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ASUS and Acer are two of the most popular low-cost laptop brands in the world. If you’ve ever been shopping for a laptop, you’ve almost certainly seen them about; both Acer and ASUS offer low-cost alternatives to some of the real laptop powerhouses out there. However, it would be a mistake to think that either of them constitute “budget” brands; the truth is that both Acer and ASUS also have high-end laptops and PCs, as well as components, available as part of their respective ranges.
You might be wondering which brand is better for you, especially if you’re currently shopping for a new laptop or a new PC component. If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our rundown on Acer and ASUS, and which brand is better for you in 2023.
ASUS is a gaming-focused brand
While ASUS certainly does have its fair share of lower-cost laptops, the fact is that this brand is for the gamers. ASUS makes some of the best GeForce RTX graphics cards out there; if you’re looking for sheer power when it comes to overclocking your card, ASUS’ ROG Strix brand is the one you should turn to. The ROG Strix RTX 4080 is one of the most beastly graphics cards on the market right now, and ASUS’ range of gaming-ready motherboards is not to be sniffed at either.
Acer is all about budget computing
Acer certainly has its range of higher-end laptops, but the fact is that if you’re looking for a laptop that’s going to get the job done without any kind of fuss or nonsense, then Acer is the brand for you. The Aspire range of laptops is well-known throughout the computing world for its versatility and power, and no matter which Aspire laptop you pick, you’re bound to get bang for your buck. If budget is your primary concern, then you need look no further than Acer.
ASUS has a wider range
True to its reputation as a provider of gaming hardware, ASUS tends to have a wider range of gear to choose from, especially when you’re browsing for gaming laptops. Acer’s gaming range is pretty much limited to the Nitro laptops, while ASUS makes a wide variety of options, some of which might cost less than you think. Elsewhere, ASUS has plenty of different laptops available for any purpose, and the brand is also well-known for its pre-constructed desktop towers.
Acer is better for Chromebooks
While it’s certainly true that ASUS makes Chromebooks, Acer Chromebooks have a reputation on the market for being reliable, powerful, and cheap. If you’re after a Chromebook, you’re probably better off looking for the Acer branding; the company makes a wide variety of Chromebooks in all shapes and sizes, so no matter your budgetary requirements or power needs, you’ll likely find an Acer Chromebook for you. It’s pretty clear that Chromebooks aren’t where ASUS wants to put the majority of its energy.
Both brands have average battery life
Generally speaking, both Acer and ASUS laptops tend to conform to the industry standard when it comes to laptop battery life. Neither brand is known for particularly powerful or underpowered batteries, so you can expect around 7-8 hours of continuous use out of your device before it requires charging. Of course, that number increases with Chromebooks, which have been known to hit in excess of 10 hours before needing to be hooked up to their power supplies. You can’t really go wrong with either ASUS or Acer when it comes to battery life.
Some consider Acer to have a reputation for failure
If you do a little research online, you’ll quickly find that Acer laptops apparently have something of a reputation for breaking or failing after a short amount of time. This doesn’t mean that every Acer laptop is going to fail; the fact is that the failure rate overall is likely still quite low, which means that you’ll almost certainly be enjoying your Acer laptop for a long time if you buy one. However, ASUS laptops generally seem to have a better reputation when it comes to reliability.
ASUS laptops are an acquired taste design-wise
Many have pointed to what they consider to be a slightly ugly or off-putting design when it comes to ASUS laptops, especially in their gaming range. Acer gear is, by contrast, much more simple and streamlined in design terms. Of course, this comes down to personal taste; if you like ASUS’ visual style, then that’s fine, but it tends to be quite unpopular with those who simply want laptops to look understated and “quiet”. If that’s what you’re after, then in our opinion, you’re better off going for Acer.
Both brands have solid durability
While neither an ASUS laptop nor an Acer device are going to last you as long as, say, a MacBook, the fact is that both brands tend to cleave to the industry standard when it comes to durability. That means that although you’re likely to notice your laptop starting to wear down after a little while, you won’t notice this happening any faster or slower than other laptop brands. You should be able to get a good few years’ worth of use out of both Acer and ASUS devices before you need to consider replacing them.
Conclusion – which is better?
It might sound like a noncommittal conclusion, but the fact is that both Acer and ASUS have strengths, and you will generally receive a high-quality product if you buy either brand. Make sure to do your research before you decide on which device you want!