The Acer Aspire 5 17 is often significantly less expensive and comes with a larger 17.3-inch screen, a number pad on the keyboard, and ample battery life for general use. However, it's heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the Acer Swift 14 is often significantly more expensive, but it offers a higher resolution touchscreen, better performance for engineering and graphics-intensive tasks due to a more powerful processor and double the memory, a lighter build for greater portability, and longer battery life. The Swift 14 also has a backlit keyboard and better scores in areas such as webcam and fan noise. If budget is a concern and you prefer a larger display for general tasks, go with the Aspire 5 17. For higher performance in demanding tasks, better screen quality, and portability, the Swift 14 is the better option despite its higher cost. 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 17
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift 14.
Advantages of the Acer Swift 14
Very good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
458.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Acer Swift 14 is rated higher for general use primarily because it has a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a higher resolution touchscreen with better color coverage, which are very important for overall performance and screen quality. Additionally, the Swift 14 is lighter and boasts longer battery life, enhancing its portability, whereas the Aspire 5 17, despite a good keyboard and effective heat management, is heavier with a larger screen but lower battery life and screen resolution, making it less ideal for carrying around and for tasks that require high screen clarity.
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 14 is considered good for engineering and design use due to its superior CPU and double the RAM of the Acer Aspire 5 17, which only offers fair performance in these tasks; additionally, the Swift 14's higher resolution and color accuracy provide a better screen quality for detailed design work. While both laptops have similar GPUs, the Swift 14's greater portability and quieter operating noise enhance its appeal for users needing to work in various locations without disruptive sound.
Content Creation
7.2/10
8.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 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.
Software Development
7.2/10
8.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
7.6/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
458.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's screen may not offer the crispness and brightness that general users appreciate for activities like browsing and document editing. For engineering and design professionals who need accurate color representation, the Acer Swift 14's superior color gamut coverage makes it more appealing. However, both laptops lack the high refresh rates desired for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications, which can be a drawback for users focused on those areas.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift 14 has 9 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
Good
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Acer Swift 14 has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.4/10
The Acer Swift 14 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$700
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Acer Swift 14 costs $1,400.
The Acer Swift 14 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 14 offers superior gaming and 3D performance due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor and the same graphics capabilities as the Acer Aspire 5 17. The Swift 14's higher screen quality with more pixels and better color coverage also contributes to a more immersive gaming experience compared to the Aspire 5 17.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Acer Swift 14 compare to other laptops
"The Acer Aspire 5 17 laptop shows the expected strengths in the test. Besides the usual high build quality, the configuration convinces in most benchmarks and tests. The combination of CPU, GPU, and RAM is absolutely sufficient for the everyday office and browsing tasks of a laptop. It also renders the odd game passably if the requirements aren't too high. We liked the matte display in the test as well as the fairly manageable dimensions despite the screen size. It can also be used outdoors, even if it's certainly not a laptop designed for mobility."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Acer Swift 14 is good for school use. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts easily through a typical school day. You can configure the laptop with an FHD+ or QHD+ display; both look sharp and get bright enough to combat glare. The keyboard feels tactile but can be a little tiring to type on over an extended period, and while the touchpad is small, it's responsive to all movements and gestures. Its Intel 13th Gen. CPU can handle nearly every type of workload; however, its integrated graphics perform poorly, so it isn't ideal for students in technical fields like 3D graphics."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Acer Swift 14
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.
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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