Acer Aspire 5 (2024) vs Microsoft Surface Book 3
The Verdict
Acer Aspire 5 delivers substantially better value at $549 versus Surface Book 3's $1599 premium pricing. The Aspire 5 features a newer Intel Core i5-1335U processor with 10 cores, 16 GB DDR5 RAM, and a larger 15.6-inch 1080p display, making it superior for everyday computing tasks, multitasking, and productivity work. Storage matches at 512 GB versus 256 GB, favoring Acer. Surface Book 3 compensates with a sharper 13.5-inch 3000 x 2000 PixelSense touchscreen, superior build quality in magnesium chassis, and exceptional 15.5-hour battery life compared to Aspire's 9 hours. However, Surface Book 3 runs older Windows 10 and uses a 10th-gen i7 processor that trails the newer i5-1335U in performance benchmarks. For students, remote workers, and general users, Acer Aspire 5 offers dramatically better performance-per-dollar with modern specs and adequate battery life. Surface Book 3 justifies its cost only for creative professionals requiring the touchscreen, premium build, and extended battery for travel. The value gap is simply too wide for most buyers.
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 Microsoft Surface Book 3 if…
- →Detachable 13.5-inch display works as a standalone tablet
- →Discrete NVIDIA GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU in the keyboard base
- →3:2 3000x2000 PixelSense display is gorgeous for productivity
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
Microsoft Surface Book 3
Pros
- Detachable 13.5-inch display works as a standalone tablet
- Discrete NVIDIA GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU in the keyboard base
- 3:2 3000x2000 PixelSense display is gorgeous for productivity
- 15.5-hour battery life for clipboard + base combined
- Premium magnesium build with excellent Surface Pen support
Cons
- 10th-gen Intel processor is severely outdated by 2024 standards
- Detach mechanism adds wobble and weight to the display hinge
- No Thunderbolt — only USB-C 3.1 and USB-A ports
- GTX 1650 Max-Q is underpowered for modern gaming or creative tasks
- Microsoft has discontinued the Surface Book line
Full Specifications
| Spec | Acer Aspire 5 (2024) | Microsoft Surface Book 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home | Windows 10 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 3.9 lbs (1.76 kg) | 3.38 lbs (1.53 kg) |
| Material | Aluminum lid, plastic body | Magnesium |
| Dimensions | 14.09 x 9.5 x 0.72 inches | 12.3 x 9.14 x 0.59-0.9 inches |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB-A ports | 2 | 2 |
| USB-C ports | 1 | 1 |
| SD card | ||
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours | Up to 15.5 hours |
| Capacity | 50 Wh | 65.4 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.6 inches | 13.5 inches |
| Type | IPS | PixelSense IPS touch |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3000 x 2000 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 300 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe | 256 GB PCIe Gen 3 NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB DDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR4X |
| Cores | 10 cores (2P + 8E) | 4 cores / 8 threads |
| Chipset | Intel Core i5-1335U | Intel Core i7-1065G7 (10th Gen) |
Want to compare a third product?
Add another product for a 3-way comparison.
Related Comparisons
- Acer Aspire 5 (2024) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro
- Microsoft Surface Book 3 vs Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro
- Acer Aspire 5 (2024) vs Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro
- Microsoft Surface Book 3 vs Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro
- Acer Aspire 5 (2024) vs Framework Laptop 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 300)
- Microsoft Surface Book 3 vs Framework Laptop 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 300)
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.
Explore more in laptops, see all Acer products or all Microsoft products. View full details for the Acer Aspire 5 (2024) or the Microsoft Surface Book 3.