When it comes to selling laptops, two names predominate in the global market – Acer and HP. Over the years, the two have engaged in fierce competition, successfully releasing a range of impressive laptops to sway the customers on their side.
Every year, one or the other company gains an inch over their competitors by releasing that one product that completely breaks the market. Because the competition is always so close, everything boils down to one question – Acer vs. HP, is Acer better than HP?
Both the companies cater to a diverse market and have released a range of products to fulfill the needs of different kinds of customers. As such, the debate on whether Acer is better than HP is multifaceted. The answer also depends on the kind of laptop that the customer is looking for.
In this article, we’ll talk about every aspect of the fierce competition, bringing a solid conclusion to the debate of Acer vs. HP, is Acer better than HP?
Acer Vs HP – Detailed Comparision
Acer is better than HP if you want to purchase a laptop when you are on a budget. HP laptops, on the other hand, are comparatively more expensive but also contain better quality material and performance.
While the above statement might be a gross oversimplification of a vast comparison, it is generally true that HP laptops charge a little extra for providing more reliability and credibility. Acer laptops, while not bad in terms of reliability, are somewhat less trustworthy than HP.
Truly, the best way to gauge the performance of any laptop is by comparing them individually. However, there are so many laptops in the market that doing so is just not feasible.
So in this article, we’ll talk about the two biggest names in the laptop industry – Acer and HP.
HP
If you are a fan of laptops, you cannot ignore the existence of HP. They are one of the oldest players in the market, producing different laptops to cater to every branch of customers. From office use to gaming, HP laptops serve virtually every purpose.
Perhaps the area where the HP laptops are the most underrated is their gaming prowess. Everyone likes to talk about the powerful laptops produced by Alienware. But HP has made some remarkable machines that are equally impressive and can run heavy software and games as well.
If you want to have a smooth gaming experience while simultaneously not wanting to dish out thousands of dollars, check out HP’s Omen series or the Pavilion series.
When we said that HP is one of the most diverse brands in the market, we meant it. They have a wide selection of laptops to cater to different customer demands. At the same time, they also have a host of Chromebooks that customers can choose from if they wish to try something different.
HP laptops are reliable in terms of durability and performance and are on par with some of the top names in the industry like Dell, Lenovo, and Apple. Although slightly more expensive than Acer, HP is the overall better option if you want a more all-around experience with your machine.
Pros of Buying HP Laptops
- HP laptops are better than Acer laptops in terms of quality, components, and reliability.
- HP as a brand is better – provides better customer service, has better warranty offers, and has stellar credibility in the market.
- HP has a greater range of laptops, each of them fit for a different kind of customer depending on what they require and what they can afford.
Cons of Buying HP Laptops
- If you are on a budget, HP laptops are grossly overpriced.
- HP laptops are full of useless in-built software that takes up a lot of space.
Acer
Acer has only recently made its mark in the global market. Although still not on par with some of the bigger brands like Dell and Lenovo (their Asian counterparts), Acer has its unique selling points to draw plenty of customers from the market.
Acer is a Taiwanese brand and has established a great reputation in the world of laptops. The company is particularly famed for providing high-performing laptops at cheaper prices. For customers who do not wish to dish out a chunky investment and still want to enjoy the feel of a premium laptop, Acer is a perfect choice.
In simpler words, Acer brings you the power and performance of a MacBook, while costing you the price of a common laptop.
Their cheapness does imply that Acer laptops are any less when it comes to performance. They are similar in power to some of the most high-end alternatives in the market. But Acer makes their laptops with cheaper components and is hence able to sell them at discounted prices. In terms of value for money, Acer takes the edge over HP.
However, customers should know that Acer laptops are not reliable in terms of longevity. If you are buying your first laptop, you would expect it to run for years. In that case, going for established brands like HP or Dell would be the wiser choice.
Acer laptops are built as cheaper, short-term options. That being said, Acer laptops don’t necessarily just blow up one day after you use them for a year or more. If you maintain it well enough, you can prolong its lifespan.
