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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is more affordable and offers good general use with adequate performance for everyday activities, a larger screen, and a long battery life, making it well-suited for tasks like web browsing, light productivity work, and streaming video. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 9i costs more and is built for high-end gaming and demanding tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning with a high-performance processor, superior graphics card, and more memory and storage; however, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which means it's less portable than the Acer. If your priorities are performance for intensive tasks, the Legion 9i outshines the Acer, but if you're looking for portability and general use at a lower price, the Acer Aspire 5 17 is a practical 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
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 9i
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a balance suitable for general use, with adequate processing power for daily activities, a solid battery life, and a good keyboard, but it is larger and slightly heavier which affects portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 9i steps up in performance with a more powerful CPU and ample RAM, a higher-quality Mini LED screen, and superior speakers which make it excellent for general use, but it comes with a shorter battery life and a heftier build, meaning it's less convenient to carry around.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 9i excels in gaming and 3D with its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and a high 165Hz screen refresh rate for smoother visuals, in contrast to the Acer Aspire 5 17 that houses a modest Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, providing a less optimal experience for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.7
9.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a modest CPU and GPU, and is lighter which makes it more portable, but these components don't deliver the same performance as the Lenovo Legion 9i for engineering and design tasks, which boasts a high-end CPU, a powerful dedicated GPU, and significantly superior screen quality, including higher resolution and color accuracy, although it's less portable and heavier.
Content Creation
7.2
8.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
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
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
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
9.7
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you require a vivid and sharp display for tasks like browsing, watching videos, or document editing, opt for the Lenovo Legion 9i which boasts a high resolution and bright screen that makes colors pop and text sharp. For engineering and design professionals who need precise color representation for tasks such as photo editing or CAD work, the Legion 9i again excels with a wider color gamut that covers more vibrant tones. However, for 3D gaming enthusiasts looking for smooth motion and responsiveness, neither laptop is ideal, but be aware that high refresh rates significantly improve gaming and 3D modeling experiences, so you might want to look at models specifically targeted for gaming.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very 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.
Cost
$700
$3,420
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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 Legion 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | December 2023
"The Lenovo Legion 9i is meant as a top-end flagship showcase for enthusiasts, and on that, it delivers. You'll find flashier designs in this price tier—Razer’s all-metal build in a similarly sized laptop like the Blade 16, or monstrous 18-inch machines—but this is a well-thought-out laptop. The chassis is trim for a 16-inch powerhouse, the lid is unique, and bespoke liquid cooling takes performance to the next level."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo Legion 9i
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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