If price is your main concern, and general use is your primary intention, the Acer Aspire 5 15 is a budget-friendly option that will meet basic needs without breaking the bank. It's less costly but comes with moderate performance suitable for everyday tasks. However, if you need higher performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, and are willing to invest more, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers significantly better processing power and graphics capabilities. The MSI also boasts a better display and is lighter, making it more portable, but it does come with a heftier price tag. Both laptops are recent models, but the MSI Prestige's superior features cater to professional and demanding applications. Keep in mind that these added features of the MSI will impact battery life more than the modest components of the Acer. 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 MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is designed for cost-conscious users, offering a solid combination of processor, memory, and a decent screen for everyday tasks, but its slightly heavier build and lower screen quality limit its portability and visual experience. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo boasts a high-quality screen, stronger performance capabilities with a more robust processor and double the memory, extended battery life, and a lighter frame, enhancing both its portability and its suitability for a wider range of demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
6.7/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers better performance in gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Intel Arc 8-Cores GPU and an OLED screen with higher color accuracy and contrast than the Acer Aspire 5 15, which has an Intel Iris Xe GPU and an IPS screen. While both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, the superior GPU and display quality in the MSI Prestige makes it more suitable for visually intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is considered very good for engineering and design use because it has a stronger CPU, more RAM, a higher quality GPU, and an OLED screen with superior resolution and color coverage, which are all very important for such tasks. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 5 15, while still capable, offers a less powerful CPU, less RAM, an IPS screen with lower resolution, and standard color coverage, explaining why it's considered good rather than very good for the same tasks.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 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
7.3/10
8.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is good.
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
8.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, where tasks like browsing and watching videos are common, the Acer Aspire 5's screen might be satisfactory with decent resolution and brightness, but the MSI Prestige 16 stands out with superior resolution and brightness, delivering crisper images and better visibility. In the context of engineering and design, where color precision is crucial, the MSI's higher color gamut coverage offers more accurate color reproduction, making it a better fit for professionals in those fields. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the poor refresh rates on both laptops make them less suited for the smooth visual experience that these tasks typically demand.
Battery
7.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
6.5/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
$1,349
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
"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."
"The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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.
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