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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value top-notch performance, especially for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and you don't mind spending more, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is an exceptional choice with its powerful processor and graphics, extensive battery life, and high-quality display. However, the Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a good balance of performance for general usage, a number pad on the keyboard, and it comes at a lower price, making it a solid option for everyday tasks and budget-conscious buyers. The MacBook Pro's display outshines the Acer with better color coverage, brightness, and refresh rate, which is important for creative professionals. Deciding between portability and performance, the MacBook Pro is slightly lighter and thinner despite having a smaller screen, whereas the Acer Aspire 5 provides a larger screen and a cheaper price tag at the cost of lower performance and a lesser display quality. If extended battery life is critical for you, the MacBook Pro significantly outperforms the Acer in this area. 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 16 (Late 2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels over the Acer Aspire 5 17 with its more powerful Apple M3 Pro processor, higher RAM, superior Mini LED screen, and double the battery life, enhancing performance and screen quality for demanding tasks and longer usage. Conversely, the Acer Aspire 5 17, while larger and heavier, provides sufficient capabilities for daily activities at a potentially lower cost, with an adequate Intel processor, IPS display, and reasonable battery life, but lacks the portability and high-end features of the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.5
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
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 16 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with its lower refresh rate screen and integrated graphics, is adequate for gaming and 3D tasks but may not deliver as smooth visuals as gaming-dedicated devices. Conversely, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) boasts a higher screen refresh rate and a more powerful GPU, providing better performance for 3D applications, although it's important to remember that not all popular games are compatible with MacOS.
Engineering and Design
6.7
8.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 boasts a superior main processor and GPU, significantly longer battery life, and a high-quality Mini LED screen, which make it very good for demanding engineering and design tasks. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a mid-range CPU and GPU, lower battery capacity, and a standard IPS panel, meaning it handles such tasks adequately but with less efficiency and detail.
Content Creation
7.2
8.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
8.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
9.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 laptop has a screen that provides adequate color accuracy and brightness for tasks like web browsing and document editing, which aligns with the needs of general use and basic design work, but the lower resolution and modest color coverage may not satisfy more demanding engineering tasks or produce the vivid and precise colors required. The Apple MacBook Pro 16's screen excels in color reproduction, expansive color gamut, and clarity, making it ideal for professional design and engineering applications where details and color precision are crucial. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where a high refresh rate is vital for smooth visuals and responsive gameplay, both laptops may fall short, as their screens aren't tailored for the high refresh rates preferred in those fields.
Battery
7.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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.
Build Quality
6.5
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
$2,299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) costs $2,299.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.2in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $2,299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 18 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 | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 16 (Late 2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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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