Acer Aspire 3 14 (2023)

Acer Aspire 3 14 (2023)

Manufacturer	Acer
Product family	Aspire
Release date	January 2023 (2023-01)
Discontinued	No
Operating system	Windows 11 Home (Can be configured with Windows 11 Pro)
CPU	AMD Ryzen 3 7320U AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
Memory	8 GB or 16 GB LPDDR5
Storage	128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD
Display	Screen size: 14 inch Panel type: IPS Coating: Matte (anti-glare) Resolution: 1920 x 1080 PPI: 157 Aspect ratio: 16:9 Refresh Rate
Graphics	AMD Radeon 610M
Sound	2 x 2 W stereo speakers
Camera	Front: 720p with dual microphone
Touchpad	Mylar, 4.1 inches (10 cm) x 2.5 inches (6.4 cm)
Connectivity	WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-C) 1 x HDMI 2.0 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack
Dimensions	W: 12.9 inches (33 cm) D: 8.9 inches (23 cm) H: 0.7 inches (1.8 cm)
Mass	3.1 pounds (1.4 kg)
Battery	3 cell Li-Polymer 42 Wh
Keyboard	No backlight
Chassis	Color: Silver Materials: Plastic Cooling: Single fan
Number pad	No
Fingerprint reader	No
Facial recognition	No
Website	Acer

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   The Acer Aspire 3 14 (2023) is a budget-friendly laptop designed for everyday computing tasks. It is equipped with AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors and integrated Radeon graphics. Available configurations vary by store and location.

Primary Hardware

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Processor

The Acer Aspire 3 14 (2023) can come with the following processors:

• AMD Ryzen 3 7320U with 4 cores and 8 threads, 6 MB cache and a max frequency of 4.1 Ghz.
• AMD Ryzen 5 7520U with 4 cores and 8 threads, 8 MB cache and max frequency of 4.3 Ghz.

Acer supplies the processors with sufficient power and cooling for basic tasks resulting in average performance compared to other laptops with the same processors. In CPU-only tasks, SKUs with the Ryzen 3 7320U and Ryzen 5 7520U perform as expected. Performance sustainability is good but not perfect, with all processors losing about 5% performance in long stress tests.

Lenovo also supplies the processor with sufficient power in mixed CPU and GPU tasks like light gaming leading to noticeably better performance than competitors with the same configurations. In particular, the SKU with Ryzen 5 7520U performs better than most other laptops with this configuration and is only 10% behind the higher-end models.

All SKUs lose a significant amount of CPU performance when running on the battery.

Benchmarks:

• Cinebench R23:
  • Ryzen 3 7320U: ~950 pts (single-core), ~4500 pts (multi-core)
  • Ryzen 5 7520U: ~1050 pts (single-core), ~5000 pts (multi-core)

Graphics

In addition to the integrated AMD Radeon 610M graphics, the Aspire 3 14 (2023) does not come with any discrete GPU options.

The integrated Radeon 610M graphics are sufficient for basic tasks and light gaming. In GPU-only benchmarks, the performance is average for integrated graphics, with the Ryzen 5 7520U SKU performing slightly better than the Ryzen 3 7320U SKU.

In gaming, the integrated graphics perform adequately for older or less demanding titles. The Ryzen 5 7520U SKU performs better than the competition with the same GPU and is just 10% behind the higher-end models.

All SKUs lose a significant amount of graphics performance when running on the battery.

Benchmarks:

• 3D Mark TimeSpy 2560 x 1440:
  • Ryzen 3 7320U: ~800 pts
  • Ryzen 5 7520U: ~900 pts
• 3D Mark Fire Strike 1920 x 1080:
  • Ryzen 3 7320U: ~2000 pts
  • Ryzen 5 7520U: ~2200 pts
• The Witcher 3 1920 x 1080 Low:
  • Ryzen 3 7320U: ~30 fps
  • Ryzen 5 7520U: ~35 fps

Memory

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with either 8 GB or 16 GB LPDDR5 memory. The memory is soldered onto the motherboard and cannot be upgraded.

Pre-configured SKUs come with either 8 GB or 16 GB LPDDR5 memory. These sticks perform identically even when paired with different CPUs.

Benchmarks:

• AIDA64 Memory Copy: ~45000 MB/s

Storage

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) can ship with 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD depending on the seller. The OEM SSD only uses 1 slot in all configurations leaving the other slot open for upgrades.

