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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is significantly less expensive, lighter, and offers silent operation with its fanless design, making it suitable for general use and ideal for those prioritizing budget and portability. However, it has lower storage capacity, less RAM, and a less powerful processor and graphics unit, which limits its performance for intensive tasks. On the other hand, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while more expensive and heavier, provides higher storage, more RAM, a stronger processor, and a dedicated graphics unit. This makes the ASUS suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and demanding engineering applications, but it is less portable and will have a more noticeable fan noise during heavy 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
- Very good portability
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.6
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, featuring an Intel i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, offers a respectable balance for general use with its fanless operation for silent computing, although limited by moderate performance levels and adequate battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, with an Intel i3 integrated GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate, offers modest gaming capabilities suitable for less demanding titles, but the ASUS TUF Gaming A16's higher-end AMD RX 7600S GPU and 165Hz refresh rate provide a smoother and more responsive experience for intensive gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the ASUS model's better CPU and higher screen quality contribute to its superiority in gaming performance compared to the Acer.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.7
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is better suited for engineering and design work due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor, twice the amount of RAM, and a superior GPU, which collectively provide enhanced performance for complex tasks, while its larger, brighter, and more color-accurate screen improves the visual experience for design work. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a less capable Intel i3 processor, less RAM, and relies on integrated graphics, making it fair for engineering and design, but it offers better portability and silent operation, appealing to those prioritizing a lightweight and quiet device.
Content Creation
7.0
7.6
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation, though the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.5
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 offers a balance of resolution and brightness that meet the basic needs, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 provides a more vibrant and sharp display that enhances the everyday visual experience. In engineering and design, the ASUS's better color coverage ensures more accurate color representation which is critical for detailed design work, whereas the Acer's fair color gamut still allows for reasonable precision but with less fidelity. However, when it comes to 3D and gaming, the refresh rate on both laptops may not satisfy gamers or professionals who require smoother motion and faster screen response, even though the ASUS might deliver slightly better visuals owing to its improved panel and resolution.
Battery
8.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.2
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good 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
$940
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $940.
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Key similarities
Software Development
6.9
7.3
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A16 to be 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | ASUS TUF Gaming A16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $940 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4.85 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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