Acer vs HP: Which Laptop Brand is Better?
If you’re in the market for a new laptop, you might be overwhelmed by the number of options available to you.
Acer and HP are both big names in the tech industry, and two of the best laptop brands. While Acer has the monopoly when it comes to offering high-quality laptops at an affordable price point, HP has the advantage of many years on the market.
If you’re stuck between Acer and HP, this helpful guide will make it easy for you to choose the best laptop based on your budget and computing needs.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Is Acer or HP better?
HP is better because its laptops have superior product features, better warranty services, and higher customer satisfaction.
However, both Acer and HP have gained popularity from their range of high-quality products. They each have a range of laptops in their collection, ensuring that there is something suitable for every user. Although their product features may be similar, Acer and HP laptops have their advantages and disadvantages. That’s why it’s important to consider a range of different features when browsing for your latest purchase.
Established as a premium brand, it may come as no surprise that HP comes with a higher price tag. Acer, on the other hand, offers many of the same premium features at a more affordable price tag.
Though Acer is a great computing brand that provides excellent value for money, HP proves superior for business and gaming. Due to its advanced software, processors, and design, HP’s product range tends to be more hardwearing and functional.
The HP EliteBook x360 is an excellent example of a great all-rounder that is popular for personal use, business use, and gaming. Equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, the EliteBook x360 is superb for media creation, media editing, and multitasking with numerous programs running at any one time. The Core i7 processor is even excellent for gaming!
HP vs Acer: Business, Gaming, and Everyday Use
Laptops have multiple purposes: business, personal use, gaming, and more. The right laptop for you depends on its intended function.
Business
Though opting for the cheaper brand seems like a no-brainer in most situations, this is not always the case when it comes to laptops. Although computers can be pricey, cheaper laptops do not always equate to better value. That’s why it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of each product feature before making a final decision.
Business laptops should be equipped to deal with large files and data-heavy programs. They should also be robust enough to handle regular transportation between home and the office.
Laptops made for business typically have a stronger chassis, more configuration options, and faster processors than personal use laptops.
The HP Probook 430, for instance, is designed to pass the MIL-STD military standard for drop tests. It is also equipped with HP’s Sure Sense and Sure Click for enhanced privacy and security when browsing the web. Both features make the Probook 430 great for both durability and usability when multitasking.
What’s more, HP offers a three-year warranty with most of their commercial laptops to give you extra peace of mind.
Although Acer has a handful of competitive business laptops, HP is the clear winner here. With a wider range of laptops with excellent processors, great RAM, and large hard drives, HP is the best brand for business laptops.
Gaming
As gaming requires a powerful system, HP is the best computing brand for gaming.
The very best gaming laptops have an excellent CPU, graphics card, and screen resolution. This is one place where cost cannot be spared – the very best gaming laptops are expensive. And, unlike a PC, the key components cannot be upgraded later down the line. That makes it important to pick the very best laptop now so that you’re not buying again in several months.
Priced at just $749, the Acer Aspire 7 is a great gaming laptop for those on a budget. With an Intel Core i5 Quad-core, 8GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, it’s a powerful machine.
It does not compare, however, to HP’s Omen gaming laptop which has a superior graphics card. The NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card can take advantage of the latest NVIDIA features such as DLSS and RTX – both features that the GTX 1650 cannot access. The RTX 3050 also provides better lighting effects, faster multi-rendering, and better texture detail among many more benefits.
The Omen also has a larger screen with a superior refresh rate for a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.
Like many HP laptops, the Omen has a one-year part, labor, and return service for additional peace of mind.
However, the quality of the Omen comes with a steeper price that will set you back by $1,099.99.
Although gamers could easily settle for Acer’s budget gaming laptop, they will notice the difference between the two laptops when playing more demanding games.
Everyday Use
Although HP is the clear winner when it comes to business and gaming, Acer may be the brand for you if you are looking for a personal-use laptop on a tight budget.
One such laptop is the Acer Chromebook 314. The Chromebook 314 has a vibrant 14” display that is ideal for web and social media browsing. With an Intel Celeron N4000 processor, this laptop is more than capable of dealing with simple programs like Microsoft Word. Plus, with a battery that lasts up to 12 hours, the Chromebook is excellent value for money at just $299.99.
Acer’s range of laptops is well-suited to everyday tasks including web browsing, social media, communication, word processing, and more. For light tasks, Acer’s affordable laptops are more than satisfactory.
HP Laptops in Detail
Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a household name and a highly popular computing brand name. HP holds a strong position within the computing market and produces a range of electronics for personal use, education, businesses, and corporations. It’s precisely for this reason that HP’s product features are far superior to Acer’s for all things business and gaming related.
Build quality and hardware
HP laptops provide superb performance paired with excellent build quality. Built with robust materials, HP laptops are high-quality and great for transporting around on public transport from work to home.