Reviews of the Ryzen 5 7520U SKU note that it came with the Western Digital SN530 256 GB SSD which is an OEM version of the popular SN550. This SSD performs adequately for everyday tasks but shows significant performance drops during sustained loads.

Benchmarks:

• CrystalDiskMark 8:
  • SEQ1M Q8T1 (Sequential 1MB blocks): ~2400 MB/s (read), ~1800 MB/s (write)
  • RND4K Q1T1 (Random 4 KB blocks): ~50 MB/s (read), ~150 MB/s (write)

Co-processors

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) does not have any dedicated NPUs or co-processors for accelerating AI applications.

Input Devices

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Keyboard

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with a standard keyboard layout without a number pad. The keyboard offers 1.4 mm travel and 0.2 mm pitch. The keyboard does not have a backlight.

The typing experience is average with decent feedback and travel. The keyboard is suitable for everyday typing tasks but may not be ideal for extended typing sessions.

Touchpad

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with a Mylar plastic clickpad that measures 4.1 inches (10 cm) x 2.5 inches (6.4 cm).

The touchpad is smaller than the ones in competitors but is spacious enough for simple tasks. The clicking is shallow and lacks enough feedback.

Webcam

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with a 720p webcam with an electronic shutter and no IR options.

The webcam has poor color accuracy with a minimum DeltaE of 2.31 and a maximum DeltaE of 17.75. The webcam looks soft but is much sharper than 720p webcams that used to be common a few years back. The clarity is adequate for casual calls. There is a physical kill switch on the right side that disconnects the webcam from the laptop.

Microphone

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with a dual microphone array.

Output Devices

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Display

Acer ships the Aspire 3 14 (2023) with a 14-inch IPS display with the following specifications:

• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Brightness: 250 Nits
• Contrast Ratio: 800:1
• Color Gamut: 45% sRGB
• Refresh Rate: 60 Hz

The display is suitable for everyday tasks but falls short in color accuracy and brightness compared to higher-end models. The screen uniformity is average, and the contrast ratio is below average for an IPS panel.

None of the tested panels exhibit any PWM flickering at any brightness level.

Audio

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with two bottom-facing speakers near the front corners in a stereo configuration.

The speakers have a low maximum volume around 70 to 75 dB for a 14-inch laptop. They produce balanced mids and highs but lack any noticeable bass.

Connectivity

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WiFi

Acer equips the Aspire 3 14 (2023) with a WiFi 6 WLAN module.

The Aspire 3 14 performs adequately with decent transfer speeds for regular use.

Benchmarks:

• iperf3 transmit AXE11000: ~600 Mb/s
• iperf3 receive AXE11000: ~1000 Mb/s
• iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6 Ghz: ~800 Mb/s
• iperf3 receive AXE11000 6 Ghz: ~1100 Mb/s

Bluetooth

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with a Bluetooth 5.1 module.

SD Card Reader

Acer does not include an SD card reader with the Aspire 3 14 (2023).

USB

Acer equips the Aspire 3 14 (2023) with the following USB ports:

• 2 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps)
• 1 x USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps)

Display Outputs

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with 1 display output:

• 1 x HDMI 2.0

Case

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The Aspire 3 14 (2023) is available in a silver color. The chassis is made of plastic and has a simple, minimalist design. The display lid is made of plastic and the keyboard deck and bottom cover are also made of plastic. The lid opens to a maximum of 135 degrees. Surfaces are smooth and attract fingerprints. The laptop is lightweight at 3.1 pounds (1.4 kg). There is one Acer logo on the lid and another on the palm rest.

The chassis has a more professional look compared to previous models with fewer accents and angles.

Chassis rigidity is average with some flex in the lid and keyboard deck.

Maintenance

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The bottom panel is held on by 10 Philips-head screws. There are clips securing the panel that must be popped up after removing the screws.

Upgradeable components:

• 42 WHr battery.
• One M.2 2280 PCIe3 x4 SSD slot (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).
• M.2 2230 wireless card.

Cooling System

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The Aspire 3 14 (2023) is equipped with a single fan connected to the core components with two copper heat pipes. The system intakes air from the bottom grille and exhausts air through the back grille.

Heat

Surface temperatures vary depending on the configuration.

The Ryzen 5 7520U SKU gets quite warm while idling, up to 35 °C on the bottom of the device. The left side with the WASD keys heats up more than the right side. Under heavy load, there is a hot spot of 50 °C on the bottom.

