Head-to-head · Best Budget Laptops Under $700

Acer Aspire 16 AI vs Acer Aspire 5

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Acer Aspire 5 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about home users and students who want a reliable 15.6" budget laptop — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Budget Laptops Under $700

Acer Aspire 16 AI

4.4

$599

The Aspire 16 AI is the large-screen + AI-features pick. 16" 16:10 display gives meaningful extra vertical space for productivity, and the Core Ultra NPU unlocks Copilot+ on Windows 11. Best for users who want extra screen real estate and the new AI PC features.

Strengths

— 16" display — largest screen in this lineup
— Intel Core Ultra 5 with NPU for AI workloads + Copilot+ PC features
— Available on sale below $599 frequently

Watch-outs

— Heavier and thicker than the 15" Aspire 5 or Lenovo Slim 5
— Speakers are average — B&O on HP Pavilion 15 sounds better
— 16:10 1200p panel isn't a 4K or 2K upgrade

$599 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Budget Laptops Under $700

Acer Aspire 5

4.6

$358as of May 21

The Aspire 5 is the value pick. 15.6" 1080p IPS + i5 + 16GB at $499 is what every budget laptop should hit. Trade-offs are predictable: plastic chassis, shorter battery. Best for home use, students, and second laptops.

Strengths

— 15.6" 1080p IPS display at $499 — best display-per-dollar in this lineup
— Intel Core i5 / Ryzen 5 options with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD
— Long Acer warranty + parts network

Watch-outs

— Plastic chassis flexes more than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5
— Battery life trails the HP Pavilion 15 by 1-2 hours
— Backlit keyboard not on every SKU

$358 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Acer Aspire 16 AI

Largest display (16"). Only Copilot+ PC pick. Heavier than 15" picks. Less premium build than Lenovo Slim 5.

Acer Aspire 5

Cheapest pick. Larger display than Lenovo Slim 5 (14"). Less premium build. Less RAM than Slim 5's DDR5.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Acer Aspire 16 AI	Acer Aspire 5
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 5	Intel Core i5 12th gen
RAM	16GB	16GB
Storage	512GB SSD	512GB SSD
Display	16" 1200p 16:10	15.6" 1080p IPS
NPU	Yes (Copilot+)	—
Battery	—	8 hours

← See the full ranking of best budget laptops under $700