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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you are looking for an affordable option for everyday tasks, the Acer Aspire 5 with its lower price and adequate performance is a sensible choice. It offers a balance of necessary features with decent battery life for general usage. On the other hand, if your workload involves gaming, 3D rendering, or other intensive engineering software, the MSI Raider GE66 justifies its higher price with significantly better performance, a higher resolution and refresh rate display, and more robust graphics capabilities. However, it is also heavier and may not be as easy to carry around as the Acer Aspire 5. 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 portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE66
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 has a solid balance of performance and portability with a CPU and RAM sufficient for everyday tasks, a screen with decent quality, and a comparatively lighter weight that contributes to good portability and battery life. Conversely, the MSI Raider GE66 excels with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM for heavier use, a higher resolution screen with superior color coverage for a sharper and more vibrant display, but it's less portable due to more weight and a slightly shorter battery life due to its high-performance components.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.5
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is suitable for engineering and design due to respectable screen resolution, potent enough integrated graphics for modest tasks, and ample RAM for multitasking, wrapped in a lightweight and portable package. However, the MSI Raider GE66 far surpasses it with a higher-performance CPU, vastly superior dedicated GPU suitable for the most intense engineering simulations and design work, double the RAM for even more complex tasks, and a high-quality screen that makes it a premium choice for professionals who need power over portability.
Content Creation
7.3
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE66 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
8.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Raider GE66 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
8.4
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE66 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, the Acer Aspire 5 provides an adequate display in terms of clarity and brightness, which is usually satisfactory for tasks like web browsing and document editing, while the MSI Raider GE66 offers a higher quality display, enhancing visual comfort and sharpness. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI's display covers a wider range of colors, making it ideal for professionals who need precision in color-sensitive tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios, which is critical for an immersive experience.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE66 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The MSI Raider GE66 has very 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
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the MSI Raider GE66 costs $2,499.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE66 has 6 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 MSI Raider GE66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 15 | MSI Raider GE66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$480 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 275 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
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."
MSI Raider GE66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the MSI Raider GE66
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.
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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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