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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choose the Acer Aspire 3 15 for a more budget-friendly option with basic performance suitable for everyday tasks, lightweight usage, and silent, fanless operation. If you require higher performance for activities like gaming, 3D applications, or intensive engineering software, consider the MSI Stealth 14 Studio, which offers a more powerful processor, advanced graphics card, and higher screen refresh rate, but comes at a higher cost and might be less battery-efficient due to its performance-oriented hardware. The MSI also has a more compact build, making it slightly more portable than the Acer, and it includes features like a customizable keyboard lighting. 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 Stealth 14 Studio
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 with its modest CPU and RAM, lower storage capacity, and fair keyboard and heat management is a fair choice for general use, and while it promises a better battery life and silent operation, it's less portable and has a basic screen quality. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a more powerful CPU and double the RAM for smooth operation, a higher resolution and brighter screen for clearer visuals, and overall better build quality and heat management, though it's more expensive, slightly less portable due to a shorter battery life, and could generate more operating noise.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a less powerful AMD Radeon 610M GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it just fair for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is equipped with a high-performance Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, providing a good experience for these tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.5
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio outshines the Acer Aspire 3 15 in engineering and design tasks primarily due to its superior CPU, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU, which are crucial for resource-intensive software, and it also boasts a higher-quality screen for more precise visuals. However, the Acer Aspire 3 is slightly lighter and has a larger screen, which might benefit those who prioritize portability and screen size over raw performance and are satisfied with fair quality for such tasks.
Content Creation
7.0
7.9
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Screen Quality
6.2
7.6
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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 suffices for general tasks with adequate resolution and brightness, but its color range falls short for precise engineering and design work and lacks the high refresh rate gamers need for smooth graphics. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a vibrant and precise display essential for engineering and design professionals, with good resolution and brightness that benefit general use, but like the Acer, it doesn't provide the fast refresh rate that would benefit 3D gaming experiences. Therefore, while both laptops serve general and design purposes fairly well, neither is optimized for the high-refresh demands of gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
9.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.6
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
$1,525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,525.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.0
7.4
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
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 Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Aspire 3 15 are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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 Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $1,525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i7-13620H | |
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 | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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 Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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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