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Updated January 10, 2024·
Considering the laptops you've mentioned, the Acer Aspire 5 17 will cost less and offers a larger screen, which is great for multitasking and media consumption, but it's heavier and not as easy to carry around. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020), however, while more expensive, boasts longer battery life and a higher quality display with better color accuracy, making it ideal for professionals working in visual design. It's also more portable due to its lighter weight. If performance in tasks like 3D rendering and engineering is crucial, the MacBook Pro is generally superior, but for general use at a more affordable price, the Acer Aspire is a good choice. 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 Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is 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
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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.
Software Development
7.2
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
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
7.6
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 offers a higher resolution and brightness, providing crisper text and vivid displays, while the Acer Aspire 5’s larger screen may still offer an adequate experience at a potentially lower price point. In engineering and design, the MacBook's superior color accuracy, including a wider color gamut, makes it more suitable for professionals who need precise color representation, whereas the Aspire 5 may suffice for those with less stringent color demands. For 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal due to poor refresh rates, but the MacBook's higher resolution and panel quality give it a slight edge, though serious gamers and 3D designers will likely require a different machine optimized for those tasks.
Battery
7.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
13.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class 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
$1,249
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
20.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen and a number pad on the keyboard which is useful for general use, along with ample storage and a decent processor, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Pro 13. The Apple MacBook Pro 13, with its high-resolution display, excellent battery life, and lightweight design, is ideal for carrying around and offers superb screen quality, though it has less storage and no number pad.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.3
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with its Iris Xe graphics, offers decent gaming capabilities for its category and a standard screen refresh rate; however, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has an M1 GPU that runs 3D tasks well but is limited by compatibility issues as many popular games don't run on macOS. While both laptops have similar refresh rates, the CPU and screen quality of the MacBook are typically higher, but the Acer's Windows platform is more game-ready.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 20 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 58.2 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
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."
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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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