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Updated March 21, 2024·
When considering the Acer Aspire 3 and the MSI Titan, the main difference is the Acer is more affordable and suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and office applications, while the MSI Titan offers top-tier performance for demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning. However, the MSI is much less portable due to its size and weight, and also has reduced battery life compared to the Acer. If you require a laptop for general use and value portability and longer battery life, the Acer may be a better choice, but if you need high performance for specialized tasks and don't mind the extra cost and reduced portability, then the MSI Titan would be more appropriate. 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 portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.6
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
244.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, while suitable for everyday tasks, may fall short for demanding applications due to its modest CPU and RAM, and while easier to carry around, its screen and battery life don't match higher-end models. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with a more powerful processor and greater memory, excels in performance for intensive use and delivers superior screen quality, but it's less convenient to transport and might have a shorter battery life due to its enhanced capabilities.
Gaming and AI
5.8
9.4
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a more modest GPU and standard screen refresh rate, making it suitable for casual gaming, whereas the MSI Titan 18 HX comes with a high-end GPU and high refresh rate display, delivering exceptional performance for serious gaming and 3D rendering. The screen quality and CPU of the Titan are also superior, although the Aspire 3 offers decent quality, contributing to a balanced performance for less demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.9
9.9
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 15, with less powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU, is adequate for basic engineering and design tasks but may struggle with more complex applications, and while it's more portable, it has lower screen quality compared to the MSI Titan 18 HX. The MSI Titan 18 HX, built with top-tier components and a high-resolution screen, excels in demanding engineering and design work, but it's less portable and might be noisier under load due to its more robust internal hardware.
Content Creation
7.0
9.0
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 15 is good.
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
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
244.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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 screen that is adequate for everyday tasks due to its sufficient resolution and brightness, but it may not provide the color accuracy and wide color gamuts required for precise engineering and design work. The MSI Titan 18 HX offers superior screen quality for general use and professional design with higher resolution and broader color range coverage, enhancing visual clarity and color fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops' screens fall short as they lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion rendering, which is crucial for fast-paced visuals.
Battery
9.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 3 15 has a price of $330 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 15 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 15 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$330 | $4,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.74'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.29" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 244 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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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Dig into reviews and images
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 Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 15 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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