If affordability is your main concern and you need a laptop that provides good value without straining your budget, the Acer Aspire Vero 15 might suit you, but if you want a more premium, lightweight laptop with better portability, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" could be worth the extra cost. The Surface generally offers a higher-resolution screen and a sleek design which makes it ideal for business professionals or students who frequently travel or move between locations. However, be aware that the Acer, being less expensive, may compromise on some premium features and build quality but could still handle everyday tasks effectively. Consider the importance of the laptop's build, display quality, and portability in your daily use before making a decision. 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 Vero 15
The Acer Aspire Vero 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
6.2/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
264.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire Vero 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 edges out with a higher resolution and a brighter display, offering sharper text and more vivid images, while the Acer Aspire Vero's screen may appear slightly dimmer and less crisp. When it comes to engineering and design, the Surface Laptop 5 supports broader color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are crucial for accurate color rendering in professional work, whereas the Aspire Vero's color coverage is more limited, affecting color-sensitive tasks. However, neither is optimal for gaming and 3D as they lack high refresh rates, though the high resolution and better panel type of the Surface Laptop 5 might still provide a more pleasing visual experience for less-demanding games and 3D content.
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 Vero 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire Vero 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$665
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has a price of $665 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Acer Aspire Vero 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both ideal for general use due to their robust CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth operation for daily tasks, while their high-quality IPS displays offer clear and vibrant visuals. However, the Surface Laptop 5 excels in portability and screen quality with its lighter frame and higher resolution touchscreen, making it more suitable for on-the-go use and sharp imagery, but the Aspire Vero offers a larger screen and a longer battery life, catering to those preferring sustained usage and a more spacious viewing area.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.1/10
3.7/10
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 Acer Aspire Vero 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both fair for gaming and 3D because each has an integrated GPU, which limits performance compared to dedicated gaming GPUs, and both have standard screen refresh rates, which are adequate but not optimal for fast-paced gaming. Additionally, both have capable CPUs and high-quality displays, with the Surface Laptop 5 having a higher resolution touch screen, which enhances general screen quality, although this improvement is somewhat important for gaming compared to the GPU and refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
7.1/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
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 Vero 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 is equipped with substantial CPU and RAM for engineering tasks, alongside a dedicated GPU which aids in graphically demanding design work; despite its average screen quality, it provides good value for users needing power over portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher-resolution touchscreen with better screen quality, and its lighter build increases portability, but it adheres to integrated graphics which may not be as robust for intensive design applications.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.4/10
5.5/10
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 Vero 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
7.1/10
7.2/10
5.5/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Acer Aspire Vero 15 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 Vero 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 Vero 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"The Acer Aspire Vero is an eco-friendly Windows 11 laptop. Made with PCR plastic, the Acer Aspire Vero stands out from the midrange laptop pack with a funky, eco-friendly design. Powering Microsoft’s latest operating system is a Core i7 chip from Intel’s latest series, integrated Intel Xe graphics, and an ample 16GB of RAM. The laptop feels snappy, but its battery life disappoints. I also have a few quibbles with the display and keyboard, but they’re relatively minor. With a longer runtime, the Aspire Vero would earn a stronger recommendation for students or anyone looking for an eco-friendly, big-screen laptop."
"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 Vero 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.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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