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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is a high-performance laptop for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering work, the MSI Summit E16 Flip is a better choice with a more powerful processor and graphics card. However, it is more expensive and slightly heavier, which could affect portability. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is much more budget-friendly, lighter, and ideal for general use with a fanless design for silent operation. Its processor and graphics are less powerful, making it less suitable for intensive tasks. Both laptops have a similar battery life and high-resolution touchscreens. 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 Summit E16 Flip
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The MSI Summit E16 Flip generally outperforms the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 due to its superior CPU, double the RAM for multitasking, and a graphics card that enhances both creative tasks and light gaming. Additionally, it has a higher resolution and more vivid screen but is less portable and has a similar battery life; the MSI's build quality, keyboard, speakers, and heat management are all rated higher than the Acer.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The MSI Summit E16 Flip is better suited for gaming and 3D applications because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, which is essential for graphics-intensive tasks, compared to the less capable Intel i3-N305 UHD Graphics Xe GPU in the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14. Additionally, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate, contributing to smoother visuals and better gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.7
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Summit E16 Flip is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a less powerful CPU and GPU and lower RAM, making it suitable for lighter engineering and design tasks, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip's superior processor, graphics card, and higher RAM make it better equipped for more demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.0
7.9
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
7.6
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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's fair screen quality for general use is due to a balance of adequate resolution and brightness, but it may not offer the sharpness or vibrancy for more demanding visual tasks. The MSI Summit E16 Flip outshines in general use and engineering with a high-resolution display that provides excellent color accuracy, crucial for detailed design work. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D because their refresh rates aren't high enough for the smooth visuals that these activities typically require.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
$1,413
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip costs $1,413.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | MSI Summit E16 Flip |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $1,413 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 82 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 | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 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."
MSI Summit E16 Flip
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NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | October 2022
"The MSI Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop with pen, 16:10 display, and RTX 3050 Ti. The Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop from the business segment that primarily targets creative users. MSI combines a 16-inch touchscreen in the 16:10 format with a powerful midrange GPU. While the 2-in-1 laptop from MSI isn't meant for everybody, it should definitely attract some followers. The touchscreen display (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) covers the DCI-P3 color space. This is accompanied by stable viewing angles, a good color reproduction, short response times, and a good contrast level."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the MSI Summit E16 Flip
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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