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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is much less expensive and offers basic functionality, suitable for general use tasks like web browsing and word processing, with a lightweight, fanless design enhancing portability. However, it has limited storage and memory, and the screen and performance are modest. On the other hand, the Dell G15 5520 is more expensive but offers a vastly superior performance with a focus on gaming and intensive tasks like 3D rendering or engineering software, with a high refresh-rate screen and advanced graphics capabilities. It's heavier and has a more robust build, but both laptops have the same battery life, albeit the Dell's larger capacity may not last as long during demanding use. 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
- Good portability
Advantages of the Dell G15 5520
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Dell G15 5520 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is limited in general use due to its basic CPU, lower RAM, and TN screen which offers poorer viewing angles compared to the Dell G15 5520's powerful CPU, higher RAM, and IPS display renowned for better color accuracy and viewing angles.
Gaming and AI
5.7
7.7
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell G15 5520 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has an integrated Intel Celeron GPU and a standard 60Hz screen which makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the Dell G15 5520 boasts a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher refresh rate 165Hz screen, providing a much better experience for those purposes.
Engineering and Design
5.5
8.2
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell G15 5520 is very 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
8.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell G15 5520 is very 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
7.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell G15 5520 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
7.1
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
The Dell G15 5520 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a clear and vibrant display for casual tasks like browsing and watching videos, the Dell G15 5520 offers a combination of resolution, panel technology, and brightness that will provide a more satisfying experience than the Acer Aspire 1. For professionals in engineering or design fields, the Dell's coverage of broader color gamuts is essential for color accuracy, giving it an edge over the Acer for these specialized tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-moving visuals are crucial, neither laptop is ideal, but the Dell's somewhat better resolution and panel type still offer an advantage, even though it lacks the high refresh rate preferred for these activities.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the Dell G15 5520 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
7.4
The Dell G15 5520 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
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $215 and the Dell G15 5520 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell G15 5520 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Dell G15 5520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Dell G15 5520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$215 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 14.1'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 5.55 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i7-12700H | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | UHD Graphics | RTX 3060 (130 W) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 251 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | N/A | Blue | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Dell G15 5520
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop, and is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Dell G15 5520
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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