Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 Comparison

Laptop to replace

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Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

15.6 inches | August 2024

Speed 4

Size 8

Display 2.5

Gaming 2

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

12.4 inches | September 2023

Speed 4

Size 9

Display 3.5

Gaming 2

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Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3, two laptops from Acer and Microsoft. Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 was introduced to market in August 2024 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 was launched in September 2023. There is only 11 months difference between Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 Key Specs

Launched in August 2024
15.6" TN LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core 3 100U
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)
8GB Ram
362.9 x 237.5 x 17.9 mm (14.29 x 9.35 x 0.7 inches)
Weight: 1.77 kg (3.9 lbs)

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 Key Specs

Launched in September 2023
12.4" Touchscreen - IPS LCD, 3:2 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 1235U
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
8GB Ram
278 x 206 x 15.7 mm (10.94 x 8.11 x 0.62 inches)
Weight: 1.13 kg (2.49 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 over Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

Display Size	15.6 inches vs 12.4 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels vs 1536 x 1024 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
Bluetooth	v5.3 vs v5.1	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Camera
Number of USB-A Ports	2x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.1	Connect more device at the same time
USB-A Port Type	3.2 vs 3.1	Faster USB-A
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection
HDMI Port	1x HDMI 2.1 vs No	Connect to external monitors directly via HDMI cable
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No	Fast way to input numbers
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs No	Easily see the keys under low light

Reasons to choose Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 over Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

Weight	1.13 kg vs 1.77 kg	0.64 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80% vs ~77.9%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	7.9 mm vs 8.8 mm	0.9 mm thinner bezels
Screen PPI	149 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Interact with your fingers
GPU FLOPS	1.41 TFLOPS vs 0.87-1.54 TFLOPS	Flexible cable positions
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Left	3D Surround Sound Support
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

Launch Dates	August 2024 vs September 2023	Both laptops are recent models
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
RAM Type	LPDDR5 vs LPDDR5	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable

Common Weaknesses of Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Upgradable RAM	No vs No	No Option to increase the RAM size

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.77 kg (3.9 lbs)	1.13 kg (2.49 lbs)
Surface Area	862 cm2 (133.6 inches2)	573 cm2 (88.7 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~77.9%	~80%
Side Bezel Thickness	~8.8 mm	~7.9 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.11 kg/inch	0.09 kg/inch
	0.242 lbs/inch	0.198 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Silver, Blue, Green, Yellow

Comparison of the Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 External Dimensions

Weight

Aspire 15 A15-51 weighs 1.77 kg (3.9 lbs), whereas the Surface Laptop Go 3 weighs 1.13 kg (2.49 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

Avg: 12.0-12.9"

Thickness Comparison

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

Avg: 12.0-12.9"

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 is 0.11 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is 0.09 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ14 HT7407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3: Internals Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core 3 100U Intel Core 5 120U Intel Core 7 150U	Intel Core i5 1235U
Base Frequency	1.2 GHz	1.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.7 GHz	4.4 GHz
Number of Cores	6 (2P + 4E)	10
Number of Threads	8	12
L3 Cache	10 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1750	1654
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	6444	6618

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core 3 100U

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 1235U

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz	300 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	45 W	15 W
Type	Integrated	Integrated
FLOPS	0.87-1.54 TFLOPS	1.41 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	System Shared
Memory Type	LPDDR5	LPDDR5
Memory Speed	6.4 Gbps	5.2 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	512	640
TMUs	32	40
ROPs	16	20

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 has a FLOPS value of 0.87-1.54 TFLOPS whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 ' has a FLOPS value of 1.41 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB	8GB 16GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	6400 MHz	5200 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5	LPDDR5
Upgradable	No	No

Both laptops, the Aspire 15 A15-51 and the Surface Laptop Go 3, come with similar RAM capacities of 8 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Acer Aspire 15 (A15-51)	Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
CPU	Intel Core 3 100U	Intel Core i5 1235U
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)
Memory	8 GB	8 GB
Available for LLM total	~3.5 GB (3.5 GB RAM)	~3.5 GB (3.5 GB RAM)
Small Models (1-3B): Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B Requires ~2 GB memory	⚠ Borderline / Slow fits in your 3.5 GB RAM	✔ Modest Speed fits in your 3.5 GB RAM
Medium Models (7-8B): Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B Requires ~5 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
Large Models
13-15B Models (e.g., Llama 3 14B, Qwen1.5 14B) Requires ~9 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
16-24B Models (e.g., Dense 20B Q4 ~15.5GB) Requires ~14 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
24-30B Models (e.g., Dense 30B Q4) Requires ~18 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
MoE Models (Mixture-of-Experts) (e.g., Mixtral 8x7B - total ~47B, active ~12-13B) Requires ~24 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
Extra-Large Models (65B+): Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B Requires ~42 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM

