When choosing between the Acer Aspire 3 and the MSI Prestige 14, consider that the MSI often offers higher performance suitable for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, along with greater portability due to its compact design. However, it comes with a higher price tag. The Acer Aspire 3 is more budget-friendly and may suffice for general use such as web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, but it might be bulkier and have a shorter battery life. If cost is a significant factor and your usage is mainly casual, the Acer could be a suitable choice. On the other hand, if you need a laptop for more intensive tasks and value portability, the MSI Prestige could be worth the investment. 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 MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6/10
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo offers a stronger CPU and more RAM, which leads to smoother performance and better multitasking than the Acer Aspire 3, making it preferable for demanding tasks and general use. Additionally, the Prestige's higher quality screen, lighter weight, and longer battery life ensure a better overall experience for portability and usage throughout the day, though you may pay more for these enhancements compared to the Aspire 3.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
6.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a GPU and screen refresh rate which can handle gaming and 3D tasks decently, but more demanding games may not run as smoothly. The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo offers a balance between a capable CPU and GPU for fair gaming performance, though neither laptop has the top-tier screen refresh rates preferred by enthusiastic gamers.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
7.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, while suitable for basic engineering tasks, may lag in performance due to lesser CPU power and graphics capabilities compared to the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo, which offers superior processing and graphical performance for more demanding engineering and design software. Additionally, the MSI's higher screen quality enhances visual work, but the Acer Aspire provides a balance with decent keyboard and speaker quality, and both models maintain a level of portability that is practical for on-the-go use despite the tradeoffs in noise and performance.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo 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
7.7/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development, though the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo 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
6.2/10
7.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo 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 fair screen quality is adequate due to acceptable resolution and brightness, but it may lack the vibrancy and crispness of higher-end displays. The MSI Prestige 14, with its good screen quality, likely offers a sharper image and better viewing experience, making it more suitable for tasks that benefit from high-quality visuals such as engineering and design, especially given its wider color range. However, neither units are ideal for gaming or 3D applications as their screens have lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and slower response times during fast-paced activities.
Battery
9.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo has 8 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo 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
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo 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
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo costs $1,300.
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 Prestige 14 AI Evo
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.
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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