The decision between the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 generally comes down to your needs and budget. The Acer Aspire is more budget-friendly and suitable for general use, such as browsing, office applications, and streaming. It's also more portable due to its smaller size. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, while more costly, offers much higher performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming. It tends to have superior graphics capabilities and processing power but is less portable due to its larger size and possibly shorter battery life. If portability and cost are your primary concerns, the Acer is a good choice. If you need a high-performance machine for intensive tasks and are willing to invest more, then the ASUS would be more appropriate. 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 5 15
Good portability
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
8.4/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a decent integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate suitable for moderate gaming and some 3D tasks, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, with its high-end discrete GPU and much higher screen refresh rate, excels in delivering a superior gaming and 3D experience, which also benefits from a more powerful CPU and better screen quality.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
8.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 outperforms the Acer Aspire 5 15 in engineering and design tasks, owing to its superior main processor, higher-end GPU, and better screen quality features, which are critical for demanding workloads. Although both laptops have similar RAM, the Acer offers more portability and less operating noise, which may appeal to those who prefer convenience over maximum performance.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is good.
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
6.2/10
8.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5's fair screen quality for general use stems from its adequate resolution and brightness, providing a decent viewing experience for everyday tasks, but it might lack the color range and sharpness preferred in engineering and design. Despite its larger screen, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 also falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate, but its high resolution and wider color gamut make it suitable for general use and more demanding visual work. Both laptops, being less equipped for high-refresh-rate activities, aren't ideal for 3D gaming, which relies heavily on smooth motion and quick screen updates.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$480
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 costs $2,499.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is well-suited for general use with a competent Intel i5 CPU, substantial RAM, and an IPS display that provides clear visuals, complemented by its relatively light weight and fair battery life, offering a balance of performance and portability. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, with a high-end Intel i9 CPU and advanced Nvidia graphics, excels in screen quality and performance, yet is less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, and it manages heat better, which is crucial for intensive tasks but comes with a tradeoff in battery life and portability.
Software Development
7.3/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Aspire 5 15 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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 compare to other laptops
"The Acer Aspire 5 15 is a good value office laptop with reasonable battery life. The combination of slim exterior, relatively low weight (approx. 1.7 kg) and 8 hour real-life battery runtime makes the Acer Aspire a truly mobile laptop. The modest Tiger Lake processor supports this area and simultaneously ensures an affordable price point. The Aspire produces little noise and stays cool. The screen (FHD, IPS) might not win any prizes but is entirely appropriate for the price."
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 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.
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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