heavy use or for those who prioritize a high-quality display and long-lasting power. In comparison, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 boasts a superior CPU and RAM, a high-quality screen, and greater portability due to its compact size and longer battery life, alongside a comfortable keyboard and better heat management, marking it a more reliable choice for intensive tasks and on-the-go users.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
6.7/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
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
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
While both the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 offer entry-level graphics processing units that can handle some gaming and 3D applications, their screen refresh rates might not be optimal for high-frame-rate gaming, potentially leading to less smooth visuals. The Acer might have a slight edge for these tasks with a more powerful CPU and better screen quality, offering improved overall performance and a nicer visual experience compared to the ThinkPad X13, which is designed more for business users prioritizing portability and durability.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
8.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 typically offers higher quality CPUs, more RAM, and better GPUs than the Acer Aspire 3 15, making it more suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks that require more processing power and smoother graphical performance. Additionally, while both have decent screen quality, the ThinkPad X13 usually has sharper displays and more accurate colors which are crucial for detailed design work, although the Acer Aspire 3 15 may be slightly more portable and have a quieter operating noise.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.2/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
7.0/10
8.1/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
6.2/10
6.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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 offers suitable resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but lacks the wider color gamut necessary for accurate color representation in engineering and design, and the lower refresh rate hampers the experience in fast-paced 3D applications. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with its higher quality display, provides both the resolution and brightness for clear, crisp visuals in general use, and better color accuracy for professional design work, though like the Acer, it falls short for gaming due to a refresh rate not optimized for high-speed graphics. Both laptops, while adequate for general and professional tasks, are not tailored for gaming, where high refresh rates are crucial to keep up with rapid on-screen action.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
$1,459
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 costs $1,459.
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."
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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.
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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