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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the HP Stream 14" depends heavily on your computing needs and budget. The Acer is more expensive but offers a larger display, more powerful Intel i5 processor, and better graphics. This makes it suitable for more intensive tasks such as engineering, 3D modeling, or light gaming. On the other hand, the HP Stream is much less expensive and has half the weight, making it highly portable and adequate for basic tasks like web browsing, streaming, and document editing, but it has a smaller screen with lower resolution and less powerful components. If portability and saving money are top priorities and your tasks are basic, the HP is a solid option; otherwise, for more demanding use and a bigger display, consider the Acer. 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 general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.3
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen with better resolution and IPS panel providing clearer and more vibrant visuals compared to the HP Stream 14", which has a smaller TN panel with a lower resolution, making the Acer better for tasks where screen quality is key. However, the HP Stream 14" is lighter and thus more portable, and with a higher RAM, it could handle multitasking slightly better, but its Celeron processor is less powerful than the i5 in the Acer, influencing overall performance.
Engineering and Design
6.7
5.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is deemed fair for engineering and design tasks as it features a mid-range Intel i5 processor and an Iris Xe GPU, which can moderately handle such workloads, along with a decent screen size and quality for detailed work.
Content Creation
7.2
6.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
6.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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
5.2
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
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 Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with its larger screen, offers a fair level of detail and brightness suitable for general tasks and engineering software, but its standard refresh rate and limited color range reduce its appeal for immersive gaming and professional 3D work. The HP Stream 14", with its smaller and less vivid display, struggles to provide clarity and true colors, making it less ideal for any activities that require precise visual representation, such as photo editing or detailed design projects. For 3D applications that demand smooth motion and sharp visuals, both laptops may fall short, as neither is equipped with high refresh rate displays that are critical for reducing motion blur and providing a more fluid visual experience.
Portability
Good
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 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
5.5
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has only fair build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$700
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
5.7
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 17 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 delivers fair gaming and 3D performance largely because of its Intel Iris Xe graphics, which outperforms the Intel UHD Graphics 600 equipped in the HP Stream 14". Additionally, while both have similar screen refresh rates, the Acer's graphics and slightly better processor provide a more capable gaming experience compared to the HP's lower-tier CPU and graphics combination.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | HP Stream 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel Celeron N4120 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 320 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
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 | 5.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 8.2/10 | |
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 | 6/10 | |
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 | 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 | 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 Stream 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the HP Stream 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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