The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023) is a budget Windows 2-in-1 laptop. It's available with an Intel N100, N200, or Core i3-N305 CPU, which are all power-efficient Alder Lake N-series processors with only E-cores. Memory and storage max out at 8GB and 512GB, respectively. It has a 1080p IPS display, Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity, and a 720p webcam. Ports include two USB-As, a USB-C, an HDMI, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The USB-C supports DisplayPort and charging.
You can see our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school day. The overall user experience is so-so; the display looks sharp but dim, and the touchpad is fairly responsive, albeit small. It's only available with low-power Intel CPUs and integrated graphics, so it isn't ideal for students in fields like programming or 3D graphics.
- Feels reasonably well-built for the price.
- Easy to carry around.
- Wide port selection.
- Dim, washed out display.
- Battery doesn't last through a typical workday.
- Low-power CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding workloads.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 isn't designed for gaming. It's only available with low-power CPUs and integrated graphics, which aren't powerful enough to handle gaming. Also, it has a 60Hz display with a slow response time and no VRR support. On the upside, it doesn't get overly hot or loud under load.
- Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Fast, user-replaceable SSD.
- Low-power CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding workloads.
- 60Hz display with slow response time.
- No VRR to reduce screen tearing.
- Only available with up to 8GB of soldered RAM.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is mediocre for media consumption. It's very portable, thanks to its compact design, and you can use it in tent or tablet mode since it's a 2-in-1 convertible. Its 1080p display looks sharp; however, the colors are a little washed out, and it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare in well-lit settings. Similarly, the speakers get very loud but sound tinny and unnatural, with no bass. Its battery life is on the shorter side at around five hours of video playback.
- Easy to carry around.
- Loud speakers.
- 2-in-1 form factor lets you use it in tent or tablet mode.
- Dim, washed out display.
- Battery lasts around five hours of video playback.
- Speakers sound tinny and unnatural, with no bass.
- Blacks look gray in dim settings.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is mediocre for use as a workstation. It's only available with low-power CPUs and integrated graphics, which aren't powerful enough for demanding workloads. Also, you can only get up to 8GB of soldered RAM. Its 1080p display looks sharp but isn't suitable for color-critical work due to its narrow color gamut. On the upside, it has a fast, user-replaceable SSD and doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Fast, user-replaceable SSD.
- Wide port selection.
- Low-power CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding workloads.
- Only available with up to 8GB of soldered RAM.
- No Thunderbolt 4.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for business use. It feels reasonably well-built and is easy to carry around. Its low-power Intel CPU can handle general productivity tasks like web browsing, text processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. However, you can only get up to 8GB of RAM, which isn't ideal for heavy multitasking. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through the day. Unfortunately, the display is dim, making it hard to see in well-lit settings, and the touchpad is small. The webcam's image looks soft and overexposed, but thankfully, voices sound loud and clear over the microphone.
- Feels reasonably well-built for the price.
- Easy to carry around.
- Wide port selection.
- Dim, washed out display.
- Battery doesn't last through a typical workday.
- Mediocre 720p webcam.
Changelog
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Updated Jan 07, 2025:
We've corrected a mistake in the Style box. The form factor is 2-in-1, not clamshell.
- Updated Jul 23, 2024: Added mention of the Lenovo Yoga 6 13 (2023) as an alternative with longer battery life in the Battery section.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
- Updated Nov 16, 2023: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (model A3SP14-31PT-34E4) with an Intel Core i3-N305 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the available options are in the table below.
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You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is an okay budget laptop. It feels reasonably well-built; however, its limited RAM and CPU performance makes it only suitable for those with a very light workload. Also, its keyboard and touchpad aren't as good as other laptops in its class, like the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (2023).
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best budget and cheap laptops, the best Windows laptops, and the best 2-in-1 laptops.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 14 (2023) are both 14-inch Windows laptops; however, the Aspire is a 2-in-1 convertible, while the Inspiron is a more traditional clamshell laptop. The Inspiron is better for most uses; it has a brighter and sharper QHD+ display option, a more spacious and tactile keyboard, and a larger touchpad. It also has a fingerprint sensor and a wider port selection that includes an SD card reader and Thunderbolt 4 support. The Inspiron is available with much faster Intel 13th Gen U-series CPUs, and its battery lasts about two hours longer when performing light productivity tasks.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023) and the MSI Modern 14 (2023) are both 14-inch Windows laptops. The Aspire is a 2-in-1 convertible, while the Modern is a more traditional clamshell laptop with no touch input support. The Modern has a more tactile keyboard, a larger and more responsive touchpad, and a wider port selection. Also, it's available with much faster Intel 13th Gen U-series CPUs and more RAM, so it can handle more demanding workloads with fewer slowdowns. The Aspire has longer battery life, though neither laptop can last through a typical 8-hour workday.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (2023) is much better than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023) for most uses. The IdeaPad has a better keyboard, touchpad, and webcam. Additionally, it's available with faster CPUs and more RAM, so it can handle more demanding workloads with fewer slowdowns. However, the IdeaPad is only a clamshell model, while the Aspire is a 2-in-1 convertible, meaning you can use it as a tablet. The Aspire's battery lasts longer, though neither laptop can last through a typical eight-hour workday.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14 (2022) is much better than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023) for most uses. The IdeaPad feels sturdier and provides a better user experience overall, as it has a more spacious and tactile keyboard, a larger touchpad, and a better 1080p webcam. It also has biometrics in the form of a fingerprint sensor and Thunderbolt 4 support, and it's available with significantly faster Intel 12th Gen U-series CPUs.
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