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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a larger screen which is better for multitasking and productivity, but its larger size makes it less portable compared to the MSI GF63 Thin. The GF63 Thin, on the other hand, offers better graphical performance with a discrete Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q, making it more suitable for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks. Both have similar RAM and screen resolution, but the Acer has a larger storage capacity. The MSI is typically less expensive and has a higher build quality and heat management, while the Acer offers slightly longer battery life and a newer release date, possibly indicating more current hardware and features. 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
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 5 17.
Key differences
General Use
7.3
6.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is considered good for general use because it offers a larger screen with reasonable quality, which is better suited for everyday activities like browsing and productivity tasks, coupled with a decent battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin, while fair for general use, is compromised by a smaller screen and shorter battery life, although it does have a slightly more powerful graphics card which may not be as beneficial for non-gaming related tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.7
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Acer Aspire 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a newer CPU with integrated graphics and a larger screen, making it a reasonable choice for engineering and design work, but the memory and storage are standard and not as suited for heavy workloads. The MSI GF63 Thin, on the other hand, boasts a dedicated GPU which helps with rendering tasks, but its smaller storage capacity and older generation processor make it less optimal for demanding engineering software despite its improved portability and gaming-oriented hardware.
Content Creation
7.2
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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
6.1
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the MSI GF63 Thin have displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, although the panel types might not be top-tier, affecting overall clarity and viewing angles. In engineering and design work, where color accuracy is crucial, these laptops have only fair screen quality since they don't offer the wide color gamuts needed for precision work. When it comes to gaming and 3D, their poor screen quality stems from lower refresh rates, which means less smooth visuals during fast-paced activities, though they still maintain adequate resolution and panel type for some level of detail.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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.
Cost
$700
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
8.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 might deliver mediocre gaming performance due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics which are less suited for gaming compared to dedicated GPUs; meanwhile, the MSI GF63 Thin, with its Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q, is generally better equipped for gaming and 3D tasks. Both have similar screen refresh rates, which are adequate for modest gaming, but not optimal for high-frame-rate experiences that enthusiasts seek.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF63 Thin 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 MSI GF63 Thin 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 MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 51 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 | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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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