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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) involves several trade-offs. If you prefer a lower-priced option and need a device with a touchscreen that doubles as a tablet, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is worth considering. However, the MacBook Air offers higher resolution, potentially better performance with the Apple M1 chip, and a more premium build quality, though it comes at a higher cost. If your tasks are everyday computing such as web browsing and office applications, and budget is a concern, the Acer may serve you well. On the other hand, for more demanding applications and a preference for a sleek design and macOS, the MacBook Air could be a better choice, albeit at a higher price point. Both laptops offer silent, fanless operation, so they're quiet during use. 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 Spin 14
- The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.6
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) stands out for its powerful Apple M1 CPU and higher-resolution, brighter screen, which contribute to a better experience for general use compared to the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, which has a lower-tier Intel i3 processor and less vivid display. Moreover, the MacBook Air is more portable, offering a lighter build and significantly longer battery life than the Aspire 3 Spin, making it a more convenient option for users on the go.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.3
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, with its Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, provides modest power for engineering tasks, whereas the Apple MacBook Air with its M1 chip offers higher performance suitable for more demanding design software. Additionally, the MacBook Air's higher-resolution screen benefits detailed design work, and its superior build quality and keyboard offer a better user experience for extended sessions, although the Acer is a convertible model, giving it added flexibility for presentations and tablet use.
Content Creation
7.0
7.8
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
6.9
7.7
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 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
7.5
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and productivity with decent resolution and brightness but might lack the vibrancy for high-end engineering applications due to limited color range and the smoothness for gaming because of a lower refresh rate. The Apple MacBook Air (2020) boasts a sharper and brighter display, offering a wider color spectrum suitable for engineering and design work, but it isn't tailored for gaming as its refresh rates are not high enough for the fast-paced visuals that games often require. Both laptops offer visuals that work well for general and professional use, but neither is optimized for the gaming experience where fast-moving images benefit from higher refresh rates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2020) to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is fair for gaming in part because it has an integrated GPU that can handle basic gaming tasks, but both it and the Apple MacBook Air with its M1 GPU have standard 60Hz screen refresh rates which are not ideal for high-end gaming. Moreover, the MacBook Air is limited by the fact that many popular games do not run natively on macOS, restricting the gaming library available to users even though the screen quality is higher.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | Apple MacBook Air (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 2.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 49.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 395 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | November 2023
"The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school day. The overall user experience is so-so; the display looks sharp but dim, and the touchpad is fairly responsive, albeit small."
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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