Pros of Buying Acer Laptops
- Acer laptops provide good value for money. You can get a powerful laptop without investing thousands of dollars.
- Acer produces some of the best series in the market – with their Aspire series being particularly impressive.
- With proper maintenance, the Acer laptop can be your best technological investment for a long time.
Cons of Buying Acer Laptops
- Acer makes its laptops with cheaper components that can easily be damaged or deteriorated.
- Acer, in stark contrast to HP, does not guarantee longevity because of the cheaper quality of products.
- Acer provides poor warranty services.
Acer or HP – Situational Comparisons
We already have a good grasp of the great Acer Vs HP Debate. But if you’re still a confused soul, we’re here to make your job a little easier by giving you another basis of comparison to look at.
1. For Business Purposes
Gone are the days when businessmen could get away with having a laptop with 512MB RAM and no video cards. Today, the world of business is not limited to spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
Today, business applications require the use of demanding software and large files. To meet such demands, businessmen must use compatible laptops. If you want to purchase a business laptop, you should go for laptops with more durability, stronger foundations, flexible configuration features, and more powerful processors than a laptop that you would use for your personal use.
Take, for example, the HP Probook 430, which is perfect for running heavy operations. The laptop is capable of passing military standard drop tests. It also comes with enhanced security and privacy features that are particularly useful in the business world for securing important files and data. Apart from the strong features and reliability, HP also has better warranty policies and services.
Keeping all this in mind, HP is a better brand for commercial/business uses. While Acer has a host of impressive features, it cannot match HP in terms of high-quality processors, good RAM, storage, and so on.
2. For Gaming Purposes
All gaming laptops are powerful – and expensive. You cannot expect to have a decent gaming laptop without splurging an obscene amount of cash on them.
Fortunately, both HP and Acer are cheaper alternatives in this sphere, at least in comparison to some other brands like Dell.
If you want to opt for a gaming laptop, you must look at its CPU performance, graphics features, screen resolution, and so on. Gaming laptops would be more expensive than personal laptops no matter what. You also cannot invest in anything other than what you think is the best as gaming laptops cannot be upgraded in the future.
If you want to for a much cheaper alternative, the Acer Aspire 7 would do the trick. You can get it for a cheaper price and it comes with some very strong specifications like the Intel Core i5 quad-core processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.
However, it loses all its sheen when it is pitted against HP’s Omen gaming laptop. The Omen series is superior in every aspect – from the graphics card to the processor. It houses the powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card and comes with a host of bonus features depending upon the customer’s requirements.
Although HP is the clear winner here when it comes to performance and reliability, Acer can be the better alternative if you are on a budget. Because the comparison depends on the user’s requirements, it is fair to assume that it is a draw between Acer and HP when it comes to gaming.
3. For Everyday Uses
We have established that HP is clear of Acer when it comes to business. Similarly, HP is arguably better than Acer at gaming as well (depends on your budget). But for everyday personal use, Acer laptops can be the perfect choice for you.
Everyday uses exclude the use of heavy operations like high-performance gaming and the use of large software and files. In such cases, it is better to go for a cheaper alternative that you can use for prolonged periods by taking good care of it.
To give you an example, the Acer Chromebook 314 is a great option – it comes with a beautiful 14-inch display that is great for watching movies, browsing the internet, and so on. The Chromebook also comes with the Intel Celeron N4000 processor which is great for performing simple, day-to-day tasks like handling Microsoft Word, and so on.
Thus, in this manner, Acer’s laptops are perfect when it comes to everyday use. Not only are they cheaper, but they also have sufficient features to sustain moderate operations that you would require to perform on an off-day.
Conclusion
After a long contest, there is no clear winner between Acer and HP. Sure, in terms of performance and reliability, HP takes the crown without breaking a sweat. But that is when you exclude the economic factors. Acer is a cheaper alternative and can prove to be a better option for those who can make do with a laptop that has cheaper components but good features.