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Updated March 21, 2024·
If you're looking for a budget-friendly option for everyday tasks like browsing, office applications, and streaming, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is a solid choice with the added flexibility of a convertible design. However, if your work involves complex engineering software, 3D modeling, machine learning, or you're an avid gamer, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while more expensive, offers superior performance that can handle these intensive tasks with ease. Keep in mind that with the MSI's higher specs, you're also likely to get shorter battery life and less portability due to its larger size and weight. 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 MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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, with a decent screen, but its lesser portability and battery life may not appeal to those frequently on the move; whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio delivers superior performance and a high-quality display, making it better suited for intensive applications and extended usage, though it comes with a higher price and reduced portability due to its size.
Gaming and AI
5.8
8.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has modest graphics capabilities and a standard screen refresh rate, making it sufficient for casual gaming and basic 3D tasks, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-end GPU and a faster screen refresh rate, providing a smoother and more immersive experience for demanding gaming and 3D applications. The MSI also offers a more powerful CPU and superior screen quality, further enhancing its suitability for high-performance tasks compared to the Acer.
Engineering and Design
5.9
9.1
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 offers good value and versatility for casual engineering tasks, with capable processing and memory, yet its graphics and screen may not match the higher demands of complex design software; whereas, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior CPU, ample RAM, and advanced GPU, is designed to handle intense engineering applications and deliver crisp visuals, albeit at a higher cost and possible tradeoffs in portability and noise.
Content Creation
7.0
8.5
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very 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
8.4
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI 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.
If you're using your laptop for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14's screen will suffice, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers a visibly crisper and brighter display, enhancing your overall experience. For engineering and design, where accurate colors are crucial, the MSI Stealth provides superior color representation, making your work more precise and true to life. Gamers and 3D designers, however, might find both laptops lacking due to lower refresh rates, leading to less fluid motion and slower response times in fast-paced environments.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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
18.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI 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 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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