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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is significantly less expensive than the MSI GF65 Thin, making it suitable for budget-conscious buyers who need a laptop for general use. It offers silent operation due to its fanless design, which is ideal for quiet environments. However, if you look for higher performance in tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI GF65 Thin's better graphics card and faster refresh rate display provide a superior experience. It's also equipped with a more robust processor. Both weigh about the same, so portability is similar, but the MSI might drain its battery quicker due to its high-performance components. Keep in mind that the MSI also comes with more storage space. 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 for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.9
6.7
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, with its AMD Ryzen 3 CPU and AMD Radeon GPU, provides adequate power for engineering and design, but the MSI GF65 Thin outperforms it with a more robust Intel i5 CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU which is much better suited for graphic-intensive tasks. Additionally, while both have similar portability with a 15.6" screen and lightweight design, the MSI's superior GPU and CPU make it better for demanding engineering software and tasks that require high-quality graphics.
Software Development
7.0
6.3
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 3 15 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and MSI GF65 Thin both have displays that lack the high resolution and brightness preferred for optimal viewing in various lighting conditions, which can affect the clarity and detail visibility needed for both casual use and detailed work. While adequate for routine tasks, their color gamut coverage does not meet the high standards required for professional engineering and design applications that rely on precise color accuracy. Additionally, for 3D applications and gaming, the importance of a high refresh rate is paramount for smooth motion; both laptops fall short in providing the fluid visual experience preferred for these activities.
Battery
9.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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
6.7
The MSI GF65 Thin and Acer Aspire 3 15 both have only fair build quality, though the MSI GF65 Thin has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$330
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.6
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and MSI GF65 Thin are both only fair for general use.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, with a smaller storage capacity and less powerful CPU and GPU, offers adequate performance for everyday tasks, while its fanless design contributes to a quieter operation, reflected in its "Silent" description, as well as a lighter weight for somewhat better portability.
Content Creation
7.0
6.8
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 3 15 to be good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 and MSI GF65 Thin 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 GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 GF65 Thin
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NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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