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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17, being more affordable, is also larger and heavier, which can affect portability. Its larger screen is good for multitasking and viewing comfort, but the resolution is standard. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is more expensive and has a smaller, but higher resolution screen with a different aspect ratio that may benefit productivity and creative work. It's lighter and more compact, enhancing portability but perhaps at the expense of a larger viewing area. The Surface Laptop also has a more powerful processor, which may lead to better performance for demanding applications. When it comes to battery life, both offer reasonable durations, but the exact usage time will depend on your tasks. If budget is a primary concern and you work mainly in one place, the Acer may suit you, whereas if you favor performance, screen quality, and mobility, the Surface Laptop would be a better fit. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 5's screen provides adequate detail and visibility in most settings, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 offers higher resolution and brightness, making for a more vivid and crisp display. In engineering and design, the Surface Laptop 5 likely offers a wider color range, meeting professional color standards better, which is crucial for accuracy in color-sensitive work, whereas the Acer Aspire 5 falls short in this aspect. When it comes to 3D and gaming, both laptops aren't optimal due to their lower refresh rates, but their screen resolutions and types may still offer a decent experience for less demanding tasks despite lacking the smoothness preferred by enthusiasts and professionals in this field.
Portability
Good
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a large 17.3-inch screen with good screen quality for comfortable viewing, coupled with a full-size keyboard including a numpad, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the more compact Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" which has a smaller, but higher-resolution touchscreen that offers great portability and longer battery use. Both laptops are equipped with solid CPUs and sufficient RAM for general tasks, and the Surface Laptop 5's higher quality keyboard, built-in touchscreen, and better heat management make it well suited for on-the-go use, while the Acer Aspire 5 is more suitable for stationary use where screen size and keyboard layout matter more.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both considered fair for gaming and 3D because they share similar integrated graphics and standard screen refresh rates, which are sufficient for casual gaming but may not handle high-end gaming smoothly. With larger screens and good CPUs, both are capable of decent gaming performance, but the Surface Laptop's higher resolution and touch capabilities offer a better screen quality, beneficial for graphics-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a lower-tier CPU and half the RAM of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which limits its performance for demanding engineering and design tasks. While the Aspire offers a larger screen, the Surface Laptop boasts a higher resolution and screen quality, making it better suited for detailed work; however, the Aspire's screen size may still be preferred for multitasking and side-by-side document comparison.
Content Creation
7.2
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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