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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen and a number pad, which may be beneficial for productivity, but it's heavier and not as portable as the HP Dragonfly Pro 14". The HP has better battery life, a higher quality webcam, and speakers, and it's lighter, making it more suitable for travel. If you need a touchscreen and better performance for tasks like 3D rendering or engineering software, the HP Dragonfly Pro should be your choice. However, if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option for general use and prefer a larger display, the Acer Aspire 5 would be a suitable option. 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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14".
Advantages of the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen and a numeric keypad which might be more comfortable for general tasks, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life compared to the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", which, despite its smaller size, boasts double the RAM for smoother multitasking, a sharper and brighter display for better image quality, and excellent battery life and portability, making it very good for a wider range of general use cases.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is equipped with a less powerful CPU and GPU compared to the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", which means it may struggle with more demanding engineering and design tasks. Additionally, the Dragonfly Pro has a higher quality screen and double the RAM, enhancing its capacity to handle complex projects and multitasking without compromising on portability.
Content Creation
7.2
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for content creation, though the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for software development, though the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
7.1
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a sharp, vivid display for everyday tasks and professional design work, the HP Dragonfly Pro with its higher resolution and brightness makes for a clearer and more vibrant visual experience compared to the Acer Aspire 5. For those involved in engineering and design, the HP's better coverage of color gamuts ensures more accurate color reproduction, which is essential for precise work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, but the Acer's larger screen may provide a slightly more immersive experience despite its limitations.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
8.5
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.5
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
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
7.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a large 17.3-inch screen with a basic refresh rate and an integrated GPU, which together provide a fair gaming and 3D experience primarily constrained by less capable graphics performance and a standard screen refresh rate.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | HP Dragonfly Pro 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.4'' x 8.8'' x 0.72'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 7 7736U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 64.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
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 | 405 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 8.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1440p | |
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 | 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."
HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Brendan Nystedt | March 2023
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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