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Updated January 12, 2024·
If your primary concern is price and basic tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" offers budget-friendly pricing and is suitable for everyday use with moderate performance capabilities. However, if you require higher performance for more intensive tasks such as multitasking or running complex software, the Acer Aspire 5 17 provides better performance with a more recent processor and more storage, but at a significantly higher price. The Acer also boasts a larger, higher resolution display, which can be better for productivity and media consumption but can reduce portability compared to the smaller and lighter Lenovo. The Lenovo may have a more limited display quality and lower storage capacity, but it is more portable and easier to carry around due to its smaller size and lighter weight. Both laptops come with Windows 11 Home; thus, your choice should depend on balancing performance needs with budget constraints and the importance of portability. 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 battery life
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 5 17.
Key differences
General Use
7.3
6.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers better performance for general use with an Intel i5 CPU and more RAM, contributing to faster and smoother operation, along with a higher quality IPS screen with full HD resolution, leading to clearer and more vibrant visuals.
Engineering and Design
6.7
5.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a more powerful Intel i5 processor and superior Iris Xe graphics, making it fair for engineering and design applications that require good processing and visualization capabilities, not to mention a better screen quality with its IPS panel and higher resolution display. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" sports a less potent Intel i3 processor and lower-tier Intel UHD graphics, has a TN panel with lower resolution, and falls short in supporting more demanding engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
7.2
6.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
6.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 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 3 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
5.2
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger, brighter display with a resolution that provides clarity for everyday tasks and media consumption, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a smaller and potentially dimmer screen, making it less ideal for multiple-window multitasking and rich media experiences. When it comes to engineering and design, the Acer's screen might display a broader range of colors, which is crucial for accuracy in visual projects, but the Lenovo falls short in color reproduction, affecting the precision required for professional design work. As for gaming and 3D applications, the Acer's screen, although not designed for high refresh rates that enhance smooth motion, may still provide a more immersive experience than the Lenovo which lacks both high refresh rates and superior color fidelity, therefore not being optimal for fast-paced games or detailed 3D rendering.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 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
$331
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $490 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $331.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
5.8
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
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 17 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
6.5
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$490 | $331 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 35 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 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
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 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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 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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