Choosing between the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 depends on your priorities. The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a larger screen, but the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has a higher resolution, offering crisper images and a broader color range for visual tasks. The Acer Aspire might cost you more but comes with higher color coverage and brightness for screen quality. If you need more memory for multitasking or resource-intensive tasks, the Dell's higher RAM would be more beneficial, yet it's also lighter, making it more portable. Both laptops have similar processors and integrated graphics, suitable for general use but not geared towards intensive gaming or heavy 3D/machine learning activities. They both have decent battery life, but the Dell slightly outperforms the Acer. If connectivity is crucial, they're similarly equipped, yet the Dell includes a Thunderbolt port for faster data transfer and peripherals connectivity. Finally, both offer a budget-friendly option for everyday computing needs. 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 Dell Inspiron 16 5620.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5620
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for content creation, and software development.
For general use, laptops like the Acer Aspire 5 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5620 might not offer the sharpest details or brightest displays, which affects the overall viewing experience. When it comes to engineering and design work, these models don't cover the wide color gamuts needed for precise color work, making them less ideal for professionals in those fields. As for gaming and 3D applications, they fall short due to slower screen refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has 8 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.
Cost
$700
$500
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 costs $500.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with a large screen and decent battery life, suits users who prefer bigger displays for their daily tasks and can tolerate a heavier laptop for improved screen real estate. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 offers more memory, which aids multitasking and productivity, and a higher-resolution screen for sharper images, in a lighter package that is easier to carry around, thus providing better portability and performance for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5620 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5620 are both labeled fair for gaming and 3D due to their integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which can handle games moderately well but are not as powerful as dedicated GPUs, and both have a standard screen refresh rate limit of 60Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but not ideal for high-frame-rate gaming that enthusiasts might seek. The Dell has more memory, which can help with multitasking and slightly more complex tasks, while both have quality IPS displays but neither has high screen refresh rates which are very important for smooth gameplay.
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
7.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5620 to be good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is better for engineering and design tasks because it has twice the amount of RAM for handling complex software and a slightly better screen resolution and pixel density for clearer visuals, compared to the Acer Aspire 5 17 which offers less RAM and a lower screen resolution.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 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
7.2/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5620 to have 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 compare to other laptops
"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."
"If the world is exciting enough right now, you can do far worse than a solid performer that you know will get the job done. Our review model is as powerful as you'd want an office machine to be unless you're performing specialist tasks and the price point is pretty attractive (unless work will let you have a MacBook Air instead)."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Dell Inspiron 16 5620
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.