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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
Considering your options, if you are looking to save money and need a laptop for basic tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption, the Acer Aspire 3 can be a good choice. However, if your work involves demanding tasks such as graphic design, video editing, 3D modeling, or you need a laptop with higher performance for gaming, the MSI Creator M14, while more expensive, offers a significant improvement in speed and graphics capabilities. Keep in mind that the MSI Creator M14 may also have a better build quality and display, but it will be heavier and may have shorter battery life, making it less ideal if portability is a priority for you. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a less powerful CPU and less RAM than the MSI Creator M14, which may lead to slower performance in demanding tasks; plus, its screen quality is lower, which affects the viewing experience. While the Aspire 3 is more affordable and offers decent battery life, the Creator M14 excels with a superior display and greater portability, making it a better choice for those who prioritize a high-quality, versatile machine for a variety of tasks, despite its higher price.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.3
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The MSI Creator M14 comes with a more powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate which makes it good for gaming and 3D applications, providing smoother visuals and better performance, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 has less graphical power and a standard refresh rate, making it only fair for such tasks. The MSI also benefits from a stronger CPU and superior screen quality, enhancing overall user experience for demanding software, whereas the Acer's capabilities in these areas are more modest.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, while offering a basic level of performance suitable for less demanding tasks, may fall short for complex engineering software due to average CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, along with a screen that doesn't stand out in terms of quality. In contrast, the MSI Creator M14 is equipped with higher-performing components and a superior screen, enabling smoother operation with design software, though this comes at the cost of being less portable and possibly noisier, with secondary considerations like keyboard and speaker quality also varying between the two.
Content Creation
7.0
8.0
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 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
7.8
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 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
7.5
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 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 has a display that is adequate for tasks like web browsing and document editing, thanks to its resolution and brightness, but it lacks the color precision needed for professional engineering and design work, and the low refresh rate makes it less suitable for smooth gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Creator M14, on the other hand, offers a better visual experience for general use with its higher resolution and brightness, and it includes a wider color gamut that benefits accuracy in engineering and design, but like the Aspire, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops. In essence, while both laptops serve well for everyday use and are competent for design tasks, neither is ideal for the high refresh rate demands of gaming or 3D modeling.
Battery
9.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 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
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Creator M14 and Acer Aspire 3 15 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 MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the MSI Creator M14
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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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