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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 offers better value if you're on a budget and require a larger screen, good for multitasking and general productivity, but with a tradeoff in portability and battery life compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5. The Surface Laptop, while more expensive, provides a higher-resolution and higher-quality display in a 3:2 aspect ratio that's beneficial for reading and web browsing, and it's more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, making it excellent for mobility and travel. In terms of performance, the Surface Laptop also has a slightly more powerful processor which may be noticeable in more intensive tasks. Choose the Acer if cost and a larger display matter most; opt for the Surface if you want portability, a better screen, and slightly improved performance. 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
- The Acer Aspire 5 15 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When choosing between the Acer Aspire 5 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for general use, the Surface Laptop 5 offers superior screen quality, providing clearer and brighter visuals because of its higher resolution and panel technology. For engineering and design tasks that rely on accurate colors, the Surface Laptop 5 excels again with a screen that displays a broader range of colors, essential for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced visuals are crucial, both laptops fall short as they lack the high refresh rates needed to deliver smooth motion graphics.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$480
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a solid CPU and generous RAM which are key for smooth operation in general use, and its larger 15.6-inch screen offers good quality for various tasks, though its greater weight and size make it less portable compared to the lighter Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which has a higher-resolution touchscreen conducive to portability and interaction but falls a little short on battery life. Both laptops provide ample storage and agreeable keyboards, with the Surface Laptop exhibiting higher speaker quality; however, each might run warm as intensive tasks elevate operating noise and heat management becomes more evident.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.1
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are only fair for gaming and 3D because their integrated GPUs perform adequately but are not designed for high-end gaming, and their standard screen refresh rates are suitable for casual gaming but not ideal for fast-paced games. While the Surface Laptop has a higher-resolution touchscreen which might offer better screen quality, it's paired with a CPU that's somewhat superior to the Acer's; however, these specs don't match the demands of intensive gaming and 3D tasks that benefit from a more powerful GPU and higher refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 15, with its larger screen and number pad, appeals to engineering and design use by providing a comfortable workspace, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher resolution and touch screen for precision tasks but compromises on size and heat management. Both laptops have the same amount of RAM and similar integrated graphics, which suffice for many engineering tasks, but the Surface Laptop's higher-end CPU may deliver slightly better performance at the cost of being less quiet during operation.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both good for content creation.
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
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 15 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$480 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 275 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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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