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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 14 is more portable and budget-friendly, making it suitable for general use with a balance between cost and functionality. In contrast, the Acer Nitro 5 17 is pricier, offers superior performance suitable for 3D rendering, gaming, and machine learning, and has a larger screen, which may impede portability but enhance visual workspace for intensive tasks. The Nitro 5 also has a higher-end graphics card and processor, as well as more RAM and storage capacity. Choose the Aspire 3 if portability and cost are priorities, or the Nitro 5 if high performance and a larger display are essential, despite the higher cost and reduced portability. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 3 14
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Acer Nitro 5 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 offers lower storage and less RAM than the Acer Nitro 5 17, which means it may not handle multitasking or large applications as well; however, its smaller screen and lighter weight make it more portable and therefore more suited for on-the-go use, along with quieter operation due to its fanless design.
Gaming and AI
5.9
7.7
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, delivers smoother and more immersive gaming and 3D experiences, making it a better fit for enthusiasts who prioritize performance. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 3 14, while adequate for casual gaming, falls short in both GPU horsepower and refresh rate, making it less ideal for demanding graphics tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.1
8.0
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is better equipped for engineering and design due to its stronger CPU, double the RAM, and a superior GPU compared to the Acer Aspire 3 14, which also has a solid CPU and ample RAM but a less powerful GPU and lower screen quality. While the Aspire offers better portability, the Nitro's larger screen and higher refresh rate benefit design precision, although it trades off with lower portability and keyboard, speaker, and operating noise quality that are just fair compared to the Aspire's balance of solid performance and silent operation.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Screen Quality
6.1
8.2
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering the Acer Aspire 3 and Acer Nitro 5 for general use, the Nitro 5's higher resolution and brighter display provide a clearer and more vibrant viewing experience. For engineering and design tasks, the Nitro 5's superior color coverage, which includes a wider range of the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spectrums, ensures more accurate color reproduction, which is essential for detail-oriented work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, although the Nitro 5 may still offer a marginally better experience due to its higher overall screen quality.
Battery
9.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.2
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$434
$830
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the Acer Nitro 5 17 costs $830.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.1
7.4
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Acer Nitro 5 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | Acer Nitro 5 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $830 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 5.95 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 15.89" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 11.02" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 57.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 307 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 6.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2021
"The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a solid mid-range gamer. The Nitro 5 does not belong to the top group of RTX 3070 notebooks: Compared with the RTX 3070 notebooks tested so far, the computer delivers below-average frame rates - this is due to the 100-watt TGP. The GPU performance can be increased a bit with a firmware update. The device scores with a high level of CPU performance. Throttling is not a concern. CPU and GPU can produce their performance constantly. The laptop heats up moderately under load. The noise development is on the usual class level."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the Acer Nitro 5 17
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
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