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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Gateway 14.1", consider how you'll use the laptop. If you need strong performance for tasks like video editing or gaming, the higher cost of the Acer may be justified. However, if your primary use is browsing and basic office work, the Gateway should suffice and save you money. The screen size difference is a factor; a larger screen like the Acer's is beneficial for multitasking and media, but the Gateway is more portable. Lastly, understand that a higher price often brings longer battery life and possibly better build quality. 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 14.1"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.5
5.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a more powerful Intel i5 processor, larger storage capacity, and more RAM, which contributes to a better experience for general use compared to the Gateway 14.1" which is equipped with a less powerful Intel Celeron processor and less RAM and storage.
Gaming and AI
6.1
5.4
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a more powerful GPU, the Intel Iris Xe, which is better suited for gaming and 3D applications, in comparison to the Gateway 14.1" which is equipped with a less capable Intel UHD Graphics 600. While both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, the Acer's superior GPU and likely better CPU contribute to its fair gaming performance against the Gateway's poor capability in this regard.
Engineering and Design
6.6
5.5
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 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is equipped with a stronger processor, more RAM, and a better GPU, which are crucial for handling engineering and design applications that require substantial computing power and graphics rendering. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" has a weaker CPU, less RAM, and an inferior GPU, which may not meet the demands of engineering and design tasks that require robust performance and quality graphics.
Content Creation
7.3
5.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
5.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
6.0
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Gateway 14.1" laptops may have screens with sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing the web or working with office applications, making them adequate for general use. For engineering and design tasks that often require accurate color representation, both laptops likely lack the color range offered by higher-end displays, limiting the precision for professional color work. Gamers and users engaged in 3D work may find the refresh rate on both models underwhelming, which can result in less fluid motion during fast-paced scenes and less immersive 3D experiences.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" 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.
Build Quality
6.5
5.1
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$479
$99
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $479 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 14.1" to have very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 15 | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$479 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.1" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 275 nits | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | November 2022
"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."
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Gateway 14.1"
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.
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