Although on the more expensive side of the scale, the HP Spectre x360 is one of the most durable laptops on the market. Made with the line’s distinct gem-cut chassis, the Spectre is stylish and sturdy. Paired with an Intel i7 11th generation processor, the Spectre is worth the extra cash.
If you can’t afford the Spectre, HP’s Chromebook 14 is a great alternative with an excellent build for its low price point. Equipped with a 14” HD screen and excellent portability, you can’t go wrong with the HP Chromebook.
Battery life
When you’re busy at work with numerous programs running on your laptop, your battery life must last as long as possible. Many HP laptops now exceed 8 hours of battery life for extended use before charging. Newer HP laptops also feature HP’s Fast Charge technology to reduce the amount of time charging your laptop.
The HP EliteBook x360 is a great laptop with impressive 15-hour battery life. Paired with an Intel Core i7, the EliteBook ensures lightning performance when multitasking and gaming. For those using their laptop for both business and personal use, the 1080p display is ideal for both work and play.
Customer service and warranty
When it comes to customer service and warranty, HP is one of the best computing brands on the market. Included with all consumer HP laptops is a one-year warranty that covers the repair or replacement of any defective parts. HP customers can also upgrade at a small cost to the extended HP Care Pack which allows you to increase your warranty duration and extend your coverage for three years.
Commercial HP laptops may not need the additional Care Pack, though, as most are provided with a three-year warranty as standard.
Summary
Dominating the laptop industry when it comes to build quality, battery life, and warranty, HP is a great brand that takes advantage of its many years as a market leader. Reliable, high-performing and well-suited to customers and consumers alike, HP has a loyal following – and for good reason.
Acer Laptops in Detail
Acer has grown increasingly in popularity in recent years as a top manufacturer of computing products. The computing brand produces good quality products at an affordable price. One of their most popular ranges is the Chromebook which proved more popular than Apple products in 2020.
If you’re looking for the best possible performance without the price tag, Acer laptops are a good alternative to HP.
Price
Acer’s varied product offering includes a range of good laptops that cost little yet perform well. While you’re unlikely to see the same performance from an Acer laptop as from HP, you will still receive a good quality, functional laptop that can handle general tasks.
Take the Acer TravelMate P6, for example – a great laptop with an excellent Intel i7 processor, HD screen resolution, and 16GB RAM. Compared to HP’s competitor product, the HP EliteBook x360, the TravelMate trumps or equals its rival in all but hard drive size. Priced significantly lower, the TravelMate is a great budget laptop at a fraction of the price.
Battery life
Laptops for personal use do not typically require an extended battery life. If you are not processing large files or running numerous programs on your laptop, extended battery life is not always worth the additional cost.
This is where Acer is superior to other computing brands, equipping their laptops with an excellent battery life that is unrivaled. The Acer Aspire 5 lasted six hours and 48 minutes in a PCMark 8 battery test conducted by TechRadar. The Aspire 5 is an excellent personal-use laptop that is well-equipped to handle web browsing and other everyday tasks.
Design
Although Acer laptops are not the most attractive or most advanced in terms of design, they are sturdy products that can be relied upon. The Acer Swift 3 offers great value for money. Portable and, with almost 18 hours of battery life, great for using on the go, the Swift does all you need it to.
Summary
If you’re looking for a personal-use laptop on a budget, look no further than Acer. Acer laptops are sturdy, well-built, and equipped with great battery life. Although they are not as well equipped as HP laptops for business nor gaming, Acer laptops are capable and affordable.
Conclusion: Should I Buy an Acer or HP Laptop?
If your budget will allow it, the best HP laptops offer the best value for money. Ideal for personal, business use and, in some cases, gaming, HP offers a value for money that you don’t always receive from cheaper brands. With many years in the industry over competitors like Acer, HP has a clear advantage of understanding their customer’s needs. Plus, with exceptional customer service and warranty, HP laptops guarantee longevity and durability so that you’re not buying a replacement 12 months down the line.
That is not to say, however, that one of the best Acer laptops is not worth the investment. If you are looking for a handy everyday laptop that is good value for money, an Acer laptop would be more than sufficient.
If you are looking for a business or gaming laptop, on the other hand, HP is the better option for you. With more power, enhanced durability, and great customer service, HP has everything you need for your computing needs.
Although there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to choosing a new laptop, buyers should always buy the best possible option for their budget to get the very best performance and functionality for their money.
Comparisons of all the best laptop brands:
- Acer vs ASUS
- Acer vs Dell
- Acer vs Lenovo
- Alienware vs ASUS
- Alienware vs Razer
- ASUS vs Dell
- ASUS vs HP
- ASUS vs Lenovo
- Dell vs Apple
- Dell vs HP
- HP vs Toshiba
- Lenovo vs Dell
- Lenovo vs HP
- MSI vs Alienware
- MSI vs ASUS
About the Author Marcus
Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.
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