The Acer Aspire 5 15 comes with a higher price but provides significantly more storage and memory, better performance with a stronger processor and graphics, and a larger, higher-resolution screen which is great for multitasking and media consumption. It’s better suited for intensive tasks like engineering, 3D modeling, or gaming. The Gateway 11.6" is much more affordable and more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, making it ideal for basic tasks such as web browsing, word processing, and on-the-go use. However, it has less power and storage capacity, making it less suitable for demanding software and multitasking. 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 5 15
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15, with a strong CPU, more RAM, and a superior screen quality, delivers robust performance for general use, whereas the Gateway 11.6" is hampered by a less powerful CPU, limited RAM, and lower resolution screen, leading to weaker overall performance and user experience. While the Gateway is lighter and may offer better portability and battery life, its compromises in key areas such as CPU and RAM significantly affect its suitability for general use tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
5.4/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is fair for gaming and 3D due to its more capable integrated graphics, the Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe, and a larger screen size which offers a more immersive experience, while the Gateway 11.6" performs poorly in gaming and 3D because it has a less powerful Intel Celeron N4020 with Intel UHD Graphics 600 and a smaller, lower resolution screen, making it less suited for visually intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
5.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15, with a more powerful CPU, greater RAM, and dedicated GPU, ensures smoother multitasking and rendering capabilities essential for engineering and design tasks, accompanied by a superior screen quality for precise visual work. Alternatively, the Gateway 11.6" falls short in performance due to less powerful hardware and a lower quality screen, which might hinder complex software operations and detail-oriented design work, despite its advantages in portability and potentially quieter operation.
Content Creation
7.3/10
5.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
7.3/10
5.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
15.6in
SIZE
11.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Aspire 5 15's screen offers an adequate balance of resolution and brightness suitable for daily tasks, but its color range and refresh rate may fall short for specialized applications like engineering and high-end gaming. Conversely, the Gateway 11.6" may struggle with even general tasks due to lower resolution and brightness, making it less vibrant and harder to view; these limitations become more pronounced in engineering and gaming where color accuracy and fluid motion are crucial. The Gateway's smaller screen size also compounds these drawbacks, making fine details harder to discern for any advanced visual work.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
11.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
5.1/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$480
$89
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
"The Acer Aspire 5 15 is a good value office laptop with reasonable battery life. The combination of slim exterior, relatively low weight (approx. 1.7 kg) and 8 hour real-life battery runtime makes the Acer Aspire a truly mobile laptop. The modest Tiger Lake processor supports this area and simultaneously ensures an affordable price point. The Aspire produces little noise and stays cool. The screen (FHD, IPS) might not win any prizes but is entirely appropriate for the price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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