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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is significantly less expensive and offers a fanless operation, which means it's quiet, but it has lower storage capacity and less power for demanding tasks. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is more expensive and suited for more intensive tasks like 3D rendering or gaming due to better graphics and a more powerful processor. The Surface Laptop also features higher resolution and more RAM for multitasking, making it a better fit for professional or creative work. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a more basic CPU and RAM setup, which along with its smaller storage space, makes it just fair for general use, but its silent, fanless operation indicates low operating noise which can be appealing for quiet environments.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, while versatile for everyday use, may not provide the smoothest gaming and 3D experience due to a less powerful GPU and standard screen refresh rate. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a more robust GPU and higher refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity for gaming and 3D apps, but it typically comes at a higher price.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.3
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.2
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
When considering general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offer panels with adequate resolution and brightness, but the Surface Laptop has a higher-quality panel that provides sharper images and more vivid colors. For engineering and design tasks, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio stands out with its wider color gamut coverage, ensuring more accurate color reproduction which is crucial for these types of work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as they do not offer the high refresh rates necessary for smooth motion rendering, even though their resolutions and panel types are satisfactory for moderate use.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.0
7.4
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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
14.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 to have very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i7-11370H | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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