The Ryzen 3 7320U SKU is slightly cooler while idling across all areas reaching up to 33 °C on the bottom. The palm rest and the WASD keys remain comfortable during intensive tasks.

Benchmarks:

• Ryzen 3 7320U:
  • Maximum upper side: ~40 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~45 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~28 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~30 °C
• Ryzen 5 7520U:
  • Maximum upper side: ~42 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~50 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~30 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~33 °C

Noise

There is no electronic noise or coil whine. The laptop is effectively silent during undemanding loads like light browsing or video playback, hovering below 30 dB(A). During intensive tasks, the fan quickly ramps up even when set to balanced mode. Fan noise while gaming in balanced mode is identical to performance mode despite temperatures being noticeably lower in balanced mode. During intensive tasks, the laptop emits noise above 45 db(A) and is louder than most other budget laptops. Most variants emit the same amount of noise with more powerful configurations being slightly louder.

Benchmarks:

• Ryzen 3 7320U:
  • Idle: ~22 db(A) (min), ~22 db(A) (avg), ~24 db(A) (max)
  • Load: ~40 db(A) (avg), ~45 db(A) (max)
• Ryzen 5 7520U:
  • Idle: ~23 db(A) (min), ~23 db(A) (avg), ~25 db(A) (max)
  • Load: ~42 db(A) (avg), ~48 db(A) (max)

Energy Management

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Power Consumption

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) ships with a 45 W AC adapter.

Acer remains conservative with the power supplied to the CPU during combined CPU and GPU loads. Both the Ryzen 3 7320U and Ryzen 5 7520U SKUs consume around 30 W during load with temporary spikes to around 40 W.

The Ryzen 5 7520U Aspire draws around 10 W when idling for the most part, reducing to 5-7 W after waiting a very long time and any minor input brings the consumption back up to 10 W.

Battery Life

All Aspire 3 14 (2023) SKUs come with a 42 WHr Li-Polymer battery that Acer claims can charge from 0-50 % in 30 mins and 0 - 100 % in 90 mins using the provided power adapter.

The battery life during light tasks is average for this class of laptop. Many competitors now include larger batteries. Reviews verify the charging claims to be accurate.

Benchmarks:

• Ryzen 3 7320U:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 360 minutes
  • Load: 120 minutes
• Ryzen 5 7520U:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 340 minutes
  • Load (max brightness): 100 minutes

Biometrics

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The Aspire 3 14 (2023) does not support Windows Hello face recognition and does not have a fingerprint reader.

Software

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All SKUs ship with Windows 11 Home but the laptop can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro, either manually or when buying directly from Acer.

Preinstalled Software

Acer Care Center

The Acer Care Center program acts as the primary control center in the Aspire 3 14 (2023). In addition to system updates, the program also handles hardware diagnostics, battery health monitoring, and system optimization.

Acer Quick Access

The Acer Quick Access app provides quick toggles for various system settings like Bluelight Shield, Power-off USB charging, and network sharing.

Other Preinstalled Software

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) also comes with other less useful software like Acer Collection, which exists just to promote Acer products and services, and Acer Product Registration, which prompts users to register their device.

There is also unwanted software like a 30-day McAfee security trial.

Linux Support

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) has limited support for Linux. Basic functionality like WiFi, Bluetooth, and display output works out of the box with most popular distributions, but some features like the touchpad gestures and power management may require additional configuration.

Accessories & Warranty

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The Aspire 3 14 (2023) comes with a 45 W AC adapter and paperwork.

There is a one-year limited manufacturer warranty if purchased in the US.

Reviews Summary

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Overall Sentiment

The Aspire 3 14 (2023) is considered a solid budget laptop with decent performance for everyday tasks. It is often praised for its lightweight design and adequate performance for the price. The laptop is suitable for students and professionals looking for a budget-friendly option for basic computing needs. The primary downsides are the average display quality, lack of upgradeability, and below-average battery life.

Problems Summary

• No backlit keyboard.
• No SD card reader.
• Below average speakers given the form factor.
• Plastic touchpad does not provide the best tracking experience.
• High idle power consumption.
• Higher than average surface temperatures while idling and during intensive tasks.
• Below average battery life.
• Limited upgradeability.
• Average display quality.

Links

Ryzen 3 7320U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: TechRadar,

Ryzen 3 7320U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: TechGuyBeau

Ryzen 5 7520U, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: NoteBookCheck,

Ryzen 5 7520U, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: NoteBookCheck