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Updated January 10, 2024·
For general use with a need for high portability and long battery life, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is superior, offering a more compact form, lighter weight, and substantially better battery mileage, though it comes at a higher cost. The MacBook Pro also boasts a high-quality mini LED display, better speaker quality, and higher build quality. On the other hand, if you prioritize a larger screen and a more budget-friendly option, the Acer Aspire 5 17 fits the bill with a 17.3-inch display and a lower price, but with tradeoffs in terms of reduced portability, shorter battery life, and a lesser-quality IPS screen. For more intensive tasks like 3D, engineering, or machine learning, the MacBook's superior performance components will handle those better, whereas the Aspire 5 may be adequate for less demanding engineering work while saving you money. 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 14 (2021).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers superior CPU and RAM, providing better performance, alongside a high-quality Mini LED screen, which contributes to its very good general-use status, while its lightweight design and longer battery life enhance its portability. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 5 17, with a larger screen size but lower screen quality and smaller battery, is heavier, which along with less advanced CPU and half the RAM of the MacBook Pro, places it as simply good for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is less suited for gaming than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) due to its integrated GPU, which is less powerful than the dedicated GPU found in the MacBook Pro, and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz compared to the MacBook's higher 120Hz, resulting in smoother visuals on the MacBook. Despite the MacBook's advantages in GPU strength and screen refresh rate, certain games still may not be available for macOS, limiting gaming options on the Apple MacBook Pro.
Engineering and Design
6.7
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is fair for engineering and design due to its adequate CPU, RAM, GPU, and screen quality, which may not be sufficient for the most demanding tasks in engineering and design. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is rated very good for such use, thanks to its superior CPU and GPU performance, higher quality screen, and ample RAM, making it a formidable option for intensive applications but with a higher cost and less portability.
Content Creation
7.2
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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
9.2
17.3in
SIZE
14.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers decent resolution and brightness which makes it suitable for general tasks, but its limited color gamut and lower refresh rate can be restrictive for engineering applications and less immersive for gaming. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is renowned for its high-resolution, bright display with wide color gamuts, delivering exceptional clarity and color accuracy essential for engineering and design work. However, despite its superior visual fidelity, its refresh rate is not designed for the fast-paced action in gaming or smoothness in 3D rendering that enthusiasts look for.
Battery
7.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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 14 (2021) 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
$1,905
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) costs $1,905.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,905 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 479 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 10/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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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