If you prefer a laptop with higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Lenovo Slim 7 16, with its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, would be the better choice. It also has a higher resolution, touch-enabled display with a greater refresh rate, which is beneficial for both engineering and gaming. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a larger screen size and a longer battery life for general use, making it suitable if you prioritize working on a bigger display and longer unplugged usage. Keep in mind, however, while the Acer might often be slightly more expensive, it has less RAM and a lower resolution screen, which may impact multitasking and visual clarity. Both contenders share similar traits in build quality and portability, with the Lenovo slightly edging out in portability despite the Acer's larger screen. 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
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Slim 7 16.
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim 7 16
Good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen processor, twice the RAM, and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which collectively handle complex tasks and renderings more effectively than the Acer Aspire 5 17's Intel processor and integrated graphics. Additionally, the Lenovo boasts a higher resolution and bright touchscreen display, enhancing visual work, whereas the Acer, with a lesser screen and fair build and heat management, is more compromised despite being slightly quieter under load.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
8.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a combination of resolution, brightness, and panel type that suits everyday tasks well, but its standard color gamut and refresh rate don't meet the demands of professional design work or high-end gaming. The Lenovo Slim 7 16 provides a sharp, bright display with a wider color gamut, making it ideal for engineering and design where color accuracy is crucial, but like the Acer, its refresh rate limits its effectiveness for gaming, where fast-moving visuals require higher refresh rates to appear smooth. Both laptops aren't optimized for gaming due to their lower refresh rates, but are distinguished in other areas by their screen attributes suited for either general use or precision tasks.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has 9.5 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.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.8/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has 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
$1,440
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo Slim 7 16 costs $1,440.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is well-suited for general use thanks to its decent processor, ample RAM for everyday tasks, and a full HD screen which is good for regular consumption, but it is less portable due to its large size and has moderate battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo Slim 7 16 also caters to general use with a more powerful processor, higher RAM which accelerates multitasking, a sharper and brighter display that enhances visuals, additionally offering better battery life and portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a lower-tier integrated Intel GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, making it less suited for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Lenovo Slim 7 16, which offers a more capable Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a higher refresh rate display for smoother visuals.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 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
7.2/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Lenovo Slim 7 16 compare to other laptops
"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."
"At $1,011, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro is a real bargain among full-sized laptops, with a handsome 16-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio touch screen, a speedy CPU, a comfortable keyboard, ample memory, and a roomy solid-state drive. It's not a blazing gaming rig or mobile workstation, but it doesn't pretend to be. Its biggest negative is that it may be hard to find—during our review, it sold out and was marked "Temporarily Unavailable" on Lenovo's site."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Lenovo Slim 7 16
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.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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