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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", consider that the Acer typically costs more but offers a higher storage capacity, more memory, and a higher-tier Intel i5 processor, which generally provides better performance for demanding tasks and multitasking. The Acer also has a better-quality display with a higher resolution. On the other hand, the Lenovo, despite its lower price, has less storage and memory and uses a lower-tier Intel i3 processor, which might suffice for basic tasks but could struggle with intensive applications. It also has a lower-resolution display. So, if you prioritize performance and display quality and are willing to pay more, the Acer could be suitable for you. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option and mainly engage in everyday computing tasks, then the Lenovo might be appropriate. 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 battery life
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 5 15.
Key differences
General Use
7.5
6.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a more powerful processor and double the RAM of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, which makes it better for handling more demanding applications and multitasking. It also offers a higher quality IPS display with better resolution, contributing to superior screen quality, while the IdeaPad 3 has a lower-quality TN display with less resolution and less screen brightness, which can affect the viewing experience.
Engineering and Design
6.6
5.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is better for engineering and design due to its more powerful i5 processor, double the RAM, and superior Iris Xe graphics; meanwhile it also provides a higher resolution IPS display, which is crucial for such tasks. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" comes with a less capable i3 processor, half the RAM, and lower-end Intel UHD graphics, coupled with a lower resolution TN display, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.3
6.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
6.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 5 offers a reasonable experience as its screen has decent resolution and brightness, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's lower resolution and dimmer display may not be as satisfying for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, the Acer's screen can produce a fair range of colors, but may not cover the wide color gamuts professionals need, whereas the Lenovo lags further behind, limiting the accuracy and vibrancy of color-intensive work. With gaming and 3D applications, the Acer falls short due to its limited refresh rate, which can detract from smooth visuals, while the Lenovo's poor refresh rate and resolution result in a less immersive experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 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.
Cost
$479
$360
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $479 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.1
5.8
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 15 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a better GPU with its Intel Iris Xe graphics compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's Intel UHD Xe G4, offering superior gaming and 3D performance; moreover, it also has a higher quality screen (IPS panel with higher resolution) that contributes to more vibrant and detailed visuals during gameplay.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
6.5
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$479 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 275 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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Why trust us
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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