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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is a budget-friendly option with decent battery life, making it suitable for general use and casual tasks but with limited storage and a lower-end processor, it's not ideal for intensive tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P is priced higher but offers significantly better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its advanced processor and graphics card. It also has a higher-resolution touchscreen and better color representation for creative work, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. Choose the Acer for cost savings and everyday tasks or the MSI if you need power for professional or creative work and are okay with spending more. 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 Z16P
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, with its basic CPU, moderate RAM, and fair screen, offers sufficient functionality for regular tasks but lacks the advanced processing and graphics capabilities; it has a longer battery life and is more portable than the MSI Creator Z16P, which is advantageous for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.6
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The MSI Creator Z16P offers a higher screen refresh rate and a more powerful GPU than the Acer Aspire 3 15, which are very important for smooth gameplay and rendering 3D graphics. While the MSI also has a superior CPU and screen quality, the Acer is likely more affordable, but with lower gaming and 3D performance due to its basic GPU and standard refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.3
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The MSI Creator Z16P is designed with more RAM, a high-end CPU, and a powerful dedicated GPU, which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, plus it has a higher resolution and more color-accurate screen for detailed visual work.
Content Creation
7.0
7.9
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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
7.6
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.3
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P 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 has sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, which makes it adequate for general use, but for engineering and design work, where accurate color representation is crucial, its limited color gamuts hold it back. The MSI Creator Z16P, with its high resolution and expansive color gamuts, offers sharp images and vibrant, precise colors, fulfilling the demands of professionals in engineering and design. However, both lack high refresh rates, which are vital for a smooth gaming experience and 3D work where fast-moving visuals are common, thus they may disappoint gamers and 3D artists looking for fluid motion clarity.
Battery
9.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P 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
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and MSI Creator Z16P both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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