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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is generally more expensive and offers a larger 17.3-inch screen, which can be better for multitasking and watching multimedia but makes the laptop less portable and heavier. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and more portable with a 14-inch screen, making it a good option for those on the go. However, it comes with less storage capacity. Both laptops have decent performance for general use but may not handle intensive gaming or engineering software as well as higher-end models. The Acer has a longer battery life, which might be important if you're often away from power outlets. Choose the Acer if you want a larger display and don't mind the additional weight and cost, or go with the Lenovo if portability and price are your primary concerns. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.7
6.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Acer Aspire 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with its Intel i5 processor and Iris Xe graphics, offers a larger screen suitable for detailed work but may not be as portable due to its size and weight, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U with Vega 7 graphics, is more portable with a smaller screen, yet both have comparable RAM and IPS displays for crisp visuals. Both models have adequate screen quality for engineering and design but neither excels at high-end tasks due to their mainstream CPUs and integrated GPUs, making them fair choices for lighter workloads.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.4
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use.
When considering general use like web browsing or document editing, both the Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" have adequate screen resolution and brightness, but the panel types may not offer the wide viewing angles and color accuracy found in higher-end models. For engineering and design tasks, which require precise colors, the fair screen quality in terms of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB of both laptops means that colors may not be as vibrant or accurate as required for professional-level work. While these screens are suitable for casual gaming, the lower refresh rates will not provide the smooth motion and quick reaction times desired for competitive gaming or high-quality 3D rendering.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$700
$490
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
6.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 17 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers good performance for general use due to its capable processor, adequate RAM, and IPS display with decent screen quality but is less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14". In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" rates higher in portability with a longer battery life and slightly better heat management, but its smaller screen and less powerful CPU make it less suitable for demanding tasks, leading to its fair rating for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
Both the Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are fair for gaming and 3D tasks due to their integrated GPUs and standard screen refresh rates, which provide acceptable performance for casual gaming but might struggle with more demanding games and 3D applications. The Acer has a larger screen, potentially offering a more immersive experience, but with a similar screen quality and refresh rate to the Lenovo, neither is particularly tailored to high-end gaming or advanced 3D rendering where a dedicated GPU and higher refresh rates are crucial.
Content Creation
7.2
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Build Quality
6.5
6.5
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $490 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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