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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is a budget-friendly option with an Intel i3 processor, making it suitable for general use and tasks that don't require a lot of power, but its performance might not be adequate for intensive gaming or engineering software. Meanwhile, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 boasts an Intel i7 processor and more storage and memory, making it better suited for heavy-duty tasks like 3D rendering or engineering work, but it comes at a higher price. The Acer is also more portable due to its smaller size and lightweight, whereas the Lenovo, with a larger screen and slightly heavier build, might offer a better viewing experience but sacrifice some portability. Both laptops feature a convertible design, touchscreens, and similar battery life, so your choice should be driven by the balance between performance needs and budget constraints. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good 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
400.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is better suited for general use than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 due to its superior main processor and increased RAM, which result in better overall performance. Additionally, the Lenovo offers a higher resolution, brighter display with better color coverage, and longer battery life, while remaining relatively portable despite being heavier, which enhances user experience for everyday tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.2
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a lower-tier CPU and GPU, less RAM, and a lower resolution screen compared to the Lenovo Flex 5 16, which makes the latter better equipped for demanding engineering and design tasks. While both laptops are versatile convertibles, the Acer is lighter and might be preferred for portability, but the Lenovo's superior processing power and screen quality make it a stronger candidate for more intensive use cases.
Content Creation
7.0
7.6
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.5
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 offers adequate resolution and brightness, suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, but lacks the wider color gamuts that benefit tasks like photo editing or CAD design, making it less optimal for engineering. The Lenovo Flex 5 16's higher quality display provides better color accuracy and range, making it more suitable for detailed engineering work and design where precise colors are crucial. However, both models fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which may lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes or during rendering tasks.
Battery
8.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
$779
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $779.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Flex 5 16 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is equipped with a basic Intel UHD Graphics Xe GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which limits gaming and 3D performance, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16, sporting a more capable Iris Xe GPU and the same 60Hz refresh rate, offers better graphics performance but still falls short for intensive gaming or 3D tasks. Both laptops have decent screen quality and processors, with the Lenovo leading slightly due to a higher-end CPU, but neither setup is ideal for demanding gaming or 3D applications.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $779 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
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 | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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