Acer Aspire 5 (2024) vs Lenovo Legion Go
The Verdict
Comparing these devices requires understanding they serve different purposes. Acer Aspire 5 delivers a traditional 15.6-inch laptop experience with Intel Core i5-1335U, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD at $549, offering solid productivity performance with up to 9 hours battery life. Lenovo Legion Go is a handheld gaming device with 8.8-inch 2560x1600 144Hz display powered by AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, achieving dramatically superior gaming performance but sacrificing battery life (1.5-6 hours) and portability for serious work. Budget laptop shoppers seeking everyday computing should choose the Acer for its larger screen, keyboard, and practical battery life. Gaming enthusiasts willing to spend $150 more will find Legion Go's compact form factor and high refresh rate display compelling, though it's better as a secondary device than primary laptop.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Acer Aspire 5 (2024) if…
- →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
Buy the Lenovo Legion Go if…
- →Largest display at 8.8 inches with QHD+ 2560 x 1600 resolution
- →144Hz refresh rate is the highest among gaming handhelds
- →Detachable controllers enable tabletop mode like Nintendo Switch
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
Lenovo Legion Go
Pros
- Largest display at 8.8 inches with QHD+ 2560 x 1600 resolution
- 144Hz refresh rate is the highest among gaming handhelds
- Detachable controllers enable tabletop mode like Nintendo Switch
- Built-in kickstand for hands-free tabletop gaming
- FPS mode with mouse-like right controller trackball is innovative
Cons
- Very heavy at 854 g with controllers — fatiguing for handheld use
- Battery life is poor at 1.5-6 hours depending on settings
- Windows 11 is clunky for handheld navigation without a mouse
- QHD+ resolution is demanding — most games need to run at 720p/1080p anyway
- Detachable controller latency can occur occasionally
Full Specifications
| Spec | Acer Aspire 5 (2024) | Lenovo Legion Go |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 3.9 lbs (1.76 kg) | 854 g (with controllers) |
| Material | Aluminum lid, plastic body | Plastic chassis with detachable controllers |
| Dimensions | 14.09 x 9.5 x 0.72 inches | 299 x 131 x 40.7 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | — | |
| USB-A ports | 2 | — |
| USB-C ports | 1 | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Microsd | — | |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours | 1.5-6 hours (game dependent) |
| Capacity | 50 Wh | 49.2 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.6 inches | 8.8 inches |
| Type | IPS | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 144Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 300 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe | — |
| Expandable storage | — | |
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB DDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5x (7500 MT/s) |
| Cores | 10 cores (2P + 8E) | 8-core CPU, RDNA 3 (12 CUs) integrated GPU |
| Chipset | Intel Core i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8-core / 16-thread, up to 5.1 GHz) |
| Memory | ||
| Storage options | — | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD, 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | — | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | — | 5.2 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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