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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers better performance with an Intel i5 processor, more built-in storage, and a larger, higher quality display, which may benefit tasks like multitasking, photo and video editing, and viewing content. It also has a backlit keyboard. However, it's less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, and while it's pricier, you're paying for better specs. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is more budget-friendly and boasts greater portability thanks to its smaller size and lighter weight, making it suitable for basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and on-the-go use. However, with a more modest processor, less storage, and a lower resolution screen, it may not be suited for more demanding applications. Consider the Acer if performance and screen size are priorities and you don't mind spending more, while the Lenovo is a good choice if you're looking for something affordable and highly portable for lighter use. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.3
6.1
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
239.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's superior CPU and higher RAM contribute to better performance, which, along with a larger, higher-quality IPS screen, makes it well-suited for general use, despite being heavier and having shorter battery life than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14". The IdeaPad, however, has a lower-quality TN screen, less RAM and storage, and a weaker CPU, which significantly impacts its general use effectiveness, even though it is lighter and has a longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2
5.5
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
10.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is better suited for gaming and 3D because it has a more capable GPU in the form of Intel Iris Xe and a higher-quality IPS screen compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14's less powerful Intel UHD Graphics 600 and lower-quality TN panel. Although both have the same screen refresh rate, the Acer's better GPU and screen quality make it a fair option for gaming, while the Lenovo's poor GPU performance and screen quality make it unsuitable for these tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.7
5.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is suitable for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i5 CPU, larger RAM, and strong GPU, which are crucial for such tasks, along with a superior IPS screen offering better color reproduction and resolution.
Content Creation
7.2
6.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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
6.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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
5.3
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
239.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a larger screen with adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, providing a comfortable viewing experience for general use. For engineering and design, although it offers a sizeable workspace, it lacks wide color gamut support, making it less ideal for color-sensitive work. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a smaller and less bright display, leading to a compromised experience across all scenarios, and its limited resolution and refresh rate make it less suitable for immersive gaming and detailed design work.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has 9 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
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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
6.0
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" both have only fair build quality, though the Acer Aspire 5 17 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$700
$156
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" costs $156.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $156 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.9'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.88" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 32 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 | 239 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | August 2021
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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 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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