Consider the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 if you're looking for a more affordable, lightweight option with moderate performance for everyday tasks, such as browsing the web, working with documents, and streaming video. Its smaller screen and fanless design offer better portability and silent operation, making it a good choice for casual use and carrying around. However, if you need more power for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive engineering programs, the MSI Vector GP76 features a much more powerful processor and graphics card which significantly outperform the Acer in these areas, but it's also heavier, has less battery life, and comes at a higher price. Thus, the MSI is suitable if your work involves high performance demands and less concern about portability or budget constraints. 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 Vector GP76
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
8.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
264.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a lower-end CPU and less RAM than the MSI Vector GP76, making it less suitable for demanding tasks, while the MSI also benefits from a higher quality screen and more storage. However, the Acer offers better portability with its lighter weight and 2-in-1 convertible design, although it has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI, which is larger, heavier, and likely offers longer usage between charges.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
8.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The MSI Vector GP76 delivers superior gaming and 3D experiences thanks to its high-performance Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and an impressive screen refresh rate of 360Hz, which is beneficial for fast-paced games. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is equipped with a more modest Intel i3-N305 UHD Graphics Xe GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it suitable for casual gaming but not for more demanding 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
8.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Vector GP76 is very 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.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Vector GP76 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
6.9/10
7.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 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
6.2/10
7.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
264.0 nits
The MSI Vector GP76 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 screen offers adequate resolution and brightness for typical activities like browsing and watching videos, but it may not reproduce colors accurately enough for tasks that require precise color work, such as engineering and design. The MSI Vector GP76, with its good resolution and brightness, provides a clear and vivid display suitable for both general use and professional design work due to better color reproduction. However, both laptops may not be ideal for gaming and 3D applications, as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and a better gaming experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Vector GP76 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Vector GP76 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 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
$1,760
$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 MSI Vector GP76 costs $1,760.
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."
"The MSI Vector GP76 12UGS is a gaming laptop on speed. The advantages are clear: The Vector GP76 is a real gamer with its 360 Hz display and super-fast response times. In addition, the Core i7-12700H has double the power of the CPU in its predecessor and another highlight is the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti with a real power consumption of 150 watts. This places the device in the top range of our database. The Vector can also operate rather quietly, offers a full sound range, improved battery runtimes, a key-configurable RGB keyboard, a very stable chassis and good upgrade options. Moreover, the display produces a nice, rich and clear picture."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the MSI Vector GP76
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.
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.