For more detailed LLM evaluation (subcategories, performance ranges, memory breakdown)

Acer Aspire 15 (A15-51)|Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 Model Types: Dense 30B Q4 models typically require around 19–22 GB of total VRAM, so they run best on systems with ≥24 GB VRAM. MoE models like Mixtral 8x7B (≈47B total parameters, usually ≈23–26 GB in 4-bit) also need high memory because all experts must be loaded, even though only a few are active per token. They reduce compute cost per token (similar to a ~12–13B dense model), but not memory usage, so they are not practical on 14–16 GB systems.

🚀 Modern NPU (Neural Processing Unit): Modern processors like AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra feature NPU and unified memory architecture. NPUs provide modest performance gains (0-30% faster) with better power efficiency compared to iGPU-only execution. Real-world tests show ~3-10 tok/s range on 13B models with 32GB RAM (varies by runtime, quantization, and context), comparable to iGPU but more power-efficient. Note: These figures are examples from various NPU systems; actual performance depends on your specific hardware configuration.

Understanding Performance Categories

The performance descriptions use general categories because actual speed varies greatly based on your specific hardware, model optimization, context length, and runtime software.

Performance Level	Typical Range	User Experience
Runs Smoothly (High-end dGPU)	50+ tok/s	Real-time response. Feels instant, like ChatGPT.
Runs Well (Mid-range dGPU)	20-50 tok/s	Good interactive performance. Slight delay, but usable.
Modest Speed (iGPU/NPU/CPU)	5-20 tok/s	Usable for tasks that don't need instant responses. Noticeable typing delay.
Borderline / Slow (Limited hardware)	2-5 tok/s	Slow-Very slow. Patience required. Better for batch processing.
Not Practical	<2 tok/s	Too slow for regular use. May cause system hangs or instability.

💡 Tip: Your actual results may be higher or lower than these ranges. Test with your specific hardware to know for sure!

⚠️ Note: Performance categorization is based on VRAM capacity and RAM fallback status. GPU type (memory bandwidth, compute power) can also affect actual performance. Currently, we prioritize whether the model fits in VRAM or requires RAM fallback for classification. We may refine this categorization in future updates based on more detailed benchmarks.

BATTERY

BATTERY	53 Wh	41 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	No
Charging Port Position	Left	Left, Right
Charge Power	65 W	39 W
Full Charging Time	1:35 hr	1:30 hr

Moreover, the Aspire 15 A15-51 boasts a larger battery capacity of 53 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3's41 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

Avg: 12.0-12.9"

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 1 TB, the Aspire 15 A15-51 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3's max. storage capacity of 256 GB.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB	256 GB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Aspire 15 A15-51 has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, Surface Laptop Go 3 has a smaller 12.4" display.The total usable screen area of the Aspire 15 A15-51 is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Surface Laptop Go 3's total usable screen area is 458cm² / 71inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Surface Laptop Go 3 features a higher pixel density with 149 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

Avg: 12.0-12.9"

Refresh Rate
Both Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3 offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Acer Aspire 15 A15-51 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Aspire 15 A15-51 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Surface Laptop Go 3 (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3 have USB-A ports. Aspire 15 A15-51 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Surface Laptop Go 3 has 1x USB 3.1 USB-A ports.
Both Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3 have USB Type-C ports. Aspire 15 A15-51 has 1x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Surface Laptop Go 3 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Neither Aspire 15 A15-51 nor Surface Laptop Go 3 has Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Aspire 15 A15-51 features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors. Surface Laptop Go 3 does not have an HDMI port.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Neither Aspire 15 A15-51 nor Surface Laptop Go 3 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Aspire 15 A15-51 and Surface Laptop Go 3 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v6.2)	v5.3	v5.1
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.1
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 4.0	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	No
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Optional	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	No	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes