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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize a larger screen and potentially better multitasking capabilities, the Acer Aspire 5 17 might justify its higher price, yet note that it will be bulkier and less portable than the HP Pavilion 15. The HP is likely more affordable and portable—it's a good fit for everyday tasks and if you're frequently on the go. However, if you expect to perform demanding tasks like 3D modeling or intensive engineering software, the higher-priced Acer might provide smoother performance, but remember to check its specs to ensure it meets those specific requirements. Battery life is usually better in more expensive models, but that's not a hard rule; consider reviewing the battery performance of both if that's crucial for you. 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
- Good for software development
- Good battery life
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
- The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 5 17.
Key differences
Software Development
7.2
6.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
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
5.3
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers relatively decent screen brightness and resolution, making it suitable for everyday tasks, but it lacks the high color accuracy and wider color gamuts required for precise engineering and design work. Its screen also falls short in refresh rate, which is critical for a fluid gaming and 3D experience. The HP Pavilion 15's screen, while similar in resolution to the Acer for basic tasks, also underperforms due to lower brightness and inadequate color accuracy, impacting both general use and specialized tasks, and its lower refresh rate impedes gaming and 3D performance.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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
$589
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $589.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is praised for its larger screen with better resolution, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the HP Pavilion 15, which offers more storage and RAM for improved multitasking, although its screen quality is lower due to a smaller size and less sharp display. Both laptops are equipped with solid processors for general use, but the HP Pavilion 15 may require less frequent charging, enhancing its usability on the go despite its older release.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's larger screen and slightly higher screen quality provide a better gaming and 3D experience, while the HP Pavilion 15, despite its lower screen quality and smaller screen size, has double the storage and more RAM, which could be advantageous for gaming and multitasking. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate and are equipped with integrated graphics, which are adequate for less demanding games but unsuitable for high-end gaming or intensive 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.7
6.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a respectable CPU and integrated GPU suitable for some engineering and design tasks, 8GB of RAM, and better screen quality with its IPS panel and higher resolution; however, it's less portable due to its larger size and weight. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15, with a weaker CPU and GPU, compensates with more RAM at 16GB and is more portable, but has a lower quality TN screen with less resolution, making it less ideal for detail-oriented work.
Content Creation
7.2
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Pavilion 15 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
6.2
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 both have 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 HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $589 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the HP Pavilion 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 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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