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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Aspire 1 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 depends on your primary needs. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Acer Aspire 1 is significantly less expensive but comes with limitations like less storage, lower RAM, and a basic processor that's suitable for general use like web browsing and document editing, but it may struggle with more demanding tasks. The ASUS Zenbook 13, on the other hand, has a higher price tag but offers superior performance with more storage, double the RAM, and a more powerful processor that can handle intensive tasks such as engineering software, 3D rendering, or machine learning with ease. Additionally, the Zenbook boasts a higher-quality OLED display that's better for color-intensive tasks, while the Aspire 1's TN panel is more basic. In terms of portability, the Zenbook 13 is lighter and has a longer battery life for use on the go, whereas the Aspire 1 is larger and heavier with a shorter battery life. 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 1
- The Acer Aspire 1 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook 13.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a weaker CPU, less RAM, and a lower quality TN screen which isn't as sharp or bright as the OLED screen of the ASUS Zenbook 13, leading to a less satisfactory general use experience. The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers a more powerful CPU, more RAM for multitasking, superior screen quality, better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, and longer battery life, making it better suited for a range of tasks and on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
5.7
6.2
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has an Intel Celeron N4500 UHD Graphics GPU, which is less capable for gaming and 3D tasks compared to the ASUS Zenbook 13's AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Vega 8 GPU, offering fair performance. Both have screens with a 60Hz refresh rate, but the Zenbook's performance advantage for these tasks stems from its superior GPU.
Engineering and Design
5.5
7.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
5.9
7.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
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
6.1
7.2
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 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
5.2
7.8
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1's screen may not offer crisp visuals or bright colors because of its lower resolution and substandard panel, making it less appealing across the board. The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its higher resolution and superior panel, provides clear and vivid images for general use and engineering tasks where accurate color representation is crucial. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the ASUS falls short due to its standard refresh rate, which doesn't match the smoother visuals offered by displays with higher refresh rates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 1 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
7.4
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$215
$920
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $215 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 costs $920.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | ASUS Zenbook 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$215 | $920 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 2.55 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | UHD Graphics | Vega 8 | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 67 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 378 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | N/A | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
ASUS Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the ASUS Zenbook 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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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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