A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize battery life and portability for light tasks like web browsing or document editing, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 will suit you well at a budget price. However, it has modest performance with limited storage and is not ideal for heavy computing. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while more expensive, offers significantly higher performance for tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, thanks to its powerful processor and superior graphics; it also has a larger and faster screen, more storage, and better build quality but at the expense of battery life and portability. 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 Katana 15
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is less suitable for general use than the MSI Katana 15 due to its lower RAM and less powerful CPU, which may limit multitasking and performance in demanding applications; however, it benefits from a fanless design that allows for silent operation, potentially appealing for those requiring a quiet environment. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 offers more storage, higher RAM, a more powerful CPU, and superior heat management, making it better suited for intensive tasks, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Acer.
Gaming and AI
5.8
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has an Intel i3 UHD Graphics Xe and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, which provides a basic level of gaming performance; while the MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, enhancing gaming and 3D experiences significantly.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.7
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is fair for engineering and design as it has a lower-end CPU and GPU which may not handle intensive tasks as efficiently, and less RAM compared to the MSI Katana 15, which is good for these tasks due to its higher-end CPU, dedicated GPU, and more RAM, offering better overall performance. Although the Acer is more portable and offers a silent, fanless design, the MSI has better screen color reproduction and a more powerful CPU and GPU combination, making it more suitable for demanding engineering and design applications.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 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, both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and MSI Katana 15 offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, but they don't stand out in terms of panel technology, which could affect viewing angles and color reproduction. Considering engineering and design, neither laptop provides the wide color gamuts required for precision work, compromising color accuracy in professional projects. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both models fall short as they lack the high refresh rates necessary for smooth visuals and fast-paced action, diminishing the overall experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.2
The MSI Katana 15 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
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Content Creation
7.0
7.4
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 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
7.0
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Katana 15 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 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 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
See more
Dig into reviews and images
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."
MSI Katana 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the MSI Katana 15
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
109,395
Recommendations made
23,703
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
