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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize longer battery life, a lighter weight for easier transport, a touchscreen, and higher RAM capacity for better multitasking, the Acer Swift 3 is a solid choice. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen and a numeric keypad, which could be advantageous for productivity or if you prefer a bigger display. Keep in mind that while the Aspire 5 17 is typically more expensive and not as portable due to its larger size and weight, it may still be appealing for those who value screen size and the convenience of a full keyboard layout. Both laptops are suitable for general use, 3D and machine learning tasks, and engineering, but the Swift 3's better portability and higher RAM might be more beneficial for those types of demanding applications. 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 3.
Advantages of the Acer Swift 3
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
309.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When selecting a laptop for general use, the Acer Swift 3 outshines the Aspire 5 17 primarily due to its higher resolution and brightness, providing sharper and more vibrant visuals. For engineering and design purposes, the Swift 3’s more extensive color coverage, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensures more accurate color representation, which is essential for precise work. However, both the Aspire 5 17 and Swift 3 fall short for gaming and 3D as they lack high refresh rates, impacting the smoothness of motion, even though their resolution and panel types are adequate.
Battery
7.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift 3 has 12 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.4
The Acer Swift 3 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
$500
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Acer Swift 3 costs $500.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
309.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with a larger screen and decent CPU, RAM, and battery life, suits users needing a comfortable viewing experience for general computing tasks, albeit with less portability due to its size. Meanwhile, the Acer Swift 3 offers better portability, a touch screen, and longer battery life, as well as higher RAM for smooth multitasking, making it suitable for on-the-go users without sacrificing performance.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.3
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
Both the Acer Aspire 5 17 and Acer Swift 3 feature integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics which are fair for lightweight gaming and 3D tasks but might not handle more demanding games and applications smoothly. Additionally, both laptops have an IPS display with a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming, although not ideal for fast-paced titles where higher refresh rates can deliver smoother visuals.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 3 to be good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.2
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 3 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for content creation.
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
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Acer Aspire 5 17 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 5 17 and the Acer Swift 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Acer Swift 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 2.76 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 309 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | March 2021
"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."
Acer Swift 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | February 2022
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Acer Swift 3
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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