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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a larger screen but doesn't support touch, it's also slightly thinner and lighter than the Lenovo Flex 5 16, which may matter if portability is important to you. Both are similarly priced, so if you value screen real estate and portability over performance and touch capability, you may lean towards the Acer. If you prefer a higher resolution touch display and better performance, the Lenovo might be the better 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16.
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
7.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's screen provides adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and some professional work like engineering and design where color precision is not critical. The Lenovo Flex 5 16, with higher color accuracy, addresses the needs of professionals in engineering and design who require a good representation of color gamuts. However, neither laptop has a high refresh rate, which is necessary for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications, resulting in a less optimal experience for these intensive activities.
Battery
7.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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.
Cost
$490
$740
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $490 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $740.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a generous 17.3-inch screen paired with an Intel i5 processor and 8GB RAM, providing smooth performance for everyday tasks, yet its larger size and average battery life make it less portable than some alternatives. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 not only has a higher-resolution screen and double the RAM for more demanding multitasking, but also better battery life and the versatility of a 2-in-1 design, though with slightly less portability due to its design and screen size.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are suitable for casual gaming and 3D tasks due to their comparable integrated Iris Xe graphics, but neither is equipped with dedicated gaming GPUs or high screen refresh rates, which are crucial for demanding gaming performance. While both have IPS screens with a standard 60Hz refresh rate, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 possesses a higher screen resolution and quality which may offer slightly better visual detail for games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Flex 5 16 to be good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's performance in engineering and design tasks is fair owing to its lesser RAM and a lower-end CPU compared to the Lenovo Flex 5 16, which is equipped with more RAM and a higher-tier CPU for better multitasking and computational power; additionally, the Flex has a higher-quality screen with better color coverage, enhancing visual design work. Despite these advantages, the Aspire 5 may be preferred for its larger screen size though it may sacrifice some portability and display quality compared to the Flex, which balances performance, screen quality, and portability.
Content Creation
7.2
7.6
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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 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.
Software Development
7.2
7.5
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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$490 | $740 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 52.5 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 | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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