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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 involves considering your priorities. If you value a larger screen and a better price-to-storage ratio, the Acer could suit you; it offers a 17.3-inch display and a solid battery life. On the other hand, the Dell offers a higher resolution and a more compact 16-inch screen with a taller aspect ratio, which may be preferable for productivity tasks. It also has double the storage and more RAM, offering better multitasking and performance for engineering and 3D work, but it costs more. The Dell also seems to have a slight edge in build quality and scoring for engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning usage, and it's lighter, making it more portable. Both have comparable keyboard and general performance qualities. If gaming or intensive graphic tasks are of less importance to you, then the Acer may be the more economical 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 Dell Inspiron 16 5635.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635's stronger CPU and double the RAM compared to the Acer Aspire 5 17 make it better suited to handle more demanding tasks and multitasking, while its higher resolution and better screen aspect ratio offer a superior visual experience. Although the Acer is lighter, making it slightly more portable, the Dell offers a longer battery life for extended use and has a larger storage capacity for more significant data handling, tipping the scales in favor of the Dell for robust general use.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for software development, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
6.6
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you're focused on everyday tasks like browsing the web and working with office applications, both the Acer Aspire 5 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 with their fair panel type, resolution, and brightness will provide a comfortable viewing experience. For engineering and design work where accurate color representation is crucial, these laptops offer fair capability, but they might not cover the color gamuts as well as professional-grade displays. However, for enthusiasts in gaming or 3D modeling where fluid motion is key, the poor refresh rates on these laptops may mean less smooth visuals and could hinder the experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.3
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they have integrated GPUs, which are less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs, and standard screen refresh rates, which are not as high as those preferred for gaming. The Acer has an Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe GPU, while the Dell has an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U Vega 8 GPU; both laptops have their own strengths, with the Acer offering a larger screen but lower screen resolution and the Dell providing a higher resolution but smaller screen, which affects screen quality and gaming experience.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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.
Cost
$700
$750
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 costs $750.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Dell Inspiron 16 5635 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $750 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
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 | 265 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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Dig into reviews and images
UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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.
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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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