This Laptop Handles AI Like a Pro — Without the Premium Price Tag

Key points of CNET

Laptop prices are rising – The more they increase, Acer’s Aspire 14 AI looks better.

• Acer Aspire 14 AI is available for $500 at Costco and $628 on Amazon.
• Intel Lunar Lake CPUs provide good performance for price and long battery life.
• Display and design won’t surprise you.

when I reviewed it in Aprilat $700 at Costco, is the cheapest Copilot and PC I have ever reviewed. Fast forward two months, one Labor Day deal The price at Costco fell to $500, making it the cheapest Copilot PC I’ve ever seen, and it’s worth a lot.

Budget laptop shoppers won’t find cheap models that aren’t short of $500 cheaper models, which are cheaper because they are older laptops whose stale parts will make everyday aging components more outdated. Acer Aspire 14 AI does not fall into this category. This is a rare laptop with both budget prices and modern components. It is based on the current Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor (codename Moon Lake) This provides good performance for the price, as well as excellent battery life and competitive AI performance. The Aspire 14 AI also earns more RAM and storage compared to most budget laptops. Actually, this is mine Best Budget Laptops for 2025.

My Experience with Acer Aspire 14 AI

I’m still waiting for the killer AI application to make a laptop AI CPU must be a must, but it’s nice to know that when it arrives you’ll have a machine built for it.

Thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU with 40 trillion operations per second, Aspire 14 AI meets the minimum requirements Microsoft’s Copilot plus PC platform. Its AI processor can offload AI workloads – constantly blundering Windows Remply Remply snapshots, blurring video calls with blurred backgrounds and performing real-time translations – freeing up the CPU and GPU to complete any major tasks you are working on.

In any laptop, future hygiene is always valuable, especially not always given in budget models. You need to be careful when buying a low-cost laptop, as many products are older models that have previous generation components that are discounted to clear stocks of new units.

During the test, the Aspire 14 AI hangs the more expensive co-pilot plus PC that I’ve tested. Its scores on our applications, graphics, and AI benchmarks are not far from its more expensive competitors. Its integrated Intel GPU doesn’t offer much in terms of 3D gaming, but it’s also arguable for any Copilot Plus PC, as I haven’t encountered dedicated graphics yet.

With Aspire 14 AI, you can avoid the budget laptop trap of buying machines with outdated or updated parts. And you also skip the ghost of the squeaking plastic monster. Many cheap laptops have a fragile plastic case, but the Aspire 14 AI has only one plastic keyboard deck on the top and bottom panels. The keyboard deck feels stiff and won’t bend or bend like the plastic commonly found on other budget models. It’s a solid laptop, and you have to watch it carefully besides one of Acer’s mainstream Swift laptops.

Specification

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 226V
• memory: 16GB LPDDR5-8533
• Graphics: Intel Arc 130V
• Storage: 1TB solid state drive
• exhibit: 14-inch 1,920×1,200 pixel touch IPS LCD
• port: 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, 2X USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, Combined Audio
• networking: Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3
• weight: 3.05 lbs
• Battery life: 18 hours 56 minutes
• operating system: Microsoft Windows 11 Home

CNET’s purchasing advice

The best part of Aspire 14 AI is getting a modern CPU that provides the performance you need for your laptop to act as your primary machine, not just a cheap, under-functioning second system. Moreover, the efficient Intel Core Ultra CPU also makes the Aspire 14 AI single charge for nearly 19 hours, while also providing some future protection through its AI capabilities.

The uninspired design and MEH presentation are indeed the only projects screaming “budget laptops”. The rest of the package is more mainstream than the budget, including 16GB of RAM and a spacious 1TB SSD. You usually check out 8GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB SSD when shopping for a $500-$700 laptop. this Amazon Deals Do Aspire 14 more bargaining More than usual.

If you’re willing to spend more money, I have several other Copilots and PCs that you should check out. this Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 The winner of its sleek, sturdy design and awesome tactile touchpad Asus Zenbook A14 Boasting an ultra-light and rigid case with gorgeous OLED displays. Plus, both offer better battery life than the Aspire 14 AI.