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Updated March 22, 2024·
If price is a top priority and you're mainly using your laptop for everyday tasks such as browsing the web, watching videos, or using office applications, the Acer Aspire might be the better option. However, if you're engaged in more demanding activities like 3D design, machine learning, or gaming, investing in the MSI Creator M14 would offer better performance, albeit at a higher cost. Be mindful that the MSI likely has a shorter battery life and is heavier, making the Acer more suitable for on-the-go usage where portability and battery life are more important. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
8.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 offers adequate processing power and memory for everyday tasks but may lag behind in screen quality and battery life compared to the MSI Creator M14, which excels in these areas, providing a crisper display and longer usage times, making it well-suited for demanding applications and extended use. The Creator M14 also prioritizes portability with its lighter build and enhanced performance features that outweigh its higher cost, offering a better experience for both general use and more intensive tasks.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a less powerful GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, making it adequate but not ideal for gaming and 3D applications; on the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 offers a more robust GPU and higher screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and better performance for demanding tasks like gaming and 3D rendering. While both machines are capable, the MSI's superior GPU and optimized screen refresh rate give it an edge for these specific uses, despite its generally higher price and potentially shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
5.9
8.4
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The MSI Creator M14 typically offers a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU, all crucial for demanding engineering software and graphic design tasks, along with a high-quality screen to ensure precise color and detail work. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 may be more portable and quieter in operation, but it might not handle intensive tasks as smoothly due to less robust internal components, making it a secondary choice for heavy design work.
Content Creation
7.0
8.0
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 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
6.9
7.8
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 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
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 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 and MSI Creator M14 both offer displays good enough for everyday tasks with resolution and brightness that meet the needs for general usage. For engineering and design, the MSI Creator M14 stands out with a higher color accuracy covering more of the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces, which is crucial for professionals who need true-to-life colors. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can limit the smoothness and responsiveness critical for these use cases.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 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
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 to have very good portability, while the MSI Creator M14 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 MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the MSI Creator M14
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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