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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize battery life and a higher resolution display, consider the Apple MacBook Pro 14; its Mini LED screen offers exceptional color accuracy and brightness, making it suitable for creative professionals. Despite being more expensive, it comes with superior build quality, speaker, webcam, and keyboard, which enhances the overall experience. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 5 17 is significantly more affordable and comes with a larger screen, but its battery life and display quality can't match the MacBook Pro. The Aspire is well-suited for general use and its larger form factor includes a number pad, which may benefit productivity. Both offer similar storage and RAM, but different ecosystems: Windows on Acer versus MacOS on the MacBook, which could influence your decision based on compatibility with your preferred software. 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 (Late 2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
- 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
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 provides a larger screen and a number pad which is ideal for users preferring a spacious viewing and typing experience, though it is heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 14. The MacBook Pro 14 offers a superior screen quality, longer battery life, and greater portability, making it fit for those who favor a premium display and need to work on the go.
Engineering and Design
6.7
8.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is less suited for engineering and design because it has a standard screen and less powerful graphics, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) excels with a high-resolution Mini LED display and more integrated GPU power. Additionally, the MacBook Pro offers better portability and higher quality in the somewhat important factors like keyboard and speaker quality, although its higher capabilities come at a premium price compared to the Acer.
Content Creation
7.2
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
489.0 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, with its fair screen quality, balances resolution and brightness adequately for everyday tasks but lacks the advanced color support needed for precise engineering and designing, and it's not equipped with a high refresh rate that gaming and 3D graphics would benefit from. The Apple MacBook Pro 14's screen excels in clarity and color fidelity, providing the superior resolution, brightness, and wide color gamuts essential for both general computing and professional design work, yet like the Acer, it falls short for 3D applications due to its lower refresh rate. For those prioritizing visual accuracy and detail in non-gaming contexts, the MacBook Pro is the superior choice, while both laptops may not fully satisfy the needs of avid gamers or professionals in 3D graphics.
Battery
7.0 Hours
17.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 (Late 2023) 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
$1,599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) costs $1,599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.7
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
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 (Late 2023) and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) outperforms the Acer Aspire 5 17 in 3D applications primarily due to its superior GPU and a higher refresh rate screen, enhancing both the visual quality and smoothness of motion, which are vital for 3D rendering and gaming. However, the MacBook may not support many popular games that the Acer can run, as they are not compatible with MacOS, possibly limiting its use as a gaming device despite its better hardware.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | |
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 | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Apple M3 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 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 | 17 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 | 489 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 | 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 14 (Late 2023)
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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 (Late 2023)
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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