Acer Aspire 5 (2024) vs Dell XPS 14 (9440)
Acer's Aspire 5 offers solid value for budget-conscious buyers with a spacious 15.6-inch display, capable Intel Core i5-1335U processor, and 16GB DDR5 RAM at $549. Dell's XPS 14 commands triple the price with premium construction (aluminum/carbon fiber), a brighter 500-nit display, superior Core Ultra 7 155H processor with 16 cores, and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. Battery life favors Dell at 12 hours versus Acer's 9 hours. For everyday productivity, web browsing, and light content creation, the Aspire 5 delivers exceptional value. However, professionals requiring sustained performance, superior display quality, and portability should invest in the XPS 14's premium engineering. Choose Aspire 5 for budget-friendly computing; select XPS 14 for professional-grade performance and build quality.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Acer Aspire 5 (2024) | Dell XPS 14 (9440) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 3.9 lbs (1.76 kg) | 1.74 kg |
| Material | Aluminum lid, plastic body | CNC aluminum and carbon fiber |
| Dimensions | 14.09 x 9.5 x 0.72 inches | 320.0 x 215.5 x 18.0 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | — | |
| USB-A ports | 2 | — |
| USB-C ports | 1 | — |
| SD card | ||
| Thunderbolt ports | — | 3 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours | Up to 12 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 50 Wh | 69.5 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.6 inches | 14.5 inches |
| Type | IPS | InfinityEdge IPS non-touch |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 300 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB DDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5x |
| Cores | 10 cores (2P + 8E) | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | Intel Core i5-1335U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Acer Aspire 5 (2024)
Pros
- Excellent all-round budget laptop at $549 with 16 GB RAM
- Intel Core i5 handles everyday productivity and light creative work
- Expandable storage for future SSD upgrades
- Full-size HDMI and USB-A ports for hassle-free connectivity
- 9-hour battery life is solid for a budget laptop
Cons
- 60Hz FHD display — no high refresh rate or high resolution
- 300-nit brightness is dim for outdoor or bright-room use
- Plastic body feels less premium than aluminum competitors
- No Thunderbolt — USB-C is data/display only
Dell XPS 14 (9440)
Pros
- Striking minimalist CNC aluminum design
- Optional 3.2K OLED touch display
- Optional discrete RTX 4050 GPU
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports plus microSD
- Excellent quad speaker setup
Cons
- No USB-A or HDMI ports
- Capacitive function row lacks tactile feedback
- Seamless haptic touchpad has no visible borders
- Battery life below class-leading ultrabooks
- Premium price for the base configuration
Related Comparisons
Explore more in laptops, see all Acer products or all Dell products. View full details for the Acer Aspire 5 (2024) or the Dell XPS 14 (9440).