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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you’re looking for a more affordable option with a touchscreen and better portability, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 could suit you well, especially if you prioritize longer battery life for day-to-day tasks. However, the Acer Aspire 5 17, while typically pricier, offers a larger screen and better suitability for engineering and 3D/machine learning tasks, although it's less portable and has a slightly shorter battery life. Neither laptop is ideal for intensive gaming, but both should handle general use effectively. Additionally, the Acer has a backlit keyboard, which the Lenovo lacks, an advantage if you work in low-light conditions. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.7
6.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Acer Aspire 5 17 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.4
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offer sufficient resolution and brightness for typical tasks like browsing and productivity applications, but the panel types may not deliver the most vibrant colors or viewing angles. In engineering and design, users may find colors not as accurately represented due to the limited color gamut coverage, which is critical for precision work that relies on true color representation. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both laptops may fall short as their screen refresh rates aren't high enough for smooth motion rendering, coupled with only modest resolution and panel types that don't prioritize fast-paced visuals.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$700
$390
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen and a solid CPU which makes it suitable for a range of general use applications, but it's less portable due to its larger size and has a shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, which though having a fair CPU, shines with a longer battery life and better portability, but has a smaller touchscreen display. Concerning other traits like RAM and storage, both laptops hold equal grounds, while the Acer has a better screen brightness and the Lenovo boasts of a touchscreen and slightly better screen sharpness.
Gaming and AI
6.2
5.9
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 17 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both equipped with integrated GPUs—Intel Iris Xe and AMD Vega 6, respectively—which provide moderate performance suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D applications, but might struggle with more intense graphical tasks. Both have screens with the same 60Hz refresh rate, which is adequate for casual gaming, but avid gamers might prefer faster refresh rates; screen quality is similar with full HD resolutions but the Aspire's slightly larger screen may offer a better viewing experience for some users.
Content Creation
7.2
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 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
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 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 Slim 3 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 Slim 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 3.52 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
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 | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 Slim 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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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