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Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability and budget are key concerns, the Acer Aspire 5 17 is less expensive and offers a larger screen, which is good for productivity and media consumption. However, it has a less powerful processor and graphics unit, which means it may not handle intensive tasks as well, including 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. The Dell XPS 15, while more expensive, comes with a higher-quality build, better speaker, and more robust performance, making it better suited for demanding engineering applications and general use that requires more power. Both come with similar storage and non-touch IPS displays, but the XPS has better battery life, which is crucial for long working hours away from a power source. 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 XPS 15.
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Dell XPS 15 outshines the Acer Aspire 5 17 due to its higher quality display (which benefits from better resolution, brightness, and color accuracy), more RAM for smooth multitasking, and a superior CPU that provides better performance for demanding tasks; these factors contribute to its designation as very good for general use. Another factor is that the XPS 15 has better build quality and heat management, which, alongside its longer battery life and excellent keyboard, contrasts with the Aspire's average build and shorter battery life, solidifying its edge in overall user experience.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
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
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Dell XPS 15 is somewhat better.
The Dell XPS 15, with its higher-end Intel Arc A370M GPU and a screen that is better in terms of color and quality (higher sRGB and Adobe RGB coverage), is better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the Acer Aspire 5 17 which has an Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe GPU and a less premium screen. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the Dell's superior GPU and screen contribute to its higher gaming and 3D capability.
Engineering and Design
6.7
8.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with its Intel i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and integrated Iris Xe graphics, is serviceable for engineering tasks, but the Dell XPS 15 stands out with a higher-end Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and discrete Intel Arc A370M graphics, offering a superior performance capacity for more demanding design work.
Content Creation
7.2
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 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
8.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 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
7.4
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell XPS 15 stands out with a higher resolution and brighter display, making text clearer and colors more vibrant, which is less pronounced on the Acer Aspire 5 17. Advanced engineering and design work benefit significantly from the wider color gamuts of the Dell XPS 15, which ensures more accurate color representation, whereas the Acer Aspire 5 17 may not produce colors as precisely. However, for gaming and 3D applications where rapid movement is common, neither laptop is ideal as both lack the high refresh rates needed for smoother visual transitions.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 15 has 10 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
8.5
The Dell XPS 15 has very 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
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Dell XPS 15 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell XPS 15 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Dell XPS 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Dell XPS 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 4.21 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 13.57" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 606 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
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."
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Dell XPS 15
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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